Who is a Permanent Resident of Canada? – PR Status
Binsa is a 26-year-old Nepali citizen. She knows both English and French languages very well. She holds a Master’s degree in accounting. Binsa also has more than three years of work experience as an accountant. One of Binsa’s friends, Chimini, tells her to immigrate to Canada. Chimini tells Binsa that she can become a permanent resident if she immigrates to Canada. Binsa wonders what permanent residency means.
A Permanent Resident (PR) of Canada may live or work anywhere in Canada. Section 6 of the Canadian Constitution Act, 1982 protects this right. Permanent residents also have the right to enter Canada under section 27 of IRPA.
Some conditions apply to these freedoms. For example, provinces may limit the migration of people from other provinces to their own. To the best of my knowledge, such a decision has never been exercised by any provinces of Canada yet.
If a Permanent Resident commits a serious crime such as murder, membership in criminal gangs, treason, espionage, or terrorism, they may lose their PR status. Permanent Residents need to spend about 40% of their time in Canada, or they will lose their status. Generally, a PR needs to spend at least 730 days in a five-year cycle inside Canada to keep their PR. Section 28 of IRPA offers some alternatives to physical presence in Canada.
- Accompanying a Canadian citizen outside Canada who is their spouse or common-law partner
- Being employed full-time by a Canadian company outside Canada
- Being employed full-time by a Canadian federal or provincial organization outside Canada
- Accompany a spouse or common-law partner who meets the conditions of row 2 or 3 above
Of course, someone may meet a combination of these. For example, they may be present in Canada for 400 days and then be employed by a Canadian company outside Canada for another 330 days outside Canada.
How to Become a Permanent Resident
As you may have guessed, you need to immigrate to Canada to become a Permanent Resident. Read the following article for potential methods of immigration:
If you successfully immigrate to Canada and stay in our country for a while, you could become a Canadian Citizen. Read the following article for more information:
Permanent Resident Card
When you become a permanent resident of Canada, you receive a permanent resident or PR card. This card helps you board an airplane and travel to Canada. It also verifies your permanent residency. You usually need to renew your PR card every five years.
Confirmation of Permanent Residency (COPR)
Landing refers to the first time you enter Canada to become a permanent resident. When you land, you also receive a piece of paper called COPR. Hold on to this paper for the rest of your life as it is proof you entered Canada once as a permanent resident. If you lose this paper, you may contact IRCC to issue you a copy.
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Al Parsai, LLM, MA, RCIC-IRB
Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultant
Adjunct Professor, Queen’s University Faculty of Law
Instructor, Ashton College, Immigration Consulting Program
Author of 88 Tips on Immigration to Canada and Inadmissibility to Canada for Human Rights Violations
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