Citizenship Blues: Canada Calling

By Subramani Dharmarajan, Staff Reporter
Hundreds of immigrants working in the Gulf who have not been resident in Canada for at least 730 days over the past five years risk losing their landed status as their Permanent Resident (PR) cards hit their expiry date.

But many say they are not worried — their wives and children are living in Canada on permanent resident cards and will be eligible for Canadian citizenship after two years.

"My wife has been in Canada for the past two months and our kids are in school there. After 22 months, she can apply for citizenship and once she gets a Canadian passport, she can sponsor me so that I can be back there even as my resident card expires," Mir Faisal said.

"Or I can take the legal route and file a case with immigration authorities pleading I was away to take care of my old parents."

Nawab Malik, another Canadian Permanent Resident Card holder, said: "I have no worries with the expiry date looming in the next few months. I am already a legal partner in a company in Canada which files income tax returns regularly. My partnership can be renewed from time to time for just $500 [Dh1,900], which means I have a toehold to return to Canada."

The Canadian press reported that the looming cut-off means hundreds of ‘phantom’ residents have to return to Canada to appeal the revocation of their status as they will fail the residency requirement. Many went to Canada after obtaining documents through a Canadian visa office in Abu Dhabi, settled their families in Canada and returned to well-paying jobs in India, China and the Gulf.

A government internal report estimates that 98 per cent of permanent residents processed in Abu Dhabi had no intention of remaining in Canada after their initial landing.

Maple Leaf Rag

Since its June 2002 launch, the PR card, often called the Maple Leaf card, has become official proof of landed status for Canada’s permanent residents, who must carry it to re-enter Canada on a commercial carrier. The plastic card, which must be renewed every five years, was introduced after 9/11 to increase security.

Under the new policy, those who don’t meet the residency requirement by the card’s expiry date will lose their landed status.
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