Volunteering Overseas with Canadian Registered NGO

[PassionateKen]

Hi,

I am a PR holder and currently living in Canada. I was offered by a Canadian International Development organization the opportunity to volunteer overseas for 5 months. The cost of living + pocket money will be provided by the organization during my international volunteering placement.

I would like to ask if my overseas volunteering placement by this Canadian organization can be counted towards my residency requirement in Canada.

I appreciate your urgent reply to this message.
All the best,

Thank you!

[SettlementOrgMod]

Hello,

Thank you for sharing your situation and question with us.

According to the CIC OP 10 Permanent Residency Status Determination Operations Manual,

6.5 Employment outside of Canada

The Regulations enable permanent residents to comply with the residency obligations while working abroad, provided that:

• they are under contract to or are full-time employees of a Canadian business or in the public service, where the assignment is controlled from the head office of a Canadian business or public institution in Canada;
• they are assigned on a full-time basis as a term of their employment or contract to a position outside Canada with that business, an affiliated enterprise or a client;
• they maintain a connection to a Canadian business;
• they are assigned on a temporary basis to the work assignment; and
• they will continue working for the employer, in Canada, after the assignment.

Regarding this and volunteering, we contacted some CIC representatives for some information. According to them, the key word here is “Employment”. They stated that unfortunately, the time spent outside Canada in a volunteer capacity will be counted as time spent outside Canada.

We suggest that it is best that you confirm this information and get additional information based on your situation and the organization you will be volunteering with, by contacting the Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) Call Centre directly.

I hope this information is helpful. Please let us know if you have further questions and if there is any follow up to your question/situation.

=====
Anna
Settlement.Org Content and Information/Referral Specialist, CIRS
Settlement.Org

[PMM]

Hi

1. I believe the OP was inquiring regarding Citizenship rather than PR requirements. The overseas assignment either as an employee or volunteer will not count towards residency requirement for citizenship.

PMM