01
Expiring Within 9 Months
You can generally apply to renew your current PR card when it will expire in less than nine months.
STATUS & CITIZENSHIP
Permanent Resident Card Renewal & Replacement
If you are already a Canadian permanent resident, you may need to renew an expiring PR card, replace a lost or damaged card or obtain a new card with updated information.
Get Help With Your PR CardPERMANENT RESIDENT CARD
Your PR Card Is Proof of Your Existing Permanent Resident Status
A Permanent Resident Card, commonly called a PR card, is an official document that shows that you have permanent resident status in Canada.
Renewing a PR card is not the same as applying for permanent residence again. You already hold permanent resident status. The application is for a new document confirming that status.
A PR card is particularly important when travelling outside Canada. Permanent residents generally need a valid PR card, together with a valid passport or travel document, to return to Canada on a commercial carrier such as an airplane, train, bus or boat.
A PR card application may also involve an assessment of whether you continue to meet Canada's permanent resident residency obligation.
PR CARD VS. PR STATUS
An Expired PR Card Does Not Mean Your PR Status Has Expired
Your permanent resident card and your permanent resident status are two different things.
The PR card is a physical document used to prove your status. The expiry date printed on the card is the expiry date of the document, not automatically the end of your permanent resident status.
If your PR card expires while you are living in Canada, you do not automatically become a temporary resident or lose the right to remain in Canada.
Permanent resident status can only be lost through specific legal processes, such as a formal determination that you have lost status, voluntary renunciation, an enforceable removal order or becoming a Canadian citizen.
Expired Card ≠ Expired PR Status
Renewing your PR card replaces the document. It does not mean that you are applying to become a permanent resident again.
Review My PR StatusWHEN TO APPLY
When Should You Renew Your PR Card?
You generally do not need to wait until your PR card has already expired before applying for a new one.
02
Already Expired
If your PR card has already expired, you can apply for a new card while you continue to hold permanent resident status.
03
Lost, Stolen or Destroyed
You can apply to replace a PR card that has been lost, stolen or destroyed.
04
Damaged Card
A PR card that is physically damaged or whose chip is damaged may need to be replaced.
05
Name or Information Change
You may need a new PR card when your legal name or other information shown on the card has changed.
06
Never Received Your Card
Different procedures may apply if your PR card was issued but never received.
RENEWAL TIMING
Do Not Normally Renew More Than 9 Months Before Expiry
IRCC generally instructs permanent residents not to submit a renewal application while their current PR card is still valid for more than nine months.
Applications submitted too early may be returned unless a specific exception applies, such as a legal name change.
If you have upcoming travel, the expiry date on your card should be reviewed well in advance.
Travelling Soon?
Check your PR card before booking international travel so that you have enough time to address renewal or travel-document issues.
Review My Travel TimelineRESIDENCY OBLIGATION
Do You Meet the Permanent Resident Residency Obligation?
A PR card renewal may require IRCC to review whether you have maintained your permanent resident residency obligation.
01
730 Days
Permanent residents generally need at least 730 qualifying days within the applicable five-year period.
02
Days Do Not Need to Be Continuous
The required 730 days do not need to be accumulated consecutively.
03
Physical Presence in Canada
Days physically spent in Canada generally count toward the residency obligation.
04
Some Time Abroad May Count
Certain periods spent outside Canada may count toward the residency obligation when specific legal requirements are met.
NEWER PERMANENT RESIDENTS
Have You Been a Permanent Resident for Less Than 5 Years?
The residency obligation is not calculated in exactly the same way for every permanent resident.
If you have been a permanent resident for five years or more, IRCC generally looks at the five-year period immediately before the assessment.
If you became a permanent resident less than five years ago, the question is generally whether you will still be able to accumulate at least 730 qualifying days within the first five years after becoming a permanent resident.
Don't Simply Count Back 5 Years in Every Case
The correct residency calculation depends on how long you have already held permanent resident status.
Calculate My Residency DaysTIME OUTSIDE CANADA
When Can Time Outside Canada Count?
Certain time spent abroad may count toward the 730-day residency requirement if the applicable conditions are satisfied.
01
Accompanying a Canadian Citizen
Time abroad may count when you are accompanying your Canadian citizen spouse or common-law partner, or, in certain cases, a Canadian citizen parent.
02
Canadian Business Employment
Certain full-time employment outside Canada for a qualifying Canadian business or public administration may count.
03
Accompanying a PR Working Abroad
Certain time may count when accompanying a permanent resident spouse, partner or parent who is qualifying through full-time employment with a Canadian business or public administration.
TRAVEL HISTORY
Accurate Travel History Is an Important Part of the Application
A PR card application asks for information about absences from Canada during the relevant period.
Applicants should carefully review passports, travel records and other documentation when reconstructing their travel history.
Missing or inaccurate travel dates can become particularly important where the applicant is close to the minimum residency requirement.
Close to 730 Days?
When residency days are close to the minimum, even small errors in travel calculations can be significant.
Review My Travel HistoryRESIDENCY CONCERNS
What If You Do Not Appear to Have 730 Qualifying Days?
A residency shortfall should be reviewed carefully before submitting a routine PR card renewal application.
Not every day outside Canada is necessarily excluded from the residency calculation, and the correct five-year assessment period must first be established.
Where the residency obligation is not met, humanitarian and compassionate circumstances may also be relevant to IRCC's assessment depending on the facts of the case.
A PR card expiry by itself does not terminate permanent resident status. Even a person who may not meet the residency obligation remains a permanent resident until a formal status determination is made.
Do Not Treat This as a Routine Renewal
If you have spent substantial time outside Canada, have unusual family circumstances or are unsure whether you meet the residency obligation, consider reviewing the case before applying.
Assess My Residency ObligationINTERNATIONAL TRAVEL
Travelling With a PR Card
Your PR card is especially important when returning to Canada after international travel.
01
Air Travel
A permanent resident travelling to Canada by commercial airline generally needs a valid PR card or Permanent Resident Travel Document.
02
Commercial Bus, Train or Boat
The valid PR card requirement also generally applies when travelling to Canada by commercial bus, train or boat.
03
Private Vehicle
A permanent resident travelling to Canada by land in a private vehicle does not have the same PR card or PRTD boarding requirement that applies to commercial carriers. They must still establish their identity and permanent resident status when examined at the Canadian border.
OUTSIDE CANADA
You Cannot Normally Apply for a PR Card From Outside Canada
To be eligible to receive a PR card, you must generally be in Canada.
IRCC mails PR cards only to Canadian addresses and does not mail PR cards outside Canada.
If you are already outside Canada without a valid PR card and need to return on a commercial carrier, the appropriate application is generally a Permanent Resident Travel Document rather than a PR card renewal from abroad.
Outside Canada Without a Valid PR Card?
You may need a Permanent Resident Travel Document to return to Canada before applying for a new PR card.
Review My Return-to-Canada OptionsPERMANENT RESIDENT TRAVEL DOCUMENT
What Is a PRTD?
A Permanent Resident Travel Document, commonly called a PRTD, is a temporary travel document for certain permanent residents who are outside Canada without a valid PR card.
It can allow an eligible permanent resident to board a commercial carrier and travel back to Canada.
A PRTD may be issued for a single entry or, in appropriate circumstances, for multiple entries. After returning to Canada, a permanent resident without a valid PR card should generally apply for a new PR card.
PR Card and PRTD Are Different Documents
A PR card is generally obtained while you are in Canada. A PRTD is generally used when you are outside Canada without a valid PR card and need to return.
Get Help With a PRTDLOST, STOLEN OR DAMAGED CARDS
Replacing a PR Card
A PR card application can also be used when your existing card needs to be replaced rather than simply renewed.
01
Lost Card
If you cannot locate your PR card, you may apply for a replacement and provide the required information about the loss.
02
Stolen Card
A stolen PR card should be reported and replaced to help protect your identity and immigration documents.
03
Damaged Card
Significant physical or chip damage may require the card to be replaced.
04
Never Received
If IRCC issued a card but you never received it, the appropriate procedure depends on when the card was mailed and the circumstances.
APPLICATION DOCUMENTS
Common Documents for a PR Card Application
Documentation should establish your identity, current permanent resident status and, where relevant, compliance with the residency obligation.
01
Current or Expired PR Card
Your existing PR card may be required as part of a renewal or replacement application.
02
Passport or Travel Document
Passport and travel-document records may be important for identity and travel-history purposes.
03
PR Card Photo
The application must include a photograph that meets IRCC's current PR card photo specifications.
04
Travel History
Applicants should provide complete and accurate information about absences from Canada during the applicable period.
05
Residency Evidence
Employment records, tax documents, banking records or other evidence may be relevant when residency needs to be established.
06
Documents for Time Abroad
Additional evidence may be required if you are relying on qualifying time outside Canada toward your residency obligation.
GOVERNMENT FEE
The Current PR Card Application Fee Is $50
IRCC currently charges a government processing fee of $50 per person for a PR card renewal or replacement.
The fee is paid each time a person applies to renew or replace a PR card.
This is separate from any professional fees that may apply if an applicant chooses to use an authorized immigration representative.
APPLICATION PROCESS
How a PR Card Renewal or Replacement Works
The process focuses on confirming your existing permanent resident status, identity and residency history.
1
Confirm Your Situation
Determine whether you are renewing an expiring card, replacing a lost or damaged card or updating information.
2
Review Residency
Calculate your physical presence and determine whether any qualifying periods outside Canada may count.
3
Reconstruct Travel History
Review passports and supporting records to prepare an accurate list of absences from Canada.
4
Prepare Supporting Documents
Gather identification, photographs, residency evidence and any additional documents relevant to your situation.
5
Submit Through the PR Portal
Complete the PR card application and submit the supporting documentation through the applicable Permanent Residence Portal process.
6
Receive Your New Card
If approved, IRCC generally mails the new PR card to a Canadian address.
URGENT PROCESSING
Need Your PR Card Urgently?
IRCC provides urgent PR card processing in certain qualifying circumstances.
Applicants requesting urgent processing must provide evidence supporting the reason for urgency and their travel plans.
Even when an applicant qualifies for urgent processing, IRCC does not guarantee that the new PR card will be issued before the intended travel date.
Current IRCC guidance distinguishes between travel that is more than three weeks away and travel within the next three weeks. IRCC does not guarantee urgent processing and states that it cannot process a PR card application in less than three weeks. A person who leaves Canada without a valid PR card may need to apply for a PRTD from outside Canada to return by a commercial carrier.
Upcoming Travel?
If you have urgent travel and your PR card is expired or expiring, review both urgent processing and PRTD implications before making travel arrangements.
Review My Urgent CaseCOMMON MISUNDERSTANDINGS
Important Things to Know About PR Cards
PR card validity and permanent resident status are often confused.
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My Card Expired, So I Lost PR
No. An expired PR card does not by itself terminate permanent resident status.
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Renewal Means Applying for PR Again
No. A PR card renewal is an application for a new proof-of-status document, not a new permanent residence application.
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The Card Must Always Be Valid in Canada
An expired card does not automatically prevent a permanent resident from continuing to live in Canada.
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PR Card Expiry Determines Residency
The expiry date printed on the card is not the same thing as the legal residency-obligation calculation.
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Every Day Abroad Is Lost
Certain time outside Canada can count toward the residency obligation if specific requirements are met.
!
I Can Renew From Overseas
PR card applications are generally made while the permanent resident is in Canada. A PRTD may be required to return from abroad.
HOW WE CAN HELP
More Than Filling Out a Renewal Form
For straightforward cases, PR card renewal may be relatively simple. Cases involving extensive travel, residency concerns or unusual circumstances require more careful analysis.
01
Residency Calculation
We review your permanent resident date, travel history and qualifying days to assess the residency obligation.
02
Travel History Review
We help organize absences from Canada and identify inconsistencies before the application is submitted.
03
Time-Abroad Analysis
We assess whether qualifying employment or accompanying-family circumstances may allow certain time abroad to count.
04
Application Preparation
We assist with preparing the PR card application and supporting documents.
05
Residency Shortfall Cases
Where the residency obligation may not be met, we review the legal and humanitarian considerations before determining an appropriate strategy.
06
Travel Planning
We can review PR card, urgent-processing and PRTD considerations when international travel is involved.
IMPORTANT INFORMATION
A PR Card Application Can Trigger a Residency Review
Although renewing the PR card is not a new permanent residence application, IRCC may review whether the applicant continues to meet the permanent resident residency obligation.
Applicants who have spent significant periods outside Canada should therefore understand their residency calculation before submitting the application.
If you are uncertain about your residency obligation, the expiry of your card or your ability to travel, consider obtaining advice before treating the matter as a routine renewal.
Unsure About Your Residency Days?
Tell us when you became a permanent resident and provide your travel history. We can review your residency obligation before the PR card application is submitted.
Review My PR Card CaseMAINTAIN YOUR PROOF OF PERMANENT RESIDENCE
Renew or Replace Your PR Card With Confidence
Whether your PR card is expiring, already expired, lost or damaged, our team can help you review your residency history and prepare the appropriate application.
Get PR Card Assistance