"After becoming PR, I certainly have traveled to US a few times for very short visits. Would I then still be exempted or would have to submit a PCC?"
I am NOT an expert and this question calls for applying an interpretation to a specific individual's facts. This is the sort of question a person needs to answer for himself or herself, using his or her own best judgment, pursuant to his or her best understanding of what is asked and how to answer it in that individual's particular circumstances.
You highlight the key information in the example. A literal, technical reading of the example suggests a clearance should be provided.
Unless the U.S. is also your home country. If the U.S. is your home country, the application form itself states:
"Note: If you were in your country or territory of origin immediately prior to becoming a permanent resident and landing in Canada and this time falls within this four (4) year period, you are not required to provide a police certificate. Please indicate this in the explanation box."
Thus, if the U.S. is your home country, still list it and in the explanation box state "home country PCC submitted in PR process" or something to that effect. No need to include a new clearance.
If you are not a U.S. citizen, and a truthful answer to item 10.b is "yes," and you have returned to the U.S. after landing, my understanding is that you are required (at least technically) to submit a new clearance with the application.
That said . . . in PRACTICAL terms there is a fair amount of
wiggle room here. Not that I suggest let alone recommend taking advantage of the
wiggle room. Indeed, I mostly mention it because it helps explain some of the anecdotal *
no problem* reports occasionally seen in forums like this. (There is way too much "
I did this and it was OK . . . so it is OK" poor reasoning in forums like this; according to this logic, the few times I have driven over 150k on the QEW but not ticketed would support saying it is OK to go 150k on the QEW, when NO, that is not the case. BTW, been many years since I last did that, and when I did let's say, with much affection, there was a woman to blame.)
The requirement to submit a police clearance, after all, is NOT something required to be eligible for citizenship. It is more like the requirement to provide employment history. There is no employment requirement to be eligible for citizenship. BUT applicants are required to detail their employment history for the full eligibility period in order to make a COMPLETE APPLICATION that will be accepted for processing. Failure to provide employment history (which includes reporting periods of unemployment) will result in the application being returned as incomplete.
Thus, for example, if an applicant who provided a U.S. police clearance during the PR process checks "yes" in response to item 10.b and lists the U.S. and in the explanation box simply states "PCC provided in PR process," odds are good that will pass the application-completeness check. And then whether or not there is an issue later will likely depend on a range of factors. The applicant could, for example, proceed to obtain the U.S. clearance in the meantime and submit it later, either proactively or after getting a request for one. Or simply wait to see how it goes.
Again, I am NOT at all suggesting taking that approach. Better to follow the instructions as best you understand them. AND, indeed, if you are still short of meeting the presence requirement, much better to proceed to obtain the U.S. clearance in the meantime and go ahead and submit it with the application.
REMEMBER it will be a good idea to wait to apply at least a month or more AFTER you meet the presence requirement. (A solid margin over the minimum is an especially good idea for applicants with status in the U.S., given how easy it is to go back and forth over the U.S. border.)
