4. Pay your fees and submit your application
Question & Answer
I’ve been accepted as a protected person. How do I apply for status?There is a processing fee when you submit your application for permanent residence. The processing fee is:
- $550 for you, as the Principal Applicant,
- $550 for your spouse or common-law partner, and
- $150 for each of your dependent children.
A child under 18 who received status alone will have to apply as a Principal Applicant and pay $550. They should get legal advice about including their siblings and parents in their application for permanent residence.
You can only pay the fee online. You must print two copies the official Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) receipt with the barcode. Include one copy of the receipt in your application and keep the other copy for your records.
People applying for permanent residence usually also have to pay the Right of Permanent Residence Fee. But people with protected person status don’t need to pay this.
Mail your completed application with all the forms, documents, translations, pictures, and proof of payment to:
CPC Mississauga
PO Box 3010, Station A
Mississauga, ON
L5A 3P7
You can also send your application by courier to:
2 Robert Speck Parkway,
Suite 300
Mississauga, ON
L4Z 1H8
Once your application is sent, you must wait for a letter from IRCC about your application. The time that it takes to make a decision depends on how many applications the IRCC receives. It can take up to two years or longer to become a .
Get your PR card
If your application for permanent resident status is approved, IRCC will send you a PR card. Make sure they have your current address. If you move, you can use IRCC’s address notification tool to give them your new address.
Most PR cards are valid for 5 years. Some are valid for only one year. The expiry date is printed on the card. Six months before your PR card will expire, you should apply to renew your card. It costs $50 to renew your card.
If your PR card expires or you don’t have one, it doesn’t mean that you lose your permanent resident status. But having a PR card is good proof of your status in Canada. This makes it easier for you to return to Canada if you want to travel outside of Canada.
