What’s the difference between Canadian permanent residency and Canadian citizenship?

In Canada, permanent residents (PR) enjoy many of the same rights as citizens, such as the ability to live, work, study, and invest. However, there are key differences between the two statuses.

A permanent resident is someone granted PR status through immigration, but they are not a citizen. Citizens hold additional rights and responsibilities, including voting and obtaining a Canadian passport. Understanding these distinctions can help individuals make informed decisions about their future in Canada.

Here are the key differences between Canadian permanent residency and citizenship:

Democratic Participation: Permanent residents cannot vote or run for political office, limiting their influence on leadership and policy decisions compared to citizens.

Employment Opportunities: While permanent residents can work in Canada without a work permit, they are not eligible for certain jobs requiring high-level security clearances.

Residency Requirements: Permanent residents must live in Canada for at least 730 days within five years to maintain their status. These days don’t need to be consecutive, but failure to meet this requirement may result in the loss of PR status. Citizens face no such residency obligations.

Travel Privileges: Permanent residents travel using a PR card, which grants visa-free entry to several countries for short stays. Canadian citizens, however, hold a Canadian passport, one of the world’s most powerful travel documents, allowing visa-free travel to 187 destinations as of 2024. Citizens also benefit from broader work and study options abroad and access to diplomatic support. Additionally, they can hold dual citizenship.

Stability and Re-Entry: Permanent residents may lose their status and the right to live in Canada if they renounce it or are deemed inadmissible (e.g., due to criminal or security reasons). On the other hand, revoking citizenship is extremely rare and typically only occurs in cases of fraud or misrepresentation.

Passing Status to Children: Children born in Canada to permanent residents are automatically citizens. However, children born outside Canada to permanent residents do not inherit PR status automatically. Permanent residents must sponsor their children, provided they meet eligibility requirements. In contrast, citizenship is generally passed down to children, although Canada’s first-generation limit (FGL) restricts citizenship to the first-generation born abroad. The government is considering changes to this rule, which may allow citizens born abroad to pass citizenship to children born outside Canada, with amendments expected by December 19.

Understanding these differences can help those planning their future in Canada make well-informed choices.

Key differences between PR and citizenship