eTA and PR status

[ditm]

Hello all,

My parents hold a PR status, however, they do not live in Canada anymore. When they left, more than 8 years ago, they did not know that they had to cancel their PR status in Canada. When they were visiting me, they entered as visitors because they did not have the intention to stay in Canada. Now, with the new eTA, things have become more complicated. They tried to apply, but the system has identified them as PRs. To get an eTA they need to renounce their status in Canada. They do plan to come and live here in the future, but not right now.

What options do they have? Do they need to renounce their PRs?

Thanks!

 

[Rob_TO]

Hello all,

My parents hold a PR status, however, they do not live in Canada anymore. When they left, more than 8 years ago, they did not know that they had to cancel their PR status in Canada. When they were visiting me, they entered as visitors because they did not have the intention to stay in Canada. Now, with the new eTA, things have become more complicated. They tried to apply, but the system has identified them as PRs. To get an eTA they need to renounce their status in Canada. They do plan to come and live here in the future, but not right now.

What options do they have? Do they need to renounce their PRs?

Thanks!

Yes they should renounce their PR status. If they want to keep PR they will need a PR Travel Doc to board a plane to Canada. However in applying for the PR TD, CIC will easily see they don't meet the residency obligation and will start process to revoke their PR status.

And as they've already seen, they don't qualify for an eTA unless they lose or renounce their PR status first.

Either way, it's probably not possible for them to keep PR. They will not be able to go and live in Canada in the future unless they have someone that qualifies to sponsor them and they manage to qualify for PR again.

 

[scylla]

There's really very little chance they can keep their PR status given how long they've been outside of Canada. And PRs don't qualify for ETAs. They should renounce their PR status so that they can qualify for an ETA.

 

[Leon]

Right, if you are a PR, you can't just leave and be gone for years and still keep your status. There is a residency obligation that you have to meet, currently 730 days (2 years) in any 5 year period. Since immigration doesn't keep tabs on PR's and where they are in the world at all times, you don't lose your PR automatically if you breach the RO but it comes out under circumstances like your parents, that they now want to get eTA and it comes out that they have this old PR status where they don't meet the RO and due to that, they can't get eTA.

Like others have said, they have two options. 1) Renounce their PR, lose their PR status and get eTA to visit you or 2) Apply for a PR travel document, which will be denied because they don't meet the RO and this will cause them to lose their PR status and then they can get eTA and visit you.

If they want PR status back at some point in the future, they can either apply again if they qualify or you can apply to sponsor them if you qualify.