Canadian Permanent Resident is someone who has been granted a permanent resident status through immigrating to Canada. A permanent resident is not a citizen of Canada but a citizen of another country.
A permanent resident is someone who has been given permanent resident status by immigrating to Canada but is not a Canadian citizen. Permanent residents are citizens of other countries. A person in Canada temporarily, like a student or foreign worker, is not a permanent resident.
As a permanent resident, a person receives a significant number of benefits:
- Access to Canadian healthcare and social services.
- The right to live, work and study anywhere within Canada.
- Protection under Canadian law and the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms
- The ability to leave and enter Canada’s borders using their Canadian permanent resident card, or permanent resident travel documents (PRTD).
- The ability to apply for Canadian citizenship after requirements are met.
There are many immigration pathways that will enable a person to become a Canadian permanent resident. Economic immigration, business immigration, sponsorship, and refugee/humanitarian programs offer different options for becoming a permanent resident in Canada.
Permanent Residence Cards
Once a person is approved for Canadian permanent residence, they are eligible to apply for a Canadian permanent resident card (PR card). This card indicates a person’s PR status in Canada and can be used to travel in and out of the country. Applications for permanent resident cards are submitted to Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC).
Permanent Residence Card Renewal
Most permanent resident cards are valid for five years, though occasionally PR cards are only valid for one year. Permanent residents are encouraged to keep track of their expiration date and apply to renew their Canadian permanent resident card within six months of their card expiring.
Permanent Resident Travel Document
If a permanent resident is outside of Canada and wishing to enter Canada they may apply for a permanent resident travel document (PRTD) if they do not have a valid PR card. The PRTD is usually valid for a single entry to Canada, allowing the permanent resident to enter the country before applying for a PR card, or PR card renewal.
Residency Requirements
In order to maintain permanent resident status in Canada, a person must meet a residency obligation. The residency obligation refers to a person’s physical presence inside of Canada for a set amount of time. Canada’s residency obligation for permanent residents requires a person to be physically present inside of Canada for at least 730 days within a five-year period or to fall under one of several exceptions.
Canadian Citizenship
Foreign nationals wishing to become Canadian citizens must meet several requirements, including having valid permanent resident status in Canada. In addition, permanent residents wishing to become citizens have different residency obligations than those required for permanent resident status renewal. Consult Canadim’s web resource to learn more about becoming a Canadian citizen.
Renouncing Permanent Resident Status
Permanent resident status is not automatically lost when a PR card expires. PR status can only be lost through an official process. If a person wants to renounce their permanent resident status, they may submit an application to voluntarily give up their permanent resident status. This may save time during travels if a person knows they have not met their residency obligation and they intend to travel to Canada.