Permanent Resident........how long and can I stay outside of Canada??

[JMOBhatti]

Hi every one,

I am in need of your kind guidance to know that being a permanent resident, how long I can stay outside of Canada. In fact, I am sponsoring my family from outside of Canada. After getting the approval of sponsorship, I am interested to join them back in my home country. I am new immigrant and living in Quebec. I am having difficulty to find a job in my field. But I like the city and there are lot many prospects. Thus in the meantime, I also want to improve my skills according to the needs, the way I observed.

Specifically, I would like to have your opinion about:

a- while sponsoring my family from outside of Canada, am I supposed to stay in Canada through out the period or I can stay any where out side of Canada; maintaining my Residency obligations?

b- I am supposed to live 2 out of five years to keep my Residency status, the two years could be in patches; 2 months after a year; 6 months after two years or in any form?

I feel it necessary to mention that I have contacted CIC but they dont give any specific information. Your insight will be highly admired.

Best Regards

 

[Avadava]

If you are a PR and sponsoring your family under the Family Class, then you must reside in Canada during the duration of your sponsorship process. You can take a couple of weeks vacation and go to your family, but no longer than that. Only a Canadian citizen can sponsor while living outside of Canada.

You can take a look at these cases, where the application was refused because the sponsor was not residing in Canada and did not show enough proof that he has strong reasons of residing in Canada:

http://www.canlii.org/en/ca/irb/doc/2010/2010canlii93328/2010canlii93328.html?searchUrlHash=AAAAAQAbc3BvbnNvciByZWZ1c2VkIGxlZnQgQ2FuYWRhAAAAAAE

http://www.canlii.org/en/ca/irb/doc/2008/2008canlii58113/2008canlii58113.html?searchUrlHash=AAAAAQAXZGVmaW5pdGlvbiBvZiBhIHNwb25zb3IAAAAAAQ

 

[Alurra71]

Hi every one,

I am in need of your kind guidance to know that being a permanent resident, how long I can stay outside of Canada. In fact, I am sponsoring my family from outside of Canada. After getting the approval of sponsorship, I am interested to join them back in my home country. I am new immigrant and living in Quebec. I am having difficulty to find a job in my field. But I like the city and there are lot many prospects. Thus in the meantime, I also want to improve my skills according to the needs, the way I observed.

Specifically, I would like to have your opinion about:

a- while sponsoring my family from outside of Canada, am I supposed to stay in Canada through out the period or I can stay any where out side of Canada; maintaining my Residency obligations?

b- I am supposed to live 2 out of five years to keep my Residency status, the two years could be in patches; 2 months after a year; 6 months after two years or in any form?

I feel it necessary to mention that I have contacted CIC but they dont give any specific information. Your insight will be highly admired.

Best Regards

Avadava is correct. As a PR, you MUST remain in Canada for the duration of the application process. That means until your family has been issued their visas and landed in Canada.

After that point, yes, you are free to live anywhere you like so long as you fulfill your 2 years in the first 5. After the initial 5 years of your PR you are required to have 2 years at any point in time looking back 5 years. That would mean if at 5 years and 6 months after landing you were to look back exactly 5 years from that date in time, you NEED to have 730 physical residency days inside of Canada. It does not just work off 5 year blocks of time. Keep that in mind.

Good luck.

 

[JMOBhatti]

Dear Avadava and Alurra71,

Thank you so very much for your kind comments. It was really helpful. Specially the link provided are quite comprehensive.

If I extend my question further, I am in Canada from the last one year and have enjoyed full time job as well- though not in my field. I have applied to lot many companies as well as been registered to recruitment/placement agencies. I am intending to reside in Canada for few months more with firm determination of coming back on permanent bases, if it does not bother the sponsorship application. I am also in touch with many colleges/universities of Canada for further studies. I want to stay away from Canada for about 6 months or so (only the case its permissible). I want to learn French, sit for IELTS and refresh my skills as I am offered a scholarship from some other country.

Can you kindly comment having in mind the above stated situation.

Profound regards for your sincere explanation.

 

[truesmile]

Not sure what you're getting at with your last post. It DOES bother the sponsorship application. If you have submitted the sponsorship application, you MUST remain in Canada.

Just to clarify one other thing. The 2 year residency obligation, is ONLY measured when you go to renew your PR card. Not at ANY randomly chosen date in time and looking back. It is possible to find your residency obligation deficient, but with the ability to overcome it simply by not leaving Canada.

 

[scylla]

Not sure what you're getting at with your last post. It DOES bother the sponsorship application. If you have submitted the sponsorship application, you MUST remain in Canada.

Agreed. You must be physically living in Canada during the entire application process to sponsor your family members (beginning to end). As explained to you previously, occasional short trips (e.g. three weeks) outside of Canada are fine. Anything longer and you'll risk having the application refused.

 

[JMOBhatti]

Thank you so much for your kind comments. Stay blessed