Learn about the residency obligation for permanent residents
Question & Answer
I’m a permanent resident of Canada. Should I apply to become a citizen?Permanent residents must meet what’s called a residency obligation. The rules about the mean that you can lose your status if you spend too much time outside Canada.
The general rule is that over a period of 5 years, you must be in Canada for at least 2 years. That’s the same as 730 days. The 730 days don’t have to be one after the other. And part of a day counts as a full day.
In some situations, you can include time spent outside Canada. For example, you may be able to include time spent travelling with a or partner who’s a Canadian citizen.
If you travel outside Canada, it’s helpful to keep track of your travel dates.
Rights that Canadian citizens have
If you’re a Canadian citizen, it does not matter how much time you spend outside Canada. You don’t lose your citizenship only because you go away. And you have the right to return to Canada.
