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A Canadian permanent resident is someone who has obtained permanent residence status by immigration to Canada. A permanent resident is not a Canadian citizen; instead, all permanent residents are foreign nationals. Permanent residents must satisfy specific conditions, such as the residence duty, in order to keep their permanent resident status.
As a permanent resident, you are entitled to a slew of advantages, including:
● Access to healthcare and social services in Canada.
● The freedom to live, work, and study in any part of Canada.
● Canadian law and the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms provide protection.
● The ability to depart and enter Canada using a Canadian permanent resident card or permanent resident travel credentials (PRTD).
● After meeting the conditions, you will be able to apply for Canadian citizenship.
There are several immigration routes via which a person might become a permanent resident of Canada. Economic immigration, business immigration, sponsorship, and refugee/humanitarian programmes all provide ways to become a permanent resident in Canada.
Once authorised for Canadian permanent residency, a person may apply for a Canadian permanent resident card (PR card). This card shows a person’s permanent residency status in Canada and may be used to travel in and out of the country. Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada receives applications for permanent residence cards (IRCC).
The majority of permanent resident cards are good for five years, although certain PR cards are only valid for one year. Permanent residents should maintain note of their expiration dates and apply to renew their Canadian permanent resident card within six months of it expiring.
If a permanent resident is outside of Canada and wishes to enter the country, they must apply for a permanent resident travel document (PRTD) if they do not have a valid PR card. The PRTD is typically good for a single entrance into Canada, allowing the permanent resident to enter the nation before applying for a PR card or renewing their PR card.
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.
Foreign nationals who want to become Canadian citizens must fulfil a number of conditions, including holding a legal permanent resident status in Canada. Furthermore, permanent residents who desire to become citizens must meet additional residence requirements than those necessary for permanent resident status renewal.
Permanent residents of Canada are recommended to keep a valid PR card with them at all times. The PR card not only allows a permanent resident to prove their status, but it also permits them to freely move in and out of the nation. If a permanent resident’s PR card is about to expire or has already expired, he or she can apply for a new PR card.
An applicant must submit a full application in hard copy to one of Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada’s (IRCC) Case Processing Centres for PR cards in order to renew a permanent residence card. A new PR card will be granted upon submission, providing the application is complete and the permanent resident satisfies all conditions.
It should be emphasised that a person’s permanent resident status does not end when their PR card expires. Only through an official process can a person lose their PR status. In the following circumstances, you may lose your PR status:
● After an inquiry (including PR card renewal) or permanent resident travel document (PRTD) appeal,
● an officer determines you are no longer a permanent resident;
● you voluntarily renounce your permanent resident status;
● a removal order is issued against you and takes effect; or you become a Canadian citizen.
Even if a person fails to satisfy the residency requirement for permanent residents, their PR status remains in force until an official decision on their status is made.