Accompanying a Canadian citizen abroad

[MissRepresentation]

Hi there,

I want to confirm my understanding of something as I'm confused by the wording in the CIC website.

Time spent outside of Canada counts towards residency requirements if the PR is accompanying a Canadian citizen who is the spouse.

Is that it? Does the Canadian citizen need to be employed by the Armed Forces or government? Because that seems to be the cause when it comes to applying for citizenship, so I want to make sure there are different criteria for PR.

Thanks.

 

[k.h.p.]

Sort of, but it's not super simple. The citizen does not need to be in the military or government, BUT:

• The question of "accompanying" is not super clear. For example, if the PR moved overseas to get a job, and the citizen spouse then joined them, IRCC has argued in the past that the citizen is accompanying the PR and not the other way around. Time won't count.
  
  
• If the PR is outside Canada with the spouse, comes to Canada to land, and then again departs Canada with the spouse, it's not clear who is accompanying whom.
  
  
• At other times, IRCC hasn't cared about who is accompanying whom at all.