PR Card Renewal Canada 2026: 28-Day Processing, $50 Fee, How to Apply

What is the residency obligation for PR card renewal in Canada?

Short answer: Per the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act (IRPA) Section 28, you must be physically present in Canada for at least 730 days (2 years) in the rolling 5-year period before IRCC assesses your application; four exemptions count time abroad, accompanying a Canadian-citizen spouse, working full-time outside Canada for a Canadian business, accompanying a PR spouse working for one, or federal/provincial public service work abroad.

To approve renewal for a permanent resident card in Canada, IRCC must confirm you meet the residency obligation set out in section 28 of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act:

You must be physically present in Canada for at least 730 days (two years) in the rolling five-year period before IRCC assesses your application. Days count by the midnight rule: present in Canada at 23:59, that day counts.

Four exemptions count time abroad toward the 730 days:

1. Accompanying a Canadian-citizen spouse or common-law partner outside Canada. The spouse must be a citizen, not a PR.
2. Working full-time outside Canada for a Canadian business as defined in the Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations. The "Canadian business" test is strict and most foreign branches do not qualify.
3. Accompanying a PR spouse who is working abroad for a Canadian business under condition (2).
4. Working outside Canada for the federal or provincial public service.

Without 730 days or a qualifying exemption, IRCC refuses the renewal and may revoke your PR status through a residency-obligation determination. You can appeal to the Immigration Appeal Division of the Immigration and Refugee Board (IRB). Appeals run 18-24 months and turn on humanitarian and compassionate grounds.

What are the most common mistakes that delay PR card renewal?

Short answer: Five mistakes cause most delays, photos failing IRCC spec (wrong size, background, smile, no studio stamp), declared trips not matching CBSA ICES records, outdated IMM 5444 versions triggering automatic return, filing on paper (2 to 3 months vs 28 days online), and undeclared absences over 180 days that trigger heightened residency review.

Five mistakes cause most renewal delays:

1. Photos that fail spec. Wrong size, wrong background, smiling, no photographer stamp on the back. Photos are the single biggest reason files come back. Use a photographer who has a printed copy of the IRCC PR card photo specifications and check the back stamp before you leave the studio.

2. Travel history that does not match passport stamps. IRCC pulls your CBSA Integrated Customs Enforcement (ICES) travel history. If your declared trips do not match the database, expect a residency review and several extra months of processing. List every trip, including same-day border crossings.

3. Old form versions. IMM 5444 is updated periodically. Submitting an outdated version triggers an automatic return. Always download the form fresh from the IRCC PR card page on canada.ca on the day you submit.

4. Filing on paper instead of online. Paper applications take 2-3 months versus 28 days online. File on paper only if you cannot use the online portal.

5. Forgetting to declare absences over 180 days. Any single trip longer than 180 days triggers a heightened residency review. Declare it openly with supporting documentation rather than hoping IRCC will not notice.

What should you do if your PR card has already expired?

Short answer: Three scenarios, inside Canada with no travel plans, just apply when ready; inside Canada needing international travel, file online immediately for the 28-day track or drive across the US land border; outside Canada, apply for a Permanent Resident Travel Document (PRTD) at the nearest visa office (30 to 60 days for routine cases) since airlines deny boarding without a valid card.

You have three scenarios:

Inside Canada, card expired, not planning to travel. No urgency. Apply when ready. Online filing usually returns a new card in about a month. You remain a PR with full rights inside Canada.

Inside Canada, card expired, need to travel internationally. Apply for renewal online right away. With 28-day processing, you may get your new card before you need to travel. If your travel is sooner, you can leave Canada by land border (driving across the US), but you cannot board a commercial flight without the new card.

Outside Canada, card expired. Do not attempt to board a commercial flight to Canada. The airline will deny boarding. Apply for a PRTD at the nearest Canadian visa office. PRTD processing varies by office, usually 30-60 days for routine cases. Plan for at least 8 weeks abroad before you can travel.

If you drove to the United States and your PR card expired while you were there, you can still re-enter Canada by private vehicle (driving across the land border) with your expired PR card plus identification. Canadian land-border officers cannot deny entry to a permanent resident even with an expired card, though they may refer you for secondary inspection.

How should you plan international travel around PR card renewal?

Short answer: Apply 30 to 60 days before card expiry so the 28-day timeline leaves no gap in commercial-travel ability; avoid paper applications; file immediately if residency obligation is borderline since the obligation is calculated on the day IRCC assesses the file, so delay shrinks your humanitarian-compassionate window.

The 28-day timeline makes renewal planning far simpler than during the backlog years.

Apply 30-60 days before your card expires. With the current service standard, you will have your new card before the old one expires, leaving no gap in your ability to travel commercially. If something goes wrong (a residency-review flag, a photo issue), the old card is still valid as a buffer.

Avoid paper applications. Online filing is the difference between 28 days and 2-3 months. Paper offers no advantage.

Do not delay if you have residency-obligation concerns. If you are close to the 730-day threshold, file as soon as possible. The residency obligation is calculated as of the day IRCC assesses your file, so delaying does not change the math, but it does compress the window for collecting humanitarian and compassionate evidence.

For PRs near the citizenship threshold (1,095 days physical presence in 5 years), citizenship is still the better long-term move. Citizenship takes ~14 months and a Canadian passport replaces the PR card. The math is no longer "skip the renewal because it is faster." With renewal at 28 days versus citizenship at 14 months, renewal is the faster path. Pursue citizenship for the lasting benefit: no more renewals, no residency obligation, voting rights, Canadian passport. See citizenship processing time for current numbers.

When should you hire an RCIC for PR card renewal?

Short answer: Hire a Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultant (RCIC) if you are close to or below 730 days needing to argue an exemption, spent significant time abroad with a Canadian-citizen spouse needing relationship documentation, worked abroad for what you believe qualifies as a Canadian business, have an expired card 12+ months without a Canada visit, received IMM 5511 at the airport, or have name/gender/sex marker changes to file.

Most straightforward PR card renewals (clear physical presence, clean travel history, current address, no name changes) can be filed through the IRCC online portal without help. Consider hiring an RCIC if any of these apply:

• You are close to or below the 730-day threshold and need to argue an exemption
• You spent significant time abroad with a Canadian-citizen spouse and need to document the relationship
• You worked abroad for what you believe qualifies as a Canadian business under the regulations
• Your PR card has been expired for over 12 months and you have not been to Canada
• You received a residency-obligation reporting form (IMM 5511) at the airport
• You have name change, gender marker change, or sex marker change documents to file

FAQ

How long does renewal for a permanent resident card in Canada take in 2026? Approximately 28 days for online applications with complete documentation as of May 2026. Paper applications take 2-3 months. Files flagged for residency review extend to 4-6 months.

Why is PR card renewal so much faster in 2026 than in 2022-2024? IRCC cleared most of the 2022-2024 backlog through 2025 by digitizing the application portal, expanding processing capacity in Sydney, NS, and prioritizing the wave of cards expiring from the 2020-2021 admissions surge. Online filings now resolve at the pre-pandemic pace.

What is the fee for PR card renewal Canada? $50 CAD government fee, paid online. There is no biometrics fee. Plan for an additional $30-$100 in indirect costs (photos, possible translations).

Can I travel internationally during PR card renewal? Yes, as long as your old PR card is still valid on the date of travel. With 28-day processing, most renewals complete before the old card expires if you apply 30-60 days early. If your old card expires during processing, you cannot board a commercial flight back to Canada. You would need a PRTD from outside Canada to return.

What happens if I do not meet the residency obligation? Your renewal will be refused and IRCC may issue a residency-obligation determination that revokes your PR status. You have 30 days to file an appeal to the Immigration Appeal Division. Appeals are won on humanitarian and compassionate grounds, evidence of qualifying time abroad, or procedural fairness arguments.

Can I renew my PR card from outside Canada? No. PR card renewal applications must be submitted from inside Canada. If you are abroad with an expiring or expired card, apply for a Permanent Resident Travel Document (PRTD) at a visa office to return, then apply for the new card from inside Canada.

Should I apply for citizenship instead of renewing my PR card? Renewal is now much faster (~28 days versus ~14 months for citizenship), so the trade-off has flipped. Renew if you need the card quickly. Pursue citizenship for the lasting benefit: no more renewals, no residency obligation, voting rights, Canadian passport.

What is form IMM 5444? The Application for a Permanent Resident Card. Always download the most recent version from canada.ca on the day you submit, since IRCC periodically updates the form and submitting an outdated version triggers an automatic return.

Sources

• IRCC, Get a permanent resident card
• IRCC, Understand PR status and the residency obligation
• IRCC, Permanent resident travel document (PRTD)

Written by Rami Mamar, RCIC-IRB (License #R515110). Last reviewed May 2026 against current IRCC service standards and the Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations.