Flying into Canada on one way ticket before PR card has arrived

[Abydos]

Hi everyone

Hoping for a little advice from the experience from those who have flown back into Canada before their PR card has arrived and without a ticket back out.

I'm visa exempt and the EHA won't be mandatory when I fly so from what I've seen on the forum I will have no trouble being admitted using my COPR. My question is what about the airline? I know I have to present as

 

[scylla]

It's hard to say. Sometimes airlines will get stressed out when visa exempt visitors don't have a return ticket and sometimes they won't. Their reason for getting stressed out is that they don't want to be responsible for paying for your flight back in the event you're refused entry to Canada. I would call the airline and ask. That's really the only way you will find out.

Note that return tickets are often cheaper than one way...

 

[li-lai-lai]

It's hard to say. Sometimes airlines will get stressed out when visa exempt visitors don't have a return ticket and sometimes they won't. Their reason for getting stressed out is that they don't want to be responsible for paying for your flight back in the event you're refused entry to Canada. I would call the airline and ask. That's really the only way you will find out.

Note that return tickets are often cheaper than one way...

I agree...it happened to me once. I was refused to board on the plane at the check in counter when I only had a one way ticket to Toronto. I was asked for a return ticket otherwise they wouldnt issue me a boarding pass, so what I did was to purchase a ticket flying from toronto to new york right away (it is the cheapest ticket). As long as you have a ticket to "convince" them you will being leaving Canada no matter where you go, then it will be fine. and of course using the "return" ticket or not is totally up to you.

 

[Abydos]

Thanks for the replies Scylla and li-lai-lai. I would be flying Canada-UK return to begin with so would prefer not to buy another flight but a cheap one to the US is worth looking into, thanks.

I realised my original post got cut off somehow. The full thing was...


Hi everyone
Hoping for a little advice from those who have flown back into Canada before their PR card has arrived and without a ticket back out of Canada.
I'm visa exempt and the EHA won't be mandatory when I fly so from what I've seen on the forum I will have no trouble being admitted using my COPR.

My question is what about the airline? I know I have to present as a visitor when I board but will I have trouble with not having onward travel arrangements? Any experience with particular airlines?

I've had to present my work permit (before I was PR) when returning to Canada but never found out what they would have said if I didn't have a permit! I still have the in-date work permit (obviously not valid now but would the airline know that?) - could I use that if they ask or would that cause more problems?

Thanks for any experience anyone can offer with this! Hopefully the PR card will arrive before I fly and this will all be moot!

 

[Rob_TO]

so would prefer not to buy another flight but a cheap one to the US is worth looking into, thanks.

You can always by a fully refundable onward ticket. Then as soon as you get you board the plane, just cancel it and get your money back.

As for flying while a PR with no PR card on visa-exempt passport, this all comes down to if the airline can determine your PR status without you voluntarily telling them. With eTA system coming into force, Canada and airlines are sharing more and more info. However to date, there have been no real life reports at all of an airline being able to determine ones PR status at check in. And there have been a few very recent reports of PRs successfully traveling by posing as a foreign national only.
So while it "should" work for you, just be cautious.