George Jordan said:
I landed in Jan 2015 and lived almost one year in Edmonton, then traveled outside as a got a job offer, my PR is five years, I know that I can stay outside Canada up to 3 years during a 5-year period, then I should come back and live 2 years to maintain my PR Status. I’m planning to stay outside Canada a complete 3 years and then come back and settle again. My question is about the year I stayed in Canada, shall it be counted or disregarded…thanks so much
For clarity: PR status does not have a time limit. Once a PR you remain a PR unless you lose it for inadmissibility, surrender it for citizenship, or otherwise formally surrender it.
During the first five years, up to the fifth year anniversary of the day you landed and became a PR, the easiest way to keep track is to be sure to not remain outside Canada for more than 1094 days total
since the date you landed.
As of the next day after the fifth year anniversary of the day you landed, from that day forward you need to have been present in Canada at least 730 days within the preceding five years, as of each and every day. (That said, what matters is the date residency is questioned or examined; and the five years that count are the five years immediately preceding that day.)
A breach of the PR Residency Obligation results in the PR being "inadmissible," but that has no practical impact unless and until there is a residency determination.
Your plan is at least somewhat flawed since those who cut the PR RO that close tend to invariably run into difficulty. In particular, for example, if you remain outside Canada for nearly 1094 days, you will have no margin of error for returning to Canada.
The practical reality is that while technically you will be in compliance with the PR RO, that will be just barely. Prolonged processing of a PR card renewal application is likely. And even if you obtain a new card practically you will not be able to travel outside Canada for two straight years . . . your first year in Canada counts, but as
ttrajan noted, those days in Canada only count so long as they remain within the previous five years. Thus, for example, if you are outside Canada for 1094 days, then when you reach the fifth year anniversary you will begin losing those days more than five years past, so for each day that passes that you gain a new day in Canada you lose an old day, until you reach having been in Canada constantly for a full two years.
Overall caveat: The forum is visited and revisited by more than a few whose plans were similar but who, for this or that reason, failed to meet the PR Residency Obligation. No higher mathematics necessary to calculate the effect that has. A plan to spend two years abroad has better prospects. And would allow for some flexibility upon returning to Canada.