The Permanent Resident Card (PR Card) was introduced on 28 June 2002 upon the implementation of Canada's Immigration and Refugee Protection Act. It was originally billed as the Maple Leaf Card
It is the primary method by which Canadian permanent residents (formerly known as landed immigrants) can prove their status.
Application Process
New permanent residents
Permanent residents arriving in Canada on or after 28 June 2002 apply for a Permanent Resident Card as part of the landing process.
It is necessary to supply a Canadian residential address at the time
of landing. If a Canadian address cannot be supplied at the time, it is
necessary to provide one to Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) within 180 days. Otherwise a new application for a PR Card will be required.
How to apply for your Permanent Resident Card
1. Obtain an application kit
You can download and print the application kit you need from Find an application form or
guide in the I Need To… section on the right-hand
side of this page. The application you need is called Permanent Resident Card.
You can also ask for an application to be mailed to you (in Canada only) by contacting the CIC Call Centre.
2. Read the guide
Read the guide carefully before you complete the application form.
The fee for processing your form is not refundable, so make sure that
you are eligible for a Permanent Resident Card before you submit your
application.
3. Complete the application form and attach the necessary documents
Follow the instructions in the guide. Be sure to provide the required
documents. If information or documents are missing, your application
will not be processed. It will be returned to you with a request
for the missing information.
Include the following documents with your application:
- Your Permanent Resident Card (if your card has expired or if the
information on it is out of date or inaccurate).
- A copy of your valid passport or travel document, or a copy of
the passport or travel document you held at the time you became
a permanent resident. Please note that if photocopies are not clear,
your application will be returned to you.
- Photos. Consult the Photo Specifications Appendix in the guide
for more information. If your photos
do not meet our requirements, they will not be accepted.
- Any other identity documents specified in the Document Checklist
(which is part of the application kit). Please follow the directions
in the Document Checklist closely.
4. Pay the fee and get the original receipt
You can pay the fee at most banks in Canada.
You can also pay online through Pay my application fees in
the I Need To… section on the right-hand side of this page.
Be sure to print your IMM 5401 receipt of payment form and include
it with your application. Note that some credit cards issued outside
of North America are not compatible with the online payment system.
5. Mail the application form and documents
The application kit will provide the address for mailing your application. Be
sure your application is complete. Include the original receipt for
your application fee and all other supporting documents outlined in
the document checklist.
You need to replace an expired (or due to expire), lost or stolen Permanent Resident Card
Lost, stolen, destroyed or expired immigration documents issued
by the Government of Canada can be replaced. To have documents replaced,
you must complete an application and pay the $50 processing fee.
If your Permanent Resident Card is lost, stolen or destroyed, immediately
contact the Call Centre (see Contact Us at the top of this
page). If your card has simply expired (or is due to expire), you do not need to contact
the Call Centre.
You will have to complete an application for a new Permanent Resident
Card. Follow the steps for How to apply for your Permanent Resident Card on this page.
You require urgent processing of your Permanent Resident Card application
Complete your application as instructed in How to apply for your Permanent Resident Card on this page.
Include a copy of your plane tickets with your application, and write “Urgent—Proof
of travel included” on your envelope. An agent from the processing
centre will examine your application quickly. Your
travel itinerary will not be accepted as proof of travel.
If you mailed your application before the processing times posted
on our website and have not yet received your card, please send
us the following information by fax at (514) 496‑8670:
- surname and given name
- client ID number (if available)
- date of birth
- home address
- telephone number
- email address (if applicable)
- date you mailed your application (if applicable, include the tracking number) and
- a copy of your plane ticket.
If all these requirements are met, we will examine your request and
contact you within two business days to inform you whether it
is possible to speed up the process.
Existing permanent residents
Permanent residents as of 28 June 2002
and new permanent residents who did not provide a Canadian residential
address, or whose PR Card was lost or stolen, must apply to CIC's
processing centre in Sydney, Nova Scotia for a new card. The fee is
C$50. In these cases, the PR Card must be collected in person at a CIC
office in Canada. Details
Validity of a PR card
The PR Card is normally issued for 5 years. In some circumstances it may be issued for 1 year only.
Possession of a valid PR Card does not ensure that one's permanent
resident status will remain valid until the expiry date. In some
circumstances - notably where breaches of residence obligations are
involved - permanent resident status can be lost before this date.
Similarly, a PR Card's expiration date does not indicate that the
holder's status as a permanent resident has expired, or will expire, on
that date. It is the date after which the card must be replaced with a
new card, if the holder is still a legal permanent resident at that
time.
PR card can only be applied for in Canada
It is not possible to apply for the PR Card outside Canada. Instead,
those permanent residents wishing to prove their status may apply for a
single use Travel Document which allows a journey to Canada as a
permanent resident. The application may be submitted to any CIC office
outside Canada and the fee is $50 CAD. Details
Processing times
CIC publish processing times for PR Cards on their website.
Proof of status in Canada
Whether one is a permanent resident or not is determined by the
provisions of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act. While
possession of a valid PR Card creates a presumption that a
person is a permanent resident, it is not compulsory for a permanent
resident to hold one. In fact, it is possible to hold a valid PR Card
and at the same time face loss of permanent resident status due to not
meeting residence obligations.
Similarly, it is possible to be a Canadian permanent resident and
not hold a valid PR Card, although it may be more difficult to prove
one's status.
Required to enter Canada
In general, permanent residents must present a valid PR Card or
Travel Document to a commercial carrier (eg airline, railway, bus
company) in order to board a Canada-bound journey.
This requirement is effective from 31 December 2003.
However, those who hold passports that do not require tourist visas
to visit Canada may normally board a flight on the strength of their
passport alone (although some airlines may be reluctant to allow this
if only a one-way ticket is held).
Similarly, a PR Card or Travel Document is not required to cross the land frontier into Canada from the U.S.
PR card as proof of status
In Canada
A PR Card is the most convenient way of proving status to
authorities within Canada (e.g. provincial governments, employers,
schools). Most permanent residents have other documentation (such as
original landing papers) which is also acceptable.
Outside Canada
Foreign government authorities may require the production of a PR Card in some circumstances:
- although the U.S. government does not exempt Canadian permanent
residents from the visa requirement, those Canadian permanent residents
using the Visa Waiver Program may be required to show U.S. immigration inspectors a PR Card if entering the U.S. with an onward ticket terminating in Canada.
- visa-free travel to Mexico
for Canadian permanent residents requires a PR Card, unless the
person's passport in itself is sufficient for exemption from the
Mexican tourist visa requirement
A PR Card is the easiest way for any Canadian permanent resident
applying to any foreign government for a tourist visa to prove his or
her status in Canada.