Count your days: what counts and what doesn't
Updated
From PR to citizenship: how the days are counted
Renewing your PR card and applying for citizenship use two different counts of your days in Canada. Here is how the citizenship count works, how it differs from your PR card count, and where IRCC’s own calculator is.
Two counts, two different questions
To keep your PR status, you need 730 days in Canada in the last five years. That is the count behind your PR card renewal.1
To apply for citizenship, IRCC asks for more: you must have been physically in Canada for at least 1,095 days (3 years) during your 5-year period. The period is the 5 years before the date you sign your application.2
| PR status (PR card) | Citizenship | |
|---|---|---|
| Days in Canada | 730 | 1,095 |
| Time you look back | 5 years | 5 years before you sign the application |
| Days before you became a PR | Do not count | Count as half days, up to 365 days |
Having enough days for one does not mean you have enough for the other. This site’s residency calculator counts the PR card days only.
How the 1,095 days are counted
IRCC says each day you were physically in Canada as a permanent resident is one day.2
Time before you became a PR can count too, at half value. IRCC says each day as a temporary resident or protected person during the 5-year period counts as 0.5 days, and you can use a maximum of 365 days this way. To reach that cap you would need 730 days in Canada before becoming a PR.2
Note: At least 730 days must be as a PR
IRCC says the 5-year period must include at least 730 days as a permanent resident. Time as a temporary resident or protected person can add to your total, but it cannot replace those 730 days.2
| Situation | Credit | Total |
|---|---|---|
| 3 years as a PR, none before | 1,095 PR days | 1,095 |
| 2 years as a PR and 730 days before as a temporary resident | 730 PR days + 365 credit | 1,095 |
These examples only show how the credit adds up. Your own total depends on your dates, and IRCC’s calculator does the final count.
Use IRCC’s own calculator
IRCC points applicants to its physical presence calculator. If you apply on paper, you use the online calculator or form CIT 0407 if you cannot use it. If you apply online, the calculator is inside your account.3
IRCC also offers a travel journal to record your trips outside Canada. The trips you rebuilt for your PR card renewal are a good start.3
The days are not the only requirement
- PR status. IRCC says all applicants must have valid permanent resident status.
- Taxes. IRCC says you may need to file taxes in Canada for at least 3 years during the 5 years right before you apply.
- Language. If you are between 18 and 54 on the day you sign, you must show adequate knowledge of English or French, at level 4 of the Canadian Language Benchmarks (NCLC for French).
- Citizenship test. Required if you are between 18 and 54 on the day you sign.
- No prohibition. IRCC says it won’t approve an application if you are under a prohibition. Most are for criminal and security reasons.2
Read IRCC’s page for the full wording of each requirement before you apply.
Important: Get advice on your case
If your days are close to the line, or you have any question about your status, speak to a licensed professional. Only lawyers and paralegals in a Canadian law society, Quebec notaries, and consultants who are members of the College of Immigration and Citizenship Consultants can charge you to represent you. prcard.ca doesn’t give advice on your case.4
Your PR card and your citizenship plans
You do not need to wait for citizenship to deal with your card. An expired card does not end your PR status, and it is a separate application from citizenship.1
If you renew, the five-year travel history you build for IMM 5444 is a useful record for the citizenship calculator too.
Renewing your PR card first?
The renewal pack turns your trips into every IMM 5444 answer, in portal order. The interview is free.
Quick answers
How many days do I need for citizenship?
IRCC says at least 1,095 days (3 years) physically in Canada during the 5 years before you sign your application.
Do days before I became a PR count?
Some do. IRCC counts each day as a temporary resident or protected person as 0.5 days, up to 365 days, and the period must still include at least 730 days as a PR.
Is the PR card count the same as the citizenship count?
No. The PR card count is 730 days in 5 years. Citizenship needs 1,095 days.
Does my residency calculator result apply to citizenship?
No. It counts the 730 days for your PR status. Use IRCC’s physical presence calculator for citizenship.
Do I need a valid PR card to apply for citizenship?
IRCC says you need valid PR status. An expired PR card does not end your status; the card and the status are separate.
