When planning on being a permanent resident holder in Canada, there are several criteria and requirements that applicants must meet before being selected as a permanent resident of Canada. There are residency obligations for permanent residents in Canada.
Why Choose Canada?
Canada happens to be a desirable place where thousands of people seek better opportunities. Being a permanent resident of Canada, you are treated in the same way as they treat their citizens, and you are entitled to benefits they may have such as the universal healthcare system where you can be treated at a cheap price or even free.
In addition, you can up and leave whenever you get a new job in another province and are also entitled to a relatively cheap tuition fee compared to international applicants. Canada has been increasing the number of successful applicants each year. The Canadian government plans to invite 411,000 individuals to become permanent residents in 2022 and that number continues to grow.
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Pathways To Canada
When applying for a permanent residency, applicants must know that there are different pathways to achieving their goals. That is, there are different routes that applicants can follow in order to get the PR. Applicants are advised to carry out a thorough and intensive search to understand how things are done.
Who is a Canadian Permanent Resident?
A Canadian permanent resident is someone who has been granted permanent resident status by immigrating to Canada. A permanent resident enjoys many of the same benefits as Canadian citizens. However, unlike citizens, they must maintain their status by meeting certain requirements like the residency obligation.
Canadian citizens and permanent residents hold the right to live and work in any province in Canada, as found in Section 6 of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. These rights begin when Canadian permanent residence is activated
Residency Obligations for Permanent Residents in Canada
In order to maintain permanent residence in Canada, a person must meet a residency obligation. The residency obligation refers to a person’s physical presence inside Canada for a set amount of time. The Canadian residency obligation more often than not requires individuals looking to apply for a PR to make themselves physically available for a minimum of 730 days in a five-year period. Applicants must either meet up the 730 days or meet up with one of the following;
- The person is outside of Canada accompanying a Canadian citizen who is their spouse or common-law partner, or the person is a child accompanying their parent;
- The person is outside of Canada and employed on a full-time basis by a Canadian business or in the public service of Canada or of a Canadian province;
- The person is an accompanying spouse, common-law partner, or child of a permanent resident who is outside Canada and is employed on a full-time basis by a Canadian business or in the public service of Canada or of a Canadian province.
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The residency obligation is assessed when applying for a permanent resident card renewal, permanent resident travel document (PRTD), or Canadian citizenship. If a person has had Canadian permanent residence for more than five years, the residency obligation will be calculated based on the five years prior to the date an application was received by the visa office.
If a person has been a Canadian permanent resident for less than five years, they may be eligible to apply for a permanent resident card renewal or PRTD provided they can demonstrate that they will be able to meet the 730 days physical presence day within the five-year period.
Residency Obligations and Provincial Nominations
If the intention to reside in the selected province is found never to have been sincere, applicants risk being found guilty of misrepresentation which can result in loss of status and inadmissibility to Canada for five years. Misrepresentation is a criminal offense in Canada and can have devastating effects on your immigration application and status in Canada. Applicants interested in selection by a Canadian province must show intention to reside in the province upon landing.
