Obtaining a permanent resident card (also known as a maple leaf card or as abbreviation of a PR card) must comply with a residence obligation. If you have been a permanent resident for 5 years or more, you must live on the territory for more than 730 days within the last 5 years. If you become a permanent resident for less than 5 years, you must meet the requirement of staying for at least 730 days within 5 years.

However, the lifespan of a Canadian maple leaf card for every five years does not start from the time of immigration registration, nor does it start from the time of obtaining a Canadian maple leaf card.

According to law, five years can only be counted as five years from the day you plan to enter Canada (or the day you apply for a maple leaf card). As long as you can prove that you have met the requirement of living for two years during this five-year period, there is no problem.

For example, someone reported to immigration in 1997. In October 2003, he obtained the Maple Leaf Card. If the person returns to Canada in July 2004, the calculation method of immigration officials will be counted down to five years from July 2004 and has lived for two years. (The immigration officer starts from the date when the person obtains a maple leaf card (i.e., starting in October 2003) and then calculates it until July 2008, and the person must live for two years during this period).