A Canadian permanent resident is someone who has been granted permanent resident status by immigrating to Canada. A permanent resident is not a Canadian citizen; rather, all permanent residents are citizens of other countries. In order to maintain permanent resident status, permanent residents must meet certain requirements like the residency obligation.
There are many immigration pathways which will enable a person to become a Canadian permanent resident. Economic immigration, business immigration, sponsorship, and refugee/humanitarian programs offer different options for becoming a permanent resident in Canada.