How Long a Canadian Citizen Can Stay Outside Canada: Essential Guide

Living abroad is common for Canadian citizens. People leave Canada for work, family, business, retirement, or a long-term stay in another country. The good news is that Canadian citizenship does not come with a “time limit” on how long you can stay outside of Canada. That said, long absences can still affect practical issues like your health insurance, tax residency, and access to certain government benefits.

Key Takeaways

• There is no legal time limit on how long a Canadian citizen can live outside of Canada and keep Canadian citizenship. Mobility rights under the Canadian Charter protect the right to enter, remain in, and leave Canada.

• A permanent resident must meet the 730 days in a 5-year period residency obligation to maintain permanent residence status (and some time outside Canada can count in specific circumstances).

• Long-term travel can impact provincial health care rules (for example, Ontario has specific out-of-country absence rules for OHIP).

• Leaving Canada can change your tax status with the CRA (factual resident, emigrant, non-resident, deemed non-resident), which affects whether you report worldwide income.

• Citizens can generally vote in federal elections while living abroad, but you must register and follow Elections Canada’s process.

• You can usually renew a Canadian passport from another country, but you must meet renewal criteria and use the correct “abroad” process.

The Legal Rule: No Time Limit for Citizens

So, how long can a Canadian citizen stay outside Canada?

A Canadian citizen can stay outside Canada indefinitely. There is no requirement in Canadian law that a citizen must maintain “physical presence” in Canada to keep citizenship.

This aligns with mobility rights under section 6 of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, which states that every citizen has the right to enter, remain in and leave Canada.

Can a Canadian citizen lose citizenship for living abroad?

Not for living abroad.

Citizenship is generally for life unless it is:

• Renounced (voluntarily given up), or

• Revoked in limited circumstances (most commonly for fraud or misrepresentation in the citizenship or immigration process).

If revocation is initiated, there is a formal process and your status does not vanish overnight. If you are ever dealing with a revocation notice, get legal advice immediately because timelines and procedural steps matter.

Understanding Permanent Resident Status

A lot of confusion comes from mixing up Canadian citizenship and permanent residence status. They are not the same status, and the rules while living abroad are very different.

A permanent resident (PR) is not a citizen. Permanent residents:

• get many social benefits,

• are protected by Canadian law and the Canadian Charter, and

• can live, work, and study anywhere in Canada, but they cannot vote and must actively maintain PR status by meeting residency obligations.

Permanent resident status does not end just because a PR card expires

A PR card is proof of status and a travel document for commercial travel. If the PR card expires, it does not automatically mean PR status is lost.

Residency Requirements and Obligations

The PR residency rule: 730 days in 5 years

To maintain permanent resident status, permanent residents must be able to show at least 730 days in Canada within the last 5-year period. The 730 days do not need to be continuous.

When time outside Canada can still count for PRs

Some time outside Canada may count toward the 730 days, including:

• accompanying a Canadian citizen spouse or common law partner outside Canada,

• being employed full-time outside Canada by a qualifying Canadian business or government, and

• dependent children accompanying a parent in qualifying scenarios.

Important practical point: Permanent residents generally carry the burden to prove they meet the residency obligation if questioned by an officer. Keep records of travel, employment, and relationship evidence if you spend significant time outside Canada.

Comparison Chart: Canadian Citizen vs Permanent Resident While Abroad

Implications of Staying Outside Canada

Even though a Canadian citizen stay abroad can be indefinite, the real-life impact comes from these areas:

1. Health care coverage (provincial health insurance)

2. Tax obligations (resident vs non resident; worldwide income)

3. Pensions and government benefits

4. Voting rights and passports

5. Maintaining practical ties, documents, and evidence

Health Care Coverage

Health care is provincial. Each Canadian province has its own rules.

Example: Ontario (OHIP)

Ontario has specific rules for out-of-country absences. If you plan to be outside Canada for more than 7 months in any 12-month period, you may be able to keep OHIP coverage for up to 2 years if you meet certain requirements (including having been physically present in Ontario for a minimum number of days in the prior periods and keeping Ontario as your primary home).

Ontario also notes that if you have been outside Ontario for more than 212 days in any 12-month period, you may have to reapply for OHIP.

Strongly recommended: Before leaving Canada for an extended absence, check your province’s rules and get clear on what documents you need to submit to keep coverage active (if that is your plan). Also budget for private travel health insurance, because provincial coverage for out-of-country care is often limited even when you remain eligible.

Tax Obligations

The biggest “surprise” for many citizens living abroad is that citizenship is not the same thing as tax residency.

Resident, factual resident, emigrant, non resident: why it matters

The CRA looks at residential ties to determine whether you are still a resident for tax purposes or whether you became an emigrant or a non-resident after leaving Canada.

If you remain a resident (including a factual resident), you generally report worldwide income to Canada.

If you become a non-resident (after severing residential ties), you generally pay Canadian tax only on certain Canadian-source income, and other withholding tax rules can apply.

Practical steps before leaving Canada (tax)

Here is a checklist many families use:

1. Decide whether you are leaving temporarily or relocating long-term to another country.

2. Review your residential ties (home, spouse/partner, dependants, personal property, social ties).

3. Consider your “departure date” and whether you need to inform the CRA.

4. Speak with a cross-border accountant if you have investments, property, or business income.

The CRA has detailed guidance on emigrants and factual residents that is worth reading before you leave Canada.

Lawyer note: Tax is not “immigration law,” but it is often inseparable from immigration planning. If you are structuring a move abroad, it is usually worth coordinating your immigration and tax advice so you do not create a problem you did not expect.

Pensions and Government Benefits

CPP and OAS while living abroad

Many Canadians can receive certain benefits while living in another country, but the rules vary.

• The Government of Canada explains that pensions and benefits can interact with social security agreements between Canada and another country.

• For Old Age Security (OAS), you can receive payments while living abroad if you meet eligibility criteria such as sufficient years of residence in Canada after age 18, or you qualify through a social security agreement.

• Government guidance also flags that benefits paid outside Canada may be subject to non-resident tax, often 25% unless reduced by treaty, depending on the country and your details.

Practical tip: If you expect to receive pensions while abroad, plan early. Confirm whether you will be paid by direct deposit, how address changes work, and whether withholding taxes apply based on your destination country.

Voting Rights and Passports

Voting while living abroad

Canadian citizens living outside Canada can vote in federal elections if they are eligible, but they need to register for the special ballot process. Elections Canada explains the International Register of Electors and the mail-in voting process for Canadians abroad.

Passport planning

If you are abroad long-term, your Canadian passport is one of your most important documents. It is also your simplest proof of citizenship when you return to Canada.

The Government of Canada provides guidance on renewing a passport outside Canada and the United States, including who can renew and how to submit the form and fees through a consulate or embassy process.

Strongly recommended: Do not wait until the last minute. Some countries have entry rules requiring a passport to be valid for a minimum period beyond your travel date. The Government of Canada specifically advises checking entry and exit requirements for your destination.

How to Maintain Ties with Canada While Abroad

Even though a Canadian citizen can live abroad indefinitely, maintaining ties can still matter for practical reasons (tax status, provincial health care, banking, schooling, and returning smoothly).

Here is a practical list many clients find helpful:

Documents to keep valid

• Canadian passport (and plan renewals early)

• Proof of citizenship (citizenship certificate if applicable)

• Driver’s licence in your province (if you intend to maintain it)

• Health card status and documentation (if you are eligible to keep it)

Evidence and records to maintain

• Travel history: dates in and out of Canada (useful for many purposes, including CRA and provincial services)

• Proof of a primary home or residence ties (lease, mortgage, property tax)

• Spouse/common law partner and child documentation where relevant (especially if coordinating PR residency counting rules for a family member)

Planning actions before leaving Canada

1. Confirm your provincial health coverage rules and notify your province if needed.

2. Confirm your CRA status and whether you might be an emigrant or a factual resident.

3. If your spouse is a PR, review PR residency obligations before you decide on long absences.

4. Make a passport plan and identify the closest consulate or embassy to your destination.

When Legal Advice Helps

If you are a Canadian citizen, the immigration law issue is usually straightforward. The more complex cases are often mixed-status families, for example:

• a Canadian citizen living abroad with a spouse who is a permanent resident trying to maintain permanent residence status, or

• families planning travel where a PR may need a PR card strategy or a travel document plan.

If you want to speak with our office about a scenario involving PR residency concerns, citizenship documentation, or cross-border family planning, you can start with our overview of how our team approaches immigration matters.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long can a Canadian citizen stay out of Canada?

There is no time limit. A Canadian citizen can stay outside Canada for years, or even their entire life, without losing citizenship. Mobility rights under the Charter protect the right to enter and leave Canada.

Can I lose my Canadian citizenship if I live abroad?

Living abroad does not cause you to lose citizenship. Citizenship can be renounced voluntarily or revoked in limited situations, most commonly where there was fraud or misrepresentation in the immigration or citizenship process.

Does living abroad affect my Canadian taxes?

It can. The CRA determines whether you are resident, a factual resident, an emigrant, or a non-resident based on your residential ties and circumstances. This affects whether you report worldwide income to Canada.

Can I renew my Canadian passport from another country?

Usually yes, if you meet the renewal criteria and follow the Government of Canada’s process for applications outside Canada and the United States (often through mail or a Government of Canada office abroad).

This article is for general information only and does not constitute legal advice. For tailored guidance on your application, please contact our office.