Renew the maple leaf card, stay for 2 years?

An important certificate for permanent residents in Canada is the maple leaf card, but it should be understood that this card must be re-applied every five years, and it must be guaranteed to live in Canada for at least two years within five years. Many card-holders think that after living in Canada for two years, there will be no trouble when you return to China to handle matters and then return to Canada. In fact, this idea is not correct.

There are two ways to calculate the residence period by the Canadian Immigration Agency:

Starting from the day you submit your Maple Leaf Card extension application, you will be able to live for two years within five years.

Starting from the time you enter Canada, you can live in two years within five years.

Some people mistakenly believe that just living in Canada for two consecutive years is enough, but in reality, the immigration department is counting back five years from the day you enter the country. If you live in Canada for two years after you have obtained citizenship, then return to China for three years, and then apply for a new citizenship, you may have difficulties. Because from the day you entered the country, you have not lived for two years during the five-year period.

If you are prohibited from entering the country due to insufficient residence time, you may need to apply for short-term travel documents to the overseas visa department of Canada. However, the move may be required to terminate permanent resident qualifications at a higher cost.

Therefore, when arranging your living time, be sure to understand the management department’s calculation rules for the living time, so as to avoid unnecessary troubles caused by errors in the calculation of the duration.