Permanent Resident Travel Document (PRTD)

A permanent resident may find themselves outside Canada without their permanent resident card. There can be a few reasons for that, but mostly it is either because the card was stolen, lost, damaged, or even forgotten back home in Canada.
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You can’t return to Canada without a valid permanent resident card. You have to file an application to a Visa Application Centre (VAC) abroad and request a permanent resident travel document. This document will allow you to travel to Canada and file an inland application for PR Card replacement.
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Now, when the visa officer assesses your application, they will also determine if you have met the residency obligation.
As a permanent resident of Canada, you must spend two years in Canada within each period of five years. When you submit an application for a permanent resident travel document, you will have to indicate all countries of residence within the last five years.
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You are allowed to not be physically present in Canada in the following cases:

• you are working for a Canadian business abroad
• you are working for the Canadian government abroad
• you travel with a spouse who is a Canadian citizen or a permanent resident (conditions apply)
• you are a dependent child travelling with your parent who is a Canadian citizen or a permanent resident (conditions apply)
• you have humanitarian and compassionate (H&C) considerations that justify your extended presence abroad.
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If it is determined that you have not met the residency obligation, your application for permanent resident travel document will be denied, and you will lose your status of a permanent resident of Canada.
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You will then have 60 days after the refusal to appeal that decision in the Immigration Appeal Division of the Immigration and Refugee Board (IRB) of Canada.
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Do note that you can’t appeal a decision on the residency requirement if you are in Canada and have received a removal order because you did not meet the residency obligation. In this case, you can appeal the removal order in the same division of the IRB.