CIC website states the folloing regarding 'Applying for a Permanent Resident Card'
Minimum residency obligations
You must meet the residency obligation to obtain a Permanent Resident Card. The following table represents the minimum requirements.
If you have been a permanent resident for Five (5) years or more
you must have been physically present in Canada for a minimum of 730 days within the past five (5) years.
If you have been a permanent resident for less than five (5) years
you must show that you will be able to meet the minimum of 730 days physical presence in Canada at the five (5)-year mark.
Time spent outside of Canada
You may also count the days spent outside of Canada in the following circumstances as days for which you satisfy the residency obligation:
OPTION 1. Accompanying a Canadian citizen outside Canada
You may count each day that you accompanied a Canadian citizen outside Canada provided that the person you accompanied is your
spouse or common-law partner or
parent, if you are less than 22 years of age
Evidence that you are accompanying a Canadian citizen
You must provide supporting documents to prove that:
The person you are accompanying is a Canadian citizen; and
You are the spouse, common-law partner or child of that person.
Supporting documents may include:
marriage licence
child’s birth certificate, baptismal document, and/or adoption or guardianship document
school and/or employment records
association or club memberships
passports or other travel documents
documents indicating the status of the person you are accompanying
OPTION 2. Employment outside Canada
You may count each day you worked outside Canada provided that your employment meets the following criteria:
you are an employee of, or under contract to, a Canadian business or the public service of Canada or of a province and
you are assigned on a full-time basis to:
a position outside Canada
an affiliated enterprise outside Canada or
a client of the Canadian business or the public service outside Canada
For the purposes of this application, a Canadian business is defined as:
a corporation that is incorporated under the laws of Canada or of a province and that has an ongoing operation in Canada
an enterprise that has:
an ongoing operation in Canada
is capable of generating revenue
is carried out in anticipation of profit
in which a majority of voting or ownership interests is held by Canadian citizens, permanent residents, or Canadian businesses as defined above or
an organization or enterprise created by the laws of Canada or a province
