It is also necessary to meet the residency requirement to maintain your permanent resident (PR) status in Canada.
In other words, to avoid losing PR status, those immigrating to this country must have stayed in Canada for at least 730 days* in the past five years.
*The 730 days (two years) used to meet the PR residency requirement need not be continuous
In some cases, time spent outside Canada may count towards the 730-day residence requirement for Canadian PRs. For example, this may apply conditionally to PRs who work outside Canada (for a Canadian business or organization or for the federal, provincial or territorial government) or travel abroad with their spouse/common-law partner. Time spent abroad may also count towards the residence requirement for dependent children who are PRs in Canada but must travel with their parents.
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Details on who is eligible for Canada’s PR residency requirement for time spent abroad can be found on Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada.
See the (IRCC) Help Center page.
Is there a residency requirement for Canadian citizenship?
While a residency requirement is imposed on those with valid PR status in Canada, it is understandable that some foreign nationals – particularly those who are in the early stages of considering the transition from PR to Canadian citizenship – may be unclear as to whether a similar requirement will apply to them once they have acquired citizenship.
More: If I obtain permanent residence in Canada, do I have to become a citizen?
Simply put, there are no residency requirements for Canadian citizens. As a Canadian citizen with a Canadian passport, you can travel abroad as long as you like without fear of losing your citizenship (more about this below).
Reasons why you may lose your Canadian citizenship
In short, IRCC explains that there are three reasons why a Canadian’s citizenship may be revoked. These include:
- Misrepresentation/Misrepresentation
- Danger
- Deliberate concealment of material circumstances
Comment: “Material circumstances” can include things such as time spent residing or being physically present in Canada
Click here for more information about cancellation of Canadian citizenship by the Canadian government.
More important information about PR status in Canada
The following will discuss other key areas related to understanding PR status in Canada. More information can be found on this Government of Canada page.
Importance of PR Card
A Canadian immigrant’s PR card is proof that they have obtained PR status. It serves as a mandatory identification document when leaving/returning to Canada and must be presented along with a passport or refugee travel document by any PR traveling abroad and returning by commercial vehicle (airplane, train, bus, etc.).
Those who are travelling outside Canada without a valid PR card must apply for a Permanent Resident Travel Document (PRTD) before returning to Canada.
What Canadian PR can and can’t do
As a Canadian PR, you cannot vote or run for political office in Canada. Also, PRs in Canada cannot get certain jobs that require high-level security clearance.
On the other hand, you can enjoy many benefits as a PR in Canada. These include:
- Eligibility for “most social benefits available to Canadian citizens”, including a Social Insurance Number (SIN) to work in Canada and health care coverage
- The ability to live, work, or study anywhere in Canada
- Eligibility to apply for Canadian citizenship
- “Protections under Canadian law and the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms”
Why can PR lose its status?
There are four main reasons why PRs in this country can lose their status:
- If an IRCC officer “determines [the individual is] It is no longer a PR after investigation or a PRTD appeal after denial”
- If a person voluntarily gives up his PR status
- If a person becomes the subject of a forced removal order
- If a person becomes a Canadian citizen
Comment: In Canada, they do not lose their PR status even when their PR card expires and remain PRs until an official status decision is passed by the IRCTC, even if they no longer meet the residency requirement.
Click here for more information on why a Canadian PR might lose their status.
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