what can i do to keep my residency status?

[kddizon]

hi,

I am 18 years old and a permanent resident here in Canada. I wanted to go back to Philippines and study there but how long can I stay outside Canada? How can I keep my residency status while studying out of the country? Do i need to get anything, papers or permission perhaps to study outside the country and not have any problems coming back?

A response will be of so much help

Thanks

[Leon]

You have to stay in Canada at least 730 days (2 years) in any 5 year period.  That means you can be gone no longer than 3 years.  There are few exceptions, basically you would have to have a Canadian citizen parent who is with you in the Philippines or a Canadian citizen spouse who is staying with you or you are working for a Canadian company that transfers you to an overseas position.

If you have been living in Canada for the last 3 years or 3 out of the last 4, you can apply for citizenship before you leave for your studies.  You have to have an address for your mail and somebody to pick up your mail and you have to be ready to fly back at short notice, 2 weeks or so to do your citizenship test and later oath but if you have citizenship, you can come and go as you like.  However, if you plan to live in Canada in the future, I strongly suggest you study in Canada instead.  Your degree from the Philippines may not be recognized in Canada and you may have a hard time getting a job.