This post is Part 2 of the post My Interview For Permanent Residency in Canada (Part 1).
How was the Interview for Permanent Residency in Canada
It was raining cats and dogs on the day of my interview. I got off the City-Hall Station (here’s a list of all the stations in Calgary) and walked all the way to the Harry Hays building.
Tip: Always come on time with all the requirements.
Good thing I had my handy dandy umbrella. I prepared for the weather but I’m clueless about the interview.
My friends told me the interview was easy but here is my version of the interview process.
The setup is similar to when I had my interview for the US non-immigrant visa. There’s this glass with hole on which I managed to reach so I can talk to the CIC officer during the interview.
Related Post: How to Apply for Permanent Residence in Canada under the Live-in Caregiver Program (LCP)
Here are the typical questions:
- Personal information (address, phone number etc.)
- Job and marital status (and dependents if any)
- Most of the questions are answerable with yes or no
Those are the common questions I can recall. The interview probably lasted for fifteen minutes.
During the interview I gave all the requirements. (In retrospect, I should have submitted a better photograph since the validity of Canadian permanent card is five years.)
Although I came early, I had the chance to observe which is better than worrying what to say.
Some of the people (a family of three or four) in the office were interviewed inside a room. I noticed that some even have an interpreter, a family member perhaps.
Now you have an idea of the ambience at CIC office in Calgary and the interview questions for permanent residency in Canada.
So don’t worry. Things will turn out fine.
I’m not sure about the weather though. It’s unpredictable as always in Alberta.
By the way, I quit using the umbrella. The wind was so strong it kept dragging me on the opposite direction.
Oh well, I didn’t care about the weather misbehaving at all. I survived the interview.
“I am officially a permanent resident of Canada.”
A few years ago I was a temporary foreign worker under the live-in caregiver program.
If no one is around in downtown, I could have yell those words. It was a personal victory privately celebrated at that moment.
When Can You Get the Permanent Resident Card
The document Confirmation of Permanent Residence served as my temporary permanent resident card. The waiting game begun again.
I waited for about a month to receive my Canadian permanent card through mail.
While waiting for the card I did a few errands which you should do too only if applicable:
- Renew the Alberta Personal Health Card
- Renew the Social Insurance Number
As for the SIN, I received a document not a plastic card. The number start with 9 (for permanent resident) instead of 6 (for temporary worker).
You should memorize the SIN rather than carrying the document with you all the time unless the hard copy is required.
Or you can also check the current processing time online for Canadian permanent resident card.
As of writing this blog post, the processing for permanent resident card is 49 days.
What Can You Do with a Permanent Residency
Being a permanent resident in Canada is a new beginning without a doubt. It is a huge achievement any landed immigrant doesn’t have to work for.
Now what is the next big thing other than aiming for Canadian citizenship?
To look for a school with courses I’m interested of is my priority as a permanent resident. (Hint: the course is related to technology. Yes, I’m a techie nerd at heart.)
I also thought of applying for a student loan if necessary. Fortunately, I didn’t acquire debt; I paid the online course.
Although I wasn’t blogging for seven months something good came out of my online absence: I graduated and finished the online internship.
It maybe all online but it wasn’t as easy as finding a hotspot in the mall.
It’s all hard work. And more challenges and opportunities to come for a permanent resident.
Do what you have to do. Go back to school. Find a new job you will love doing every work day. Travel outside Canada.
The possibilities are endless.
Good luck to your interview and endeavors!
Are you ready for the interview for permanent residency in Canada?
Hi Carolyn,
Thank you for sharing your story. I was hoping you would have shared more details about the interview itself. I’ll have mine soon and wanted to have an idea of what to expect.
Cheers,
Loraine
Hi Carolyn, I am going through a similar process and for me fortunately/unfortunately the interview with my wife is coming very soon. I wanted to know in a bit more details, about the questions that I might be expecting.
Thanks!
Hi Sunny. I can’t remember the details of the interview but what I can say is not to put too much pressure on yourself. I’m sure both of you can easily answer the questions. Maintain composure and everything will be fine. Good luck!