Archive - Permanent Residency in Canada

Permanent Residency in Canada entitles immigrants to certain rights and privileges.

Canadian Permanent Residents receive many social benefits from living in Canada; health care coverage, work and educational opportunities, and protection under Canadian Law and the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. Permanent Residents pay Canadian taxes in exchange for these benefits.

Maintaining Permanent Resident status requires that you spend at least two out of every five years in Canada. A Permanent Resident that does not meet their residency obligations will lose their rights and status.

If a Permanent Resident wishes to travel abroad, a Permanent Residence Card is proof of your status in Canada. You will need have this wallet-sized card with you in order to re-enter Canada if arriving via any commercial carrier (airplane, boat, train, or bus).

Once Permanent Residents becomes Canadian citizens, they are no longer considered Permanent Residents.

Only a few things distinguish Canadian Permanent Residents from Canadian citizens: Permanent Residents cannot vote or run for political office, hold certain jobs that require a high-level of security clearance, or remain in Canada after a conviction for a serious crime.