PR Card Renewal
Every Canadian permanent resident is issued a Permanent Resident (PR) Card, which serves as proof of status when entering Canada on a commercial carrier. PR Cards are issued for five-year periods and must be renewed when they expire. Importantly, the card itself does not affect your status as a permanent resident — your permanent residence does not expire when the card does — but you cannot board a plane, train, or boat to Canada without a valid PR card or a Travel Document (if you are outside Canada when the card expires).
To qualify for renewal, the applicant must still hold valid permanent residence and must meet the physical presence requirement: 730 days (two years) of physical presence in Canada within the five years immediately before the date of application. Time spent outside Canada may count toward the residency obligation in limited circumstances — for example, if you were accompanying a Canadian citizen spouse or were working outside Canada for a Canadian business.
If there is any concern about whether the residency obligation has been met, this must be disclosed and assessed carefully. Submitting a renewal application when the residency obligation has not been met can trigger a removal proceeding. If residency obligation compliance is uncertain, a more detailed legal assessment is included in this service.
The government fee for a PR card renewal is $50, paid directly to IRCC.
What Is Included
- Residency obligation assessment (730-day physical presence calculation)
- Review of any absences from Canada and applicable exceptions
- Preparation of the PR card renewal application (IMM 5444)
- Travel history documentation and explanation letter if required
- Document checklist and application package review
- Guidance on submission and IRCC processing
What Is Not Included
- Government fee: $50 (at cost, paid to IRCC)
- Travel Document application (if stranded outside Canada without a valid PR card — separate service)
- Permanent Resident Travel Document (PRTD) application
- Residency obligation appeal to the Immigration Appeal Division (if PR status is in question — quoted separately)
- Translation fees for documents not in English or French
Who This Service Is For
Information Required from You
- 1Current or most recent PR card
- 2Passport(s) covering the past five years showing entry/exit stamps and travel history
- 3Canadian tax returns for the past five years (as proof of presence)
- 4Employment records or employer letters if absences were for work with a Canadian employer
- 5Documentation of any exceptions to the physical presence requirement (e.g., accompanying a Canadian citizen)
- 6Current photos meeting IRCC photo specifications
Common Add-Ons
Frequently Asked Questions
Important Limitations
- •The PR card is proof of status, not status itself. Your permanent residence does not expire when your PR card expires. However, you cannot board a commercial carrier (plane, train, ferry) to Canada without a valid PR card.
- •If you are outside Canada with an expired PR card, you will need a Permanent Resident Travel Document (PRTD) to return. This is a separate application made at a Canadian visa office abroad.
- •If you have not met the 730-day residency obligation, submitting a renewal application may trigger a report and removal proceeding. A full residency obligation assessment is included in this service to identify any risk before filing.
- •IRCC does not expedite PR card renewals for travel purposes in most circumstances. Plan well in advance of any international travel.
Fixed fee
$1,500
Plus HST
Flat legal fee of $1,500 + HST. Government fee: $50, paid directly to IRCC.
This service is provided by a third party. By requesting this service, you consent to us sharing your inquiry with one of our partner law firms, and you may be contacted by them, pursuant to our Privacy Policy.
Requesting does not create a lawyer-client relationship. Subject to conflict check and acceptance.
Prices are for the stated scope only. Additional complexity, urgency, disbursements, HST, or government fees may apply.
Fixed fee
$1,500
Plus HST