New Delhi: Canada has become a home for lakhs of Indian workers. Many move there for jobs and then dream of settling permanently. For that goal, the path is Permanent Residency or PR. A PR card allows freedom to work anywhere in the country. It also provides several rights. Still, it does not serve as a lifetime guarantee. There are five reasons that can lead to the loss of PR status.
Residency Requirement
The most common reason for losing PR is failure to meet the residency obligation. A resident must stay in Canada for at least 730 days in any five-year period. It works as a rolling requirement. At any point, proof may be asked to show compliance in the past five years.
An exception applies only when a resident works for a Canadian company or government outside Canada.
Serious Crimes
A serious crime can also end PR status. Any offence with a maximum sentence of 10 years or more can take away the card. Serving a jail term of more than six months brings the same outcome.
Crimes committed outside the country also carry risk if the punishment under Canadian law is at least 10 years.
False Information
Providing false information is treated with great seriousness. PR status can be removed if an applicant submits misleading details. This includes hiding key facts in immigration papers, using fake documents or lying about health, education or employment.
Withholding essential information on purpose also falls under this category.
Voluntary Surrender
Some residents choose to give up PR on their own. Such surrender is treated as a positive step. People usually do this when they no longer plan to stay in Canada or when they receive citizenship or PR in another country.
Becoming a Canadian Citizen
This is the most positive way of giving up PR. Once a person becomes a citizen, PR status ends automatically. The change comes with many advantages. Citizens can vote. They can run for elections. The fear of deportation also disappears.