I thought to document this as I noticed people were not fully aware of the steps after getting PR. This information will help people plan their move better and be prepared for some of the common issues people face in regards to claiming PR.
Once you get your PR confirmation you now have up to one year from the date of your medical checkup to claim your PR.
To claim your PR you have to fly into Canada. At the airport you will be directed to the immigration office where you will have to present your PR confirmation, proof of funds for your entire family. Keep in mind the entire family must be present.
You will also have to provide a local Canadian address to receive the mailed PR cards when they are ready. Currently it takes bout 61 days to receive them. Use this link to check PR card processing time.
You will now receive your landing confirmation document you are now officially a Canadian Permanent Resident (Without PR cards) Please keep this document safely its very important.
Keep in mind if you have to leave Canada at this point say to go back to the US then ensure that when your PR cards arrive at the address you provided they will be forwarded to you. You cannot fly back into Canada without your PR cards (airlines will not let you board). Without PR cards only way to get back into Canada is to drive in from the US with your landing confirmation document.
One common issue people face is with their provided photographs. Any mistake in the photograph will cause your PR card to not be generated and its advisable to call and confirm if you suspect your cards to be taking too long. In my case everyone except me got their cards and I had to retake my photo and courier it over to the card creation facility in Canada PR Card Photo Specification
Some things I’d like to add based on my recent experience.
One of the reasons to give your medical exam after the ITA and not before is that you get more time on your PR visa to do your landing. For me, I gave my medical in Dec 2016, submitted my application in December, but my application got canceled so I had to reapply (ITA + documents) and got my PR in August 2017 which gave me only a few months to do my landing as the PR visa was going to expire in Dec 2017. The PR visa cannot be renewed/extended under any circumstances.
At the port of entry they have kiosks where you will have to select “To Immigrate” as your reason to visit. It will also ask you some basic customs questions, the most important of which is “whether you are bringing > $10,000 into Canada”. If you are, you should select Yes, else select No. You can bring as much $$ as you want tax-free, however you have to declare it if they’re greater than $10,000 (this includes any cash, or cash equivalent such as money orders, travelers checks etc.). Then the machine will automatically take your picture and print out the customs forms. Then they will direct you to secondary immigration where the immigration officer will ask you basic questions and may or may not ask for proof of funds. However, it’s advisable to have ALL the documents that you submitted while applying, on you, just in case they ask for it.
Note that the primary applicant can land alone, or the primary application + secondary applicants can land together but the secondary applicants cannot land before the primary applicant so plan your travels accordingly.
The landing confirmation document, also known as Confirmation of Permanent Residence (CoPR), is THE MOST IMPORTANT document ever! People in Canada have told me that not only is it required while claiming citizenship as your record of landing date, they can ask for it anytime during your lifetime, in case you ever need to prove anything related to your date or landing etc. “Treat it like your birth certificate and don’t lose it” is what people told me.
Most people will land, stay for a few days and then come back to plan their future, same as I did. In this case, it’s better you apply asap for PR Travel Document after returning (you cannot apply for it from within Canada). It’s damn easy. I got mine within a week after submitting the application. You need to do this through the Visa Application Center (VAC). Please visit the Canada VAC website https://www.csc-cvac.com/en-us/selfservice/cvac_application_processing for more details. I got a multiple entry PRTD valid for one year. Note that PR TD is only required for boarding a commercial carrier like plane, train, bus etc. You can drive across the border with your CoPR, however it doesn’t hurt to have PRTD. When I went there second time (via airline) they only checked my PRTD at the port of entry and let me in without questions.
I got an email a couple of months after landing that my “photos were not per specification” so I had to send new photos. This put my PR card application back in the queue and took another 61 days to process This is a common problem as mentioned. Sometimes they’re too old, sometimes all information is not written on the back per specification etc. So make sure you don’t keep too much time gap between application and landing. Also, sometimes people get married, or have kids after applying but before landing. In this case their “circumstances have changed” and CIC requires you to notify them of such major changes (you will read this in the letter you get when you get your PR visa + CoPR). However, I’m not well-versed in how this process works under such circumstances or if it affects PR status/landing date in any way, so if possible, make life-changing decisions after landing .
Edit: got my PR card today. Note that it took them around 60 days to send me a email saying my photos were not upto spec and then another 60 days or so till I got my card in hand (a friend mailed it to me). So if your photos are not per spec, your PR card application gets put into the back of the queue.
Thanks for the information you’ve given here. I’m currently in the US but plan to land in Toronto at the end of March. I have not been to Canada since I received my CoPR.
I have one question about the PR travel document - can I apply for the PRTD while being in the US before I land in Canada and receive my landing confirmation document?
You’re not a PR unless you land and get the CoPR stamped and the border officer tells you that you’re now a PR.
You can only apply for PRTD after you’re confirmed as a PR and you cannot apply for PRTD from within Canada so you’ll have to apply when you come back to USA.
Thanks for your reply! I have one more question - Can I start working in Canada after I land and get my landing confirmation docs but before I receive my PR card?
Or do I need the PR card to be able to start working?
Yes once you land you are a PR and you can start working and live anywhere you want. Make sure you get your Social Insurance Number (SIN) as soon as you land so you can start working. Your stamped CoPR can be used as proof of PR till you get your PR card.
So by landing at the airport, the immigration authorities automatically apply/assign you a PR card and mail it to a Canadian address after approx x days? Is that how the PR cards are issued?
Yes, your passport will have a Canadian Visa which you will use to fly into the country for your landing. At the airport you will be directed to the immigration window. Here the officer will check your documentation, collect your photo’s and possibly check your proof of funds. You will also have a chance to signup for the health card etc. I recommend holding off on the health card etc unless this is your actual move.
At this point you are now a landed Canadian PR. Keep your COPR document safely. If there are no issues with your photo’s then your PR card will be mailed to your provided address. You can see processing timelines for PR cards online.
Yes if you give a Canadian address they’ll mail it over there. Usually takes 2 months but if your photos don’t pass specification you’ll have to submit new photos and add another 2 months.
When planning your landing trip, do you need to take into consideration arrival time? In other words, would it be unwise to land after hours or on the weekends?
No, you can land at any time day. Also, international flights tend to arrive at the airport at specific predetermined times and CBSA will always be there to process you. If you plan on staying only for a few days and want to get other things done such as SIN number, bank accounts, checking out rental apts etc then plan accordingly.
Suppose I get my PR. I can fly to Canada for a weekend to get process done and fly back to US. I do not intend to immigrate for a year or so. If yes, how is it possible to do so? Thanks
If you go through PNP you have to land in the province that selected you. In fact if you are moving to Canada for good you have to live in that province for a while in good faith before you can move around. EDIT: You may land in another province other than Quebec, but not “land” (confirm your PR) in that province, you may have to transfer to a flight to go to the nominating province and then process your landing there.
If you go through Quebec Skilled Worker (QSW) prog you have to land in Quebec.
If you go through Express Entry (FSW) you can land anywhere in Canada (except Quebec).
In general even though you can technically land in a different province, it may become complicated if the customs officer thinks you intend to live elsewhere that what you promised in your PR application.
It’s possible and normal to do so. You may need to apply for PR Travel Document after you return to US, to go back to Canada or have someone send you your PR card to US.
This is a common problem as mentioned. Sometimes they’re too old, sometimes all information is not written on the back per specification etc. So make sure you don’t keep too much time gap between application and landing. Also, sometimes people get married, or have kids after applying but before landing. In this case their “circumstances have changed” and CIC requires you to notify them of such major changes (you will read this in the letter you get when you get your PR visa + CoPR). However, I’m not well-versed in how this process works under such circumstances or if it affects PR status/landing date in any way, so if possible, make life-changing decisions after landing 
.