Canadian PR card, a reflection of your Canadian status

Canada is an incredible country and welcomes people all year round. People are attracted to this remarkable country due to its diverse culture and astounding landscapes along with its high quality of living. Numerous people not only come to visit the country but decide to move to the country to build a successful career for themselves gaining the status of a permanent resident. A Canadian permanent resident is someone who has been granted permanent resident status.

After you are approved for Canadian permanent residence, you will receive a PR card. Usually, the PR card is valid for five years, but in exceptional cases, it may only be valid for one year. This card can be used as a valid travel document for entering Canada’s borders. It is advised that permanent residents obtain their PR card since this card allows permanent residents to travel outside of Canada’s borders and demonstrate proof of status if necessary. If you are planning to move to Canada permanently or you already have become a permanent resident and are confused about the PR card validity issues, contact us at Vashist Immigration and our licensed consultants will help you with all the information about permanent residency and PR card.

If you are a new permanent resident you will not have to apply for a PR card. You will be automatically mailed a PR card when you immigrate to Canada and determine your Canadian mailing address.

Only individuals who meet one of the following criteria must apply for a PR card:

• You didn’t receive your PR card within 180 days of immigrating to Canada;
• Your PR card is expired or will expire in less than nine months;
• Your PR card has been lost, stolen, or destroyed, or;
• You legally changed your name and need to update your PR card.
• PR card applications must be submitted in hard copy to one of IRCC’s specified Case Processing Centers for PR cards.

It is interesting to know that the Canadian permanent resident card used to be called the Maple Leaf Card. This is because the card used to include Canada’s national symbol, the maple leaf. 

Urgent Processing of PR cards

In certain cases, the Canadian government might expedite the processing of a permanent resident card. To qualify for urgent permanent resident card processing, you must be traveling within the next three months due to:

• A job opportunity;
• Your serious illness;
• The death of a family member;
• Work-related to your current job, or;
• The serious illness of a family member.

It should be noted that even if a person is eligible for urgent processing, the Canadian government cannot guarantee they will process applications urgently or that PR cards will be received on time. It’s therefore advisable to always maintain a valid PR card in case of emergency. Permanent resident cards are mostly valid for five years, though occasionally PR cards are only valid for one year. Permanent residents are encouraged to keep track of their expiration date and apply to renew their Canadian permanent resident card within six months of their card expiring.

Benefits received as a Permanent Resident

• Access to Canadian healthcare and social services.
• The right to live, work and study anywhere within Canada.
• Protection under Canadian law and the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms
• The ability to leave and enter Canada’s borders using your Canadian permanent resident card or permanent resident travel documents. 
• The ability to apply for Canadian citizenship after the requirement is met.

To become a Canadian permanent resident there are many immigration pathways through which you can attain the status. You can opt for economic immigration or business immigration, sponsorship, and refugee/humanitarian programs. If a permanent resident is outside of Canada and wishing to enter Canada they may apply for a permanent resident travel document (PRTD) if they do not have a valid PR card. The PRTD is usually valid for a single entry to Canada, allowing the permanent resident to enter the country before applying for a PR card, or PR card renewal.

If you want to maintain a permanent residency obligation in Canada you need to be physically present in Canada for a set amount of time. Canada’s residency obligation for permanent residents requires you to be physically present inside of Canada for at least 730 days within five years or to fall under one of several exceptions.

If your pr card expires don’t think that you lost your permanent resident status PR status can only be lost through an official process. If a person wants to renounce their permanent resident status, they may apply to voluntarily give up their permanent resident status. This may save time during travels if a person knows they have not met their residency obligation and they intend to travel to Canada.