Pr vs citizenship questions
- Thread starter Wolverine17
- Start date
I need to add that this calculator is using the old system. Its because the new 3 out of 5 will start only by end of the year.
No. You don't need to wait for another 5 years. You just need to make up for the year you didn't spend in Canada in the following year(s) until you reach 3 years spent out of the 5 years that come right before your citizenship application.
I think what upperkut means is (and correct me if I'm wrong upperkut
), say you land on January 1, 2018.Your first 5 years end December 31, 2022. If you left Canada right after you landed and didn't return until 3 years later, on Jan 1, 2021, you only spent 2 out of your 5 years in Canada (between Jan 1, 2021 and Dec 31, 2022), but you will not need to 'restart' in your next 5 years, and wait until you spend 3 more years in Canada between January 1, 2023 and December 31, 2027 (i.e. you wouldn't have to wait until you completed physical residency between January 1, 2023 and December 31, 2025).
Rather, you should be able to just stay a little longer, between Jan 1, 2023 and Dec 31, 2023. That would give you 3 years (Jan 1, 2021 to Dec 31, 2023) over the course of 5 years (Jan 1, 2019 - Dec 31, 2023), even though you would have already completed 1 5-year period and be in the midst of your 2nd.
However, if your 2 of the 5 years was at the beginning of the period (Jan 1, 2018 to Dec 31, 2019), and then you left for 3 years, you WOULD have to stay from Jan 1, 2023 to December 31, 2025, to get to your 3 years in 5 years...
Okay...that came out more complicated than it is in my head...
The point is, don't break apart the 5-year periods. 5 years is 5 years, even if it straddles two of your 5-year timeframes.I can't comment on the validity of this though. I'm just trying to explain/see if I understand what upperkut was saying.
@crescent_jam, it's funny how your post is almost identical to what I was about to post before lol
@Wolverine17, it's a very simple thing that is hard to explain I suppose. But I'll give it a try.
Let's say you become a PR on Jan 1, 2018.
If you are able to spend 3 years between Jan 1, 2018 and Dec 31, 2022, you can go ahead and apply for citizenship beginning of 2023. (I'm not sure of the exact submission date that you have to follow).
If you spend less than 3 years, it starts getting a bit complicated as it will depend on when you spent the 2 years to maintain your PR status.
Let's say you started residing in Canada in Jan 1, 2021 (but you landed in Jan 1, 2018 as mentioned before):
- Year 1 ending in Dec 31, 2018. (You spend 0 days in Canada)
- Year 2 ending in Dec 31, 2019. (You spend 0 days in Canada)
- Year 3 ending in Dec 31, 2020. (You spend 0 days in Canada)
- Year 4 ending in Dec 31, 2021. (You spent 365 days in Canada)
- Year 5 ending in Dec 31, 2022. (You spent 365 days in Canada)
- Year 6 ending in Dec 31, 2023. (You spent 365 days in Canada)
According to the above, you can apply for citizenship at the start of 2024, because in the 5 years right before 2024, you stayed in Canada for 3 years (2021, 2022, 2023).
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Now, let's say you did the following:
- Year 1 ending in Dec 31, 2018. (You spent 365 days in Canada)
- Year 2 ending in Dec 31, 2019. (You spend 0 days in Canada)
- Year 3 ending in Dec 31, 2020. (You spend 0 days in Canada)
- Year 4 ending in Dec 31, 2021. (You spend 0 days in Canada)
- Year 5 ending in Dec 31, 2022. (You spent 365 days in Canada)
- Year 6 ending in Dec 31, 2023. (You spent 365 days in Canada)
You CANNOT apply in 2024, because in the 5 years that come right before 2024 (2023, 2022, 2021, 2020, 2019), you only spent 2 years. The 1 year you spent at the beginning of your Canada journey wouldn't count in that case because it doesn't fall in the 5 years right before your citizenship application.
I'm not 100% sure of the above, but I guess it makes sense based on my understanding of the rules.
@Wolverine17, it's a very simple thing that is hard to explain I suppose. But I'll give it a try.
Let's say you become a PR on Jan 1, 2018.
If you are able to spend 3 years between Jan 1, 2018 and Dec 31, 2022, you can go ahead and apply for citizenship beginning of 2023. (I'm not sure of the exact submission date that you have to follow).
If you spend less than 3 years, it starts getting a bit complicated as it will depend on when you spent the 2 years to maintain your PR status.
Let's say you started residing in Canada in Jan 1, 2021 (but you landed in Jan 1, 2018 as mentioned before):
- Year 1 ending in Dec 31, 2018. (You spend 0 days in Canada)
- Year 2 ending in Dec 31, 2019. (You spend 0 days in Canada)
- Year 3 ending in Dec 31, 2020. (You spend 0 days in Canada)
- Year 4 ending in Dec 31, 2021. (You spent 365 days in Canada)
- Year 5 ending in Dec 31, 2022. (You spent 365 days in Canada)
- Year 6 ending in Dec 31, 2023. (You spent 365 days in Canada)
According to the above, you can apply for citizenship at the start of 2024, because in the 5 years right before 2024, you stayed in Canada for 3 years (2021, 2022, 2023).
----
Now, let's say you did the following:
- Year 1 ending in Dec 31, 2018. (You spent 365 days in Canada)
- Year 2 ending in Dec 31, 2019. (You spend 0 days in Canada)
- Year 3 ending in Dec 31, 2020. (You spend 0 days in Canada)
- Year 4 ending in Dec 31, 2021. (You spend 0 days in Canada)
- Year 5 ending in Dec 31, 2022. (You spent 365 days in Canada)
- Year 6 ending in Dec 31, 2023. (You spent 365 days in Canada)
You CANNOT apply in 2024, because in the 5 years that come right before 2024 (2023, 2022, 2021, 2020, 2019), you only spent 2 years. The 1 year you spent at the beginning of your Canada journey wouldn't count in that case because it doesn't fall in the 5 years right before your citizenship application.
I'm not 100% sure of the above, but I guess it makes sense based on my understanding of the rules.
@uppperkut thanks for the info. Looking at your first example. Since one landed on Jan 2018 his/her 5 year period would start in Jan 2018 (2018-2022). So although he would spend in Canada 2 years (2021-2022) in his first 5 year period and 1 year (2023) in his second 5 year period, does it eventually make it 3 years for citizenship application because those 2 years spent previously were in continuation with the 1 year spent in second 5 year period?
What if this continuity is broken in the second five year period I.e. he spends 2023 outside Canada and then again 2024 inside. In that case will he have to do the three year thing all over again?
Thanks everybody for your answers.
What if this continuity is broken in the second five year period I.e. he spends 2023 outside Canada and then again 2024 inside. In that case will he have to do the three year thing all over again?
Thanks everybody for your answers.
There is no first or second 5 year period.. You just need to set a target of when you wanna apply for citizenship, and spend at least 3 years in the 5 years right before that date.
In the first example, the 6th year (2023) is needed to make up for the missing year – provided that the time spent in Canada was towards the end of the 5 years.
In the second example, you would need a 7th year, again provided that the time spend in Canada was towards the end of the 5 years that come right before the application signing date. You DON'T need to spend another 5 years.
Best thing is to use the Citizenship calculator when it's updated.
Oh I see. Now I got how it works. Thanks.There is no first or second 5 year period.. You just need to set a target of when you wanna apply for citizenship, and spend at least 3 years in the 5 years right before that date.
In the first example, the 6th year (2023) is needed to make up for the missing year – provided that the time spent in Canada was towards the end of the 5 years.
In the second example, you would need a 7th year, again provided that the time spend in Canada was towards the end of the 5 years that come right before the application signing date. You DON'T need to spend another 5 years.
Best thing is to use the Citizenship calculator when it's updated.
And in the second case, you can apply in 2025 provided you spend the entire 2024 in Canada.
Thanks guys @crescent_jam @upperkut so if i land in 2017 will the new rules apply to me ? Also according to what i understood one should aim for at least 2 years of stay in any 5 years period to maintain pr status and better to aim at 3 years in any 5 year period for citizenship,according to that better to stay for good at the end of a 5 year period vs at the beginning if one is not gonna stat for good,right?
The 3 out of 5 year law is expected to take effect in fall 2017. So it will be applicable to you if you land in few months from now.
Check this:
http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/citizenship/improvements/citizenship-act-changes-2017.asp
The whole idea is to be prepared to stay for a longer time close to your citizenship application. If you are planning to do in and out of Canada frequently (e.g. 1 year in 1 year out...) then it recommended not to do it if you plan to apply for citizenship.