Renewing your PR card and the 730-day rule
When to renew your PR card, how to count your residency days, and when you need a PRTD travel document to get back into Canada.
You renew a Canadian permanent resident card online through the Permanent Residence Portal once it has less than 9 months left before it expires, or after it has expired. The fee is $50 per person. You must be in Canada and be able to show you have spent at least 730 days in Canada in the last five years. An expired card does not end your permanent resident status, but without a valid card or a travel document you cannot board a flight back to Canada.
This guide is general information, not legal advice. If you are short of the residency obligation, speak to a qualified professional before you do anything.
The card is not your status: the difference that matters
IRCC states plainly that you do not lose permanent resident status when your card expires. The card is only proof of status, and you mainly need it to return to Canada after travelling. The status itself is lost only in one of these situations:
- An officer decides, after an inquiry or examination, that you are no longer a permanent resident.
- You voluntarily renounce your permanent resident status.
- A removal order is made against you and comes into force.
- You become a Canadian citizen.
Even if you have not met the residency obligation, you remain a permanent resident until an official decision is made on your status. So there is no need to panic if your card expires while you are in Canada: renew it calmly before you plan any trip.
The residency obligation: 730 days in 5 years
You must have been physically present in Canada for at least 730 days in the last five years. The days do not have to be continuous. How the five-year window is counted depends on how long you have been a permanent resident:
| Your situation | How the period is counted |
|---|---|
| Permanent resident for 5 years or more | The five years immediately before the date of the examination or application |
| Permanent resident for less than 5 years | You only need to be able to reach 730 days within the five years after you became a permanent resident (section 28 of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act) |
Example: you became a permanent resident two years ago and have spent only 200 days of that time in Canada. You still have three years in which to make up the remaining 530 days, so in principle you can still comply. But every extra month abroad narrows that margin.
When time outside Canada counts toward the 730 days
IRCC counts days abroad only in specific cases:
| Situation | Condition |
|---|---|
| You work outside Canada | Full time for a Canadian business or organization, or for the federal, a provincial or a territorial government |
| You accompany your spouse or partner | They are a Canadian citizen, or a permanent resident working full time abroad for a Canadian business or government as above |
| A child accompanying a parent | The parent is a Canadian citizen, or a permanent resident working full time for a Canadian business or government |
Working remotely for a foreign company, or living in your home country with a spouse who is not Canadian, does not fall under these exceptions.
If you are short of days: humanitarian and compassionate grounds
The law allows an officer to let you keep your status despite a breach of the residency obligation if humanitarian and compassionate considerations justify it, taking into account the best interests of any child directly affected. In that case the official application guide asks you to explain the exceptional circumstances beyond your control, with evidence. This is a discretionary route, not a guaranteed right, and we do not recommend taking it without a professional from our immigration lawyers directory.
When and how to renew the card
- Timing: do not apply if your card has more than 9 months (270 days) of validity left, unless your legal name or sex/gender identifier has changed.
- Location: you must be in Canada, because IRCC does not mail PR cards outside the country.
- Portal: apply through the Permanent Residence Portal, with application form IMM 5444 and document checklist IMM 5644.
- Payment: the fee is not paid inside the portal. Pay through IRCC's online payment page, then upload the receipt with your application.
- Photo: a photo that meets the official specifications published on the IRCC website.
- Proof of residence: include evidence that you were in Canada, such as employment records, bank statements and CRA notices of assessment.
Notices of assessment are among the strongest proofs of residence, which is one more reason to file a return every year; see our tax return guide. If any document is in a language other than English or French, you will need a certified translation from our translators directory.
Delivery and when the old card stops being valid
Your new card arrives by mail, or you receive an email or letter telling you where and when to pick it up. Your old card becomes invalid 60 days after the new one is issued. Track your application through the ECAS service.
Fees and processing times
| Service | Fee | Processing time |
|---|---|---|
| PR card renewal or replacement | $50 per person | Varies; check the official tool |
| PRTD travel document | $50 per person | Varies by visa office |
| Urgent processing of the card | IRCC lists no extra fee | At least 3 weeks |
We do not print the standard processing time because IRCC updates its estimates regularly and they can change from one week to the next. Open the processing times tool ↗ and select the PR card on the day you apply. A family of four pays $200, because each person needs their own application and fee; add the amount to the budget calculator.
Urgent processing: who qualifies
IRCC accepts an urgent request for a PR card if you are travelling in more than 3 weeks for one of these reasons: a job opportunity, work related to your current job, your own serious illness, the serious illness or death of a family member, or a crisis or emergency you are going through. Even when urgent processing is accepted, IRCC does not guarantee the card will arrive before you leave.
Include all of the following: a copy of your ticket or itinerary, the payment receipt showing the date, amount and payment method, a letter explaining why the request is urgent, and proof of the reason, such as a medical report, a death certificate or a letter from your employer. Then mark the application as urgent in the online portal.
When you need a PRTD to come back
You need a permanent resident travel document (PRTD) if you are outside Canada without a valid PR card and want to return on a commercial carrier: a plane, train, bus or boat. That includes a card that expired, or was lost, stolen or damaged, while you were abroad.
- How to apply: online through the Permanent Residence Portal, or on paper if you cannot apply online for accessibility reasons, after contacting the nearest visa application centre.
- Fee: $50, paid online with the receipt attached, and a separate application for each family member.
- Validity: the document is usually valid for a single entry.
- After you return: apply for a new PR card right away.
- Urgent requests: an urgent PRTD request is accepted only if your return trip is within 5 days, for reasons that include losing your card or having it stolen while temporarily abroad.
A PRTD application is when your residency is checked
When assessing a PRTD application, the officer checks whether you meet the 730-day residency obligation. If the application is refused on that basis, you can appeal to the Immigration Appeal Division (IAD) of the Immigration and Refugee Board, within the deadline stated in the refusal letter. If the appeal succeeds you remain a permanent resident; if it fails you lose your status. This is a stage where a lawyer or a licensed immigration consultant is worth having.
Before you travel: a short checklist
- How many months are left on your card? If it is less than 9, renew before you travel.
- Do not leave with your old card if a new one has been issued but you have not collected it yet; you will not be able to return with the old one.
- Count your days in Canada over the last 5 years and keep a record of every trip.
- If you are close to 1,095 days, applying for citizenship may be smarter than renewing; read our guide to Canadian citizenship requirements before you decide.
Follow any change to fees or procedures on our updates page, and plan your next steps with the immigration journey map.
Frequently asked questions
My PR card expired while I am in Canada. Have I lost my status?
No. An expired card does not end your status. Renew it before any trip, because you need it to return on a commercial carrier.
When can I apply to renew?
When your card has less than 9 months left, or after it has expired. Before that, apply only if your name or sex/gender identifier has changed.
Can I renew while I am outside Canada?
No. Cards are only mailed within Canada. If you are abroad without a valid card, you need a PRTD to come back.
Do the 730 days have to be continuous?
No. What matters is the total number of days in the five years, and some days abroad count if you work for a Canadian employer or accompany a Canadian spouse.
How long does processing take?
It changes regularly, so check the official processing times tool. Urgent processing takes at least 3 weeks.
Does a PRTD replace the PR card?
No. It is usually valid for one entry, and you must apply for a new card once you are back.