PRTD with expired PR card?

[jrpilot]

Hi guys,


So my story is a little bit complicated, hopefully I will be able to explain my issue.


I am a Canadian permanent resident since childhood however due to the illness of a close family member l've spent more than 3 years overseas, so I do not meet the requirements for a PR card renewal. My card expired last month. Now I would have the chance to travel back to my family (everyone is a Canadian citizen, I was also raised by a Canadian step-father, I just couldn't get my citizenship due to the frequent travelling required to take care of the family member overseas.)


thought I could just grab my passport from another country and apply for an ETA when I read that permanent residency doesn't expire and if I was a resident of Canada ever then I need to obtain a PRTD or give up my permanent resident status.


First I would give a shot to keep my status as in the future I would like to go back to Canada as I was raised there (went to elementary, high school, etc.) have most of my family in the country, and consider myself a Canadian resident. Due to the unfortunate circumstances especially during the pandemic caused me to overrun the 3 year period which I am allowed to spend abroad for PR card renewal.


What are the chances that the PRTD will be given to me if I explain the situation? Has anyone ever been in the same position?


How long does this usually take? (My flight would be in March and unfortunately it is non-refundable.)

Any help or experience sharing is very appreciated.

 

[scylla]

Hi guys,


So my story is a little bit complicated, hopefully I will be able to explain my issue.


I am a Canadian permanent resident since childhood however due to the illness of a close family member l've spent more than 3 years overseas, so I do not meet the requirements for a PR card renewal. My card expired last month. Now I would have the chance to travel back to my family (everyone is a Canadian citizen, I was also raised by a Canadian step-father, I just couldn't get my citizenship due to the frequent travelling required to take care of the family member overseas.)


thought I could just grab my passport from another country and apply for an ETA when I read that permanent residency doesn't expire and if I was a resident of Canada ever then I need to obtain a PRTD or give up my permanent resident status.


First I would give a shot to keep my status as in the future I would like to go back to Canada as I was raised there (went to elementary, high school, etc.) have most of my family in the country, and consider myself a Canadian resident. Due to the unfortunate circumstances especially during the pandemic caused me to overrun the 3 year period which I am allowed to spend abroad for PR card renewal.


What are the chances that the PRTD will be given to me if I explain the situation? Has anyone ever been in the same position?


How long does this usually take? (My flight would be in March and unfortunately it is non-refundable.)

Any help or experience sharing is very appreciated.

An ETA is not possible. It would only be possible if you formally renounced your PR status first. So that option is off the table.

You have two options:

1) Obtain a PRTD under H&C. It's hard for us to say how long the PRTD will take since you don't meet the residency requirement. You may or may not have a decision by March.
2) Fly to the US and re-enter Canada through a land border using a private vehicle. Hope you are not reported for failing to meet the residency requirement.

How many residency days in Canada do you have within the last 5 years?

 

[jrpilot]

An ETA is not possible. It would only be possible if you formally renounced your PR status first. So that option is off the table.

You have two options:

1) Obtain a PRTD under H&C. It's hard for us to say how long the PRTD will take since you don't meet the residency requirement. You may or may not have a decision by March.
2) Fly to the US and re-enter Canada through a land border using a private vehicle. Hope you are not reported for failing to meet the residency requirement.

How many residency days in Canada do you have within the last 5 years?

I have around 400 days unfortunately. During that period I also worked in Canada, I have a record of that. Sadly I had to leave and stay for a longer period due to the family member’s health problem.

 

[scylla]

I have around 400 days unfortunately. During that period I also worked in Canada, I have a record of that. Sadly I had to leave and stay for a longer period due to the family member’s health problem.

Ultimately none of us can really tell you what to expect in terms of your chances and/or processing times.

- Make sure you request H&C consideration.
- Make sure you provide evidence of your family member's medical condition that forced you to remain outside of Canada. Generally speaking, it will play in your favour if this is an immediate family member (such as a parent) and you are an only child, meaning no one else would be able to take care of them.
- COVID isn't really being accepted as a reason for failing to meet the residency obligation. Travel has been very possible for several years now so I don't see how this would play into your argument. I would stay away from this and focus on the health of your family member and evidence around this.

 

[jrpilot]

Ultimately none of us can really tell you what to expect in terms of your chances and/or processing times.

- Make sure you request H&C consideration.
- Make sure you provide evidence of your family member's medical condition that forced you to remain outside of Canada. Generally speaking, it will play in your favour if this is an immediate family member (such as a parent) and you are an only child, meaning no one else would be able to take care of them.
- COVID isn't really being accepted as a reason for failing to meet the residency obligation. Travel has been very possible for several years now so I don't see how this would play into your argument. I would stay away from this and focus on the health of your family member and evidence around this.

thank you so much. It is my father, I’m not the only child, but my sister is older than I am (also living in Canada), she was working and also has a family, meanwhile I was only 19 years old when this health issue happened, so it was easier for me to assist my father than it was for my sister.

Another question; when uploading documents there is an H&C letter I can attach which I will do and explain my issue. I am not sure if I should attach papers of my father’s illness (as I need to obtain those, but of course if they require them I’ll translate them and attach, I just want to start the process early as possible in the hopes of getting it until my travel date.)

should I just send the request with the letter in which I explain that I was raised in Canada etc. for the first try and see?
Thank you again.

 

[scylla]

thank you so much. It is my father, I’m not the only child, but my sister is older than I am (also living in Canada), she was working and also has a family, meanwhile I was only 19 years old when this health issue happened, so it was easier for me to assist my father than it was for my sister.

Another question; when uploading documents there is an H&C letter I can attach which I will do and explain my issue. I am not sure if I should attach papers of my father’s illness (as I need to obtain those, but of course if they require them I’ll translate them and attach, I just want to start the process early as possible in the hopes of getting it until my travel date.)

should I just send the request with the letter in which I explain that I was raised in Canada etc. for the first try and see?
Thank you again.

Short answer is no, don't do that.

A letter won't be sufficient. You need the supporting evidence (e.g. hospitalization records, doctor notes, etc.). You need to obtain those and get those translated and uploaded along with the application. If you apply without the evidence, IRCC will simply make a decision based on the letter. You'd most likely be looking at a refusal and then an appeal (if you decide to pursue) which generally takes years.

You need to take the time to apply correctly now, with the full evidence. This is a very important application if your aim is to retain your PR status. It's not a time for shorcuts. Better to miss your flight and take the financial hit vs. submitting a deficient application.

 

[canuck78]

thank you so much. It is my father, I’m not the only child, but my sister is older than I am (also living in Canada), she was working and also has a family, meanwhile I was only 19 years old when this health issue happened, so it was easier for me to assist my father than it was for my sister.

Another question; when uploading documents there is an H&C letter I can attach which I will do and explain my issue. I am not sure if I should attach papers of my father’s illness (as I need to obtain those, but of course if they require them I’ll translate them and attach, I just want to start the process early as possible in the hopes of getting it until my travel date.)

should I just send the request with the letter in which I explain that I was raised in Canada etc. for the first try and see?
Thank you again.

How old are you now and how much time have you been spending abroad since you were 19? Have you always met your RO and this is the first time not meeting your RO? Your residency history will likely be a factor. Have you been informing CRA if you leave Canada or long periods of time? CRA can also determine your tax residency status? Have you notified the provincial health authority of your absences and long absences in the past? If you do not meet the residency requirement to qualify his health care in that province you have to reapply even if you have a valid card. Is your father married? Have you been working while abroad? If you are a full-time caregiver and unable to work because your father needs help to be mobile, get to the washroom, etc. they will be treated differently than living abroad while working but being v available to bring your father to doctors appointments for example.

 

[jrpilot]

How old are you now and how much time have you been spending abroad since you were 19? Have you always met your RO and this is the first time not meeting your RO? Your residency history will likely be a factor. Have you been informing CRA if you leave Canada or long periods of time? CRA can also determine your tax residency status? Have you notified the provincial health authority of your absences and long absences in the past? If you do not meet the residency requirement to qualify his health care in that province you have to reapply even if you have a valid card. Is your father married? Have you been working while abroad? If you are a full-time caregiver and unable to work because your father needs help to be mobile, get to the washroom, etc. they will be treated differently than living abroad while working but being v available to bring your father to doctors appointments for example.

I am 24 years old now. I was travelling back and forth depending on the health condition of my father. The longest continuous time I spent home in Canada was about 6 months then I left for 2 weeks went back home to Canada again for 1,5 months and left again. So on. The longest continuous time I spent with my father was 1,5 years. During that time I also started studying abroad beside giving care to do something in life. My father is divorced from my mother who is living in Canada so are rest of my close family members. Unfortunately I didn’t notify CRA when I left for longer periods as I was unaware that this was something I had to do. But when I was staying in Canada I always had a job during those months also did my taxes even this year. I am not sure if this counts but it’s obvious that I didn’t just start a whole new life in another country whatsoever.

Do you think it would be a good idea to attach report cards from elementary school & my high school diploma to my letter to prove that I was raised in Canada and that I have strong ties to the country?

edit: this is my first time not meeting my RO.Before I was always able to renew my PR card without any issues!

 

[scylla]

I am 24 years old now. I was travelling back and forth depending on the health condition of my father. The longest continuous time I spent home in Canada was about 6 months then I left for 2 weeks went back home to Canada again for 1,5 months and left again. So on. The longest continuous time I spent with my father was 1,5 years. During that time I also started studying abroad beside giving care to do something in life. My father is divorced from my mother who is living in Canada so are rest of my close family members. Unfortunately I didn’t notify CRA when I left for longer periods as I was unaware that this was something I had to do. But when I was staying in Canada I always had a job during those months also did my taxes even this year. I am not sure if this counts but it’s obvious that I didn’t just start a whole new life in another country whatsoever.

Do you think it would be a good idea to attach report cards from elementary school & my high school diploma to my letter to prove that I was raised in Canada and that I have strong ties to the country?

edit: this is my first time not meeting my RO.Before I was always able to renew my PR card without any issues!

You can certainly submit evidence to show your ties to Canada.

However I think it is really super super important to provide very strong evidence to show the H&C reasons that kept you outside of Canada.

Good luck.

 

[canuck78]

I am 24 years old now. I was travelling back and forth depending on the health condition of my father. The longest continuous time I spent home in Canada was about 6 months then I left for 2 weeks went back home to Canada again for 1,5 months and left again. So on. The longest continuous time I spent with my father was 1,5 years. During that time I also started studying abroad beside giving care to do something in life. My father is divorced from my mother who is living in Canada so are rest of my close family members. Unfortunately I didn’t notify CRA when I left for longer periods as I was unaware that this was something I had to do. But when I was staying in Canada I always had a job during those months also did my taxes even this year. I am not sure if this counts but it’s obvious that I didn’t just start a whole new life in another country whatsoever.

Do you think it would be a good idea to attach report cards from elementary school & my high school diploma to my letter to prove that I was raised in Canada and that I have strong ties to the country?

edit: this is my first time not meeting my RO.Before I was always able to renew my PR card without any issues!

You need to contact CRA because you may be receiving payments from CRA that you are not entitled to and will have to repay. You want to at least prevent the receipt of more payments that you’ll need to repay. It is good that you filed you taxes but without informing CRA that you left the country for an extended period of time during that tax year and perhaps the next year too and without determining your tax residency status your tax returns and any tax benefits/credits may be incorrect. You also may not have been a tax resident for a large period of time during the past 5 years depending on what ties you had to Canada. You can ask CRA to determine your tax residency status. That can have an impact on things like tax credits. Better to approach CRA than them contacting you eventually. It also sounds like you may not have qualified for healthcare during most of the past 5 years because you didn’t meet the residency requirements to qualify for healthcare in your province.

 

[armoured]

Have you been informing CRA if you leave Canada or long periods of time? CRA can also determine your tax residency status? Have you notified the provincial health authority of your absences and long absences in the past? If you do not meet the residency requirement to qualify his health care in that province you have to reapply even if you have a valid card.

Are you saying that either or both of these are factors that IRCC takes into consideration when evaluating an H&C case?

Please be explicit.

While both of these are 'important things' that individuals should pay attention to and take into consideration when evaluating their plans to return to Canada (health insurance, anyway), let's separate general points about what individuals 'should do' from the question at hand.

And as far as I'm aware, except in perhaps some extreme cases, these are not factors IRCC evaluates in H&C cases.

 

[dpenabill]

So my story is a little bit complicated, hopefully I will be able to explain my issue.

I am a Canadian permanent resident since childhood however due to the illness of a close family member l've spent more than 3 years overseas, so I do not meet the requirements for a PR card renewal. My card expired last month. Now I would have the chance to travel back to my family (everyone is a Canadian citizen, I was also raised by a Canadian step-father, I just couldn't get my citizenship due to the frequent travelling required to take care of the family member overseas.)

Much of the previous discussion has at least pointed you in the direction to take in order to save your PR status despite having breached the residency obligation and meeting the definition of inadmissible, thus at risk for losing PR status when you apply for either a PRTD or PR card, or when you arrive here and are examined at a Port-of-Entry in Canada.

I would add that it is important to make the effort to return to Canada as soon as practically possible, so if you have a passport that would qualify for eTA if you were not a Canadian -- noting that Canadians who are Canadian citizens, as well as Canadians who are PRs, are not eligible for eTA -- there is a good chance that passport would allow you to travel to the U.S, and from within the U.S. you can travel to the Canadian border and cross there, presenting your expired PR card to border officials at the Port-of-Entry. Lots of advantages going this route, since in addition to probably allowing you to get here sooner (which can be a significant factor supporting H&C relief), there are better odds of not being adjudicated inadmissible (and thus not having to appeal) and even if issued a Removal Order (relatively same effect as a decision denying a PR Travel Document), you would at least be IN Canada and that should also help your H&C case in an appeal.

If you are able to travel via the U.S., and you come that way, prepare to present your H&C case much like @scylla commented for purposes of making the PRTD application, largely focused on the medical reasons for staying abroad these last two plus years.

However, be aware that H&C cases are TRICKY, difficult to predict. Without a lawyer to help you present your H&C case (if you need to appeal, and you do appeal, there will be time to get a lawyer and it would be a good idea to get a lawyer when you appeal, if you need to appeal), generally the best you can do is tell your story, focusing on facts and objective evidence of those facts, keeping it simple but nonetheless, again as @scylla commented, largely focusing on the reason for staying abroad these last two plus years.

As @scylla noted, narrative descriptions, like self-serving letters, tend to not carry much weight. Some is helpful, to clearly present the key elements of your story, but that should usually be backed by actual evidence. Instead of a pile of medical records, however, a narrative description in a letter by the attending physician can often better document that part of the case.

Detailing your lifetime ties in Canada, and family ties in Canada, could also be a big positive factor; the problem is trying to strike a balance between including evidence of your Canadian ties, including history, but not bogging down your case with too much of that . . . mountains of evidence tend to not be all they are purported to be; more can be distracting, and actually less persuasive. Leading to . . .

You need to contact CRA because you may be receiving payments from CRA that you are not entitled to and will have to repay.

I fully agree with the suggestion by @armoured to clearly separate and distinguish matters affecting PR status from collateral, life-in-Canada contingencies which to a large extent are extraneous to the questions asked.

Here, for example, to be clear, NO, @jrpilot does NOT need to contact CRA in order to obtain a PRTD or otherwise take action to preserve PR status.

Note that the question you quote and appear to be responding to, asked:

"Do you think it would be a good idea to attach report cards from elementary school & my high school diploma to my letter to prove that I was raised in Canada and that I have strong ties to the country?"​

I realize that some of the collateral matters, including those with CRA, are indeed important, and need to be addressed when long-absent Canadians (which includes citizens as well as PRs) are returning to Canada. But the OP here is not back in Canada yet. Not close actually. Dealing with CRA, provincial health care, and such, are not yet on the table, and more importantly are NOT about what needs to be done to retain PR status, to avoid being adjudicated inadmissible. So, sure, as helpful as it probably would be, for many, a heads-up, hey, just in case you were overlooking collateral matters, there are some OTHER important things to consider when returning to Canada after a lengthy absence . . . that's not a response to a question asking what evidence of ties in Canada should be included when making a H&C case for relief from breaching the RO. Keep it separate.

So, no matter how important it is this time of year, no call to say a returning PR "will need good winter-weather clothing." They will, of course. But that does not move the needle in the direction of saving their PR status.

 

[armoured]

Note that the question you quote and appear to be responding to, asked:

"Do you think it would be a good idea to attach report cards from elementary school & my high school diploma to my letter to prove that I was raised in Canada and that I have strong ties to the country?"​

And I'd like to go on the record here: I think the original poster, @jrpilot , absolutely SHOULD mention everything involved for an H&C application, including showing ties in Canada (although jump down below for the question of whether you should include physical evidence (documents) such as report cards.

@scylla opined that the focus should be on the primary and most compelling reason for the H&C relief (taking care of ill parent), and I do agree that the primary focus should be on the strongest part fo the case.

But I do not believe there is any rule or guideline that you're only allowed one reason. So - for example - advice to NOT mention covid is outright wrong. Mention everything of any consequence. Make the best case you can make. While it's clear that covid alone is no longer as compelling on a standalone basis as it was, it can and should be (and will and must be) considered in evaluation of the H&C, and if it was partly relevant, it remains partly relevant - it will just get a lower weighting than other factors.

And personally, I think the 'ties to Canada' for a young person who did schooling in Canada, has close relatives (a parent! as well as siblings) in Canada, and has visited a few times, etc. (My own opinion, @jrpilot 's decision to do some schooling while taking care of his father will not be counted against his H&C case, since OF COURSE a young person planning to return to Canada should also try to keep and improve education and preparation for the job market, even if circumstances mean that has to be done abroad while dealing with a family matter. Or to put it differently, it doesn't indicate very strongly some decision to not live in Canada.)

@jrpilot: make the best case you can. This doesn't mean you have to write War and Peace - but make your case including all points in your favour, even in bullet point form.

Now note: a separate point, that you have asked, is what evidence - documents, school and medical records, etc - you need to provide and include in your PRTD app. And I will be upfront - I think it's very hard for anyone outside to say with certainty.

My inclination - my guess - would be to collect and organize everything you have, and make a list of those things, separated by what H&C reasons the documents relate to (eg father's medical records, ties to Canada, etc). Now, choose amongst these documents what best supports your case, and include a few of them (most likely about father's illness). But you can refer to the other documents - list them specifically - you have and volunteer to provide them if needed. Some things, like covid, you do not need to provide, but you can refer to and/or provide links to things like Government of Canada/foreign government warnings about and recommendations not to travel as well as actual travel bans etc. (Which, by the way, possibly extremely relevant for someone who is caring for an ill relative - if govt says you raise risks for ill people by travelling, it may partially contribute to a good reason not to have travelled back to Canada more frequently.

While more documentation might generally be good, too much just leads (in my opinion) to a case of 'too much stuff' and office workers wanting to avoid the hassle of going through it all (Like how everyone avoids that intimidating volume of War and Peace on the shelf).

Organize your H&C case well - a relatively brief letter that sets out all of the relevant points (bullet points even), a timeline of travel and reasons for absence etc., and attachments/appendices for everything else. If something needs detailed explanation, running pages - make it an appendix. (Eg one could do 'ties to Canada' as a separate doc) Some short letters of support from both sides of family (eg father/mother) would not hurt.

Sorry for the length of this note.

One final point: while no-one can say how this will go, I think there is a case to have some optimism. Given the circumstances, age, ties to Canada, etc - and perhaps most importantly, the fact there has been a fair amount of relatively recent travel to/residing in Canada (after all, 400 days in Canada is not as large non-compliance as sometimes seen here - the chances of positive decision are decidedly NOT zero. Get your stuff together, don't delay making the PRTD application (desire to return sooner is important), and make the best case you can.

Good luck.

 

[armoured]

thought I could just grab my passport from another country and apply for an ETA when I read that permanent residency doesn't expire and if I was a resident of Canada ever then I need to obtain a PRTD or give up my permanent resident status.

Important point here (as seems to have been overtaken by discussion about PRTD / H&C consideration):

If you hold a passport that is eligible for ETA, can you travel to USA without a visa? (Or do you already have a visa for USA?)

[As far as I'm aware, most - but not all - ETA/visa-waiver countries for Canada are also eligible for whatever the USA calls its ETA-type/visa waiver program.]

If so, fly to the USA and cross a land border. That is a FAR superior solution if you want to return to Canada earlier.*

And while it is possible the CBSA at border could challenge your status / issue the 44(1) report etc., from all reports they are FAR more likely to wave you through with little more than a warning about your residency obligation (if even that). [If yoyu apply for a PRTD under H&C, they MUST do all the extra paperwork and evaluate situation. CBSA at border can make a decision on the spot to not do the paperwork. Guess which one is less risky? Usually at least.]

So simplest recommendation: fly to USA. Cross border in a private vehicle. If asked about your time in Canada, give a brief verbal version of your reasons for not returning earlier. Then, stay in Canada until you are in compliance and can apply for a PR card renewal.

*And @dpenabill did make this point, for which thanks, I just wanted to emphasize again how much better and simpler this route usually is.

 

[canuck78]

Much of the previous discussion has at least pointed you in the direction to take in order to save your PR status despite having breached the residency obligation and meeting the definition of inadmissible, thus at risk for losing PR status when you apply for either a PRTD or PR card, or when you arrive here and are examined at a Port-of-Entry in Canada.

I would add that it is important to make the effort to return to Canada as soon as practically possible, so if you have a passport that would qualify for eTA if you were not a Canadian -- noting that Canadians who are Canadian citizens, as well as Canadians who are PRs, are not eligible for eTA -- there is a good chance that passport would allow you to travel to the U.S, and from within the U.S. you can travel to the Canadian border and cross there, presenting your expired PR card to border officials at the Port-of-Entry. Lots of advantages going this route, since in addition to probably allowing you to get here sooner (which can be a significant factor supporting H&C relief), there are better odds of not being adjudicated inadmissible (and thus not having to appeal) and even if issued a Removal Order (relatively same effect as a decision denying a PR Travel Document), you would at least be IN Canada and that should also help your H&C case in an appeal.

If you are able to travel via the U.S., and you come that way, prepare to present your H&C case much like @scylla commented for purposes of making the PRTD application, largely focused on the medical reasons for staying abroad these last two plus years.

However, be aware that H&C cases are TRICKY, difficult to predict. Without a lawyer to help you present your H&C case (if you need to appeal, and you do appeal, there will be time to get a lawyer and it would be a good idea to get a lawyer when you appeal, if you need to appeal), generally the best you can do is tell your story, focusing on facts and objective evidence of those facts, keeping it simple but nonetheless, again as @scylla commented, largely focusing on the reason for staying abroad these last two plus years.

As @scylla noted, narrative descriptions, like self-serving letters, tend to not carry much weight. Some is helpful, to clearly present the key elements of your story, but that should usually be backed by actual evidence. Instead of a pile of medical records, however, a narrative description in a letter by the attending physician can often better document that part of the case.

Detailing your lifetime ties in Canada, and family ties in Canada, could also be a big positive factor; the problem is trying to strike a balance between including evidence of your Canadian ties, including history, but not bogging down your case with too much of that . . . mountains of evidence tend to not be all they are purported to be; more can be distracting, and actually less persuasive. Leading to . . .



I fully agree with the suggestion by @armoured to clearly separate and distinguish matters affecting PR status from collateral, life-in-Canada contingencies which to a large extent are extraneous to the questions asked.

Here, for example, to be clear, NO, @jrpilot does NOT need to contact CRA in order to obtain a PRTD or otherwise take action to preserve PR status.

Note that the question you quote and appear to be responding to, asked:

"Do you think it would be a good idea to attach report cards from elementary school & my high school diploma to my letter to prove that I was raised in Canada and that I have strong ties to the country?"​

I realize that some of the collateral matters, including those with CRA, are indeed important, and need to be addressed when long-absent Canadians (which includes citizens as well as PRs) are returning to Canada. But the OP here is not back in Canada yet. Not close actually. Dealing with CRA, provincial health care, and such, are not yet on the table, and more importantly are NOT about what needs to be done to retain PR status, to avoid being adjudicated inadmissible. So, sure, as helpful as it probably would be, for many, a heads-up, hey, just in case you were overlooking collateral matters, there are some OTHER important things to consider when returning to Canada after a lengthy absence . . . that's not a response to a question asking what evidence of ties in Canada should be included when making a H&C case for relief from breaching the RO. Keep it separate.

So, no matter how important it is this time of year, no call to say a returning PR "will need good winter-weather clothing." They will, of course. But that does not move the needle in the direction of saving their PR status.

Are you saying that either or both of these are factors that IRCC takes into consideration when evaluating an H&C case?

Please be explicit.

While both of these are 'important things' that individuals should pay attention to and take into consideration when evaluating their plans to return to Canada (health insurance, anyway), let's separate general points about what individuals 'should do' from the question at hand.

And as far as I'm aware, except in perhaps some extreme cases, these are not factors IRCC evaluates in H&C cases.

Never said it was related to retaining to PR but given that OP mentions having returned to Canada multiple times and worked for 6 months and filed taxes they should be aware that they should contact CRA so they aren’t receiving benefits that they will have to repay with a penalty. If they do return to Canada it is in their best interest not to end up with a large repayment amount to CRA.