How to become a Canadian permanent resident
How I did it: First, we procrastinated for roughly a year, for the sheer intimidation of all the rules and paperwork.
Finally, we poured ourselves into it and pulled an all-nighter one night in December 2008 (very nearly the anniversary of my first arriving in Canada) and got all my paperwork sent on the next morning. From the day we sent in my application, it took about 6 months for it to be approved.
I now have permanent resident status under the Family Class and my very own Social Insurance Number. Currently looking for employment. :-)
Lessons & tips: - Don't procrastinate. It's not worth it, and it's not nearly as difficult once you get started, as it seems to be during the research stage.
- Talk to others who have gone through it, but also take their advice with a grain of salt. Other people's horror stories can easily frighten you into inaction.
- Be thorough and intelligible. The easier your application is for them to understand, the quicker and less painful will be your approval.
- Don't freak yourself out. Everything will be fine.
Resources: RoadtoCanada.com was invaluable to us.
