Apart from travelling... what else is the PR Card needed for?

[pabletezgz]

Hi everyone,

I have this doubt... and I haven´t been able to solve it so far looking at government websites.

I know the PR Card is needed for travelling outside Canada when you become a Permanent Resident but... is it needed for any other purpose? I´m thinking maybe about: getting the healthcare card? proving your status when signing a job contract?...

We are permanent residents but we have not yet settled in Canada. I´m asking this because this can be a likely scenario:
- PR cards valids from October 2016 until October 2021.
- We settle in Canada summer 2020.
- October 2021 our PR Cards expire, but at that point we don´t meet the requirements to ask for PR Card renewal (which we would be meeting sometime around summer 2022.
- So, from october 2021 until summer 2022 (almost 1 year!), we would be living in Canada with our PR Cards expired and not being able to apply for renewal.

Do you think this is a problem? Is there a real risk to lose Permanent Resident status at some point during this almost a year period for having our PR Cards expired? Of course, I´m aware that during this period we won´t be able to travel outside Canada... but apart from that?

Thank you very much for sharing your experiences!

Best regards,

Pablo

 

[Rob_TO]

Hi everyone,

I have this doubt... and I haven´t been able to solve it so far looking at government websites.

I know the PR Card is needed for travelling outside Canada when you become a Permanent Resident but... is it needed for any other purpose? I´m thinking maybe about: getting the healthcare card? proving your status when signing a job contract?...

We are permanent residents but we have not yet settled in Canada. I´m asking this because this can be a likely scenario:
- PR cards valids from October 2016 until October 2021.
- We settle in Canada summer 2020.
- October 2021 our PR Cards expire, but at that point we don´t meet the requirements to ask for PR Card renewal (which we would be meeting sometime around summer 2022.
- So, from october 2021 until summer 2022 (almost 1 year!), we would be living in Canada with our PR Cards expired and not being able to apply for renewal.

Do you think this is a problem? Is there a real risk to lose Permanent Resident status at some point during this almost a year period for having our PR Cards expired? Of course, I´m aware that during this period we won´t be able to travel outside Canada... but apart from that?

Thank you very much for sharing your experiences!

Best regards,

Pablo

Every province is different in terms of what they may want to see a valid PR card for. Main things are attending school or for government agencies.

You would be in violation of the residency obligation, as soon as you've spent 3 years out of any 5, outside of Canada. The validity dates on your PR cards are irrelevant.

If one landed as a PR in say Oct 2016, then left Canada immediately to live in another country, they would be in violation of RO starting Oct 2019.

Sounds like you will be in violation of RO when you attempt to return in Oct 2020, meaning CBSA could report you and start process to terminate your PR status when you try to enter Canada. Doesn't matter if you still had valid PR card or intended to stay in Canada after that. So you need to come to Canada well before you are in violation of RO to be safe.

 

[SoniaJav]

I second what has been said above. If enter in 2020/2021 with expiry in 2022...there is very good chance that you wont be allowed entry because you cannot meet residency requirements.

 

[canuck_in_uk]

I second what has been said above. If enter in 2020/2021 with expiry in 2022...there is very good chance that you wont be allowed entry because you cannot meet residency requirements.

They will be allowed entry. However, they may be reported.

 

[pabletezgz]

Thank you for your answers.

I guess that if we are reported, and our permanent resident status revoked, we would need to leave the country inmidiately?

Let´s try to make it on summer 2019... otherwise it seems like a big risk!

Thanks again

 

[Rob_TO]

Thank you for your answers.

I guess that if we are reported, and our permanent resident status revoked, we would need to leave the country inmidiately?

Let´s try to make it on summer 2019... otherwise it seems like a big risk!

Thanks again

Not quite, if reported you are still allowed into Canada to decide if you will use your right as a PR to appeal the decision (I think you have 30 or 60 days). If you appeal, then you stay a PR until your appeal date which could be 1 - 2 years away. You can even get temporary 1-year PR card while waiting.

If you lose the appeal later on, at that point your PR status is terminated and you need to leave.Time spent in Canada waiting for appeal date does not count for your RO if you lose the appeal.

 

[pabletezgz]

Thanks for your answer Rob_TO, it´s really clarifying!

One more twist to this story, I was just wondering... as we are from a visa-exempt country, imagine it is summer 2020 (PR cards expirying on Oct 2021 so, as you mentioned in violation of RO already), and we enter Canada by car from the US using our passports, do you think that would avoid CBSA reporting the situation?

But if this worked... how does CBSA track that we are actually in Canada as PR? I mean, if wed did that, maybe time spent in Canada from then on won´t count for RO anyway... what do you think?

Thanks a lot again for your help!

 

[canuck_in_uk]

Thanks for your answer Rob_TO, it´s really clarifying!

One more twist to this story, I was just wondering... as we are from a visa-exempt country, imagine it is summer 2020 (PR cards expirying on Oct 2021 so, as you mentioned in violation of RO already), and we enter Canada by car from the US using our passports, do you think that would avoid CBSA reporting the situation?

But if this worked... how does CBSA track that we are actually in Canada as PR? I mean, if wed did that, maybe time spent in Canada from then on won´t count for RO anyway... what do you think?

Thanks a lot again for your help!

No. CBSA reports people at land borders too.

 

[pabletezgz]

Ok, I see there is no possible workaround, so we better be ready to arrive in Canada summer 2019

Thanks everyone for your answers

 

[steaky]

Ok, I see there is no possible workaround, so we better be ready to arrive in Canada summer 2019

Thanks everyone for your answers

You can try traveling by sea such as cruise terminals.

 

[pabletezgz]

But I guess we would be in a similar situation, right? If we are just asked our passports, then will time to meet RO start counting at all?

 

[steaky]

But I guess we would be in a similar situation, right? If we are just asked our passports, then will time to meet RO start counting at all?

Last time we disembarked, the officer looked at our travel docs but didn't ask how long we were outside Canada.

 

[fotkifolkslove]

Last time we disembarked, the officer looked at our travel docs but didn't ask how long we were outside Canada.

Hi Steaky how are you doing? Are you already a Canadian Citizen now? Just curious.