Please help me calculate my basic residence time in Canada

[wanabecanadian]

I just started looking into the Citizenship application and did a quick calculation using the CIC online calculator which i am not sure is accurate? maybe it is. I thought i would qualify sooner rather than later.

Anyways, here are my details:

Came to Canada as an International Student on: 01 Sep 2004
Obtained my Permanent Residence Status on: 22 Oct 2011

Absence from Canada (Vacation)
(past 4 years):

From To
2009-05-01 2009-09-22
2010-07-05 2010-07-29
2011-04-09 2011-05-22
2012-03-09 2012-03-20
2012-07-06 2012-07-09
2012-07-15 2012-08-09
2012-11-20 2012-11-30
2013-05-10 2013-06-04

The CIC Calculator says "You do not meet the basic residence requirement, nor have you been physically present in Canada for at least 1,095 days.
According to the information you provided and assuming nothing else changes, you will meet the basic residence requirement on 2013-10-22
, and you will accumulate 1,095 days of physical presence on 2014-05-25.


I understand I will meet the Basic Residence requirement on 22-10-2013 (2 years after my PR PLUS 1 year for being here since 2004). What I don't get is how my physical presence requirement will be met on 25-05-2014.. this seems very far.. should I wait till then to apply or can I apply sooner?


Please share your expertise.

Thank you

 

[Leon]

So here is your time in Canada according to Excel in the previous 4 years of your 2 year PR anniversary which is the earliest you could possibly apply if you had been in Canada without leaving the entire time:

22.10.09 05.07.10 256
29.07.10 09.04.11 254
22.05.11 22.10.11 153 before getting PR, you spent 663 days in Canada which count as 331,5
22.10.11 09.03.12 139
20.03.12 06.07.12 108
09.07.12 15.07.12 6
09.08.12 20.11.12 103
30.11.12 10.05.13 161
04.06.13 22.10.13 140 after getting PR, you spent 657 days, total 988,5

So you do not reach 1095 days yet. When you spend more days in Canada, what happens is that the 4 year window moves so while you are gaining more days in Canada, you also lose days you spent in Canada 4 years earlier.

If you calculate the date they gave you, 25.5.2014:

25.05.10 05.07.10 41
29.07.10 09.04.11 254
22.05.11 22.10.11 153 448 days before getting PR, count as 224 days
22.10.11 09.03.12 139
20.03.12 06.07.12 108
09.07.12 15.07.12 6
09.08.12 20.11.12 103
30.11.12 10.05.13 161
04.06.13 25.05.14 355 872 days after getting PR, total 1096

You should not try to apply earlier than the citizenship calculator tells you and preferably give it a couple of more weeks for good measure, say you apply mid June 2014. That should be fine.

 

[wanabecanadian]

Thanks for the thorough explanation Leon. This makes sense now! Do you have the excel file link posted somewhere online? I'd like to play with the dates. Thanks again! ;D

 

[Leon]

No link, but it is very simple to make. You can either copy and paste the dates from here or just enter them. Then just make a formula to subtract the earlier date from the later.