Who can renew, and when
- Be a PR in CanadaYou must be a permanent resident, be physically in Canada, and not have lost PR status. PR cards are not mailed outside Canada, so you cannot renew from abroad.
- Apply within the 9-month windowRenew when your card expires in less than 9 months or has already expired. The new card gets a new expiry date. Applying earlier is discouraged unless you need to update a legal name or gender identifier.
- Validity of the new cardA PR card is usually valid for 5 years. In some cases a card is issued for only 1 year.
- Already outside Canada?If your card has expired and you are abroad, you need a permanent resident travel document (PRTD) to return by plane, train, bus or boat, and then renew after you are back.
Check your residency obligation first
PR for 5 years or more
You need at least 730 qualifying days in the 5 years immediately before the officer examines your application.
PR for less than 5 years
You need to show that you can still reach 730 days within 5 years of the day you became a PR.
Qualifying days abroad
Accompanying a Canadian citizen spouse, common-law partner or (for a child) parent; full-time employment abroad for a Canadian business or the public service; or accompanying a PR so employed.
Records
Match your list of trips to passports, entry and exit records, leases, pay and employment records, tax assessments, bank and school records.
If you may be short of 730 days, get advice before applying. Files that may not meet the obligation are referred to a local IRCC office. See the residency obligation guide.
An expired card does not end your status
- Status continuesYour PR status does not end when the card expires. It ends only after a formal determination (after an inquiry, or a final PRTD refusal), voluntary renunciation, a removal order taking effect, or citizenship.
- Short of 730 daysYou remain a PR until an official decision is made. IRCC does not change your status without notifying you.
- Humanitarian considerationsIf you do not meet the 730 days, humanitarian and compassionate considerations, including the best interests of a child directly affected, may justify keeping your status. Prepare a full, documented explanation.
How to apply for renewal
- Use the Permanent Residence PortalComplete form IMM 5444 online, following guide IMM 5445 and checklist IMM 5644. Paper is available only if you cannot apply online and need an accommodation.
- Give a complete historyList 5 years of addresses and every absence from Canada. Upload passport pages and any documents supporting days abroad you claim as qualifying.
- PhotosUpload photos that meet IRCC's PR card photo specifications.
- Pay the feeThe fee is $50. Pay online with IRCC (not through the portal) and upload the receipt. The fee cannot be refunded once processing has started.
- Keep your address currentThe new card is mailed to a Canadian residential address (a PO box user must also give a civic address). If you move, or will move within 3 weeks, update your address. You may keep your valid old card until the new one arrives, then destroy it. If a representative form (IMM 5476) is on file, the card may be sent to a local IRCC office for pick-up instead of being mailed.
- Other forms if neededIMM 5476 to appoint a representative, IMM 5475 to let someone else receive information, IRM 0002 if you are changing your gender identifier, and legal name-change documents where applicable (the guide lists them for marriage or divorce, reclaiming an Indigenous name or another reason).
Travelling while your renewal is in process
Commercial carriers
To board a plane, train, bus or boat to Canada, you need a valid PR card or a PRTD, together with your passport or refugee travel document.
Leaving soon
A PR card cannot be processed in less than 3 weeks. If you must travel with an expired card, plan to apply for a PRTD from abroad.
Private vehicle
IRCC notes that a different rule applies at a land border when you arrive by private vehicle. Your status can still be examined at the border.
Do not assume
Do not finalize travel based on an expected processing time. Check IRCC's processing-times tool before booking.
Urgent renewal
- Qualifying reasonA job opportunity, work for your current job, your own serious illness, serious illness or death of a family member, or a crisis, emergency or vulnerable situation.
- Departure more than 3 weeks awayUrgent PR card processing is possible only if you are leaving Canada in more than 3 weeks. If sooner, the route is an urgent PRTD from abroad, once your return trip is within 5 days.
- ProofItinerary or ticket, trip receipt, a letter explaining the urgency, and proof such as a doctor's note, death certificate or employer letter.
- Mark it urgentTick "Yes, my request is urgent" in the portal. If your application is already in process, send the documents through the IRCC web form instead of reapplying.
Frequently asked questions
Can I renew my card 1 year before it expires?
IRCC discourages applying when more than 9 months of validity remain, unless you are updating a legal name or gender identifier.
Can a family member renew my card while I am abroad?
No. You must be physically in Canada to apply, and cards are not mailed abroad. From outside Canada, apply for a PRTD.
What if I have fewer than 730 days?
You are still a PR, but a renewal can lead to a residency review. Get advice on your days, any qualifying time abroad and humanitarian factors before you apply.
Official sources
- IRCC: Get, renew or replace a PR card
- IRCC: PR card eligibility
- IRCC: Guide 5445, applying for a PR card
- IRCC: Apply urgently for a PR card or PRTD
- IRCC: PR card renewal and replacement (program delivery instructions)
- IRCC: Understand permanent resident status
- IRCC: Fee list
- Justice Laws: IRPA section 28 (residency obligation)
This page is general information about Canadian immigration law and policy as of the date above. It is not legal advice for your situation. Programs, forms and fees change often; check the official sources before you apply.