Permanent Residence (PR)

• A permanent resident is someone who has been given permanent resident status by Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) but is not a Canadian citizen. Permanent residents are citizens of other countries.
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• A person who is in Canada temporarily, like a student or foreign worker, is not a permanent resident.
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• Refugees who are resettled from overseas become permanent residents through the Government-Assisted Refugee Program or the Private Sponsorship of Refugees Program. Someone who makes a refugee claim in Canada does not become a permanent resident at that time. To become one, the Immigration and Refugee Board must first approve their claim. Then, they must apply for and be granted permanent resident status.
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• If you travel outside Canada, the PR card is your proof that you are a permanent resident of Canada. If you leave Canada, you will need this card to re-enter the country on a commercial vehicle, like an airplane, boat, train, or bus.
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• Permanent residents who do not have a PR card, or who are not carrying their PR card when traveling outside the country, will need to obtain a permanent resident travel document before returning to Canada by air mode in order to comply with eTA requirements.
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• If your PR card expires, it does not mean you have lost permanent resident status. For more information and assistance with renewing your PR card, or applying for a travel document to return to Canada, please contact us directly.