A Canadian permanent resident is someone who has been granted permanent resident status by immigrating to Canada. A permanent resident is not a Canadian citizen; rather, all permanent residents are citizens of other countries. In order to maintain permanent resident status, permanent residents must meet certain requirements like the residency obligation.
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. 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.
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.