Msafiri said:
No doubt. The Primary Line may get to 'show me your COPR' and when they see its in the first 5 year RO period after landing or certainly in the first 3 years wave you through. Anyone showing up with an IMM1000 will be lucky not to go to Secondary.
That's where we start to see some of the variation. There are plenty of people who meet the RO without having a card, so they can't automatically assume that a lack of a card equals a breached RO.
Some officers will take you at your word, some won't. Some will dig, some won't. Some will be more sympathetic. Some won't.
I've been in secondary quote a few times (original study permit + OWP, applying for a study permit for my wife, landing, attempting to import the car, temporarily importing the car, permanently importing the car, replacement study permit for me due to error, my work permit, etc.), and I've had the opportunity to see other people interact. There's also a nice show by national geographic that shows people interacting with the CBSA regularly.
A lot of how you are treated depends on your attitude - people can talk their way into problems very easily. Spend a little time in secondary, and you will get to see people losing their permanent residency, being denied work permits, being arrested, or turned back. Sometimes they have hearings (I believe this is generally for people who are given an opportunity to withdraw their application for entry, but choose not to).
Some things are mandatory - declaring a weapon (for example) will get you secondary. Most things are discretionary, and being respectful goes a long, long way. When we were applying for an OWP, the people in front of us were declined due to doubts that their application was genuine. The same exact officer, when we attempted to provide things like proof of funds, told us to put them away because they weren't needed.
Some people get declined for study permits because they have insufficient ties to their home country. I flat-out told them that I had no family ties, that I sold everything I old, and that I had every intention of finding a way to live permanently in Canada. Instead of being declined, the officer suggested (pre express entry) looking into the possibility of a NAFTA work permit to help work towards P/R. The biggest difference between the two cases? An understanding that if they ask me to leave, I leave. If my status expires, I leave. The family ties, residential ties, job ties, etc. serve as a means to an end - evidence that someone will leave. If they trust you to leave (because you are genuine), the proof becomes unnecessary. If they don't, the proof may not be enough. Attitude is everything.
If you're going to breach the R/O, have a good reason, and fix it as quick as you can. They are people, and they are going to respond better to someone who did what they needed to, and came back as soon as they can. If they feel you don't take it seriously, that you're trying to take inappropriate advantage of Canada's offer, that you hold the system in contempt, or that you're playing games with them, you're hiding or lying about things, then you're much more likely to have a bad time. You may get lucky, you may not, but a good attitude will go a very, very long way. If you get lucky, quit messing around, learn from your mistake, stay the required two years, and reapply for the card.
