Slightly Confused with the days !!

[rishiraj60]

Dear Fellowmates,

I regularly read the topics here and Im glad so many people are guided towards the right path. My story is a little twisted but i hope someone will be able to guide me in here.

I am 23 years old. And my family had applied for PR in 2008. SO basically My dad is my sponsored. I got my Canadian PR card and medical on the Aug 20th, 2011 I even stayed there for 31 days during that time period. I exited the country since i had to give few exams. Since about 8 months I am also working in India after my graduation. Now i plan to go to Canada for Masters somewhere around December this year or Jan'13 latest.

So basically from Aug 20th, 2011 - 10th Jan 2012 so almost 16 months I will be out of Canada after getting my PR. So for citizenship, As far as i know I have to live there for 3 years out of the 1st 4 years Right !? So will i be i missing that chance !? My PR is valid till Aug 20, 2016. SO if i finish the 3 years or 1095 days in 2016, Am i still applicable for applying for Citizenship !? What information I got previously is that if I stay for 2 years within those 5 years I am applicable for another 5 years of PR ( SO lets say i stay in Canada for 2013 and 2014 and due to any random circumstances I have to leave Canada) Now since i am applicable for another 5 years of PR, I come back to Canada after 2016, That would complete 3+ years so will I be applicable for applying or Do i again have to repeat the process of staying there for 3 years? By the way I already have my younger brother there since Aug 2011.


Secondly, I am a Mechanical Engineer by profession and have graduated from a very reputed University of India. I have been trying to apply for jobs sitting in India from a few months thinking that I could be a bit more stable while i go to Canada, but there is absolutely no response from anywhere! So are there any government organizations which would help immigrants such as me to get suitable positions ?! By Suitable I don't mean working at Tim Hortons !!

I would be glad if someone could explain me clearly on how to go about this.

I really appreciate all the people taking part in helping individuals like me.

Regards.

Help_Seeker.

 

[Leon]

For citizenship, you do not need to stay 3 years out of the first 4 you are a PR, you just need to stay 3 years out of any 4 year period before you apply for citizenship. That means in that 4 year qualifying period, you can only be outside Canada for up to 1 year so if you left for 16 months, any time you stayed before that will not count any more. If you stay for 3 full years after you are back after the 16 months gone, you can apply. If you stay for 3 years while taking vacations in India, say a month every year, you will have to make it up by staying in Canada for another 3 months before you can apply. You must have 1095 days in Canada in the 4 year period before applying.

The citizenship period has nothing to do with the PR card period and can cross two different PR card period without any problems.

Getting a job in Canada with foreign education is often hard. You may be an engineer in India but are you in Canada? Maybe after you do your masters. Otherwise, you may find that you have to pass some board exams to be licensed.

 

[rishiraj60]

My PR as of now is valid from (Aug 2011-Aug 2016). You mean in the remaining 4 years from now (2012-2016) If I stay for 3 years (1095 days) I am applicable to apply for citizenship !?
And to clarify further what If I stay for 2 years ( 2011-2016) in order to renew my PR status and 1 year (2016-2021) will that make me applicable to apply for citizenship !?

Yes I am going to be in Canada soon. I plan to give a P.Eng exam and even do my MBA there. I guess that would give a boost to my Career as well as make it easier for me to get a job. It is very strange that inspite of graduating from the best of Indian Engineering Institute we still have to go through those formalities.

 

[Leon]

My PR as of now is valid from (Aug 2011-Aug 2016). You mean in the remaining 4 years from now (2012-2016) If I stay for 3 years (1095 days) I am applicable to apply for citizenship !?
And to clarify further what If I stay for 2 years ( 2011-2016) in order to renew my PR status and 1 year (2016-2021) will that make me applicable to apply for citizenship !?

Yes I am going to be in Canada soon. I plan to give a P.Eng exam and even do my MBA there. I guess that would give a boost to my Career as well as make it easier for me to get a job. It is very strange that inspite of graduating from the best of Indian Engineering Institute we still have to go through those formalities.

Any 4 year period after you got your PR is good for citizenship and in that period you must stay in Canada at least 1095 days (3 years) and can therefore only be outside Canada for 1 year (365 days). So.. if you leave Canada for more than 12 months like you are planning, if you qualify to apply with 1095 days before you leave, you can do that but you must be ready to fly back if they call you for test or oath or when you come back, because you were gone for more than one year, any time you stayed in Canada before then will not count within a 4 year period so in that case, you must stay for 1095 days (3 years) and then you can apply.

 

[rishiraj60]

Alright. That clarifys my 1st part of the doubt
But the 2nd part is ( as i mentioned earlier my PR expires in Aug 2016) Now what if I land in canada on Aug 2014 and Continuously stay in canada till Aug 2017?

(Obviously my PR would be renewed again since i would match the 2 year PR renewal criteria)

Will i still be eligible for citizenship Or i would have to stay 3 years from the time my PR is renewed again?

Thanks Leon you are really a gem of a person.

 

[Leon]

But the 2nd part is ( as i mentioned earlier my PR expires in Aug 2016) Now what if I land in canada on Aug 2014 and Continuously stay in canada till Aug 2017?

(Obviously my PR would be renewed again since i would match the 2 year PR renewal criteria)

Will i still be eligible for citizenship Or i would have to stay 3 years from the time my PR is renewed again?

You will be eligible to apply in 2017 because the period for citizenship is not connected to the PR card expiry dates.

 

[crazysun]

Hi,

What If, I stay in Canada in the last year out of 5yrs, Will I be able to renew my PR ?? and I should leave the country for not full filling the requirement of 730 days??

Crazysun

 

[Leon]

What If, I stay in Canada in the last year out of 5yrs, Will I be able to renew my PR ?? and I should leave the country for not full filling the requirement of 730 days??

If you come to the point of your PR card expiry and you have spend the first 4 years outside Canada and only the last in Canada, you should not leave or try to renew if you want to keep your PR. If immigration is not aware of you, you still have your PR. Instead, continue to stay after your PR card expires. There is no law against this. Once you have 2 full years in Canada, then apply to renew your PR card. When you apply to renew, they may only look at the past 5 years. If you meet the residency requirements with 730 days in that 5 year period, they can not go back and look at some other 5 year period. The must always look at the last 5 years.

 

[crazysun]

If you come to the point of your PR card expiry and you have spend the first 4 years outside Canada and only the last in Canada, you should not leave or try to renew if you want to keep your PR. If immigration is not aware of you, you still have your PR. Instead, continue to stay after your PR card expires. There is no law against this. Once you have 2 full years in Canada, then apply to renew your PR card. When you apply to renew, they may only look at the past 5 years. If you meet the residency requirements with 730 days in that 5 year period, they can not go back and look at some other 5 year period. The must always look at the last 5 years.

Thanks Leon, thank you very much for the info.