Hi,
Thanks in advance for your replies.
I only have lived in Canada for 3-4 months after landing on PR. Can I enter Canada with only 1 year left on PR card expiry date? Considering the fact that I have met only a few months out of 2 years minimum residency requirement and won't be able to achieve this obligation within the 1 year time left on PR card.
You will be allowed to enter Canada.
Whether you are asked questions about compliance with the Residency Obligation, and if so whether that leads to you being Reported (including issued a Departure or Removal Order), cannot be easily predicted. Currently, and during the pandemic, border control appears to have been more lenient toward arriving PRs who are in breach of the PR Residency Obligation, which obviously you are. The scope of that leniency is uncertain. It appears there has been quite a lot of leniency toward PRs with a valid PR card and still within the first five years after landing.
That not only could end any day, it will end without notice and well before we see clear indication of that in this forum (so, it could have already ended . . . or it may be continuing, for a little while, perhaps longer, we just do not know).
At this juncture, gambling odds probably lean toward betting it will go OK, but the sooner you arrive the better your odds. And of course once here you will need to stay, in order to keep your PR status, until in compliance.
Regarding this:
You are allowed to enter and there will be no questions asked at entry point.
Yes, allowed to enter. But, at the risk of being picky, perhaps even a bit harsh,
EVERY ADULT is asked questions when entering Canada. It is simply
NOT anywhere near true that "
there will be no questions asked at entry point."
I get it,
@prasanth reddy probably means questions about RO compliance, and it does appear that even PRs in breach of the RO are often waived into Canada without being closely questioned about RO compliance. To be clear, however, there will be some questions, and returning PRs can be questioned about RO compliance. And for sure some are questioned about RO compliance, even in the current environment which, again, appears to be rather lenient relative to border control screening PR's in regards to RO compliance.
Moreover, border officials often ask indirect questions, and not only can be but usually, typically, are asking questions relevant to a range of matters, probing to determine if there is reason to probe further. Border officials often deliberately avoid telegraphing just what it is they are asking about.
The extent of questioning will vary widely from individual to individual. It will vary depending on circumstances. It will vary depending on how the PR-traveler responds to questions. It can vary depending on the particular officer's discretion. It will vary depending on what is the focus of enforcement at that Port-of-Entry for that day or week.
For the PR in breach of the RO, best to be prepared to answer questions about how long they have been abroad, and importantly WHY, and to be prepared to otherwise make the case they are coming to Canada to STAY as soon as they practically could.
