PRTD Application - Returning after recent 'Soft Landing'

[amtdmt]

I'd be grateful if someone can help us navigate the incredibly confusing PRTD application, especially considering the recent change in requirements for proof of meeting residency obligations.

My wife landed and became a PR on July 1st 2023 - we stayed in Canada for only a week before returning to the UK to sort out a few things such as completing the sale of our house and to fulfil my job contractual obligations, which end in October (we'd planned to relocate in October initially). We had to do this as her COPR expires this month (July), and the ever-incredible IRCC issued the COPR only a couple of weeks before it expires, rather than extending the PR medical... it was a bit of a mad rush to be honest.
She obviously wasn't able to obtain her PR card in one week (even worse, they sent us a letter stating that the photographs we applied with are not acceptable, leading to more frustrating delays) so to return in October, without a PR card, I'm sure she needs a PRTD.

We're struggling with what evidence to upload along with the application. She has absolutely no 'Canadian' documents other than a COPR with a landing date to prove her 'residency obligation' in Canada. We have not opened a bank account there yet or have any of the other evidence listed in Appendix A. It's only been a few weeks since she landed in any case, so I'm not sure how we can prove this part:
If you have been a permanent resident for less than five (5) years

• you must show that you will be able to meet the minimum of 730 days of physical presence in Canada within five (5) years of the date you became a permanent resident.

I plan to upload a letter explaining that we landed temporarily in July only because of the COPR expiry date and needed to return to the UK for a couple of months before relocating permanently in October as we'd originally planned. Along with her passport, my Canadian passport (I am a Canadian citizen and sponsored her), her signed COPR, our marriage certificate, and a job offer letter for my new Canadian position starting in October (she will continue to remote work for her British employer), would this be enough / acceptable evidence?

I'd appreciate your advice and experience fellow forum-goers!

 

[armoured]

so I'm not sure how we can prove this part:
If you have been a permanent resident for less than five (5) years

• you must show that you will be able to meet the minimum of 730 days of physical presence in Canada within five (5) years of the date you became a permanent resident.

I plan to upload a letter explaining that we landed temporarily in July

The math of this is simply that there are almost five years remaining in her first five years, and hence far more than 730 days remaining with which she will be able to meet hte physical presence requirement - i.e. for purposes of this PRTD app, she is given a (sort-of) 'credit' for days remaining.

For purposes of prtd app, yes, a short letter should be sufficient saying she landed in July and had to return to UK, will return to Canada to reside in ~October and hence more than enough time to fulfill the residency obligation.

I do not recall if the current prtd form has language referring to 1095 days* outside of Canada, which is - in my opinion - the easier way to calculate compliance, because you don't have to include future days (which confuses people); you simply count days outside of Canada in the most recent five years OR (as in her case) since the day of landing. Since it's been less than 1095 days, she is obviously in compliance.

She shouldn't need to include anything more than this (but do check). If she has a UK or other passport/visa allowing entry through USA, she can keep entering at a land border as a backup, but she likely won't have any trouble getting the PRTD processed quickly, this is not an uncommon scenario.

*1095 days outside Canada simply being the restatement or obverse of 730 days in Canada, i.e. 5 years * 365 days - 730 days minimum in Canada = 1095 maximum days outside Canada.

 

[amtdmt]

Thank you armoured, we've proceeded with the submission and I will write here if they should decline our application for any reason.

Just a heads up for anyone reading this and applying online using Safari on Mac - the online portal application does not work (you cannot submit it) - you have to use Chrome or Firefox. The submit your application will be greyed out and your IMM5444 infinitely 'in progress'. Found this out by trial and error just now.

Excuse my rant but IRCC really needs to fix their incredibly shite and buggy web applications... well in fact, they need to fix everything. The language they use is confusing, there are numerous online web portals and application systems which don't even interconnect, and it's impossible to speak to a human being for any guidance. They're the most bureaucratic, opaque, and disorganised government agency I've ever had the displeasure of dealing with, even worse than filing identification paperwork under duress in communist Poland many years ago... Canada seems backwards compared to most of the developed and civilised world when it comes to immigration services (in sharp contrast to our generous immigration laws and policies).