so venus... can i travel or no?! 8D
As /u/iamvenus says, there are risks. And only you can weigh those risks for yourself.
My partner and I sent our application to CIC Mississauga on July 4th, for inland. On July 18th, we left Canada to visit family in Europe and Australia. We deemed the risk worth it, since we were visiting my partner's elderly grandmother(Europe), as well as my terminally ill father, and elderly grandmother(Australia). We had not yet received our AOR.
Upon our return to Toronto Pearson, we jointly went though the Canadian passport holders queue(at the direction of an official directing traffic). I had my IEC work permit paper(expired Feb 23rd 2018), and the Visitor Record granted me when I applied to Extend My Stay in January 2018. This was marked Not Valid For Re-Entry, but was valid for a year when granted.
The official enquired as to the reason for our trip, which was explained in brief as visiting family. I also said we had entered the application for PR as Spouse Sponsorship. I personally believe, given the trip was to visit family, and we traveled together, accompanied by my previous valid paperwork for Canada, was what convinced the CBSA agent to allow me entry. All in all, we were at her gate for less than 5 minutes.
I had also prepared documents to prove my ability to support myself, as had my partner, though these were not requested. She did enquire as to my partners work, verbally. I also had a copy of the Common Law Declaration from our application. She did not request to view it.
I will not say I was not nervous, but I also knew that had she decided to investigate further, she would have been hard pressed to find a reason to deny me entry. I could also have escalated the issue, had she been inclined to deny me.
I decided this was a risk worth taking, as we may not be able to visit Australia again as a couple soon, and it was perhaps the only chance my partner will get to meet my father and grandmother.
Previously, on my IEC OWP, I travelled in and out of Canada around 6 times by air with no issues at all.
I hope this helps.