HOW I BECAME A PERMANENT RESIDENT OF CANADA: RECAP

Oh, hey! Ça va ? My PR story is now over, and it’s time for a recap. Below are all three chapters, in case you’d like to re-read, or if you’re new here (if you are, hey! 🤗). As always, thank you very much for reading.

-          How I Became a Permanent Resident of Canada | Chapter 1: The Year 2021

-          How I Became a Permanent Resident of Canada | Chapter 2: The Year 2022

-          How I Became a Permanent Resident of Canada | Chapter 3: The Year 2023

Reflecting on My PR Journey

Although I shared the last three posts as a series, you know, if you read them, that they are one big story. And as is often the case, I had no idea it was going to be this long, haha. I don’t know… I always think I’ll only write a few pages or 2,500 words max; even my outlines never seem to require a lot of writing. But once I sit in front of my laptop… it’s another story 😉.

Writing my stories is always a reminder of how far I’ve come; the things I have endured and overcome when I didn’t know how it would be possible. It’s only when I wrote this story that I finally understood why certain things happened in the way that they did, even though I’d already reflected on my journey in March 2023.

I often have a big problem with the way things seem to always happen at the last minute in my life; as uncomfortable and unpleasant as they are, I’ll admit that these situations are often ones where God will show He can still do something even when everything seems lost and gone.

Below is a snapshot of my IRCC account. This is not a blueprint, and I know it’s been said before, but I think it bears repeating, specifically if you’re looking to make Canada home: everybody’s journey is different. Considering the TR to PR pathway was a temporary policy, it wouldn’t actually be possible to replicate my journey. I simply want to share a graphic representation of my immigration journey in Canada.

By the way, as I mentioned in the intro, I wrote this mini book in 2023 after becoming a PR. Since then, I have become a Canadian citizen; I wrote a post about that journey and the reasons I decided to apply. Don’t worry: it’s not another book, haha.  

A snapshot of my IRCC account.

1. This was my study permit application. If you read my book, you know I was home in Yaoundé, Cameroon, when I applied for my study permit to attend the Schulich School of Business. My approval letter came on November 20^th of the same year.

   
   

2. This was my PGWP application, which was approved on March 1^st of the following year.

   
   

3. This was my visa application, which I submitted after receiving my PGWP because the visa that was first issued to me when I applied for my study permit had already expired. I didn’t need to apply for a visa, since the document that served as proof of status in this case was the PGWP. A visa is really only useful for travel purposes, to be able to enter the country again after exiting. I had absolutely no travel plans; I just like having things ready just in case. So far, this trait has served me well. 😊

As for PR, as I mentioned in Chapter 2, I was only able to link my application to my IRCC account once I received my AOR on March 22^nd. This is why it is showing here as having been submitted in March 2022, even though I actually applied on November 5^th of the previous year.

Isn’t it easy to look at someone’s journey on paper and assume the person’s journey has been smooth sailing? Each of these applications came with its own set of difficulties; while I don’t believe suffering is a requirement for success, I do know that even rough seas can lead to beautiful destinations. The “Approved” status looks great next to all those applications that seem to just come one after the other every year, but you have now read between the lines.

If you’re on a similar journey, I am rooting for you! 🤍

Acknowledgments

I couldn’t possibly end this story without recognizing the people who have brought me where I am:

-          Hey God, I am still waiting for that address and that thing You’d like me to send You. Let me know when You get a chance, no rush. Thanks! I love You, God. 🤗❤️

-          To my mom, Ming Mang Moung. Just… thank you. For everything.

-          To my sister, Sylvie. You don’t always remember when you help me financially or otherwise, which I think is remarkable, haha. But like I always tell you, I owe a lot of where I am to you. Thank you for your support.

-          To my brother, my person, Tony. Thank you for requesting that Bulletin #3 – Criminal Record and mailing it to me. I think it was useful?

-          To my friend, Marielle. Girl, thanks again for letting me know I could email an MP! Like… I had no idea that was a thing?!

To you, if you’re still reading, thank you for doing so.

Câlins,

Danielle