Short answer

You do not need to be a Canadian citizen to get a PAL, and you do not strictly need to be a permanent resident either. The Possession and Acquisition Licence is built around safety training and a background check, not citizenship. Anyone 18 or older who passes the Canadian Firearms Safety Course and clears the RCMP's eligibility screening can apply.

Where your status does matter is in two practical ways: the documentation the RCMP asks you for, and whether a full PAL is even the right tool for what you are trying to do. Someone living in Canada who intends to own firearms here wants a PAL. Someone visiting for a two-week hunt usually does not. The rest of this page sorts out which situation is yours.

Citizenship is not the requirement. Neither is residency, exactly.

The most common confusion here is people assuming a PAL is a citizenship document. It is not. The licence is issued by the RCMP Canadian Firearms Program based on your safety training and the outcome of a background check. The country on your passport is not the deciding factor.

Permanent residents apply the same way Canadian citizens do, on the same form, with the same fee. That part is straightforward.

What surprises people is that a genuine non-resident, someone living outside Canada, can apply for a PAL too. The door is open. What changes is not whether you are eligible, but what you have to bring to the application and whether walking through that door makes sense for your purpose.

If you live in Canada legally, you apply like anyone else

This is the most common version of the question. If you are a permanent resident, or you are residing in Canada on a valid work or study permit, you apply for your PAL through the same process as a Canadian-born resident. The steps do not change:

1. Pass the Canadian Firearms Safety Course (CFSC). For restricted firearms (handguns) you also pass the Canadian Restricted Firearms Safety Course (CRFSC). There is no separate or special course based on citizenship or status, and there is no way to skip the course by writing the test on its own. The option to challenge the test without taking the course was removed years ago. Everyone sits the full course and passes the written and practical components. You take the same training everyone else does. Book the combined course here: https://www.silvercore.ca/course/canadian-firearms-safety-course-non-restricted-and-restricted
2. Apply to the RCMP Canadian Firearms Program. Same application, same fee, same background check. If you are a resident, you can apply online. (Quebec has one extra step, covered below.)
3. Wait out the same processing timeline. For what to expect on timing, see https://www.silvercore.ca/blog/how-long-does-it-take-to-get-your-pal-in-canada

One documentation point applies to newer arrivals. If you have not lived in Canada for at least five years, the RCMP may require a letter of good conduct from the country or countries where you did live. This is not a barrier. It is the background check reaching into the part of your history that sits outside Canada. Provide it when asked and your file moves like any other.

If you are a non-resident, you can still apply, but check whether you should

Here is where being precise actually saves you effort, instead of pushing you toward a booking you may not need.

A true non-resident can apply for a full PAL. Two things come with that. First, you must meet the Canadian safety-training standard. A firearms course from another country does not count, no matter how thorough it was. The only training that satisfies the requirement is the Canadian CFSC, plus the CRFSC if you want restricted privileges. The good news is you do not have to be a resident to take it. A non-resident can fly to Canada and sit the course in person, and we train non-resident students regularly. Second, because you live outside Canada, expect the good-conduct-letter requirement and a longer identity-verification step. Non-residents apply by mail rather than through the online portal.

For most non-residents, though, a full PAL is more than the situation calls for. If you are visiting Canada to hunt, compete, or shoot, you have two simpler paths:

• Bringing your own firearm into Canada. Complete a Non-Resident Firearms Declaration before you reach the border. A Canada Border Services Agency officer witnesses your signature at your point of entry. Do not sign it in advance. The fee is $25 and the Declaration is valid for 60 days as a temporary licence.
• Borrowing a firearm here. You need no licence at all to borrow a non-restricted firearm as long as you are under the direct and immediate supervision of a licensed adult. To borrow without that supervision, there is a Non-resident Temporary Borrowing Licence for non-restricted firearms. It costs $30, is valid for 60 days, and requires a sponsor associated with the activity, such as an outfitter or a licensed Canadian resident.

Both are administered separately from the PAL. If you only visit Canada occasionally, that is the lane you want. A full PAL only earns its keep if you are here often, or staying.

One extra step if you are in Quebec

If you currently live in Quebec and you are applying for a PAL to acquire restricted or prohibited firearms, you also need to include a completed SQ-3007 form, the in-person filing form from the Sûreté du Québec. It is a Quebec-specific requirement on top of the federal application, and missing it will stall your file. If you are in Quebec and applying for non-restricted privileges only, this does not apply to you.

So which one are you?

The whole thing comes down to one fork: are you living in Canada, or visiting?

• You live in Canada (PR, work permit, study permit): Apply for the PAL. Same process as everyone, with a good-conduct letter if you have been here under five years. Start with the safety course.
• You are a non-resident who will be in Canada often or long term: A PAL is available to you. You can take the CFSC/CRFSC here in person. Expect the good-conduct letter and a mail-in application.
• You are visiting and bringing a firearm: Non-Resident Firearms Declaration at the border. No PAL needed.
• You are visiting and borrowing a firearm: Supervised borrowing needs no licence. Unsupervised needs a temporary borrowing licence with a sponsor. No PAL needed.

If you are in the first group and you intend to stay and use firearms here, do the PAL properly the first time. The course is the same one we have taught for over 30 years, and your instructor will not treat your application as any different from the person sitting next to you.

A note for the people stuck between categories

Every so often someone calls us who genuinely does not know which group they are in. They hold a permit, they are here most of the year, but they travel home for months at a time. We hear from people in exactly that spot regularly. Residency for firearms purposes can be a judgment call, and the right move is to call the RCMP Canadian Firearms Program directly at 1-800-731-4000 and let them confirm which path applies to your status before you spend money on anything.

We would rather point you to the right answer than sell you a course you might not be ready to act on. That is the difference between a place that wants your booking and a place that wants you licensed properly.

Continue on the Silvercore Path

• Start here: https://www.silvercore.ca/blog/how-to-get-your-pal-in-canada — the complete guide to getting your PAL, start to finish.
• Which licence do you need: https://www.silvercore.ca/blog/pal-vs-rpal-canada — PAL vs RPAL explained.
• What it costs: https://www.silvercore.ca/blog/how-much-does-a-pal-cost-canada — the real all-in number.
• Book the course: https://www.silvercore.ca/course/canadian-firearms-safety-course-non-restricted-and-restricted

Frequently Asked Questions

Can a non-citizen get a PAL in Canada?

Yes. Canadian citizenship is not a requirement for a PAL. The licence is based on passing the Canadian Firearms Safety Course and clearing the RCMP background check. Permanent residents, work and study permit holders living in Canada, and non-residents living abroad can all apply, though documentation and the right path vary by situation.

Do I have to be a resident of Canada to get a PAL?

No, not strictly. Permanent residents and people living in Canada on valid permits apply the standard way and can apply online. Non-residents living outside Canada can also apply, but they apply by mail, must meet the Canadian safety-training standard, and will likely need a letter of good conduct from their home country.

Can a permanent resident get a PAL?

Yes. A permanent resident applies through the same process as a citizen: pass the CFSC (and CRFSC for restricted), then apply to the RCMP Canadian Firearms Program. If you have lived in Canada less than five years, expect a request for a good-conduct letter covering where you lived before.

Can I get a PAL on a work permit or study permit?

Yes, if you are legally residing in Canada on a valid permit. The application process is the same as for any resident. You take the same safety course and submit the same application, with a good-conduct letter if you have been in Canada under five years.

Can a non-resident take the CFSC in Canada?

Yes. You do not need to be a resident to take the Canadian Firearms Safety Course. A non-resident can come to Canada and sit the course in person. There is no option to write the test without taking the course, and a firearms course from another country does not satisfy the requirement. Book the combined course at https://www.silvercore.ca/course/canadian-firearms-safety-course-non-restricted-and-restricted

I am only visiting Canada. Do I need a PAL?

Usually not. If you are bringing your own firearm, you complete a Non-Resident Firearms Declaration at the border ($25, valid 60 days.) If you are borrowing a non-restricted firearm under the direct supervision of a licensed adult, you need no licence at all. A full PAL only makes sense if you visit Canada often or for long periods.

Is the safety course different for non-citizens?

No. There is one Canadian Firearms Safety Course and one Canadian Restricted Firearms Safety Course. Everyone takes the same training in person regardless of citizenship or immigration status. A safety course from another country does not meet Canadian requirements, and there is no test-only challenge option.

Travis Bader Silvercore Outdoors