When should I apply to transfer from my Gold Card to APRC?

By law, you are required to apply for permanent residency within two years of your three-year legal residency expiring, residing over 183 days per year on average. For more information, please refer to the Instructions on Document Submission by Foreigners Applying for Permanent Residency” (7. Note: (1))

If you fail to apply for permanent residency within the 2-year period after the expiration of your legal residency, the application time will be recalculated upon extension of your Gold Card. For instance, if you have obtained a gold card in 2020 and did not submit a permanent residency application during the period between 2023 and 2025, in which the extension of your Gold Card was from 2023 to 2026, you would be eligible to reapply for permanent residency again within two-year window following the expiration of the 2026 Gold Card (i.e. 2026 to 2028).