Some clarifications:
A PR in breach of the PR Residency Obligation who arrives at a Canadian POE will be allowed entry into Canada and even if issued a Removal Order still retains PR status, and thus is still entitled to work in Canada,
until that Removal Order becomes enforceable. The Removal Order (alternatively described as a "Departure Order") only becomes automatically enforceable if no appeal is timely filed.
If an appeal is made, the Removal Order is not enforceable unless IAD rules against the PR. In the meantime, which can often be up to a year or even longer, the PR continues to be a PR and continues to have status to work.
Having a job in Canada matters. Among the many factors taken into consideration, by the IAD in particular, is the extent to which the PR has settled in Canada, has ties in Canada. Thus all ties, including employment, are a positive factor.
The problem is that this factor, particularly as to a job obtained after the date the Removal Order is issued, does not carry much weight against a substantial breach of the PR Residency Obligation. What probably matters more are the reasons for the delay in returning to Canada, and of course how much short of the Residency Obligation the PR was at the time of returning to Canada.
The various factors are considered and balanced, in context, based on the totality of the facts and circumstances, recognizing however that the burden of presenting favourable evidence and of proving either compliance or H&C reasons to otherwise justify retention of PR status, is on the PR, entirely the PR's burden.
The H&C case is complicated, multi-faceted, with few definitive factors, many more factors having variable weight depending on context and relationship to other factors.
Regarding PR card application:
The denial of a PR card application does
not constitute an adjudication of PR status, and is not itself the revocation of PR status. Thus, for example, not including (with the application) documentation of H&C reasons for retaining PR status should have no impact.
PRs who apply for a new/replacement PR card who are in breach of the PR Residency Obligation will, however,
usually trigger a CIC investigation into their compliance with the Residency Obligation, pursuant to which a local CIC will commence proceedings, including in particular a residency examination. This process will constitute an adjudication of PR status.
I am not certain, but it seems possible if not likely that once CIC opens the PR card application and does its initial screening of it, and observes that the PR is likely in breach of the PR Residency Obligation, a flag or alert will be entered into GCMS which will likely result in the PR being pulled aside and referred to secondary at a POE when the PR next makes an attempt to enter Canada. Outcome is predictable: a 44(1) Report and Removal Order issued then and there at the POE, commencing the proceedings to revoke PR status . . . leading back to the need to make an appeal.
One way or another, making the application for a PR card when in breach of the PR Residency Obligation dramatically increases the odds of triggering a residency examination sooner.
Overall: On the trip to Canada it is important to carry documentation to show H&C reasons, and carry this on one's person (not in checked baggage). Best chance to persuade an officer to, in effect, waive the Residency Obligation breach is in the secondary interview at the POE. That is the best time to make the best case one can that you deserve to retain PR status.
A reminder: follow the instructions.
At the risk of overstating the obvious, this situation illustrates if not highlights in bold, why the admonition to follow the instructions deserves to be stated repeatedly and with emphasis.
In other forums regarding PR and citizenship and immigration generally I have often appended the following statement:
"
If in doubt, follow the intructions; otherwise, yep, follow the instructions."
KITTI said:
This girl is so frank and by the book. This is why she sent her application from home land because she thought she should be applying exactly 6 months before her PR expires and because she bought the ticket and booked an apart online, she thought it is fine because she will be there shortly after applying.
Making the application from abroad was a mistake. Making the application without meeting the PR Residency Obligation was a mistake. If she had followed the instructions, this is a mistake that should not have happened.
That is, doing it by the
book, so-to-say, means following the instructions. And to be frank, this mistake could have been easily avoided by, in fact, doing it, as you say,
by-the-book.
Among what one might call first-principles, or the most important principles, guiding individuals in their dealings with any bureaucracy in Canada, but especially CIC, is the imperative to
follow the instructions. Everyone knows this. The number who, nonetheless, fail to do so is legion (myself among them . . . it is simply too easy to gloss over the instructions without really reading them, let alone following them).
It may seem condescending, but repeating the admonition to follow the instructions is not only often warranted, but it deserves emphasis again and again. It is a reminder almost all of us can use often. (I try to remind myself of this every time I deal with a Canadian bureaucracy.)
The "book," which in regards to this matter is the CIC website specifying eligibility to apply for a PR card, clearly and specifically states that a PR can apply for a PR card only if the PR
is in Canada.
Additionally, the
Guide similarly states, in the section
Before You Apply, that to be eligible for a PR card, the PR
"must be physically present in Canada."
Moreover, the
Guide also includes an Appendix (Appendix A: Residency obligation) which right at the top states:
"You
must meet the residency obligation to obtain a Permanent Resident Card."
It is an almost universal standard that CIC determines eligibility based on the date the application is signed and submitted, that is, to be eligible an applicant (for almost any status being applied for) must meet the eligibility requirements as of the date the application is made. And generally the individual must continue to be eligible throughout the application process.
I realize the last part of this post is stating the obvious, that to some (perhaps many or even most) it comes across as condescending. But since most of us (again, me included) so often fail to focus on following the instructions, this seemed an appropriate context for making this reminder.
Departing observation or concern:
It is not apparent what she stated, in the PR card application, was her "current residential address in Canada" (item 12), but if she did indeed state an address in Canada which is
not her current address (which obviously it could not be, since she has not been residing in Canada let alone at that particular address), that would be at least leaning toward making a material misrepresentation of fact.
It is similarly unclear what was declared in response to item 19, "ADDRESS HISTORY."
Then there is item 21 "TRAVEL HISTORY," which if accurately completed will document an absence inconsistent with even having a current residential address
in Canada.
Hopefully her information in these items was simply the facts. That will of course mean the summary denial of the application (based on both not being in Canada and not complying with the PR RO obligation), but at least it would not constitute making a material misrepresentation of fact which could lead to far more serious consequences.