Q & A: Permanent Resident Employed Abroad

Q. I have a chance to be sent by a Canadian company to work in the US. The company recruits and then sends engineers all over N. America. Will this mean I am still subject to the 6 months rule during my 3 year wait on PR (before getting a Canadian passport)? Or as its a Canadian company can I spend much more than 6 months in any 12 month period in the US?

Answer: The 183 day rule applies to any Canadian PR absent for a period of greater than 6 months out of any given 12 month period. If your absence is part of the requirement of a Canadian employer, however, the likelihood is less that an immigration official would feel that you had abandoned your status in Canada. Note that employment by a recruiting company may not suffice as a Canadian employer.