Residency Obligation: need help with calculating days in Canada

[j22xiong]

Hi Everyone, I became PR on Oct 31 2015, and then left Canada on Dec 02 2016. In 2017 I returned to Canada on May 31 2017 and then left Canada again on Jul 7 2017.

Now I am planning to go back Canada for long term next year. To my understanding, so far I have lived in Canada physically for 1 year 2 months after having become a PR. And between now and Oct 30, 2020, I'll have to physically live in Canada for another 10 months to satisfy the residency obligation and maintain my PR status, is this correct?

And at latest, I'll have to return to Canada on Jan 31 2020, so I would be able to prove to the CIC officer at custom that I'll be able to meet the residency obligation. Does my assumption make sense?

Any one could help check with my thoughts on this would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks!

 

[Bs65]

So first point you became a PR OCT 31 2015 assume that was your initial landing ? If so you need to reside in Canada for 730 days from that date until OCT 30 2020.

So todate you have 436 days credit and need to accumulate another 294 days to meet the residency obligation in the initial 5 years from landing.

Whilst in theory you could leave it until end January 2020 to return the consensus on here might be that always best to arrive a few months early than dead on a specific date that allows you to just meet the RO mainly because nobody can predict what may or may not happen between now and 1/2020 and if you get a secondary CBSA review it can be more convincing that you intend to meet the RO.

Remember as well that PR cards expire PR status never expires and can only be renounced or revoked so ensure you have met the RO before you apply to renew your PR card.

Keep in mind that after the initial 5 years the 5 years becomes a rolling 5 years where at each entry back into Canada you need to show meeting the RO in the previous 5 years so your 2015/2016 credit days start to fade away over time.

Chances are if you stick to returning next year and you still have a valid PR card you will just enter with no problems at all.

Very easy to over think things even for people to post answers here so good luck.