Permanent Resident Card

The permanent resident card (PR Card) is the official proof of your status as a permanent resident in Canada. It is required for permanent residents in order to return to Canada by commercial flight, train, bus or boat.

All permanent residents will automatically receive a PR Card after becoming a permanent resident. The PR Card will expire after 5 years, at which time it must be renewed. If you do not carry your PR Card, you may not be able to board your flight, train, bus or boat to Canada.

The Residency Obligation

All permanent residents of Canada are subject to a ‘residency obligation’ in order to maintain their status as permanent residents and to be able to renew their PR Card. Failure to maintain this status can result in the loss of permanent residence status.

Section 28 of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act provides the statutory requirements that must be met to maintain one’s status as a permanent resident. In most cases, a permanent resident will have met their residency obligation by being physically present in Canada for at least 730 days in every five-year period.

Sometimes a permanent resident can still meet their residency obligation even though they were unable to be physically present in Canada for the required period of time.  Such situations include:

• Being outside of Canada while accompanying a Canadian citizen who is their spouse or common-law partner or, in the case of a child, their parent;
• Being outside of Canada while employed on a full-time basis by a Canadian ativan 2mg buy online in india business or in the federal public administration or the public service of a province;
• Being outside of 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.

It can also be possible to maintain one’s status as a permanent resident if it can be demonstrated that sufficient ‘humanitarian and compassionate’ considerations exist which prevented the permanent resident from meeting their obligations, particularly when the best interests of a child would be directly serviced by having the permanent resident retain their status.

How to Renew your PR Card

Permanent residents who are inside of Canada may apply to renew their PR Card by filing the appropriate application from inside of the country. Permanent Residents who are outside of Canada and whose PR Cards have expired must instead apply for a Permanent Resident Travel Document (PRTD) to a Canadian Visa Office overseas. Both applications will involve an assessment by an immigration officer to determine if the permanent resident has complied with their residency obligation. If they have, a PR Card or PRTD will be issued. If they have not, their application will likely be denied, and they will be informed of their appeal rights.