How to Calculate Your Physical Presence for Canadian Citizenship

The rule in short

IRCC requires adults to have been physically in Canada for at least 1,095 days (3 years) during the 5-year eligibility period. That period:

• is the 5 years before the date you sign your application
• must include at least 730 days as a permanent resident
• does not include time in prison, on parole, on probation, or the time you wait for a decision on a refugee claim

The days do not have to be consecutive. Our eligibility requirements page puts this rule next to the other requirements: permanent resident status, taxes, language and the knowledge test.

Which days count, and how much

Days you spent in Canada as a permanent resident count as one full day each. Some other situations can also count, with their own value:

The 365-day cap and why you always need 730 days as a permanent resident

Temporary resident and protected person time can give you at most 365 days of physical presence. That is the equivalent of 730 calendar days (730 days x 0.5 = 365). Because 1,095 minus 365 is 730, you can never reach the total with half-days alone: at least 730 days have to come from days that count in full, which in practice means your time as a permanent resident and matches the 730-day rule above.

Three worked examples

These examples are our own illustrations of the rules above, not IRCC examples. Your own situation can differ, and the calculator has the last word.

Example 1: all as a permanent resident. In the 5 years before signing you spent 1,350 days in Canada as a permanent resident and the rest abroad. 1,350 is more than 1,095, so you meet the requirement with 255 days to spare.

Example 2: student first, then permanent resident. You were a student in Canada for 600 days in the period (600 x 0.5 = 300, under the cap) and then a permanent resident for 740 days in Canada. 300 + 740 = 1,040, which is 55 days short of 1,095. You would need 55 more days in Canada as a permanent resident before applying.

Example 3: the cap in action. You worked in Canada on a work permit for 900 days in the period. 900 x 0.5 = 450, but the cap limits this to 365. With 730 days as a permanent resident, 365 + 730 = 1,095, exactly the minimum.

Apply with a buffer

IRCC encourages you to apply with more than 1,095 days in case there is a problem with the calculation. Gather your passports and travel documents too: the paper application asks for copies of all passports and travel documents from your eligibility period, so keep them together with your travel records. IRCC also offers an optional travel journal to record your trips; you do not have to include it in your application.

How to submit your calculation

Online applications use the physical presence calculator inside your IRCC online account. You can only use it after you create the account, and before you apply online you can already check your days with the calculator for paper applications. On paper you have two options: print the result of the online calculator and include it, or fill out the form CIT 0407, How to Calculate Physical Presence. Use whichever method matches how you apply.

What this does not cover

Physical presence is one requirement among several. You may also need to have filed income taxes for at least 3 years during the 5 years before you apply, and adults aged 18 to 54 also need language proof and the citizenship test. See what the fees are, how long processing takes, and what to do after you pass. If you are still a temporary resident, read the comparison of permanent residence and citizenship.