Permanent Resident Card

You are eligible for a Permanent Resident (PR) Card only if you have entered Canada through the immigration process and have been granted permanent resident status. The Permanent Resident Card is the official proof of your status as a permanent resident in Canada.  The PR card expires every five years. This wallet-sized plastic card is required for all permanent residents of Canada seeking to re-enter Canada on a commercial carrier (airplane, boat, train or bus).

If you are a current permanent resident, you will only receive a new card when your existing card expires. If you are a new permanent resident, you will automatically receive your new card as part of the immigration process. 

You can apply for a PR Card if:

• you received permanent resident status before June 28, 2002;
• you are a permanent resident of Canada and
• you are not a Canadian citizen or a registered Indian under the Indian Act.
• you became a permanent resident after June 28, 2002 but did not receive a PR Card at that time; or
• you need to replace an expired , lost or stolen PR card.