Our situation was somewhat similar. My wife entered Canada alone on a TRV. Here is what I recommend to avoid issues with immigration:
- Book a return ticket. You can book a fully refundable return ticket and once in Canada you can refund the return leg
- Back her luggage for visiting and not for staying. Don’t bring any diplomas, resumes, letters of recommendation, or anything that could indicate intent for work
- Be honest and be honest with yourself. Make a truthful plan in case her application got denied (not returned). Make a solid plan in case they ask whether she intends to apply for PR or not. Something like the following is a good response. However, always keep it short. The following is long and only there for you to pick short answers from: We are considering applying for PR during this visit however, this is not my wife’s intend for this visit. Her intend is to visit me and her sister. Then get the feeling of living in Canada and see if this will encourage us to apply inland instead of her going back and apply Outland.
- Have a touristic itinerary ready. Make it real. If that’s her first time in Canada and you live in the TGA make a plan to visit places like Niagra falls, the CN Tower, Younge-Dundad sq, The Royal Ontario Museum, Ripley’s Aq, etc. make dates within the limits of her length of stay.
My wife entered with the intend of applying inland. We applied and her application was returned twice. She got bored because she couldn’t work and then decided to leave and we applied Outland. Ironic.
Good luck
Question(s) for you: what actually happened at the port of entry (airport)?
1. Did they ask to see the return ticket? (It's my
guess that in modern world, this is less of an issue. So easy to book one-way trips or travel on to other countries that I no longe rthink of this as a reliable indicator. Perhaps it is coming from some countries where airline sector more regulated and tickets very expensive). As an example, for anyone who also can travel to USA (has visa or esta), easy to just say you're going to fly to new york or chicage next. Tickets usually bought online and short time before.
2. Did they actually check her luggage or belongings in any way? While I don't think these things are needed much these days in physical form, I'd remind that
most of the time, the passport control/secondary immigration are separate from customs. That said, yep: don't bring all of your personal belogings. Pack like it's a visit.
But good input and htanks for sharing.