Residency vs. Citizenship

If you want to live in Canada for a long time, you will likely need to apply for permanent residency and citizenship if you want to (though it's not necessary). If you want to learn how to do that then please click here.

In order to become a citizen one must first become a resident. Once you become a permanent resident you will get a permanent resident (PR) card. 

Permanent Residency

Once someone becomes a Canadian permanent resident, they have a number of rights including:

1. Access to the same social benefits as all Canadian citizens, including healthcare coverage
2. The right to live, work, and study anywhere in Canada
3. Protection under Canadian law and the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms
4. You can apply for Canadian citizenship

There are however certain rules and restrictions you must follow once you become a permanent resident:

• You will need to renew your permanent residency card every 5 years
• You will also have to start paying all the taxes in Canada
• You cannot vote or run for any political office
• They do not get a Canadian passport (though you can get Permanent Resident Travel Document)
• You are able to live outside of Canada as a permanent resident but you must live in Canada for at least two years in a five-year period (if you live outside of Canada for longer, you may lose your status though there are exceptions)

Citizenship

Once you become a permanent resident you can apply for citizenship, and once they have met certain requirements. There are certain benefits of becoming a citizen:

• You can get a Canadian passport 
• Can vote and run for political office
• Can live anywhere in Canada you want to (no residency requirements)
• Any children you have will automatically be Canadian
• Don't have to renew your citizenship like you do for permanent residency 
• You can have multiple citizenship from different countries (though many other countries do not recognize multiple citizenships so, depending on where you're from, you may need to give up citizenship from your home country)