Its not the same, doesn't offer any advantage of doing so, other than the fact that you may know if its shipped. Having said that not everyone has been successful in linking the PR card application.
Here are some instructions that might help. I didn't write them, just compiled from some place else, would have loved to give the credit but the place of origin escapes me now. I'm sure its from one these forums!
Linking PR Card application;
1. Login into your CIC account as you usually do.
2. Reach the page where you click "Check full application status" to view your application and messages
3. But do not click on that rather click on " Add (link) your application to your account"
4. Select the "Category" from the drop down as "Permanent Resident Card"
5. Under Application Details, from "Please select one" select "Unique Client Identifier (UCI) and Family Name"
6. Put your UCI as it is NO SPACES and NO Hyphens
7. Put your Family Name as on you CoPR - UPPER and LOWER CASE matter here
8. The tricky one, Place of Birth Section. Here "City/town of birth" is very very crucial. Copy it as it is on your CoPR, any commas, upper/lower case, spaces, just copy it here.
9. Select your "Country/territory of birth" from the drop down
10. Next section is pretty easy as you just select your "Date you became a permanent resident" from drop down. This is the day you did your landing by either flagpole or landing interview
11. Put "Country of Citizenship" and "Current marital status" from drop down.
12. Click "Search for my application", if all the inputs are correct then it will show you that the system has found your application. You just have to click Link my application to account and it will now be shown on "View the applications you submitted" page with your Permanent Residency application.
13. If after clicking "Search for my application" it show no application found, click Try again and try to input all the values carefully again. Each day it allows you 5 attempts. It it still doesn't find your application, you can try again the next day.
