As a permanent resident, you may travel outside Canada after you arrive. However, you must meet certain residency obligations to maintain your status as a permanent resident. To meet these residency obligations, you must be physically present in Canada for at least 730 days (2 years) in every 5-year period. This means that you can spend a total of up to 3 years outside of Canada during a 5-year period. However, if you leave the country for an extended period of time, it is up to you to prove to Citizenship and Immigration Canada that you will be able to meet your residency requirements. If you are outside Canada for extended periods of time, you can accumulate residency days if you are: Traveling with a Canadian spouse or common-law partner, or are a child accompanying a parent, or Employed on a full-time basis by a Canadian business or the Public Service of Canada, or The spouse, common-law partner or child of a permanent resident who is outside Canada and who is employed on a full-time basis by a Canadian business or the Public Service of Canada.