Permanent Residence for Protected Persons in Canada (and the 2026-2027 One-Time Initiative)

You are a protected person if Canada has recognized that you need protection. This usually happens in one of two ways:

• The Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada (IRB) accepts your refugee claim, finding you are a Convention refugee or a person in need of protection. See asylum in Canada.
• IRCC approves your pre-removal risk assessment (PRRA).

Protected status lets you stay in Canada, work, and study. It is not permanent residence. To get permanent residence, you must apply separately.

Refugees resettled from abroad are different: they usually arrive as permanent residents. See refugee resettlement.

The 2026-2028 Immigration Levels Plan includes a one-time initiative to grant permanent residence to about 115,000 protected persons who are already in Canada, over 2026 and 2027. Many protected persons have waited years after their positive decision for their PR application to be finalized. The initiative is meant to clear that backlog.

As of September 2026, the practical effect is faster processing of protected persons' PR applications. Keep your application moving by answering IRCC requests quickly, and check the IRCC refugees section for any new instructions.

You apply online through IRCC's permanent residence portal under the protected persons class. The application includes:

• Your IRB decision or PRRA approval.
• Identity documents. If you cannot get a passport from your home country, IRCC accepts other evidence of identity, and you can explain why.
• Details and documents for family members you want to include.
• Police certificates where required, and a medical exam.
• Biometrics.

Fees change; check the IRCC fee list. Protected persons are exempt from the right of permanent residence fee.

Yes. You can include your spouse or common-law partner and dependent children in your PR application, whether they are in Canada or abroad. Family members abroad are processed at the same time and can travel to Canada once approved. Each must pass medical and security checks.

Include every family member in your application, even if they will not come right away. Leaving someone out can make it much harder to sponsor them later.

Cessation. Your protection can end if you "re-avail" yourself of your home country's protection. Examples include applying for or renewing your home country's passport, or traveling back to that country. If protection ends through cessation, you can also lose permanent residence and face removal. Use a Canadian refugee travel document instead, and do not visit your home country without legal advice.

Misrepresentation. False information in your claim or PR application can lead to loss of status.

Criminality. Serious crimes can make you inadmissible. See inadmissibility.

These are serious legal risks. Talk to a lawyer or licensed consultant (RCIC) before traveling or if you receive any letter about cessation or vacation of your status. Legal aid clinics in many provinces help refugees for free.

As a permanent resident you must meet the residency obligation of 730 days in Canada in every 5 years. For Canadian citizenship, you need 1,095 days in Canada in the 5 years before you apply. Each day you spent in Canada as a protected person before becoming a permanent resident counts as half a day, up to 365 days. Use our citizenship calculator to check. Keep your PR card valid if you travel.