PR card expires in 3 months, can I still enter Canada?

[Besram]

Hi guys my PR card has expired and residency obligations unmet. I believe I have the following choices to make if I intend to enter Canada as PR in future.
1. Renounce and reapply if I am eligible (difficult one)
2. Apply for a PRTD (but I do not have sufficient H&C grounds)
3. Enter via land border.
Which option is the most suitable one in my scenario of not fulfilling the RO? Is crossing through the land border a risky one with an expired PR card? Which land border would be the easiest? I understand the chances of being reported for not fulfilling RO. Appreciate your advice. Thank you.

Most suitable for what? It doesn't sound like you are confident in your intention to relocate to Canada.

(1) Only you can determine how likely it is that you will be able to get PR again, given your age and resulting scores. The advantage is you will have more flexibility in relocating and being able to travel.

(2) If you have insufficient H&C reasons, your PRTD will almost certainly be denied, and you will lose your PR in the process. But - if it does get approved, you have certainty that you will be able to enter Canada without your PR status being revoked, so you can wrap up your life in India confidently. It would still be advisable to remain in Canada until you are in full compliance with the RO, so this option will limit your travels outside Canada.

(3) Higher likelihood of admission into the country without being reported compared to PRTD (based on anecdotal evidence from this forum), but by no means certain. You may well be reported, given your limited ties to Canada. The issue is once you enter you should remain in Canada until in full compliance with the RO (as you don't want to risk another border crossing). This means you need to leave your current job, housing etc. without knowing if Canada is going to work out.

 

[canuck78]

Hi guys my PR card has expired and residency obligations unmet. I believe I have the following choices to make if I intend to enter Canada as PR in future.
1. Renounce and reapply if I am eligible (difficult one)
2. Apply for a PRTD (but I do not have sufficient H&C grounds)
3. Enter via land border.
Which option is the most suitable one in my scenario of not fulfilling the RO? Is crossing through the land border a risky one with an expired PR card? Which land border would be the easiest? I understand the chances of being reported for not fulfilling RO. Appreciate your advice. Thank you.

1. At almost 50 your are unlikely to qualify for PR.

Does your spouse have PR? What field do they work in? Will they have a better chance of securing a position in Canada? Do you have children? If so are they under 22 and unmarried and will they be coming to Canada? Do you have significant savings? Arriving in Canada at around 50 not owning a home and without retirement planning for retiring in Canada makes you very vulnerable. It seems as though you will need to resign from your job if you attempt to come to Canada and taking a sabbatical is not an option. If you can’t find decent employment in Canada will you be able to find a similar position in Academia if you return to India? I can’t stress how hard it will be to secure a position in academia. Canada doesn’t have a lot of universities and especially dental schools. Do you have a home in India that you will be selling or will you keep you home so you have will have somewhere to live if you return to India? Have you looked at the cost of housing? Unless paying in cash you will need a job and a credit score to secure a mortgage. Canada is facing a housing crisis so even securing rental housing as a newcomer is difficult especially without employment. In many regions people are offering to provide 6 months of rent upfront or even more extreme measures like a full year of rent upfront or offering to pay over the listed rental rate. Do you have significant savings to support you resettling in Canada and for retirement? The safety net for seniors is not good many are ending up homeless and are dependent on charity for foods. Low income seniors makes up a large percentage of foodbank clients. If you have ailing parents are you prepared to not be able to travel for the next 2+ years? If not reported you should plan on remaining in Canada for at least 2 years? Do you have a care plan for your parents if you remain in Canada? To sponsor your parents you would need to have 3 years of certain level or income (1 year inQuebec) to qualify to apply but realistically most do not qualify for sponsorship after 3 years. There are currently multiple hundreds of thousands of interested applicants for around 25k spots each year. There is zero guarantees that your parents will ever be able to move to Canada. Anyone moving to Canada should no there are no guarantees that parents will ever be able to join them. Have you spoken to anyone working in your field in Canada? Have you asked them how difficult it will be to transfer to Canada and find a employment? Have you spoken to anyone who has relocated recently to Canada and have you heard what challenges they faced and how much it will cost to move to Canada and restart your life. I could understand taking a risk when you are in your 20s and even 30s but at around 50 it is so much harder to start over and the consequences of attempting to move to Canada while giving up a good are much more significant.

 

[meghashyam75]

Most suitable for what? It doesn't sound like you are confident in your intention to relocate to Canada.

(1) Only you can determine how likely it is that you will be able to get PR again, given your age and resulting scores. The advantage is you will have more flexibility in relocating and being able to travel.

(2) If you have insufficient H&C reasons, your PRTD will almost certainly be denied, and you will lose your PR in the process. But - if it does get approved, you have certainty that you will be able to enter Canada without your PR status being revoked, so you can wrap up your life in India confidently. It would still be advisable to remain in Canada until you are in full compliance with the RO, so this option will limit your travels outside Canada.

(3) Higher likelihood of admission into the country without being reported compared to PRTD (based on anecdotal evidence from this forum), but by no means certain. You may well be reported, given your limited ties to Canada. The issue is once you enter you should remain in Canada until in full compliance with the RO (as you don't want to risk another border crossing). This means you need to leave your current job, housing etc. without knowing if Canada is going to work out.

Thank you. Is there a ideal time frame within which one can enter if arriving via the land border (after expiry of PR card and not meeting RO). I only intend to come if I land a suitable job. Which land border do people usually use and can one use a cab?

 

[meghashyam75]

1. At almost 50 your are unlikely to qualify for PR.

Does your spouse have PR? What field do they work in? Will they have a better chance of securing a position in Canada? Do you have children? If so are they under 22 and unmarried and will they be coming to Canada? Do you have significant savings? Arriving in Canada at around 50 not owning a home and without retirement planning for retiring in Canada makes you very vulnerable. It seems as though you will need to resign from your job if you attempt to come to Canada and taking a sabbatical is not an option. If you can’t find decent employment in Canada will you be able to find a similar position in Academia if you return to India? I can’t stress how hard it will be to secure a position in academia. Canada doesn’t have a lot of universities and especially dental schools. Do you have a home in India that you will be selling or will you keep you home so you have will have somewhere to live if you return to India? Have you looked at the cost of housing? Unless paying in cash you will need a job and a credit score to secure a mortgage. Canada is facing a housing crisis so even securing rental housing as a newcomer is difficult especially without employment. In many regions people are offering to provide 6 months of rent upfront or even more extreme measures like a full year of rent upfront or offering to pay over the listed rental rate. Do you have significant savings to support you resettling in Canada and for retirement? The safety net for seniors is not good many are ending up homeless and are dependent on charity for foods. Low income seniors makes up a large percentage of foodbank clients. If you have ailing parents are you prepared to not be able to travel for the next 2+ years? If not reported you should plan on remaining in Canada for at least 2 years? Do you have a care plan for your parents if you remain in Canada? To sponsor your parents you would need to have 3 years of certain level or income (1 year inQuebec) to qualify to apply but realistically most do not qualify for sponsorship after 3 years. There are currently multiple hundreds of thousands of interested applicants for around 25k spots each year. There is zero guarantees that your parents will ever be able to move to Canada. Anyone moving to Canada should no there are no guarantees that parents will ever be able to join them. Have you spoken to anyone working in your field in Canada? Have you asked them how difficult it will be to transfer to Canada and find a employment? Have you spoken to anyone who has relocated recently to Canada and have you heard what challenges they faced and how much it will cost to move to Canada and restart your life. I could understand taking a risk when you are in your 20s and even 30s but at around 50 it is so much harder to start over and the consequences of attempting to move to Canada while giving up a good are much more significant.

Hi @canuck78 Thanks my wife also has a PR but both haven't fulfilled RO and cards expired. We do have some savings that can help us sustain ourselves in Canada for a few years but then the job issue is a challenge. At this stage I feel I may be eligible to once again receive a PR if I renounce but through the Ontario PNP not otherwise. We plan to move only if we land a job as both of us are Ph.D.s and are highly qualified. We could plan to stay 2 yrs at a stretch should either one of us get a well-paid job and we are still searching. If we do get a suitable offer in future do you feel we could apply for a PRTD or use the land border? Can one rent a place with an expired PR card/ show the expired PR card as proof of PR to an employer? what are the complexities involved here? Is there a time frame after expiry of card ( for example within 2-3 yrs that officers at the border may let you in?). We have no substantial H&C grounds.

 

[canuck78]

Thank you. Is there a ideal time frame within which one can enter if arriving via the land border (after expiry of PR card and not meeting RO). I only intend to come if I land a suitable job. Which land border do people usually use and can one use a cab?

After PR expires and without meeting RO there isn’t a time frame where you’ll have a better chance of being able to enter without being reported. The odds probably get worse the longer you have been outside Canada but it often comes down to the border agent working that day and whether they want to report you and do the extra paperwork. You can take a cab but the taxi drivers typically won’t take you to Canada so they’ll drop you off and you’ll need to walk across the border which is legal. You can then hire another taxi or Uber on the Canadian side.

 

[canuck78]

Hi @canuck78 Thanks my wife also has a PR but both haven't fulfilled RO and cards expired. We do have some savings that can help us sustain ourselves in Canada for a few years but then the job issue is a challenge. At this stage I feel I may be eligible to once again receive a PR if I renounce but through the Ontario PNP not otherwise. We plan to move only if we land a job as both of us are Ph.D.s and are highly qualified. We could plan to stay 2 yrs at a stretch should either one of us get a well-paid job and we are still searching. If we do get a suitable offer in future do you feel we could apply for a PRTD or use the land border? Can one rent a place with an expired PR card/ show the expired PR card as proof of PR to an employer? what are the complexities involved here? Is there a time frame after expiry of card ( for example within 2-3 yrs that officers at the border may let you in?). We have no substantial H&C grounds.

Getting a job offer doesn’t mean that you won’t get reported and fight to retain your PR status. Having a job will help your appeal but doesn’t guarantee approval. You don’t need a valid PR card to rent an home. You will struggle to get a health card without a valid PR. If you even got a health card it would no longer be valid since you failed to meet the residency requirements to receive healthcare in whatever province you got the health card. I am still very confused as to why you are determined to come Canada. It doesn’t make sense for many people to move to Canada especially if they have more senior positions in their home country in specialized fields and are over 40. Only exception would be if they are transferred internally or have been recruited. I still don’t understand why you are determined to come to Canada. Rent and cost of living is expensive in Canada. You will likely need to live in a large city. Will you take a survival job? Will you need a car? If you are used to having a car and maybe even a driver having to take public transportation especially during the winter is a big change. It is very easy to spend 4K/month for a very basic life.

 

[steaky]

I am still very confused as to why you are determined to come Canada. It doesn’t make sense for many people to move to Canada especially if they have more senior positions in their home country in specialized fields and are over 40. Only exception would be if they are transferred internally or have been recruited. I still don’t understand why you are determined to come to Canada. Rent and cost of living is expensive in Canada. You will likely need to live in a large city. Will you take a survival job? Will you need a car? If you are used to having a car and maybe even a driver having to take public transportation especially during the winter is a big change. It is very easy to spend 4K/month for a very basic life.

It make sense if you done something (or something beyond your control) in the previous residence country that you want to get a new life in a new country.

 

[meghashyam75]

Well thanks for the inputs. Since we are just the two of us. My wife feels it would be good to settle in Canada at a some stage if we are able to gain employment and that's the reason I was just contemplating this. Can one avail private insurance if they aren't able to get a health card due to breach of RO?

 

[eccv]

Well thanks for the inputs. Since we are just the two of us. My wife feels it would be good to settle in Canada at a some stage if we are able to gain employment and that's the reason I was just contemplating this. Can one avail private insurance if they aren't able to get a health card due to breach of RO?

Yes, many insurance companies provide health insurance for visitors in Canada (Manulife for one, but it shouldn't be hard to google to find alternate providers).

You probably don't want to get the plan too soon. Unfortunately based on your current situation, you'll like going to be reported and there will be a removal order once you enter Canada.