Residency Obligation
IRPA s. 28(1): "A permanent resident must comply with a residency obligation with respect to every five-year period." (IRPA, s. 28)
IRPA s. 28(2)(a)
"a permanent resident complies with the residency obligation with respect to a five-year period if, on each of a total of at least 730 days in that five-year period, they are"
- • "(i) physically present in Canada,"
- • "(ii) outside Canada accompanying a Canadian citizen who is their spouse or common-law partner or, in the case of a child, their parent,"
- • "(iii) outside Canada employed on a full-time basis by a Canadian business or in the federal public administration or the public service of a province,"
- • "(iv) outside Canada accompanying a permanent resident who is their spouse or common-law partner or, in the case of a child, their parent and who is employed on a full-time basis by a Canadian business or in the federal public administration or the public service of a province, or"
- • "(v) referred to in regulations providing for other means of compliance;"
IRPA s. 28(2)(c): "a determination by an officer that humanitarian and compassionate considerations relating to a permanent resident, taking into account the best interests of a child directly affected by the determination, justify the retention of permanent resident status overcomes any breach of the residency obligation prior to the determination." (IRPA, s. 28)
When to Apply
Renewal
IRCC: renew your PR card "if it will expire in less than 9 months or" "if it has expired" (IRCC).
New Card or Updated Information
IRCC states: "You can apply for a new card if you made a mistake in your application or if you want to update your information for reasons such as" "a legal name change", "a name change after marriage or divorce", "a change of gender identifier" or "an updated signature". IRCC also lists lost, stolen and damaged cards (IRCC).
Urgent Processing
IRCC states: "Urgent processing is available in some circumstances." "Even if you qualify for urgent processing, we can’t guarantee you’ll get your card on time." (IRCC)
Eligibility Points to Check
Residency Obligation
IRCC states: "Even if you don't meet the residency obligation, you will stay a PR until an official decision is made on your status." (IRCC) For citizenship, see our Canadian citizenship page.
Outside Canada Without a Valid Card
IRCC states: "If you don’t have a valid PR card, you must apply for a permanent resident (PR) travel document to travel back to Canada." (IRCC) See refusal analysis if a travel document is refused.
Appeal Rights
IRPA s. 63(4): "A permanent resident may appeal to the Immigration Appeal Division against a decision made outside of Canada on the residency obligation under section 28." (IRPA, s. 63)
Quick Facts
PR Travel Document
IRCC states: "If you don’t have a valid PR card, you must apply for a permanent resident (PR) travel document to travel back to Canada." (IRCC)
Renew Your PR Card
A consultation is required for case-specific advice on your PR card renewal.
Book ConsultationInformation provided is general in nature and current as of the page's last update. Immigration laws, processing times, eligibility criteria, and program requirements are subject to change per IRCC policy updates. This page does not constitute legal advice. Specific cases require individual consultation with a Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultant. Amer Rehman is an RCIC (R515343), member in good standing with CICC.