TOP QUESTIONS ABOUT CANADA PERMANENT RESIDENCE CARD

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.

2/ What permanent residents can do?

As a permanent resident, you have the right to:

• get most social benefits that Canadian citizens receive, including health care coverage,

• live, work or study anywhere in Canada,

• apply for Canadian citizenship,

• protection under Canadian law and the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms.

You must pay taxes and respect all Canadian laws at the federal, provincial and municipal levels.

3/ What permanent residents cannot do?

You are not allowed to:

• vote or run for political office, 

• hold some jobs that need a high-level security clearance.

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4/ How long must I stay in Canada to keep my permanent resident status?

To keep your permanent resident status, you must have been in Canada for at least 730 days during the last five years. These 730 days don’t need to be continuous.

5/ Losing your permanent resident status

You don’t lose your permanent resident status when your PR card expires. You can only lose your status if you go through an official process.

You can lose your permanent resident status if:

• If you haven’t been in Canada for at least 730 days during the last five years.

• an adjudicator determines you are no longer a permanent resident after an inquiry or appeal;

• a removal order is made against you and comes into force; or

• you become a Canadian citizen.

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You can bring family members with you to Canada if they were processed for permanent residence as your dependents. This includes:

• your spouse or common-law partner

• your dependent child

• your spouse or common-law partner’s dependent child

• a dependent child of a dependent child

The family members that can’t come with you include:

• your parents

• grandparents

• brother or sister

• uncle or aunt

• nephew or niece

Your dependents can’t arrive in Canada before you. They must arrive with you or after you.

You may be able to sponsor them after you immigrate to Canada.

7/ The permanent resident (PR) card

Your PR card can be used to show that you have permanent resident status in Canada. If you travel outside Canada, you will need to show your card and your passport when you come back on a commercial vehicle, like an airplane, boat, train or bus.

26 days

9/ How long do you wait to received the PR card?

About 45 days average. That is CIC processing time online. Unfortunately, they take longer then 45 days. It could take to 3 months to receive your PR card. If it is longer than 3 months, you should contact CIC by email, call or go to the CIC case office for inquiry.

10/ Could you return to your home country to set up your affair after receiving the PR card?

Many of our client ask us after landing in Canada and have the PR card, could they return home country to set up their affair and fix their thing back home. The answer is YES. If you want to go back after the PR card, you can go immidiately. You don’t need to spend time in Canada. The PR card valid in 5 years. To renew the PR card, you will require to  at least 2 years to stay in Canada withing 5 years.

If your permanent resident (PR) card is expired or will expire in less than 9 months, you can apply for a new card. The new card will have a new expiration date. Most new PR cards are valid for 5 years.

Permanent residents (PRs) of Canada must carry and present their valid PR card when boarding to Canada. If you do not carry your PR card, you may not be able to board your flight, train, bus or boat to Canada.

It is your responsibility to ensure that your PR card is still valid when you return from travel outside Canada, and to apply for a new PR card when your current card expires. If your PR card expires, it does not mean you have lost permanent resident status.