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Book a ConsultationPR card renewal in Canada takes about 28 days as of May 2026 for online applications with complete documentation.
As of September 3, 2026.
The government fee to renew a Canadian permanent resident (PR) card is CAD $50 per person. You apply online in the Permanent Residence Portal with form IMM 5444. Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) says to apply if the card expires in less than nine months. An expired card does not cancel PR status. Check the live processing times tool for the current wait.
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PR card fee is $50 per person to renew or replace | Pay on IRCC's fee site, then upload the receipt in the Permanent Residence Portal | Apply when the card expires in less than nine months | IRCC does not auto-renew the card | You do not lose PR status when the card expires | Urgent PR card processing cannot finish in less than 3 weeks
Short answer: Yes. IRCC's get, renew or replace page tells you to start IMM 5444 in the Permanent Residence Portal. Fees are not charged inside the portal. Pay on IRCC's pay page, then upload the receipt under Fee Payment. Complete the document checklist (IMM 5644). Use instruction guide IMM 5445 if you need field-by-field help. Photos must meet the PR card photo rules.
You must be in Canada. IRCC does not mail PR cards outside Canada. If you are abroad without a valid card, apply for a permanent resident travel document instead.
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Short answer: You renew the card, not the status. PR status does not come with a five-year expiry date. The plastic card does. IRCC's help answer When should I apply for a permanent resident card? says apply if the card expires in less than nine months, if you will return to Canada on a commercial carrier, if you need proof of status, if the card was lost, stolen or destroyed, or if you changed your name. Who can apply requires PR status, physical presence in Canada, and that you have not lost status through a removal order, citizenship, or a failed residency test.
Residency is a separate test: at least 730 days in Canada in the last five years, which do not have to be continuous. IRCC explains that on Understand PR status. Meeting 730 days is about keeping status. It is not a reason IRCC mails a new card by itself.
Short answer: IRCC does not print a fixed day-count on the renew page. Use the check current processing times tool and choose permanent resident cards, then renewing or replacing. The widget is updated weekly. The number is how long most complete files took recently, not a promise for your file. Incomplete files are delayed or returned. Urgent processing, when you qualify, still has a minimum of 3 weeks, and IRCC says it cannot guarantee the card on time.
After a decision, IRCC usually mails the card to a Canadian address. Check what happens after you apply and application status. If you are moving within 3 weeks, update your address.
Do not send a second application because the first one feels slow. IRCC says the longer you have been waiting, the closer you are to the front of the line.
Short answer: No. The card does not renew itself. New immigrants usually get the first card by mail after they give IRCC a Canadian address and photo within 180 days of becoming a permanent resident. After that, you file IMM 5444 when the card is close to expiry or when you need a replacement. IRCC will not notice the expiry date and ship a new card. If you do nothing, you still have status, but you may not be able to board a commercial flight back to Canada.
Destroy the old card by cutting it in half after the new one arrives, as IRCC describes on the status page.
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Short answer: No. IRCC's status page is direct: you will not lose PR status when the PR card expires. You lose status only after an officer decides you are no longer a PR following an inquiry or a PRTD appeal, you renounce status, a removal order comes into force, or you become a Canadian citizen. Even if you are short of the 730-day residency obligation, you remain a PR until an official decision. Travel is the practical risk. Travel outside Canada as a PR still expects a valid card or a PRTD to board a plane, bus, train, or boat.
If the card is already expired and you are inside Canada, renew it before you book a flight.
Short answer: IRCC's help answer How much does a permanent resident card cost? and the fee list both say $50 per person. You pay that each time you renew or replace. The same $50 line is on guide IMM 5445. Refunds are not possible while the application is in progress. Photo studio fees and courier fees, if you use them, are extra and are not IRCC charges. A PRTD is a separate $50 fee if you are outside Canada without a valid card.
| Item | IRCC fee (CAD) |
|---|---|
| PR card (renew or replace) | 50.00 |
| Permanent resident travel document | 50.00 |
Pay online, save the receipt, upload it. We are Go Far Global, a licensed Canadian immigration firm. If the card is inside nine months of expiry and you also have a residency-obligation question, book a consultation. For a lost or stolen card, use Lost PR card replacement.
Disclaimer
This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute immigration or legal advice. Immigration laws and policies change frequently. Each case is unique and outcomes depend on individual circumstances. Consult a Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultant (RCIC) before making immigration decisions.
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CEO, Go Far Global
Maggi Issa is the CEO of Go Far Global with more than two decades of experience in Canadian immigration. She specializes in visitor visas, study permits, and all types of sponsorship applications including spousal, parent, and family sponsorship. Maggi has guided thousands of clients through complex immigration processes and oversees all operations at Go Far Global.
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