Greetings everyone. Happy to join this forum. I need an advice on PR Card Renewal. I landed in 2014 at a time I had a contract that required my traveling between Europe and Africa. My card is expiring next month and I have only been in Canada cumulatively for about 14 months. I still have need to conduct the frequent travels. Kindly advice what options are available and whether a I can proceed to apply for renewal. I came under the investors program.
PR CARD RENEWAL
- Thread starter Elito
- Start date
How you came to be a PR is not important. However, with so little physical presence in Canada, you are not going to be able to renew your PR card unless you fit into one of the very specific exemptions for the Residency Obligation requirements.
Are you employed full time by a Canadian company, for example?
Exactly what are your circumstances?
Unfortunately, a "good reason" isn't enough to avoid falling foul of a RO assessment and the potential loss of PR status if you apply for PR card renewal or have to apply for a PRTD abroad for any reason.
https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/application/application-forms-guides/guide-5445-applying-permanent-resident-card-card-first-application-replacement-renewal-change-sex-designation.html#appendixA
To remain a PR, you have to spend 730 days (2 years) in Canada in a five-year period. That's the Residency Obligation, and it is mandatory by law.
Since you haven't met the RO, when you apply for a new PR card (or a PRTD), or arrive at a port of entry with your PR card, the officer will see that you haven't met the RO. He has the power to begin revocation proceedings to strip you of your PR status. If he does that, you will have the right to appeal. If you lose the appeal, your PR status will be revoked and you will be a foreign national once again.
Sometimes people can claim Humanitarian and Compassionate reasons for not meeting RO, and they may be successful. Your case doesn't sound like it qualifies.
When you apply for a new PR card in Canada, or a PRTD outside Canada, you have to prove that you meet the Residency Obligation requirements, as documented in Appendix A, referenced above. This is the assessment that IRCC will do.
If you are unable to meet the requirements, you can be found inadmissible to Canada and your PR status revoked.
You can renew your PR card at any time in the future if you are then compliant with the Residency Obligation.
Hello, I've met my residency requirements to renew my p.r card but I've never worked or gone to school here because I have a toddler and an infant. I've also left many times to visit family in my former home country. Will this be a problem when I attempt to renew my card?
If you have met your RO, then you don't need to prove anything else. You just need to be physically present in Canada for 730 days in five years, and be able to prove that you were here.
There's no employment or education requirement.
Thank you so much. I am extremely worried and a bit of a worry wart. I've been trying for work from home opportunities without success.
You should look up whether you have been meeting the residency requirements to receive healthcare because I assume you had your children in Canada. Even with a valid health card you may not have been entitled to healthcare. If you were receiving child tax benefit or welfare your absence from Canada could also mean you were not entitled to receive any of these payments. All depends on how much time you spent out of Canada and when.
A lease, mail that you have received, credit card bills, bank statements, phone/cable bills.. lots of ways to prove presence if you're really living here.