Citizenship Immigration Canada and Maple Leaf Card

Permanent residents: Some 5,550 were refused and the rest were withdrawn, according to Hamilton Spectator. The federal government introduced the Maple Leaf Card in 2002 to replace the old landing document as a means of enforcing residency requirements for immigrants. But only 13,211, or 70 per cent were approved. Permanent residents must carry the ID when they travel if they want to be readmitted to Canada. Not getting a renewed card well ahead of travelling abroad can leave immigrants out in the cold. "The expiry date on a PR card does not mean that a person status as a permanent resident expires," said immigration department spokesperson Sonia Lesage. "It is up to the applicant to prove to Citizenship and Immigration Canada that they have and plan to continue to live in Canada." The largest single group requesting one-time documents were immigrants who wanted to return from China , followed by India , the Philippines , France , the United Kingdom and Abu Dhabi . While refused applicants can appeal the decision to an Immigration and Refugee Board tribunal, so as to re-enter Canada and renew their residency here, less than one fifth are successful. The wallet-sized plastic card expires every five years, and cardholders must live in Canada for at least two years within a five-year period to qualify for renewal. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.