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Leaving Canada before receiving PR card

Kearnixer

Hero Member
Dec 31, 2016
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Hello everybody,

I know this question has probably already been asked in numerous other threads but since the rules and regulations are constantly changing I wanted to be safe and make this post once more. And apologies for posting it in here but I feel the express entry section is much more responsive than any other in this forum.

So to my question. Can I do the following:

1) Land in Canada as a PR (together with my wife who will also be a PR) with the respective immigration visa in my passport which usually is valid until 1 year after your date of medicals

2) Immediately kick off the application process for the PR card

3) Leave Canada after let's say 2 weeks BEFORE receiving the PR card to return to my home country (my wife stays in Canada)

4) Continue working in my job in my home country. My wife mails me the PR card once she receives it.

5) I somewhen resign from my job (probably within the following 6 months) and travel to Canada again but WITH my PR card. After re-entering Canada I will stay for good.

Would that work? Or would that be any harm to my permanent residency status? If I re-enter WITH the PR card, the expired immigration visa does not matter anymore, does it? The reason for this question is that I wanted to stay longer in my home country than the expiry date of my immigration visa. Please note that I am from a visa-exempt country.

Thanks for your advice on this!
 
Last edited:

ajithj

Hero Member
May 1, 2015
405
146
Canada
Category........
CEC
Visa Office......
Ottawa
NOC Code......
2173
App. Filed.......
2017-Mar
AOR Received.
2017-Mar
Med's Request
Upfront
Med's Done....
2017-Mar
Passport Req..
2017-May
LANDED..........
2017-Jun
No issues. You can do that.
 
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kateg

Hero Member
Aug 26, 2014
918
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British Columbia
Category........
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CPC-O
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2174
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Pre-Assessed..
App. Filed.......
01-05-2015
Nomination.....
N/A
AOR Received.
01-05-2015
IELTS Request
05-05-2015
File Transfer...
N/A
Med's Request
N/A
Med's Done....
16-04-2015
Interview........
N/A
VISA ISSUED...
N/A
LANDED..........
27-08-2015
@ajithj is correct.

Your PR card and your PR status have nothing to do with other, other than your card being presumptive proof that you have status.

Leaving and coming back without a PR card no effect on your status, and you can even live in Canada for 20 years and never renew your card if you want, and it won't be a problem as far as your PR status is concerned. You might have difficulties proving your status for things like driving licenses, or getting on a plane, but your status is fine. It's also legal to mail PR cards (as far as Canadian law is concerned).

To keep your residency status, you need to live, in Canada, two years out of every five (counted by day). You can leave for a year, come back, with or without a card, and your status will not be in jeopardy. You might need a PR travel document to get on a plane to Canada, but legally you have the right to come, and the right to get a status document (card or travel document).

If, at any point in time, you were gone three years and one day outside Canada in the past 5 years, crossing the border or applying for a PR card starts to become a risk. Time before you were a PR is fine, and won't count against you. At that point, they can do a residency determination, and if at that point you don't meet the requirements, they can start the process to remove your status.

After landing, for the first three years, you can't screw things up, as you still have time to meet the obligation. 6 months is fine. A year is fine. A year and a half is fine. Two and a half years is fine. Three years and one day is not fine. The total is cumulative, and things can happen, so you can't go for two years, come back for a year, then go away another two years.
 
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Kearnixer

Hero Member
Dec 31, 2016
335
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Thank you so much ajithj and kateg! +1 for both of you!

Really nice to know that this would work. So the fact that I am still employed by the company in my home country at time of first landing and during the issuance of my PR card is not a problem either, correct?
 

ajithj

Hero Member
May 1, 2015
405
146
Canada
Category........
CEC
Visa Office......
Ottawa
NOC Code......
2173
App. Filed.......
2017-Mar
AOR Received.
2017-Mar
Med's Request
Upfront
Med's Done....
2017-Mar
Passport Req..
2017-May
LANDED..........
2017-Jun
Thank you so much ajithj and kateg! +1 for both of you!

Really nice to know that this would work. So the fact that I am still employed by the company in my home country at time of first landing and during the issuance of my PR card is not a problem either, correct?
No not a problem.
 
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InUkCa

Star Member
May 16, 2016
122
2
Category........
Visa Office......
London
NOC Code......
2174
Job Offer........
Pre-Assessed..
App. Filed.......
Draw 10 | LAA: 28 Nov 15 | MPNP:24 Jan 16 | SP2: 7 Feb16 | SP2 Resubmission : 15 Feb 16 | Received Status: 22 Feb 16 | CIC: 31 Aug 16
Doc's Request.
SP2 : To resubmit 15 Jan 16
Nomination.....
Assessment Pending: 8 July 16 | SP2 Interview: 21 July 16 | Applicant Interview: 27 July 2016 | Assessment in process: 28 July 16 | Assessment Complete: 2 August 2016 | Nomination Letter (LOA): 11 August 2016
AOR Received.
15 Dec 2016(XEP to EP), 28 Dec 2016
File Transfer...
28 Dec 2016
Med's Done....
05 Jan 2017 (passed)
Passport Req..
16 Feb 2017 (Passport sent on 23 Feb 2017)
VISA ISSUED...
14 March 2017
LANDED..........
25 March 2017
Hi @ ajithj and @kateg
Very useful information.
But has any one of you (or you know) did this i.e. 3, 4 & 5
As someone told me that as the person left the PR card behind in Canada, they need to apply for PRTD even if it is possible to get PR card by courier in home country (or the country of stay).
 

sea83

Star Member
Jun 12, 2016
133
62
Hi @ ajithj and @kateg
Very useful information.
But has any one of you (or you know) did this i.e. 3, 4 & 5
As someone told me that as the person left the PR card behind in Canada, they need to apply for PRTD even if it is possible to get PR card by courier in home country (or the country of stay).
If you enter reenter Canada after the landing by any way other than a personal car you would need PRTD.
I'm not sure the PR card can be mailed outside Canada not even to the US. You can put in the address of a friend or family in Canada or "rent" an address at a UPS store and they can ship it outside Canada. I'll be doing 3,4 and 5.
 

ashu1710

Hero Member
Nov 7, 2016
806
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Vancouver, BC
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Ottawa
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Yes
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21-12-2016
or "rent" an address at a UPS store and they can ship it outside Canada. I'll be doing 3,4 and 5.
Wait...what? How do you do this? Also, will IRCC ship your PR card to what is obviously a non-residential address?
 

sea83

Star Member
Jun 12, 2016
133
62
Wait...what? How do you do this? Also, will IRCC ship your PR card to what is obviously a non-residential address?
I won't be doing that, I have some friends in Canada. I saw in this forum that you can get a box at UPS; it will show up as ups store address not as a Po box with post office.
 

InUkCa

Star Member
May 16, 2016
122
2
Category........
Visa Office......
London
NOC Code......
2174
Job Offer........
Pre-Assessed..
App. Filed.......
Draw 10 | LAA: 28 Nov 15 | MPNP:24 Jan 16 | SP2: 7 Feb16 | SP2 Resubmission : 15 Feb 16 | Received Status: 22 Feb 16 | CIC: 31 Aug 16
Doc's Request.
SP2 : To resubmit 15 Jan 16
Nomination.....
Assessment Pending: 8 July 16 | SP2 Interview: 21 July 16 | Applicant Interview: 27 July 2016 | Assessment in process: 28 July 16 | Assessment Complete: 2 August 2016 | Nomination Letter (LOA): 11 August 2016
AOR Received.
15 Dec 2016(XEP to EP), 28 Dec 2016
File Transfer...
28 Dec 2016
Med's Done....
05 Jan 2017 (passed)
Passport Req..
16 Feb 2017 (Passport sent on 23 Feb 2017)
VISA ISSUED...
14 March 2017
LANDED..........
25 March 2017
If you enter reenter Canada after the landing by any way other than a personal car you would need PRTD.
I'm not sure the PR card can be mailed outside Canada not even to the US. You can put in the address of a friend or family in Canada or "rent" an address at a UPS store and they can ship it outside Canada. I'll be doing 3,4 and 5.
Hi sea83,
I'm referring again to steps 1-5 of the very first post of this thread.

And for step 3 restricting it to family / friend. That is family or friend in Canada receive the PR card. But the concerned person had already travelled out of Canada.

Step 4 : - Now it is possible for friend or family to mail the PR card to international destination. >>>> Is it allowed / Legal.

Step 5 : - The person now has his PR card and wants to travel back to Canada. >>> Has anyone checked with CIC will he be allowed to enter Canada with his PR Card and there is no need for PRTD. Please see the difference he has the PR Card but it was issued after he left Canada and posted to him outside Canada by family / friend.

Has anyone did the steps 3, 4 and 5.
 

sea83

Star Member
Jun 12, 2016
133
62
Hi sea83,
I'm referring again to steps 1-5 of the very first post of this thread.

And for step 3 restricting it to family / friend. That is family or friend in Canada receive the PR card. But the concerned person had already travelled out of Canada.

Step 4 : - Now it is possible for friend or family to mail the PR card to international destination. >>>> Is it allowed / Legal.
I don't know about the legality but people have done it in the past

Step 5 : - The person now has his PR card and wants to travel back to Canada. >>> Has anyone checked with CIC will he be allowed to enter Canada with his PR Card and there is no need for PRTD. Please see the difference he has the PR Card but it was issued after he left Canada and posted to him outside Canada by family / friend.

Oh I see your point. You're saying if someone left Canada before getting PR card, then cic might question how he got the pr card once he comes back. People have done in the past and don't they had issues when getting back.
Personally I won't need a ptrd and will use my copr to drive there and pick up the card.

I think you're overthinking it...


Has anyone did the steps 3, 4 and 5.
 

InUkCa

Star Member
May 16, 2016
122
2
Category........
Visa Office......
London
NOC Code......
2174
Job Offer........
Pre-Assessed..
App. Filed.......
Draw 10 | LAA: 28 Nov 15 | MPNP:24 Jan 16 | SP2: 7 Feb16 | SP2 Resubmission : 15 Feb 16 | Received Status: 22 Feb 16 | CIC: 31 Aug 16
Doc's Request.
SP2 : To resubmit 15 Jan 16
Nomination.....
Assessment Pending: 8 July 16 | SP2 Interview: 21 July 16 | Applicant Interview: 27 July 2016 | Assessment in process: 28 July 16 | Assessment Complete: 2 August 2016 | Nomination Letter (LOA): 11 August 2016
AOR Received.
15 Dec 2016(XEP to EP), 28 Dec 2016
File Transfer...
28 Dec 2016
Med's Done....
05 Jan 2017 (passed)
Passport Req..
16 Feb 2017 (Passport sent on 23 Feb 2017)
VISA ISSUED...
14 March 2017
LANDED..........
25 March 2017
Thanks sea83,
My reply in blue.
Hi sea83,
I'm referring again to steps 1-5 of the very first post of this thread.

And for step 3 restricting it to family / friend. That is family or friend in Canada receive the PR card. But the concerned person had already travelled out of Canada.

Step 4 : - Now it is possible for friend or family to mail the PR card to international destination. >>>> Is it allowed / Legal.
I don't know about the legality but people have done it in the past


Step 5 : - The person now has his PR card and wants to travel back to Canada. >>> Has anyone checked with CIC will he be allowed to enter Canada with his PR Card and there is no need for PRTD. Please see the difference he has the PR Card but it was issued after he left Canada and posted to him outside Canada by family / friend.

Oh I see your point. You're saying if someone left Canada before getting PR card, then cic might question how he got the pr card once he comes back. People have done in the past and don't they had issues when getting back. >>> I searched unsuccessfully through the forum just wondering if someone actually did this.

Personally I won't need a ptrd and will use my copr to drive there and pick up the card.

I think you're overthinking it...


Has anyone did the steps 3, 4 and 5.
 

InUkCa

Star Member
May 16, 2016
122
2
Category........
Visa Office......
London
NOC Code......
2174
Job Offer........
Pre-Assessed..
App. Filed.......
Draw 10 | LAA: 28 Nov 15 | MPNP:24 Jan 16 | SP2: 7 Feb16 | SP2 Resubmission : 15 Feb 16 | Received Status: 22 Feb 16 | CIC: 31 Aug 16
Doc's Request.
SP2 : To resubmit 15 Jan 16
Nomination.....
Assessment Pending: 8 July 16 | SP2 Interview: 21 July 16 | Applicant Interview: 27 July 2016 | Assessment in process: 28 July 16 | Assessment Complete: 2 August 2016 | Nomination Letter (LOA): 11 August 2016
AOR Received.
15 Dec 2016(XEP to EP), 28 Dec 2016
File Transfer...
28 Dec 2016
Med's Done....
05 Jan 2017 (passed)
Passport Req..
16 Feb 2017 (Passport sent on 23 Feb 2017)
VISA ISSUED...
14 March 2017
LANDED..........
25 March 2017