PR card about to expire in November 2015, can I enter Canada.

[hbhayana]

Hi!!! Need some urgent advise. I had done my landing in Dec 2010 , when (me and my family) we had stayed there for a month and returned to our jobs, and couldn't travel back for some compelling reasons . Our PR cards will be expiring in coming November, and we want to now come to Canada and stay on. So pl adv can we now travel to Canada, can we be stopped at the Airport and later also be sent back for not meeting the residency obligation. What is the safest way out in this case so that we do not loose our PR.

 

[scylla]

Yes - you can come to Canada now.

Provided you arrive before your PR cards expire, you will be allowed to enter Canada. However it is possible you may be reported when you arrive for failing to meet the residency requirement. If you are reported, you will have to appear at a hearing to argue why you should be allowed your PR status. Unfortunately having jobs outside of Canada is not accepted as a reason for failing to meet the residency requirement. So if this is the only reason you have and you have no H&C reasons, then you can expect to lose your PR status and be asked to leave Canada.

If you are able to enter Canada without being reported, you should remain in Canada for 2 years straight (without leaving for even a day) to meet the residency obligation and then apply to renew your PR cards.

 

[hbhayana]

Yes - you can come to Canada now.

Provided you arrive before your PR cards expire, you will be allowed to enter Canada. However it is possible you may be reported when you arrive for failing to meet the residency requirement. If you are reported, you will have to appear at a hearing to argue why you should be allowed your PR status. Unfortunately having jobs outside of Canada is not accepted as a reason for failing to meet the residency requirement. So if this is the only reason you have and you have no H&C reasons, then you can expect to lose your PR status and be asked to leave Canada.

If you are able to enter Canada without being reported, you should remain in Canada for 2 years straight (without leaving for even a day) to meet the residency obligation and then apply to renew your PR cards.

Thanx for the reply Syclla- Few points if you could throw some more light-
Have seen in couple of places mentioned that the easier way is to enter Canada from US by road/private car and that generally goes smooth.
Secondly once the PR card expires and if I have to show my PR status somewhere say applying to a University, without a valid PR card and nil renewal application in process how do I prove my PR status to the University.
Besides job, the reasons for staying out were medical reasons so will that help.

 

[scylla]

1) I don't have any experiences entering under these circumstances from the US and can't comment from personal experience.
2) You may in fact have difficulty being recognized as a PR by universities until you have a renewed and valid PR card. This is one of the downsides of the situation you are in.
3) If you have strong proof of the medical reasons (e.g. hospitalization records, letters from doctors) covering most of the last five years and can show these medical issues prevented you from returning to Canada for the last five years - yes, this should help.