Canada PR Visa — From ITA to Landing in Canada

When Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) approves your permanent residency application, you receive two critical documents: Confirmation of Permanent Residence (COPR) and a Canada PR visa counterfoil in your passport. The COPR is a paper or electronic document listing your personal details, immigration category, and landing deadline. The visa counterfoil allows entry to Canada for the purpose of activating permanent resident status.

These documents are distinct from the PR card you receive after landing. The PR card is a wallet-sized identification document mailed to your Canadian address weeks after arrival. Until your PR card arrives, your COPR combined with passport serves as proof of status. Indian applicants must understand that the Canada PR visa has an expiry date — you must land before that date or risk losing approved PR status.

COPR expiry is typically linked to your passport validity and the one-year validity of your immigration medical examination results. If your passport expires before COPR, you must renew it and request IRCC to reissue COPR with updated dates. Ezvisa monitors these timelines throughout the post-approval stage so clients departing from Mumbai, Delhi, or Kerala do not discover expired documents at the airport.

• COPR must be carried in hand luggage — never packed in checked baggage
• Visa counterfoil may allow single or multiple entry depending on issuance
• Family members included in your application receive separate COPR documents
• Digital COPR is accepted at ports of entry when properly issued by IRCC

The path to receiving your Canada PR visa begins when you accept an Invitation to Apply (ITA) in Express Entry or receive a provincial nomination confirmation. You then have sixty days to submit a complete permanent residency application including medical examinations, police clearances, proof of settlement funds, and all supporting documents. IRCC reviews your eAPR submission, may request additional evidence, and processes background checks before issuing approval.

Medical exams must be completed at IRCC-approved panel physicians in India — cities including Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Bangalore, and Kochi host designated clinics. Results are transmitted electronically to IRCC and remain valid for twelve months. Police certificates are required from India and every country where you resided six or more consecutive months since age eighteen. Indian PCC applications through the Passport Seva system require planning for processing times.

After IRCC approval, you receive a Passport Request Letter (PPR) or instructions to submit your passport for visa stamping at a Visa Application Centre (VAC). The Canada PR visa counterfoil is affixed to your passport, and COPR is issued simultaneously. Total processing from ITA to visa grant typically takes six to twelve months, though timelines vary by case complexity and IRCC workload. Ezvisa tracks every stage and alerts you when action is required.

Activating your Canada PR visa occurs at a Canadian port of entry — an international airport or land border crossing where Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) officers verify your documents. You may land in any province regardless of where you plan to settle, though some PNP nominees have province-specific commitments to discuss honestly with officers. Major landing airports for Indian PR holders include Toronto Pearson, Vancouver International, Calgary, and Montreal.

At the port of entry, present your valid passport with PR visa counterfoil, COPR document, proof of funds if requested, and documents for accompanying family members. CBSA officers confirm your identity, verify admissibility, and may ask about your settlement plans, employment intentions, and goods you are bringing to Canada. Declare all items following CBSA rules — failure to declare can result in penalties even for new permanent residents.

Once approved, the officer endorses your COPR and confirms your permanent resident status is active. You are now a permanent resident of Canada with the right to live, work, and study anywhere in the country. Apply for your Social Insurance Number within the first week, open a Canadian bank account, and enrol in provincial healthcare — steps Ezvisa covers in pre-landing briefings for clients departing from across India.

First landing is a one-time activation event. Subsequent travel uses your PR card or PR travel document once issued. Until the PR card arrives by mail, carry COPR when re-entering Canada after short trips abroad.

Before departing India with your Canada PR visa, Ezvisa recommends a structured pre-landing checklist covering documents, finances, housing, and first-week administrative tasks. Carry originals and copies of passport with visa, COPR, marriage and birth certificates, education credentials, employment reference letters, and proof of funds. Keep COPR and visa-bearing passport in carry-on luggage accessible for CBSA inspection.

Financial preparation includes arranging initial settlement funds in accessible accounts, understanding currency transfer options, and budgeting for first-month expenses including temporary accommodation, transportation, and groceries. Many Indian PR holders arrange short-term furnished rentals or stay with friends and family initially while searching for permanent housing. Research provincial healthcare waiting periods — some provinces have coverage gaps for new arrivals.

Ezvisa provides settlement planning guidance as part of our Canada PR visa service scope: SIN application locations, major bank account opening requirements, provincial health card enrollment procedures, and school registration for children. Our team with 18+ years experience supports clients from Kochi, Kottayam, Calicut, and across India — without promising specific employment outcomes, because job searching begins after landing. Contact info@ezvisaimmigration.com for pre-landing consultation before your departure date.