Free tool

Citizenship Residency Calculator

To apply for Canadian citizenship, you must have been physically present in Canada for at least 1,095 days in the 5 years before you apply. Enter three numbers: the calculator accounts for the 5-year window, the credit for time spent before permanent residence and your absences, then tells you when you could become eligible.

days of physical presence required
1,095
the period reviewed before the application date
5 years
per day in Canada before PR, up to 365 credited
陆 day

Your numbers

Three fields are enough. The fourth lets you test a future application date.

How the 1,095-day rule works

Four principles are enough to understand IRCC's calculation.

  1. A 5-year window

    Only the days within the 5 years (1,825 days) before the date you sign your application are retained. Anything older no longer counts.

  2. A full day per day as a permanent resident

    Each day spent in Canada with permanent resident status counts as one full day.

  3. Half a day before permanent residence

    Each day spent in Canada as a temporary resident or protected person, before PR and within the window, counts as half a day, up to a maximum of 365 credited days.

  4. Absences are subtracted

    Days spent outside Canada do not count. The day you leave and the day you return both count as days of presence.

What counts and what does not

Counts toward the 1,095 days

  • Each day spent in Canada as a permanent resident
  • The day you leave and the day you return on each trip
  • Days in Canada before PR, at half value, up to 365 credited days: student, worker, visitor with valid status or protected person
  • Time spent abroad as a Crown servant or serving with the Canadian Armed Forces, under specific rules

Does not count

  • Days spent outside Canada, even a short trip to the United States
  • Time before the 5-year window
  • Time spent in Canada without legal status
  • Time before PR beyond the cap of 365 credited days
  • Time spent in prison, on parole or on probation, with limited exceptions

The most common counting mistakes

  • Forgetting a short trip: a weekend in the United States or a layover counts as days spent outside Canada.
  • Going past the credit cap: days before permanent residence count as half a day each, but never more than 365 credited days in total.
  • Counting days outside the window: the 5-year period is counted backwards from the day you sign the application, not in calendar years.
  • Subtracting the day you leave and the day you return, when both count as days of presence in Canada.
  • Counting time spent in prison, on parole or on probation, which as a general rule does not count.

To count your days step by step, with a worked example: how to count your physical presence days.

What this estimate does not replace

This calculator gives you an order of magnitude from a few numbers. It does not know your exact travel dates, nor special situations such as Crown service or the armed forces, which follow their own rules. Before you sign your application, run the numbers again with IRCC's official calculator, which asks for the details of every absence and is the one that counts.

Frequently asked questions about the calculation

Do the days I spent in Canada before permanent residence count?

Yes, at half value. Each day spent in Canada as a temporary resident (student, worker, visitor with valid status) or protected person, within the 5 years before you apply, counts as half a day, up to a maximum of 365 credited days. Two full years before PR therefore give you the maximum credit.

Do the day I leave and the day I return count as absences?

No. IRCC considers that you were in Canada on the day you leave and on the day you return. An absence from the 10th to the 20th of the month therefore counts as 9 days outside Canada, not 11.

Can I travel after I submit my application?

Yes. Physical presence is calculated up to the date you sign the application; later trips do not change that calculation. You must however keep your permanent resident status, remain reachable and be in Canada for the test, any interview and the ceremony.

Do I also need to have filed income tax returns?

Yes, if the Income Tax Act required you to. You must have filed your returns for at least 3 of the 5 years in the period under review. IRCC checks this with the Canada Revenue Agency.

Does this calculator store my data?

No. The calculation runs entirely in your browser: no date or number is sent to a server or kept. For the calculation that counts, use IRCC's official calculator, which asks for the details of each trip.

Go further

Count your days step by stepThe complete method with a worked example, trip by trip.The physical presence requirementWhat the law says, the exceptions and the traps to avoid.The other eligibility requirementsTaxes, language, criminal record: the full picture before you apply.The application feesHow much a citizenship application costs in 2026, adult and child.

Once you are eligible, get ready for the test: 20 questions, 30 minutes, 15 correct answers. Our mock exams reproduce the exact format.

Take a mock exam