This tool estimates your physical presence in Canada for a grant of citizenship under subsection 5(1) of the Citizenship Act: at least 1,095 days during the 5 years immediately before the date you sign the application, with each day in Canada as a temporary resident or protected person before you became a permanent resident counted as half a day, up to 365 days of credit. The rules come from the Citizenship Act (consolidated to September 30, 2026), IRCC's eligibility pages and IRCC's operational guidance on how physical presence is calculated, all checked on October 19, 2026. IRCC's own physical presence calculator is the authoritative tool and the one you must use for the application; use this page to plan and to double-check.
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How the days are counted
- Eligibility period. The 5 years immediately before the date you sign the application (Citizenship Act, s. 5(1)(c)(i)). IRCC's guidance says the day you apply is not counted, so the tool counts from the same calendar date 5 years earlier up to the day before you sign.
- Days as a permanent resident. Every day physically present in Canada since you became a permanent resident counts as one day (s. 5(1.001)(b)).
- Days before permanent residence. Every day physically present in Canada as a temporary resident or protected person before you became a permanent resident counts as half a day, up to a maximum of 365 days of credit (s. 5(1.001)(a)). IRCC's eligibility page states this as "a maximum of 365 days" and that the total must include at least 730 days as a permanent resident. A refugee claimant is not credited for the time between the claim and the positive decision.
- Trips outside Canada. IRCC's calculation guidance for applications received on or after October 11, 2017 says the dates you left Canada and returned to Canada are not counted as absences, because you spent part of those days in Canada. The tool therefore counts only the full days between the departure and return dates as absences; a same-day trip is not an absence.
- Time that never counts. Days in prison, on parole or on probation are excluded (s. 21 of the Act and IRCC's eligibility page). Enter them in the field above and the tool subtracts them from your permanent resident days.
- Crown servants. Days outside Canada as a permanent resident employed in or with the Canadian Armed Forces, the federal public administration or the public service of a province (other than as a locally engaged person), or as the spouse, common-law partner or child residing with such a person, count as full days (s. 5(1.01) to (1.03)). This tool does not add those days: if this applies to you, use IRCC's calculator and note that IRCC requires a paper application in that case.
The earliest date estimate
If you are short of 1,095 days, the tool looks for the first signing date on which you would reach 1,095, assuming you stay in Canada without any further trip from your planned date onward. Because the 5-year period moves with the signing date, older days drop out as new days are added, so the estimate can be later than simply adding the shortfall to today's date. IRCC encourages applying with more than 1,095 days as a buffer against counting errors, so plan a margin of a few weeks.
Income tax filing
Under s. 5(1)(c)(iii) you must also have met any requirement under the Income Tax Act to file a return for 3 taxation years that fall fully or partly within the 5-year period. The tool lists the taxation years that touch your period. If you were not required to file in a given year, that year does not count against you, but the application asks you to say so.
Limits of this estimate
What to check next
- Read the citizenship guide for the full requirements, the fee, language proof and the test.
- Run IRCC's physical presence calculator and keep the printout; online applicants must repeat the calculation in their account, and paper applicants include the printout or form CIT 0407.
- If you also need to keep your permanent resident status until the oath, check the residency obligation calculator.
Official sources
- Citizenship Act, s. 5(1)(c), 5(1.001) to 5(1.03) (Justice Laws, consolidated to September 30, 2026)
- IRCC: Eligibility to become a Canadian citizen
- IRCC: Who can apply for citizenship (physical presence, 730 days as a permanent resident, 365-day maximum, taxes)
- IRCC: Physical presence calculator and form CIT 0407
- IRCC operational guidance: How residence/physical presence is calculated (departure and return days, excluded time)