A Permanent Resident of Canada is permitted to stay in Canada and hold their status as a resident without becoming a Canadian citizen.
Travel with their spouse or partner who is a permanent resident and works full-time for:
a Canadian business, or
the public service of Canada or a province,
Are an employee of (or under contract to) the public service of Canada or a province and you are on a full-time assignment to:
a position outside Canada,
a partner business outside Canada, or
a client of the Canadian business or the public service outside Canada.
Are a child travelling with his or her father or mother who is a permanent resident and who works full-time for:
a Canadian business, or
the public service of Canada or a province.
KEEPING TRACK OF YOUR TIME SPENT OUTSIDE OF CANADA
If you have your Permanent Resident status and you choose to travel or live outside of Canada, you must keep track of this time. In other words, the onus is on the individual to ensure that they are meeting fulfilling the requirements of the Permanent Resident status.
We highly recommend using a travel journal to keep track of the time you spend outside of Canada. It is much easier to track your travels as they happen rather than recall trips you took four or five years later. You can download the travel journal PDF and keep it inside your passport to ensure you accurately track when you leave and return to Canada.
Another helpful tool you can use to calculate how much time you have spent outside of Canada is the physical presence calculator. If you are currently a Permanent Resident of Canada and you want to apply for Canadian citizenship, you can use this tool to determine your eligibility.
