Protected person permanent residence is a separate application filed after a positive refugee decision, not something that happens on its own. A positive decision from the IRB, or a positive risk assessment from IRCC, establishes protected person status. But permanent residence still has to be applied for.
This guide sets out who counts as a protected person and when that application can be made. It also covers which family members it can include and what it costs, and how this time is later counted toward citizenship.
Who is a protected person?
A person is a protected person if the IRB found them to be a Convention refugee or a person in need of protection. They also count as a protected person if they received a positive Pre-Removal Risk Assessment decision from IRCC. Both routes lead to the same status.
That status is the basis for the permanent residence application described below. The guide to what happens at an RPD hearing explains how a positive RPD decision is reached in the first place.
When you can apply for protected person permanent residence
A protected person can apply for permanent residence any time after being notified of their status. There is no minimum waiting period for most applicants.
The exception is someone named a Designated Foreign National, a status that comes with its own wait. It requires waiting at least 5 and up to 6 years after being named before applying. For everyone else, the application can be filed as soon as the notice of protected person status is received.
A temporary initiative to process more applications
IRCC is processing up to 115,000 extra permanent residence applications from protected persons already in Canada, outside Quebec. This is a one-time initiative covering 2026 and 2027, additional capacity on top of the regular process, not a separate application stream with its own rules.
Processing volumes and timelines change over time. IRCC publishes current figures on its own website, rather than through a fixed number that stays accurate indefinitely.
Can I include my family members?
Yes. Every family member has to be listed on the application, whether they are in Canada or abroad. That includes a spouse or common-law partner, dependent children, and their dependent children. The applicant chooses which of those listed family members are actually processed as part of the application.
A family member can be removed from processing up until the permanent resident visa is issued. Listing someone does not commit the application to including them all the way through.
Family members abroad whose whereabouts are unknown, but who are listed in the application, have 1 year to apply at a visa office themselves. That year runs from the day the principal applicant becomes a permanent resident. They are processed as part of the same application when they do.
This structure means a family does not need to be together in one place before the application can move forward. A spouse or child abroad can be listed and still be part of the same case. That holds even while their location or documents are being sorted out.
What does the application cost?
Protected persons are exempt from the Right of Permanent Residence Fee that other permanent residence categories pay. A $660 processing fee still applies for the principal applicant, even if they are a minor.
Applicants who cannot cover transportation and medical exam costs for family members outside Canada may be eligible for a loan under the Immigration Loan Program. That loan is repayable over time rather than a grant. It covers a specific set of costs tied to bringing listed family members to Canada, and it is separate from the processing fees below, which are paid regardless of whether a loan is used.
| Who | Fee |
|---|---|
| Principal applicant (even if a minor) | $660 |
| Spouse or common-law partner | $660 |
| Each dependent child | $180 |
Does this time count toward citizenship?
Time as a protected person counts toward citizenship, but only partially and only from a specific starting point. Each day as a protected person counts as half a day of physical presence. That credit runs only from the day the claim was approved until the day before becoming a permanent resident.
Time spent waiting for a decision on the original refugee claim does not count at all. The guide to Canadian citizenship requirements explains how this credit fits into the full physical presence calculation.
After permanent residence is granted
Becoming a permanent resident opens access to programs and documents that depend on that status, from provincial health coverage to a permanent resident card. The guide to settling in Ontario covers the practical steps that typically follow, such as applying for a SIN and health coverage.
Working out which family members to include, and when to apply, depends on circumstances this guide cannot know. Getting advice on the specific facts of a case can help. The refugee services page has more on the process as a whole.
The short version
- Permanent residence is a separate application filed after protected person status is established, not automatic.
- Most protected persons can apply for permanent residence at any time after notification. A Designated Foreign National must wait at least 5 and up to 6 years.
- Every family member has to be listed, whether in Canada or abroad, and the applicant chooses which are processed. Listed family abroad whose whereabouts are unknown have 1 year to apply, starting from when the principal applicant becomes a permanent resident.
- Protected persons skip the Right of Permanent Residence Fee. They still pay a $660 processing fee for the principal applicant and for a spouse or partner, plus $180 per dependent child.
- Time as a protected person counts toward citizenship at half a day per day, starting only from the day the claim was approved.
Every figure on this page is cited to the government source it was read from, and was checked on September 19, 2026. Rules change, and a source is the authority where this page and the source disagree. This guide is general information about how the process works, not immigration advice about your own situation, and reading it creates no consultant-client relationship.