Please Help - Question about PR / Landing

Permanent Resident Status
1

I have a couple of questions, hopefully you will be able to help.

Summary :

I am yet to land in Canada as a PR, my visa is valid till dec’15. Will be coming with my wife and kid. Currently based in India.

Following are the questions :

  1. My current organization wants to send me for an assignment in US and the L1 application is underway. I plan to land in Canada and then go to US from there on, with a final plan of moving back to Canada soon.
    As my passport will carry an L1 Visa, do I expect some questioning about my onward plan and duration of stay before I leave.
  • Is it a complication in any way ?

2.Secondly, I may have to leave canada before I get my PR card. Can i re-enter canada via road without the PR card.

av

2

Hello AV,

Thank you for sharing your situation and question with us.

We have had many users state that they have been able to land in Canada and then leave to tie up or finish prior commitments.

However, it is important to be aware of your residency requirements. To meet these residency obligations, you must be physically present in Canada for at least 730 days (2 years) in every 5-year period.

This means that you can spend a total of up to 3 years outside of Canada during a 5-year period. However, if you leave the country for an extended period of time, it is up to you to prove to Citizenship and Immigration Canada that you will be able to meet your residency requirements.

You can stay outside for up to 3 years straight, however, many of our users have recommended that this not been done. This is because in the event you have stayed outside for the total of 3 years, return to Canada and then something happens and you are required to leave Canada, you will not be able to meet your residency requirements.

Basically what happens is that, each time you enter Canada, Citizenship and Immigration may calculate 5 years back from the date you have entered or re-entered Canada to see if you have fulfilled your residency obligation.

You can find some additional information on the CIC Website in the Help Centre - How long must I stay in Canada to keep my permanent resident status? section,

Regarding your second question, you can find some information regarding re-entering Canada on the CIC Website.

According to the CIC Website in the Help Centre - I need to leave Canada and I do not have a permanent resident card. Can I later return to Canada without a PR card? section,

I hope this information is helpful. Please let us know if you have further questions and if there is any follow up to your question/situation.

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Anna
Settlement.Org Content and Information/Referral Specialist, CIRS
Settlement.Org

3

Thanks you so much Ms. Anna for the response.

In case other members in the group have experienced the same - L1 Visa and PR, request you to pl. share your experience.

av

4

Dear Ms. Anna,

One more question related to my above post. Do I need to declare my US visa before landing to the CIC.

Is it a requirement under the application / approval process as my Immigrant visa is already stamped and the US visa is getting stamped after that.

regards,
AV

av

5

Hello AV,

Thank you for sharing your additional question with us.

You can find some helpful information regarding what to expect at the time of landing on the CIC Website in the Important things to do before and after you arrive in Canada - section.

It does not specify whether or not you have to declare your US visa. As you can see, at the time of landing the main focus is on your Canadian immigrant visa (if applicable) and a Confirmation of Permanent Residence for each family member travelling with you.

Here is an excerpt,

We hope that others in a similar situation can share their experiences and suggestions with you.

I hope this information is helpful. Please let us know if you have further questions and if there is any follow up to your question/situation.

=====
Anna
Settlement.Org Content and Information/Referral Specialist, CIRS
Settlement.Org