+1(514) 937-9445 or Toll-free (Canada & US) +1 (888) 947-9445

“Proof showing that you meet the residency obligation…” now mandatory?

armoured

VIP Member
Feb 1, 2015
17,598
9,124
My PR card expires December 16 and I am currently 24 days out from RO so will definitely have enough at the end of 5 years with no intention to travel. With the estimated processing time is there any harm in applying now. Would my Dec 2022 and Oct 2024 and 2 NOAs be sufficient documentation to provide.
You should be fine to apply now, if I understand your numbers correctly.

Please check - if you landed less than five years ago, do the number of days OUTSIDE Canada total less than 1095 days? If so, yes, you can apply for the PR card now.
 

Chipo21

Star Member
Jul 15, 2018
99
40
App. Filed.......
26-08-2018
You should be fine to apply now, if I understand your numbers correctly.

Please check - if you landed less than five years ago, do the number of days OUTSIDE Canada total less than 1095 days? If so, yes, you can apply for the PR card now.
Thank you for your response. Am 1077 days.
 

Kazza

Full Member
Feb 13, 2012
28
0
Mexico City
Category........
Visa Office......
Mexico City
Job Offer........
Pre-Assessed..
App. Filed.......
12.11.2012
AOR Received.
15.04.2013
File Transfer...
01.15.2013
Med's Done....
15.08.2012
Simplified instructions: easier to keep track of days out of Canada.

You must be outside of Canada LESS THAN 1095 days* in any five year period, the first five year period beginning the day you landed (which should be the same as the day you became a PR / PR since).

After that five year anniversary (eg June 2025 if you landed June 2020), it's five years looking back from whatever day you are examined (eg at a border). In Mar 2026, it's Mar 2021-Mar 2026. It's a so-called 'rolling' five year obligation.

That's it. The rest is keeping track of days and arithmetic and doing your own calcs to see if you are in compliance. Or, if you prefer, how many days more you can remain outside Canada and still be in compliance.

*This 1095 days is just the minimum 730 days INSIDE Canada restated as days max OUTSIDE Canada. IRCC does the same calc when they ask in PR renewal form if you've been outside Canada more than 1095 days.
I'm confused, if I were to send my PR card renewal application form tomorrow, the 5 year period would be: Nov 27, 2019 to Nov 27, 2024?
I have been outside of Canada in the past five years: Jan 1 2021 to May 5, 2023, June 6, 2023 to April 15, 2024, May 5, 2024 to August 30, 2024 = a total of 1251 days of absence. I am back in Canada now and not intending to leave but I just want to understand when it would be a good time for me to apply for a PR Card renewal? Prior to January 1, 2021 I was in Canada the whole time.
 
Last edited:

Kazza

Full Member
Feb 13, 2012
28
0
Mexico City
Category........
Visa Office......
Mexico City
Job Offer........
Pre-Assessed..
App. Filed.......
12.11.2012
AOR Received.
15.04.2013
File Transfer...
01.15.2013
Med's Done....
15.08.2012
I'm confused, if I were to send my PR card renewal application form tomorrow, the 5 year period would be: Nov 27, 2019 to Nov 27, 2024?
I have been outside of Canada in the past five years: Jan 1 2021 to May 5, 2023, June 6, 2023 to April 15, 2024, May 5, 2024 to August 30, 2024 = a total of 1251 of absence. I am back in Canada now and not intending to leave. When would be a good time for me to apply for a PR Card renewal?
I forgot to say that my PR card expired today
 

Kazza

Full Member
Feb 13, 2012
28
0
Mexico City
Category........
Visa Office......
Mexico City
Job Offer........
Pre-Assessed..
App. Filed.......
12.11.2012
AOR Received.
15.04.2013
File Transfer...
01.15.2013
Med's Done....
15.08.2012
Are you in Canada? If so, you'd be best to wait until you are in compliance before applying for a new pr card.
Thank you Armoured. I currently don't have any other government issued ID and I need it to renew my driver's license in BC, so this is the main reason why I am considering applying for a new PR card. I am in Canada, I came back in August and according to my calculations, if I applied to a new PR card today, I would be missing around 24 days within Canada, in order to meet my residence obligation. If I wait, the days from 2019 that I spent in Canada, prior to my time outside of the country, would be "lost". My reason for not meeting the RO is in part the pandemic, looking after my elderly parents. I am considering saying that my reason for my application is having a government issued ID and that I do not intend to leave the country anymore.
 

steaky

VIP Member
Nov 11, 2008
14,833
1,772
Job Offer........
Pre-Assessed..
Thank you Armoured. I currently don't have any other government issued ID and I need it to renew my driver's license in BC, so this is the main reason why I am considering applying for a new PR card. I am in Canada, I came back in August and according to my calculations, if I applied to a new PR card today, I would be missing around 24 days within Canada, in order to meet my residence obligation. If I wait, the days from 2019 that I spent in Canada, prior to my time outside of the country, would be "lost". My reason for not meeting the RO is in part the pandemic, looking after my elderly parents. I am considering saying that my reason for my application is having a government issued ID and that I do not intend to leave the country anymore.
You would have to count the pandemic days even if you apply today (5 year period: Nov 28, 2019 to Nov 28, 2024).

I think you should just wait and take transit for now. You could have renewed it on April 16 - May 4th, 2024....
 
  • Like
Reactions: Kazza and YVR123

YVR123

VIP Member
Jul 27, 2017
7,614
2,996
Thank you Armoured. I currently don't have any other government issued ID and I need it to renew my driver's license in BC, so this is the main reason why I am considering applying for a new PR card. I am in Canada, I came back in August and according to my calculations, if I applied to a new PR card today, I would be missing around 24 days within Canada, in order to meet my residence obligation. If I wait, the days from 2019 that I spent in Canada, prior to my time outside of the country, would be "lost". My reason for not meeting the RO is in part the pandemic, looking after my elderly parents. I am considering saying that my reason for my application is having a government issued ID and that I do not intend to leave the country anymore.
It's too bad that you didn't renew your BC driver's license back in Aug or any time before your card expired.
BC is one of those province that you need a valid PR card to renew documents.
And you could have come back in July if you did your calculation before your return. Again too late for that.
You could also have apply for PR card renew when you met your RO.

So I don't think your H&C reason is really strong since COVID restriction has been over for years. And your renew application could take months or over a year. It's generally advice to wait till you meet your RO before you apply.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Kazza

Ponga

VIP Member
Oct 22, 2013
10,466
1,500
Job Offer........
Pre-Assessed..
Thank you Armoured. I currently don't have any other government issued ID and I need it to renew my driver's license in BC, so this is the main reason why I am considering applying for a new PR card. I am in Canada, I came back in August and according to my calculations, if I applied to a new PR card today, I would be missing around 24 days within Canada, in order to meet my residence obligation. If I wait, the days from 2019 that I spent in Canada, prior to my time outside of the country, would be "lost". My reason for not meeting the RO is in part the pandemic, looking after my elderly parents. I am considering saying that my reason for my application is having a government issued ID and that I do not intend to leave the country anymore.
You generally do not need a valid PR card to renew a DL in BC.
If your DL has expired, that may change things.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Kazza

Kazza

Full Member
Feb 13, 2012
28
0
Mexico City
Category........
Visa Office......
Mexico City
Job Offer........
Pre-Assessed..
App. Filed.......
12.11.2012
AOR Received.
15.04.2013
File Transfer...
01.15.2013
Med's Done....
15.08.2012
It's too bad that you didn't renew your BC driver's license back in Aug or any time before your card expired.
BC is one of those province that you need a valid PR card to renew documents.
And you could have come back in July if you did your calculation before your return. Again too late for that.
You could also have apply for PR card renew when you met your RO.

So I don't think your H&C reason is really strong since COVID restriction has been over for years. And your renew application could take months or over a year. It's generally advice to wait till you meet your RO before you apply.
Thank you for your response. I forgot to mention that on top of my time away during the pandemic, I had to leave again because my dad passed last year in June, so I had to help and stay with my mom in my home country. She was also the main caretaker of my grandmother, who passed away in May, so I had to go back there again this year. It has been a horrendous time and I couldn't just not help mom back home
 

Kazza

Full Member
Feb 13, 2012
28
0
Mexico City
Category........
Visa Office......
Mexico City
Job Offer........
Pre-Assessed..
App. Filed.......
12.11.2012
AOR Received.
15.04.2013
File Transfer...
01.15.2013
Med's Done....
15.08.2012
You generally do not need a valid PR card to renew a DL in BC.
If your DL has expired, that may change things.
Yes, it has expired because I didn't have time to renew it when I was back in Canada, I had to leave abruptly twice.
 

YVR123

VIP Member
Jul 27, 2017
7,614
2,996
You generally do not need a valid PR card to renew a DL in BC.
If your DL has expired, that may change things.
Some ICBC office asked for that for renewal even if the DL wasn't expired. They actually asked for my citizenship card (yes. I have the old style card.) one time when I renewed my DL.
But that only happened once.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Ponga and Kazza

Ponga

VIP Member
Oct 22, 2013
10,466
1,500
Job Offer........
Pre-Assessed..
Some ICBC office asked for that for renewal even if the DL wasn't expired. They actually asked for my citizenship card (yes. I have the old style card.) one time when I renewed my DL.
But that only happened once.
Interesting.