PR Obligation confusion!

[LisamP]

Hi there,

I have been reading the threads listed here but I am still a bit confused/worried so I hope someone can help me out!

I made my first entry into Canada in November 2009, and my PR card is valid from Nov 2009 till December 11, 2014. Between then and the present date, I calculated that I have spent roughly 115 days in Canada, broken down as follows:
- 7 days when I made my fist entry in November 09
- 3.5 months from May 15, 2011 till August 29, 2011 (entry made through the USA border, therefore no stamp on my passport)
- 2 days in Feb 2012

I am now planning on moving to Canada permanently on March 23rd, 2013, and I have calculated that I will complete just over 730 days before my PR card expires on December 11, 2014.

I have been told by a lot of people that the Canadian Immigration has become very strict on calculating the days, as well as strict with renewing the PR card. My questions are:
1) How will they know that I entered through the USA border and spent 3.5 months in Canada in 2011 when there is no stamp on my passport?
2) Will I have an issue when the time comes for me to renew my PR Card in December 2014?
3) Are my days counted right from the day that I made my first entry into Canada (in November 2009, the date on my PR card) or is it some other date, because I cannot recall getting any kind of official paper or document other than my PR card.

Thanks in advance for your help!

 

[scylla]

1) US and Canada share immigratin information.
2) If you meet the residency requirement then you will have no issues.
3) Date you landed and became a PR (not the date you received your PR card).

 

[LisamP]

Thanks so much for your reply!

One more question, I just recalled that someone mentioned something about a landing paper and that I might need this when apply for PR card renewal. I'm not sure if I have this document, so in case I have lost or misplaced it, is there any way to get a new one, if yes how hard is it to get one, and how important is this?

 

[CanV]

I think you are referring to your copy of the COPR. Yes you should be able to get a replacement... google it to find out how

 

[Leon]

You need the application here: http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/information/applications/certcopy.asp

The residency requirements start to be counted on the day you landed in Canada as a PR. It is therefore not enough to meet them in your first PR card period, you must also meet them in your first 5 years since you landed and any rolling 5 year period after that. Besides, if you want to count your 5 year period as ending on Dec. 11 2014, it will start on Dec. 12 2009 so you will not be able to count your first 7 days that you stayed after you landed as they have moved outside the 5 yr. window.

You will probably not have a problem when you enter Canada with a still valid PR card but you should not apply to renew it until you have 730 days in Canada that you can prove in the 5 year period immediately before you apply to renew. If that means you must let your PR card expire, that is not a problem as long as you stay in Canada. Before you apply, you should order your travel history from CBSA. It may show a record of your entry in 2011 even though you have no stamp on your passport. Don't forget that it is your responsibility to prove to immigration that you were staying in Canada. They do not have to prove that you didn't.