According to Immigration, Refugee and Citizenship Canada, a permanent resident is someone who has been given permanent resident status by immigrating to Canada, but is not a Canadian citizen. Permanent residents are citizens of other countries. A person in Canada temporarily, like a student or foreign worker, is not a permanent resident.
As a permanent resident, you have the right to:
- enjoy most social of the benefits that Canadian citizens receive, including health care coverage,
- live, work or study anywhere in Canada,
- apply for Canadian citizenship,
- As a permanent resident you must pay taxes.
To keep your permanent resident status, you must have been in Canada for at least 730 days during the last five years. These 730 days don’t need to be continuous.
There are different programs that allow you to obtain permanent residence in Canada. Review the different programs described on this website, and if any is of your interest, do not hesitate to contact us.