Important to note that the Document Checklist only shows that supporting documents are needed for a PRTD application (bottom of page 1 of the checklist).
Additional requirements to provide "
supporting documents" listed in the checklist:
For BOTH a PR card application and a PR TD application "if you were outside of Canada for 1095 days or more in the past five (5) years." (second item on the list)
For BOTH a PR card application and a PR TD application, if the application is "to be considered on humanitarian and compassionate grounds" (second item in list under "Additional forms/supporting documents, if they apply to you")
. . . question was about renewing PR card . . .
If IRCC has no overt reason to suspect you of misrepresentation . . . AND . . .
If you are IN Canada, staying in Canada, and you currently meet the RO based on days actually present IN Canada, odds are there is nothing to worry about. Odds are you will not be asked for evidence to prove you met the RO.
Otherwise . . .
Apart from supporting documents to show "residency" in Canada that the applicant for a PR TD must provide -- supporting documents related to absences for reasons A, B, or C:
For both a PR card application and a PR TD application this is about qualifying for credit (if needed) related to periods of time outside Canada for reasons "A, B, or C" (as referenced in the dropdown lists for reasons in section 5.5). There are very specific instructions about providing supporting documents for time abroad for these reasons (
if needed; if the PR was not physically outside Canada more than 1095 days, no need to provide supporting documents for such periods of time outside Canada), in respect to each of those categories, in Appendix A. There are different lists of supporting documents for each of the different reasons, detailed under heading listed as "
Situation A" and so on.
Example: PR relying on credit for time abroad accompanying a Canadian citizen spouse ("
Situation B;" that is, where reason for absence is "B" in the application) must submit documents showing their spouse is a Canadian citizen. This is among other specific supporting documents specified to qualify for credit toward the RO for time abroad for reason "B," including some documents that are "
mandatory" and some the PR "
may also include" to show they qualify for the credit.
Supporting Documents to Show "Residency" versus Other Supporting Documents to Show RO Compliance:
One of the key differences between the application for a PR TD and a PR card is that the applicant for a PR TD must include, with the application, supporting documents to show "
residency." While this is, in turn, to help document or prove the PR has met the PR Residency Obligation (and that is how it is referenced in the checklist), it is about documenting or proving periods of
residency (not just presence) in Canada (as prescribed in Appendix A). The lack of proof of residency can be offset by proof of actual presence (or at least according to the rules a PR should be able to prove compliance by proof of actual presence even though they cannot document residency in Canada), but no advanced expertise in trial strategies necessary to recognize the PR who lacks clear documentation of
residency, to include with the PR TD application, should submit strong evidence of periods of actual presence (this would fall under the "
any other documents that prove you met your residency obligation" referenced in Appendix A).
The applicant for a PR card is
NOT asked to provide "
evidence that can show residency in Canada" with the application itself. However, if in processing the PR card application IRCC has questions or concerns about the PR's RO compliance, either the CPC or a local office (upon referral from the CPC) can request such evidence from the PR. Proof of employment (including direct evidence like pay stubs and CRA Notices of Assessment) and place of residence (documentation showing rental or ownership of residence) tend to carry the most weight.
For those PRs who meet the RO, and who are actually living in Canada when they apply for a renewal of their PR card, and who continue to stay in Canada after applying,
the odds are they will rarely encounter this UNLESS:
-- it appears from all the information readily available to IRCC (in the application, in documents provided, in CBSA travel history, and other sources) the PR is (or may be) substantially short of being in RO compliance, or
-- an officer sees reason to be suspicious about the completeness or accuracy of the information provided by the PR
Otherwise, such as the PR who briefly comes to Canada, makes the PR card application and then leaves, it is hard to predict who will be asked for more information and documents in regards to proving RO compliance.
It warrants noting that it appears, in these circumstances (unless there is an obvious breach of RO), that IRCC will more often refer the PR card application to Secondary Review (SR), rather than into a processing stream where the PR is asked to provide proof of RO compliance. There is probably more going on in SR (such as referrals to CBSA to do an investigation), but it sometimes seems like SR is mostly about sitting on the application and waiting to see if the PR is actually settled in Canada, or if IRCC perceives the PR has gone abroad, waiting to see if the PR applies for a PR TD or is examined at a Port-of-Entry when next returning to Canada (there is almost certainly an alert, what most call a "flag," on the PR's GCMS file if the PR card application has been referred for SR).
