This tool counts your days toward the residency obligation in section 28 of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act (IRPA): a permanent resident must be physically present in Canada, or outside Canada in one of the situations the Act lists, for at least 730 days in every 5-year period. The rules come from IRPA s. 28, section 61 of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations (both consolidated to September 30, 2026), IRCC's page "Understand permanent resident status" and IRCC's operational guidance on permanent resident status determination, all checked on October 19, 2026. If you have been a permanent resident for less than 5 years, the tool also shows how many more days you could spend abroad and still meet the obligation.
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How the days are counted
- The rule. Under IRPA s. 28(2)(a), you comply if, in every 5-year period, you are on at least 730 days physically present in Canada or in one of the situations below. The days do not need to be continuous (IRCC, "Understand permanent resident status").
- Which 5 years. Under s. 28(2)(b), if you have been a permanent resident for less than 5 years, you must show that you will be able to meet the obligation in the 5-year period that starts on the day you became a permanent resident; this tool counts your days so far and the days left in that period. If you have been a permanent resident for 5 years or more, the 5-year period immediately before the examination is assessed; the tool uses the 5 years ending on the date you enter, counting that date.
- Departure and return days. IRCC's guidance on permanent resident status determination says the day you departed and the day you returned to Canada count toward your residency, and a same-day trip is not an absence. The tool counts only the full days between those dates as absences.
- Days outside Canada that count (s. 28(2)(a)(ii) to (iv), Regulations s. 61): accompanying your Canadian-citizen spouse or common-law partner, or (as a child under 22 who is not a spouse or partner) your Canadian-citizen parent; employed outside Canada on a full-time basis by a Canadian business or by the federal public administration or the public service of a province or territory, assigned full-time to a position, affiliated enterprise or client outside Canada; or accompanying your permanent resident spouse, partner or parent who is employed that way. "Accompanying" means you ordinarily reside with that person while both of you are outside Canada.
- Canadian business. A corporation incorporated under federal or provincial law with an ongoing operation in Canada; an enterprise with an ongoing operation in Canada, run for profit, with a majority of its voting or ownership interests held by Canadian citizens, permanent residents or Canadian businesses; or an organization created under federal or provincial law. A business that exists primarily to let a permanent resident meet the residency obligation while living abroad does not qualify (Regulations s. 61(1) and (2)).
Planning further time abroad
When your first 5-year period is still open, the tool subtracts the days you still need from the days left in the period. The difference is the maximum number of further full days you could spend outside Canada, in situations that do not count, and still reach 730 by the end of the period. If the days you need exceed the days left, the obligation cannot be met by presence alone and the result says so. Once you have been a permanent resident for 5 years or more, every day is assessed against the rolling 5 years before it, so a long absence after a long stay can still cause a breach later; recheck before each long trip.
If you are short of 730 days
Falling below 730 days does not end your status by itself: IRCC says you stay a permanent resident until an official decision is made on your status. An officer may decide that humanitarian and compassionate considerations, taking into account the best interests of any child directly affected, justify keeping your status despite the breach (s. 28(2)(c)). A negative residency decision made outside Canada can be appealed to the Immigration Appeal Division. See the residency obligation guide and the permanent resident travel document guide for the options.
Limits of this estimate
What to check next
- Read the residency obligation guide for the evidence that supports each type of counted absence.
- Renewing your card? The form asks for your addresses and absences over the last 5 years; see PR card renewal.
- Outside Canada without a valid card? See the permanent resident travel document guide.
- Planning to apply for citizenship? Use the physical presence calculator; it counts differently (1,095 days, no credit for absences).
Official sources
- Immigration and Refugee Protection Act, s. 28, residency obligation (Justice Laws, consolidated to September 30, 2026)
- Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations, s. 61: Canadian business, employment outside Canada, accompanying, child
- IRCC: Understand permanent resident status (730 days, losing status)
- IRCC operational guidance: Permanent resident status determination (counting days, the two 5-year periods, counted absences)
- IRCC: Get a permanent resident card (renewal)