Permanent Residents and Travelling outside of Canada

How long can a permanent resident stay outside Canada?

Under section 28 of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act, a permanent resident must be physically present in Canada for at least 730 days in a five-year period. The days do not have to be in a row. That leaves up to 1,095 days, about three years, that can be spent abroad within the same five years, as long as the 730 days in Canada are there when an officer counts.

Which days count as days in Canada

Any part of a day spent in Canada counts as a full day. IRCC's application for a PR card or travel document treats the day you leave and the day you come back as days in Canada, so only the whole days in between count as time away. Some days outside Canada count as well, under section 28(2)(a) of the Act and section 61 of the Regulations:

"Canadian business" has a fixed meaning in section 61(1): a corporation incorporated in Canada or a province with an ongoing operation here, an enterprise with an ongoing operation here that Canadians or permanent residents mainly own or control, or an organization created under Canadian law. A business set up mainly so that a permanent resident living abroad can meet the obligation does not qualify.

Which five years the officer looks at

The period depends on how long you have been a permanent resident (section 28(2)(b)):

• Less than five years: the question is whether you can still reach 730 days within the first five years after you became a permanent resident.
• Five years or more: the officer counts the five years immediately before the examination, whether that is at the border, on a PR card renewal or on a travel document application.

An example of the first rule, counted on October 19, 2026:

Because 530 of the remaining 591 days can still be spent in Canada, this person meets the obligation today. A long trip now would make the numbers impossible. After the five-year mark the window moves forward every day, so an old long absence gradually drops out of the count.

When a shortfall does not end status

Falling below 730 days does not end permanent resident status by itself. Under section 28(2)(c), the officer who examines you can decide that humanitarian and compassionate considerations, including the best interests of a child directly affected, justify keeping status despite the breach. If the officer finds a breach anyway, the next step depends on where the decision is made. A decision made outside Canada, such as a refused travel document, can be appealed to the Immigration Appeal Division within 60 days after you receive it with written reasons. A breach found in Canada leads to a report and a removal order, which can be appealed within 30 days. Status continues while an appeal filed in time is decided, as explained in our article on whether a permanent resident can be stripped of status.

Getting back without a valid PR card

To board a plane, boat, train or bus to Canada, a permanent resident needs a valid PR card or a Permanent Resident Travel Document (PRTD). The PRTD costs $50 and is applied for online through the Permanent Residence Portal, and the officer uses that application to decide whether you met the residency obligation. A refusal is a residency decision made outside Canada, so the 60-day appeal applies to it. Which of the two documents you need, and what to do when a card runs out during a trip, is covered in our article on the PR card and the travel document.

Keep the proof before you need it

The days have to be shown, not remembered. The PR card application asks for every absence in the five years before you apply, and Canada keeps its own entry and exit records to compare with your answers. Keep passport stamps, boarding passes, employment letters, leases and tax returns. If you rely on one of the exceptions, keep proof of both parts: the marriage, partnership or job, and that you lived together or were assigned abroad for every day you are counting.

Angelina Shuster is a licensed paralegal and represents permanent residents on residency-obligation appeals at the Immigration Appeal Division. A travel history and the days it adds up to can be reviewed through a free assessment.

This article is general information, not legal advice.