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PR-card-renewalsOnce a PR Card is issued after landing, it is valid for 5 years. In order to have it renewed at the end of that period, a permanent resident must have physically spent at least 730 days (2 years) inside Canada. This is known as the residency requirement for the purpose of renewal of the card. Many people that have already done their landing years ago in Canada and received their PR cards may find that they do not meet this requirement and have difficulty in renewal of the card.

They are as follows:

(1) A permanent resident must comply with a residency obligation with respect to every five-year period.

(2) The following provisions govern the residency obligation under subsection (1):

(a) a permanent resident complies with the residency obligation with respect to a five-year period if, on each of a total of at least 730 days in that five-year period, they are

    • physically present in Canada,
    • outside Canada accompanying a Canadian citizen who is their spouse or common-law partner or, in the case of a child, their parent,
    • outside Canada employed on a full-time basis by a Canadian business or in the federal public administration or the public service of a province,
    • outside 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, or
    • referred to in regulations providing for other means of compliance;

The Immigration and Refugee Protection Act provides for exceptions under which one can still renew a PR Card, even if you do not complete the 730 days of physical presence inside Canada.