Physical Presence

[Kamal1911]

Hello,

I want to make sure I’m eligible for applying for the citizenship. I have arrived to canada as an international student on august 27, 2015, became a protected person on June 23, 2016 & got my PR on february 28, 2017. I left for a total of 22 days outside canada. My refugee claim was claimed on May 5, 2016, which is 47 days before I became an actual convention refugee. My question: Should I include the period I was an international student or should i start my calculations from the day I became a protected person?
Regards,

 

[zardoz]

Hello,

I want to make sure I’m eligible for applying for the citizenship. I have arrived to canada as an international student on august 27, 2015, became a protected person on June 23, 2016 & got my PR on february 28, 2017. I left for a total of 22 days outside canada. My refugee claim was claimed on May 5, 2016, which is 47 days before I became an actual convention refugee. My question: Should I include the period I was an international student or should i start my calculations from the day I became a protected person?
Regards,

You should include ALL days in the eligibility period. If you were here with a valid status before you became a PR, those days can be counted as a 50% credit for up to a maximum of 365 "presence" days.

 

[Kamal1911]

You should include ALL days in the eligibility period. If you were here with a valid status before you became a PR, those days can be counted as a 50% credit for up to a maximum of 365 "presence" days.

& what about the refugee claim period of 47 days?

 

[zardoz]

& what about the refugee claim period of 47 days?

I don't think that you can claim that but I could be wrong. You do however have to include it in the physical presence calculator anyway.
Just make sure that you have sufficient days without that period being claimed. If you underestimated, it will be sorted out by IRCC either before or during the interview.

 

[Kamal1911]

I don't think that you can claim that but I could be wrong. You do however have to include it in the physical presence calculator anyway.
Just make sure that you have sufficient days without that period being claimed. If you underestimated, it will be sorted out by IRCC either before or during the interview.

Even if those 47 days don’t count, I still meet the physical presence requirement. However I’m not sure when I got the refugee claim, the period when I was an international student did not count. Does it not count or else?

 

[zardoz]

Even if those 47 days don’t count, I still meet the physical presence requirement. However I’m not sure when I got the refugee claim, the period when I was an international student did not count. Does it not count or else?

The time that you were present as a student, with a valid study permit, will count. It's what happens to that validity at the time you make an asylum claim that I am not sure about. The claim may make the permit invalid at that point in time onwards.