PRTD (R-1 instead of RC-1), Entry to Canada, and PR Status

[arkadash96]

Hi!

I became a permanent resident of Canada in 2015. However, about one month later, I left Canada permanently because of my family’s decision at the time, when I was 17 years old. In 2022, I applied for a PRTD on H&C grounds. After almost four years!!, My PRTD was approved. My circumstances have also changed significantly during these past four years, and I am now enrolled in a post-secondary degree program.

I have a few questions, and I would be very grateful if you could help me, as the information available to me is very limited.

1. My PRTD is marked as R-1 rather than RC-1, which seems unusual to me. Could this be a mistake by the embassy, or might there be another reason for it?
2. My PRTD is valid for six months. Because I need to defend my program, the earliest I may be able to travel to Canada is about 14 days before it expires. Would this affect my situation, or is it acceptable as long as the PRTD is still valid at the time of entry?
3. To reduce risk, I am considering avoiding applying for a PR card for the next two years. I already have a SIN, but I understand that it may become inactive and may require proof of valid permanent resident status to be reactivated. I only have my expired CoPR and expired PR card from many years ago. Would I still be able to work in this situation? When I checked with Service Canada online, it said that I need to go in person.
4. In terms of obtaining a driver’s licence, would it still be possible for me to apply using a valid PRTD together with my expired PR card and expired CoPR?
5. I understand that an expired PR card is generally not useful. Is there any way for me to deal with the issues mentioned above without applying to renew my PR card before meeting the residency obligation again? I would like to avoid any risk of a section 44(1) report as much as possible.

Your guidance would be extremely important to me and would directly help me decide how to proceed.