The primary prerequisite for applying for a Canadian maple leaf card is that the applicant must be eligible for a permanent Canadian resident. To obtain this qualification, the applicant must first apply for Canadian immigration.

New immigrants will receive a mailed maple leaf card upon arrival in Canada. Upon entry, immigration officials will check personal information, including photos, and send maple leaf cards to the recipient within the next three weeks. For permanent residents who are newly arrived in Canada, if they do not provide a Canadian mailing address at the time of entry, or need to change the address, they must declare new contact information. If you fail to submit the mailing address to the immigration department within 180 days, you must submit the application again to obtain proof of permanent resident identity and pay the corresponding fee. If you do not receive a maple leaf card within thirty days after submitting the address information, please contact the immigration department in time.

The application for a maple leaf card must be made in Canada. The applicant must submit a Canadian citizen living in Canada as the guarantor, and the guarantor and the applicant must have more than two years of acquaintance experience. In addition, whether it is a first application or a second application, applicants must pass the so-called "residence test."