Is the residence time requirement for citizenship linked to 5 year validity period of PR status ?

[BillyWescott]

Hello everyone,

I'm sure this question has been asked and answered many times before and I apologize for asking it again. For citizenship, I wonder if one must complete the residency requirement of 1,095 days in Canada within the validity period of one's PR status (5 year period), or if the 5 year period can start running anytime ?

Example with my situation :

I obtained PR status on August 21, 2021.
Myy PR status expires in Septembre 2026.
So far, I spent 577 days in Canada.
I will be able to spend 730 days in Canada by the expiry date of my PR status, and renew said PR status.
However, I won't be able to reach 1,095 for citizenship.

Let's say I come back to Canada on August, 1st 2025. I will reach 730 days on January 1st, 2026. If I keep staying in Canada until the expiry of my PR status, and I renew it, does the 1,095-day clock for citizenship restart from 0 ? Or can I stay 3 full years from August 1st, 2025 and be able to apply for citizenship in September 2028 ?

Thank you,

 

[Seym]

You just need to accumulate 1095 in the previous 5 years before the application, with the caveat that days before getting the PR status count for half a day and you can only accumulate 1 year of pre-PR credit. Nothing more and nothing less.
The clock never "resets" for your accumulation of days, it only depends on the day you apply, and how many days you spent in Canada in the 5 years prior to the application date. So yes, if you come back in Canada in 2025 and stay for 3 years, you're eligible to apply. It may also be sooner than 3 years depending on how many of the 577 days you've spent in Canada so far will still be within the 5 years before the application date.
Also, please note that its not your PR status that expires in 2026, only your PR card. If you've respected the PR residency requirements you can renew the card, but your status in itself will never have been in jeopardy.