out of the country for 15 years now have a job in Canada

[broko85]

Hello i have been out of Canada for 15 years and i have just got a job in Canada and want to return as i now have a family and all my immediate family (mother, brother etc) relocated to Canada since.

My question if i am now British and on a different passport how can i enter Canada so as not to raise any eyebrows and stay for 2 years before renewing my expired PR card.

If i try a land boarder and hand them my British passport they will see all my stamps of travels outside canada but do i not declare i am a PR and only say if they ask.. if they ask me why I am there do i say to visit friends or family for a few weeks?

What do you recommend?

 

[Wonderland_1010]

Hello i have been out of Canada for 15 years and i have just got a job in Canada and want to return as i now have a family and all my immediate family (mother, brother etc) relocated to Canada since.

My question if i am now British and on a different passport how can i enter Canada so as not to raise any eyebrows and stay for 2 years before renewing my expired PR card.

If i try a land boarder and hand them my British passport they will see all my stamps of travels outside canada but do i not declare i am a PR and only say if they ask.. if they ask me why I am there do i say to visit friends or family for a few weeks?

What do you recommend?

Not declaring yourself as a PR at any Port of Entry is misrepresentation. You have to answer any questions truthfully that the CBSA officer will ask. Its hard to tell you whether you will get reported for not meeting the RO. If you do get reported, CIC will start preparing to revoke your PR. Some applicants have been able to remain and renew their PR but its just really upto the CBSA.

 

[Bs65]

Ultimately decision is yours as long as aware that despite having a different passport assume you still have the same name and DOB.

When asked how long staying in Canada what answer do you plan when asked about onward travel to leave Canada ? Do you already have a SIN from your initial landing ?

Plenty of people have entered the country as visitors without issue even when they forgot they were PRs some 20 plus years ago and have no intention of staying so even if reported was not an issue to them . However since the ETA process came in things seem to have tightened up somewhat with CBSAs ability to determine if the person in front of them is a PR even without a PR card or a different passport.

There is of course no way to predict other to repeat to answer questions asked honestly and do not volunteer information not asked. Starting off by implying you are just a visitor though might not be a good start but decision is yours, you may be lucky you may not, even though once a PR always a PR unless revoked or renounced so you would still be entitled to enter, just the final outcome may or may not be what you want. Getting reported or not can just be down to how busy the officer is to bother with the paperwork.

Good luck anyway as easy too overthink things especially given forum feedback

 

[scylla]

Hello i have been out of Canada for 15 years and i have just got a job in Canada and want to return as i now have a family and all my immediate family (mother, brother etc) relocated to Canada since.

My question if i am now British and on a different passport how can i enter Canada so as not to raise any eyebrows and stay for 2 years before renewing my expired PR card.

If i try a land boarder and hand them my British passport they will see all my stamps of travels outside canada but do i not declare i am a PR and only say if they ask.. if they ask me why I am there do i say to visit friends or family for a few weeks?

What do you recommend?

You can't fly to Canada directly. You would need either a valid PR card or valid PR Travel Document to do that - both of which are impossible for you to obtain since you've been outside of Canada that long. Alternatively you would need to obtain an eTA - but you don't qualify for one as a PR and would have to renounce your PR status officially first. So flying to Canada directly is out and not an option.

You'll have to try flying to the US and then re-entering Canada by land using a private vehicle. If you're able to re-enter Canada without being reported for failing to meet the residency obligation, then you'll just need to stay for two years without leaving and should be able to renew your PR card without issues. If you're reported at the border for failing to meet RO, you'll have to appear at a hearing and it's pretty much guaranteed your PR status will be revoked and you'll be told to leave.

Note that if you are successful re-entering Canada, it will be two years before you will be able to sponsor your family for PR.

 

[atash85]

Hi all thanks so much your your time and the information. my question now would be how do I enter into Canada with an expired over 15 years PR card. I do have my original IMM 5292 form as well as my SIN which is a permanent one.

 

[scylla]

Hi all thanks so much your your time and the information. my question now would be how do I enter into Canada with an expired over 15 years PR card. I do have my original IMM 5292 form as well as my SIN which is a permanent one.

Already answered above.

You need to fly to the US and enter Canada through a US/Canada land border using a private vehicle. And you need to hope you aren't reported at the border for failing to meet the residency requirement.

 

[atash85]

Hi does a rented car count as private or a bus and walk over?

 

[jordo]

No mode of transportation you'd buy a ticket for. So no bus, train, plane.
You can rent a car, walk over (if that POE accommodates walk ups like at the Rainbow Bridge at Niagara Falls), and we've seen people on this forum who used a taxi service, or Lyft (in Detroit to Windsor) to get into Canada.

 

[atash85]

Hi thank you so much for all the information I just checked and since I renewed my Caribbean passport it only has one stamp in it in 2017. When I went for my mum wedding.

I will then use my British passport as it will be visa exempt to usa. I will look for a non commercial means taxi or rent a car to reach the POE.
I will use my Caribbean passport the same nationality I used when I became PR as it has less stamps to alert any questions.

I will declare i am a PR and show my papers and SIN card as well as my Canadian business card as I am now employored with a company which have me overseas for 1 year now as per the contract although i have been away much longer.

I hope their questions will not be from the point of view when did you leave Canada or how long I have been away as I do not want to lie as you all made a point it can be misrepresentation.

I am not sure what are the usual questions asked so will research this and ensure I have a firm answer which does not open another for questioning.

Is there any boarder anyone knows is less busy or best for this type of crossing as I know it all depends on the day and whom you meet at the boarder.

 

[canuck78]

Would discourage showing your business card. You can be asked questions that will lead to representation. Where are your offices? How long have you worked in Canada at that job? Are you returning from a vacation or a business trip? Why wouldn't you fly in since your office is in X city? Do you have any documentation with your home address? Could think of many more. Think you need to change your expectations. After a 15 year absence you will be very lucky not to get reported and that it seems fair that you probably will get reported after 15 years.

 

[Alurra71]

..not to mention the dormant SIN ...