Outland Application couple living abroad. When do they have to return to Canada?

[osgoz99]

Hey Fellas,

Question for everyone. Couple is living overseas (wife is CDN and husband is US) and applied Outland with the intention of moving back to Canada in March 2015. Application was sent out in May 2014. Now they are considering extending their stay and not returning to Canada until the summer of 2015. If they are approved before then, when are they required to return to Canada? Must they be here at the time of approval? Is there a time limit to land?

 

[Kayaker]

The time limit will be written on the COPR they send when the PR application is approved. It is usually one year from the date the medicals were taken. If the husband does not land before that date, he loses his PR and needs to apply again. The sponsor (wife) does not need to be present.

It's ok for the husband to land before his COPR expires and go back to his wife outside Canada, and then move permanently to Canada in the summer of 2015.

 

[osgoz99]

So I guess once he lands, he becomes PR and then just has to fulfill his residency days over the next 5 years. No need to rush back once if he lands first and then returns to his wife.

 

[Kayaker]

If his wife is a Canadian citizen, the days he spends with her outside of Canada counts towards his PR residency obligations. (for gaining citizenship, it may be different.)

So yes, he can just land, go back to his wife and they can move when they are ready.