. . . to help other immigrants know how things work.
Good. Me too.
And I am not at all surprised a pattern of regularly crossing the border (even by someone
playing games) creates an obvious record likely to reduce border officials' concerns about RO compliance (assuming, of course, the pattern is consistent with RO compliance), and I'd suggest this is likely true EVEN if the PR is not carrying any PR card let alone carrying an expired PR card. Makes perfect sense to me.
Nonetheless, I disagree with a number of things in your post, well, a lot of things, ranging from your characterization of "
the letter of the law" (at least a bit afield of how things actually work) to what can be learned from any particular individual's experiences let alone from how things go for a single individual who is
playing games and who otherwise has many factors (such as numerous just before and after midnight crossings) not commonly shared by other PRs. So, for example, I obviously continue to disagree with drawing any definite conclusions about how things will LIKELY work, let alone will for sure work, for someone else, anyone else, based on your personal border crossing experiences, with or without a currently valid PR card.
If you are really interested in why I disagree, say so and I will explain (perhaps I should say I will
probably explain . . . I am old, getting tired, and could well get too tired any day . . . but for now, not too tired, I probably will continue to offer contributions).
But it is not likely pursuing that discussion further will help, recognizing that both of us are more interested in identifying and sharing what works (which I assume means what works as best we can sort out what actually works, for some, for many, for most, as the case may be, and otherwise recognize ranges of what are possible outcomes and what factors will influence how it goes).
If in responding to some other inquiry we bump into conflicting views about something, we can focus on what we know about that particular issue, and do our mutual best to sort it out.
Likewise here I suppose. If there is a particular proposition about what most PRs will encounter, or are likely to encounter, that you think needs more attention in this topic, that too we can do our mutual best to sort out how things are going to, or are at least likely to work for others.
Yep, and I've done plenty of testing to prove it. I have way more than enough days, and with exit records now shared it's easy to prove.
I care about the letter of the law, because the letter of the law is what I'm held to. I "play games" in part so that I have the data to help other immigrants know how things work.
How many PRs have been outside their residency obligation and hoped to come back in unreported, for example? Right here in this forum? They are gambling with their status, and sometimes it's useful to know the kinds of things that will get people flagged.
Since am well within my residency obligation, and cross the border regularly, I make a good test case for figuring out statistically what's most likely to get people flagged. When I get flagged, that's valuable data, and I don't have to worry about a 44(1) inadmissibility report being filed. The people who most want to know what to do to get in compliance with their PR obligation do.
As for being questioned on my 11:55 to 12:05 trips, you might be surprised to find out that it actually got me less scrutiny than most of the things I've done at the border. When they asked me why I was crossing the border, my answer was generally "to comply with my residency obligation". People who are making an active effort to maintain their residency are not the kind of people it's productive to haul into secondary and go through all their entry and exit records. After a few weeks of it, they know exactly who I am and what I'm doing, and get waved through without issue.
And, even if they do, partial days count. If I have multiple entry and exit records every single day, it's impossible for me to be in violation of my residency obligation. People who travel less often were the ones more concerning to the border officers, because of the potential to be in violation.
