Permanent Residency

What is Permanent Resident?

A permanent resident is someone who has been given permanent resident status by immigrating to Canada, but is not a Canadian citizen. Permanent residents are citizens of other countries.

A person in Canada temporarily, like a student or foreign worker, is not a permanent resident.

What can permanent residents do?

As a permanent resident, you have the right to:

get most social benefits that Canadian citizens receive, including health care coverage,
live, work or study anywhere in Canada,
apply for Canadian citizenship,
protection under Canadian law and the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms.

You must pay taxes and respect all Canadian laws at the federal, provincial and municipal levels.