Permanent resident (PR) status in Canada provides a broad set of rights and benefits — including the right to live, work, and study anywhere in Canada — but falls short of full citizenship in several important respects. PRs have access to provincial and territorial health care (Medicare), most federal social benefits, and the full Canadian labour market and education system. They also bear important obligations: the residency obligation of 730 days in Canada in every 5-year period, the obligation not to engage in conduct that would result in a finding of inadmissibility, and responsibility to keep their PR card current for travel purposes. Unlike citizens, PRs cannot vote in federal or provincial elections, cannot hold most government offices, and — critically — can be deported for serious criminal convictions. This page explains the rights and obligations of Canadian permanent residents and the key distinctions between PR status and citizenship.

For current information on permanent resident status, refer to the IRCC permanent resident status page.

• Immigration and Refugee Protection Act, s 21 — grants permanent residence status to foreign nationals who meet the requirements; a person becomes a permanent resident upon landing in Canada with a Confirmation of Permanent Residence (COPR)
• IRPA, s 28 — the residency obligation: a PR must be physically present in Canada for at least 730 days in every 5-year period to maintain their PR status
• IRPA, s 36 — serious criminality inadmissibility for permanent residents: a PR is inadmissible for serious criminality if convicted of an offence and sentenced to 6 months or more, or convicted of an offence with a maximum sentence of 10 years or more
• IRPA, s 46 — loss of permanent resident status: a person ceases to be a permanent resident when a removal order is made enforceable, when they become a citizen, or when the ID or IAD determines that they have failed to comply with the residency obligation
• Canada Elections Act, s 3 — the right to vote in federal elections is restricted to Canadian citizens; permanent residents are not entitled to vote in federal elections
• IRCC: Understand permanent resident status — canada.ca/pr-status

Rights of Canadian permanent residents

Permanent residents have most of the same rights as Canadian citizens. The key rights are:

• Right to live anywhere in Canada: PRs may establish residence in any province or territory — they are not restricted to the province through which they obtained their PR status (with limited exceptions for certain provincial nominee program streams where a "genuine intent to reside" in the nominating province is expected, though not legally enforced after landing)
• Right to work anywhere in Canada: PRs have unrestricted access to the Canadian labour market — they do not need a work permit and can change employers, change occupations, and move between provinces without any restriction or notification
• Right to study anywhere in Canada: PRs may enrol in any Canadian educational institution without a study permit; they are typically entitled to domestic student tuition rates (which are significantly lower than international student rates)
• Access to provincial and territorial health care (Medicare): PRs are entitled to enrol in and access provincial and territorial health insurance programs, which cover medically necessary doctor and hospital services; most provinces have a short waiting period (up to 3 months) before new residents can access coverage
• Access to federal social benefits: PRs have access to Employment Insurance (EI), Canada Pension Plan (CPP), and Old Age Security (OAS) once they have made the required contributions or met the residency thresholds for those programs
• Charter rights: PRs are protected by most rights and freedoms in the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms — including equality rights, freedom of expression, freedom of religion, and legal rights; the right to vote (s 3) and the right to enter, remain in, and leave Canada freely (s 6) are limited to citizens
• Pathway to citizenship: PRs may apply for Canadian citizenship after meeting the physical presence requirement (1,460 days in the 5 years before application) and other eligibility criteria

Obligations of Canadian permanent residents

Permanent residents have several important obligations:

• Residency obligation: PRs must be physically present in Canada for at least 730 days in every 5-year period — failure to meet this obligation can result in the loss of PR status; see the residency obligation page for details on how time abroad may count and how the obligation is enforced
• Maintain admissibility: PRs must not engage in conduct that would render them inadmissible under IRPA — criminal convictions, security threats, misrepresentation, or violations of human or international rights can result in inadmissibility and loss of PR status
• Comply with removal orders: if a removal order is issued (for example, after an inadmissibility finding), the PR must comply; a removal order that is in force and enforceable must be complied with
• PR card renewal: the PR card expires (typically every 5 years) and must be renewed before it expires if the PR plans to travel outside Canada and return by commercial carrier; an expired PR card cannot be used to board a commercial vehicle to return to Canada

What PRs cannot do — distinctions from citizenship

Permanent residence falls short of citizenship in several important respects:

• No right to vote in federal or provincial elections: the right to vote in federal elections (and in most provincial elections) is restricted to Canadian citizens; some provinces allow PRs to vote in municipal elections — this varies by province
• Cannot hold most elected offices: running for Parliament, provincial legislatures, or most senior government positions requires Canadian citizenship
• Cannot obtain a Canadian passport: Canadian passports are for citizens only; PRs travelling internationally use their home country's passport and, for re-entry to Canada, their PR card
• Can lose status for serious criminality: unlike citizens (who cannot be deported for criminal convictions), PRs can lose their status and be removed from Canada following a criminal conviction that meets the inadmissibility threshold under IRPA s 36; this is one of the most significant distinctions between PR status and citizenship — see the criminal inadmissibility page
• Must meet residency obligation: citizens cannot lose their citizenship by spending time outside Canada; PRs can lose their status for failing to meet the 730-day residency obligation

PR card and travel

The Permanent Resident (PR) card is the document that proves permanent resident status and is required to return to Canada by commercial carrier (airline, train, bus, cruise ship). Key points:

• PRs entering Canada at a land border crossing by personal vehicle do not technically need a PR card — they can present other identity documents — but a PR card is strongly recommended as proof of status
• PRs outside Canada without a valid PR card must apply for a Permanent Resident Travel Document (PRTD) before boarding a commercial carrier to return to Canada; see the PRTD page
• The PR card is valid for 5 years (or 1 year for some cases) — it must be renewed before expiry if the holder needs to travel; renewal is done through IRCC

The distinction between permanent resident status and citizenship is one of the most important practical concepts in Canadian immigration. Most newcomers to Canada enter as PRs first and then — after meeting the citizenship residency requirement and other eligibility criteria — apply for citizenship. The transition from PR to citizen changes a person's rights materially: citizens can vote, travel on a Canadian passport, cannot be deported for criminality, and have no residency obligation. PRs who are Canadian citizens' spouses or have significant family ties in Canada may find that the practical risks of PR status (residency obligation, deportation risk for criminality) have limited impact on their daily lives — but the deportation risk in particular is a permanent feature of PR status that disappears only upon citizenship. For current PR rights, obligations, residency requirement guidance, and PR card information, refer to the IRCC permanent resident status page.