I know it's clearly stated that a PR needs a PR card or PRTD to re-enter Canada, but can a PR enter Canada simply as a visitor?
The basic facts are: I'm a US citizen who's landing, but then I need to quickly leave Canada for a short period before re-entering. I almost certainly won't receive the PR card in time, and may not have time to get the PRTD either. Therefore, can't I just enter Canada as a visitor, and then at some point later, leave and re-enter Canada with my PR card?
I agree with the observations made by
@Besram but will clarify some aspects of what your question is about.
It is not true that "
a PR needs a PR card or PRTD to re-enter Canada." On the contrary, Canadians, including Canadian PRs as well as citizens, are entitled to enter Canada and will be allowed entry when they make an application for permission to enter at a Canadian Port-of-Entry.
What is clearly stated (yet subject to some nuance and some exceptions, including the exception for U.S. citizens presenting a U.S. passport) is that a Canadian PRs must present either a valid PR card or PR TD in order to be allowed to board certain commercial transportation going to Canada. U.S. citizens are excepted. This is pursuant to regulations and rules governing commercial carriers and the requirements, in particular, that commercial carriers only transport travelers to Canada who have presented specified documentation of authorization to enter Canada. What constitutes sufficient documentation of authorization to enter Canada is limited to specifically prescribed documents. For Canadian PRs, for example, only a valid PR card or a PR TD will suffice (and again, U.S. citizens are excepted).
Otherwise, Canadian PRs only need to positively identify who they are in order to be given permission to enter Canada at a PoE. Your U.S. passport and, as
@Besram noted your CoPR, should readily suffice.
Traveler's Status versus Purpose of Travel:
Canadians (again, including PRs as well as citizens) who are not residents of Canada can travel to and enter Canada for the purpose of visiting. Their purpose in applying to enter Canada does not affect their status as a Canadian. Thus, for example, if a PR who is a U.S. citizen travels to Canada and at the PoE presents their U.S. passport and states their purpose is to visit, and the Primary Inspection Line officer waives the traveler through, this does not affect the PR's immigration status in Canada. Their immigration status is PR even though they are a visitor not a resident of Canada (that is, even though they are currently just visiting not residing in Canada).
"
Soft Landing:"
Scores and scores of new PRs come to Canada to make what is called a "
soft landing," in effect briefly visiting Canada to complete the process of becoming a PR, planning on making the permanent move to Canada later. This is very, very common, and appears to be fully acceptable to Canadian immigration authorities. Indeed, the only limitation appears to be the Residency Obligation, so technically a new PR can do the landing, very soon leave, and not return to Canada again for up to three years (but waiting that long to make the move will severely restrict subsequent travel outside Canada because of the Residency Obligation).
Among things to keep in mind, it is important to promptly apply for a Canadian SIN (Social Insurance Number). There is only a limited period of time to do this using the finalized CoPR. After that a PR needs a valid PR card to apply for and obtain a SIN # and card. If you do not get a SIN # right away, and you do not get a PR card right away, there can be a many months delay in getting a SIN # while you wait to get a PR card later.
In addition to considering what is involved in transitioning to the Canadian health care system, U.S. citizens immigrating to Canada will often want to look into what is involved in importing their vehicle to Canada when they are getting ready to make the move to come here to live.
