in EE pool - allowed to travel outside CAN

[KimPositive]

Hi guys,

Currently I'm hanging with 466 points in the EE pool and was wondering if one of you have experience with traveling outside Canada. Since my work permit expired and I was forced to stop working, I'm in the country with a visitor visa and hope that 466 is my lucky number to make the cut soon. Nevertheless the waiting period feels like being suck here...
Do you know if I can visit my family back in Germany and can come back to Canada without problems at the border? When I called the CIC they couldn't give me an answer ("it's up to the agent at the airport if he/she lets you back into Canada") - and I don't feel like poker with an immigration agent .

Thanks for your help,
Kim

 

[tfeddy2012]

Hi guys,

Currently I'm hanging with 466 points in the EE pool and was wondering if one of you have experience with traveling outside Canada. Since my work permit expired and I was forced to stop working, I'm in the country with a visitor visa and hope that 466 is my lucky number to make the cut soon. Nevertheless the waiting period feels like being suck here...
Do you know if I can visit my family back in Germany and can come back to Canada without problems at the border? When I called the CIC they couldn't give me an answer ("it's up to the agent at the airport if he/she let you back into Canada") - and I don't feel like poker with an immigration agent .

Thanks for your help,
Kim

I believe you should be able to go since you have the visitor visa" a valid travel document"
and also i'm aware German passport is visa free to Canada. only if you dont have one.

 

[No Man Left Behind]

When I called the CIC they couldn't give me an answer ("it's up to the agent at the airport if he/she let you back into Canada") - and I don't feel like poker with an immigration agent .

This is because no one can guarantee you will be admitted back to Canada, not even the Prime minister. If, however, you have a valid visitor visa and have complied with Canadian laws so far, there is almost no risk of not being admitted back.

 

[KimPositive]

Thank you so much for your reply!
No criminal record, a visitor visa and a valid German passport - looks like my mom should expect her daughter to visit soon :-*

 

[Telitos]

Hi,

I'm in pretty much the same situation as you, but there is one thing that you might want to consider.

If you are planning on coming back to Canada before you are granted permanent residency (and it looks as though that is what you consider doing, otherwise you wouldn't have to return as a visitor, ever,) unless you have applied for multiple entry visa, you'll be welcomed at the border just as if you were visiting for the first time. Usually, visitors are allowed in no problem (from Germany anyway), unless the agent think there is something suspicious about you, such as strong evidence that you might not want to leave Canada. Now, if you were only visiting your home country, then maybe you bought round trip tickets from Canada. Hence, whenever you come back, it would look at the border as though you are coming into Canada with no plan to ever leave (since you would be on the return trip from Germany to Canada). This might very well be considered suspicious.

I am not certain about this myself and I'm exposing this scenario here as I'm hoping to get some input on it myself.

My conclusion would be that if you plan to return to Canada as a visitor before you are granted a PR, you might want to consider buying a one-way ticket home and then you may have to buy a round-trip (so planning for yet another visit home at some later date) in order to re-enter Canada as a visitor. (That or you buy a plane ticket out of Canada to some other country, such as the US maybe, to let the agent know that you do not intend to stay in Canada, but then the US agent might ask you the same thing...)

In any case, since it is clear you can cross the US/Canada border by car without ever proving your intention to leave, this could also work with a one-way ticket into Canada. But US/Canada border isn't the same as international air travel to the rest of the world, so I would be careful.

Any input on this would be great!

 

[KimPositive]

My conclusion would be that if you plan to return to Canada as a visitor before you are granted a PR, you might want to consider buying a one-way ticket home and then you may have to buy a round-trip (so planning for yet another visit home at some later date) in order to re-enter Canada as a visitor.

Thanks for your input. That's a good point and makes sense as my friend did the same when she immigrated to the US. I just want to be sure that I can return to Canada without any issues and without affecting my EE application.

 

[KimPositive]

One more question. If I travel to the US for a weekend, do I need to apply for Canadian eTA to return? I know that I need US ESTA.

Thank you

 

[KimPositive]

NM! Just found my answer. In case you need to find out: cic.gc.ca/english/visit/visas.asp

 

[defintelyguru]

As a German citizen you can come in Canada as you wish...

Problem is, when you try to come back the agent has to be satisfied you come as a visitor (i.e. not to work, or live in Canada), and intend to leave and go back to your country (Germany).

If you reside in Canada, this may prove difficult to show. As a PR applicant, that would be even more difficult. So it's a good think you haven't applied yet.
But your file will show your past work permits and entries.

One way you can prove an agent that you will go back is to have a return trip to Germany for a specific date, within the 6 months.
But that may not be enough. He may still not be satisfied.

Another agent may not even bother ask you much as you are from an exempt country.
It really depends on the agent.

This is a risk.

 

[KimPositive]

If you reside in Canada, this may prove difficult to show. As a PR applicant, that would be even more difficult. So it's a good think you haven't applied yet.
But your file will show your past work permits and entries.

One way you can prove an agent that you will go back is to have a return trip to Germany for a specific date, within the 6 months.
But that may not be enough. He may still not be satisfied.

Another agent may not even bother ask you much as you are from an exempt country.
It really depends on the agent.

This is a risk.

Thanks. I really appreciate it. I heard it's a risk to go back home while PR application is pending. Not a huge fan of taking that kind of risks...
I reside in Toronto and plan to live here permanently, so better wait till PR is approved I guess. Thanks again for your input!