• Must reside in Canada for 730 days with respect to every 5-year period through any combination of the following:
  • Being Physically present in Canada
  • Accompanying abroad a parent, spouse or common law parents who is a Canadian citizen
  • Being employed abroad by a Canadian business or government services
  • Accompanying aboard, a parent, spouse or common law partner

PR cards

  • PR cards will not be issued outside of Canada
  • PRs outside of Canada without a PR card may be issued a temporary travel document to enter Canada.
  • PR card gets revoked when a person ceases being a PR

Q) Can I lose my permanent resident status?

A) Yes, you can lose your permanent resident (PR) status. If you haven’t been in Canada for at least 730 days during the last five years, you may lose your PR status. You may also lose your PR status if you: become a Canadian citizen, give up (renounce) your PR status or become inadmissible to Canada.

Q) Which family members can come with me to Canada when I immigrate?

A) 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

Q) What happens if my PR card expires?

A)When your permanent resident (PR) card expires, you still have your PR status and can stay in Canada. If you leave the country, you’ll need a valid PR card to return to Canada.

Q) I am outside Canada and do not have a PR card. How can I return to Canada?

A) You need a valid permanent resident (PR) card to return to Canada. If you know your card is expiring, renew it before you leave the country as IRCC will not send PR cards to non-Canadian addresses and they don’t allow third parties to get them for you. However, if you run into a situation that you are outside of Canada and you do not have a valid PR card, you need a document called permanent resident travel document (PRTP) to return Canada and you can only for this document if you are outside of Canada.