PR Renewal & Citizenship

A Permanent Resident of Canada is an individual who is a citizen of another country, however, this individual has legally declared their intention to settle and live in Canada permanently. In order to maintain Permanent Residence status, certain residency requirements must be met.

• a Permanent Resident must live (be physically present) in Canada for 2 years (730 days) within the 5 year period
• Physical presence may still be considered in some cases such as travelling abroad with a spouse or parent who is a Canadian Citizen or in cases of full time employment abroad by a Canadian employer (subject to some conditions)
• In unique cases, renewals for individual who do not meet the minimum residency requirements can be made under Humanitarian and Compassionate grounds

Canadian Citizenship by Naturalization is a process where eligible Permanent Residents apply for grant of citizenship if they meet the following criteria:

• Must be a Permanent Resident of Canada. One cannot bypass the permanent residence period and apply for citizenship directly
• Must prove physical presence in Canada for at least 1,095 days out of the 5 years preceding the application (some time spent as student/worker may count)
• Must prove proficiency in one of Canada's official languages
• Must pass a knowledge test about Canada
• Must have filed Income Taxes (if required) for at least 3 years during the 5 year eligibility period