Long absence from Canada- PR status lost?

[Lammawitch]

they asked for both the sin and pr card.

It doesn't matter if you think they are wrong or not as they are the ones with hiring authority.

& that's why I said it's wrong. Many people, employers included, think that a PR card is proof of legal/PR status. It is not. It's a travel document. One can be in possession of a valid PR card, while not meeting the residency obligations for PR. On the other hand, one's PR card can be expired, while one meets RO.

TLR: valid PR card & PR residency obligations / right to work have absolutely nothing to do with each other!

 

[MiriamT]

& that's why I said it's wrong. Many people, employers included, think that a PR card is proof of legal/PR status. It is not. It's a travel document. One can be in possession of a valid PR card, while not meeting the residency obligations for PR. On the other hand, one's PR card can be expired, while one meets RO.

TLR: valid PR card & PR residency obligations / right to work have absolutely nothing to do with each other!

The explanation that I got from the people at BCeID (for those not from BC, you can read about what it is here: https://www.bceid.ca/aboutbceid/) when I called (after getting initially rejected since my PR Card was expired — my new PR Card arrived 9 days later and I opened another account since I couldn't use the one cancelled by them, presented the new card, and everything is now working) was that, in their reasoning, the COPR "is not a secure document," hence only PR Cards are acceptable to them since they think it's the only reliable document of the sort, and since all IDs must be valid when showing them, they require PR Cards to be valid at the time of checking the identity of the individual. Nothing to do with RO.

 

[keesio]

Technically you don't need a PR card but as someone already mentioned, PR cards have become a convenient and concrete way to prove your residency and ability to work so many places will ask for it. It has become a pain to not have one if you are a PR. Leon summarizes it best here: http://www.canadavisa.com/canada-immigration-discussion-board/is-pr-card-renewal-mandatory-for-those-who-are-visa-exempt-t286582.0.html;msg4304318#msg4304318

 

[Tee76]

But wouldn't reactivating a dormant SIN # raise red flags as far as PR status and RO go? Once you apply to have it reactivated wouldnt they automatically know that you havent met the RO? Just curious because I'm in the same boat, was a PR in Canada for 22 years but have been back in the U.S since 2005, I'm planning to move back to Ontario but im worried about reactivating my SIN # after all this time.

 

[keesio]

Just because your SIN has been deactivated, it doesn't mean you were not living in Canada. You could have simply been unemployed or whatever.

 

[Leon]

But wouldn't reactivating a dormant SIN # raise red flags as far as PR status and RO go? Once you apply to have it reactivated wouldnt they automatically know that you havent met the RO?

"They" being the Canadian govt. aren't necessarily talking to each other and due to the privacy act, they may not even be allowed to.

Service Canada handles the SIN so they would know that your SIN was dormant but they would not have any reason to pass that information along to immigration, nor does immigration have any reason to request it.

When you apply to renew your PR card or for citizenship, you check a box on the form allowing immigration to request your exit/entry information from CBSA. If immigration automatically had access, they wouldn't need your approval for that. Of course, if you did not approve, they would be suspicious of your application, go through it with a fine tooth comb and ask for a lot of evidence, including possibly requesting you to get your info from CBSA and sending it to them but it doesn't seem that they are allowed to go to CBSA and get your info without your approval.

In the case that you are reported on entry for not meeting the RO, CBSA is however allowed to report you to immigration but there are special rules about that.

 

[meyakanor]

I've worked on several places which insisted on PR or citizenship status, but never once was I ever asked for my PR card. My SIN does not start with a 9,and unlike the US, which does not have the notion of temporary social number, the only way you can get a non 9 SIN is through a permanent status (I'm not sure about refugee though).