What are the complications of travelling to Canada 2-3 weeks before PGWP expiry?

[TacticalPolarBird]

My PGWP expires in late October 2025 however the TRV on my passport is valid till 2031.

If I travel out of Canada now, will I be able to easily enter again on October 1st 2025? Even though I would have less than 1 month on my permit at that point?

I have been told that they often do not look at work permit at the airport. They only care if your TRV is valid or not. But then my question is - What if I come to Canada in 2030? I won't have a work permit or any other such document....but I will still have a TRV. So will they just let me in without any questions asked? Surely they will want to see something more than the just the TRV right? So won't they do that now as well?

If they see that I have less than 1 month left on my PGWP, won't they ask me a lot of questions like "have you booked your return tickets?", "when are you leaving Canada?" etc.

Also I currently do not have a job in Canada. I quit earlier this month. So coming back with no job would not look good.

Also another thing that makes this unique is the type of work permit - PGWP, which typically cannot be extended. I have heard that in the case of other open work permits, you are able to extend them so border officers might assume you are just intending on applying for an extension. But in this case, they KNOW that I cannot extend this.

Am I just being paranoid? Is it safe to travel out and come back to Canada any time before the PGWP expires (even 2 weeks before)?

 

[scylla]

My PGWP expires in late October 2025 however the TRV on my passport is valid till 2031.

If I travel out of Canada now, will I be able to easily enter again on October 1st 2025? Even though I would have less than 1 month on my permit at that point?

I have been told that they often do not look at work permit at the airport. They only care if your TRV is valid or not. But then my question is - What if I come to Canada in 2030? I won't have a work permit or any other such document....but I will still have a TRV. So will they just let me in without any questions asked? Surely they will want to see something more than the just the TRV right? So won't they do that now as well?

If they see that I have less than 1 month left on my PGWP, won't they ask me a lot of questions like "have you booked your return tickets?", "when are you leaving Canada?" etc.

Also I currently do not have a job in Canada. I quit earlier this month. So coming back with no job would not look good.

Also another thing that makes this unique is the type of work permit - PGWP, which typically cannot be extended. I have heard that in the case of other open work permits, you are able to extend them so border officers might assume you are just intending on applying for an extension. But in this case, they KNOW that I cannot extend this.

Am I just being paranoid? Is it safe to travel out and come back to Canada any time before the PGWP expires (even 2 weeks before)?

Whether you are allowed into Canada and for how long is always up to CBSA. If you are returning with just a few weeks left on your work permit, make sure you have a return ticket since you obviously won't be returning to Canada to live here but are essentially coming to visit.

Yes, they might ask for a return ticket and may ask when you plan to leave Canada. Or they may not ask any questions at all. It's really impossible for any of us to say.

 

[TacticalPolarBird]

Whether you are allowed into Canada and for how long is always up to CBSA. If you are returning with just a few weeks left on your work permit, make sure you have a return ticket since you obviously won't be returning to Canada to live here but are essentially coming to visit.

Yes, they might ask for a return ticket and may ask when you plan to leave Canada. Or they may not ask any questions at all. It's really impossible for any of us to say.

If they ask me for my return tickets or plans to leave Canada, can I tell them that I am planning on applying for PR under the humanitarian and compassionate grounds stream? Because that is what I'm planning on, but I'm not sure of my chances.

 

[Naturgrl]

If they ask me for my return tickets or plans to leave Canada, can I tell them that I am planning on applying for PR under the humanitarian and compassionate grounds stream? Because that is what I'm planning on, but I'm not sure of my chances.

Then you may be denied entry because no reason to leave Canada if applying under H&C. H&C takes years to process so you are in Canada without status and cannot work or access services. How are you eligible for H&C and you have left the country and stayed outside for so long? Makes no sense that you would be approved years from now. If eligible for H&C then don’t leave the country at all.

 

[scylla]

If they ask me for my return tickets or plans to leave Canada, can I tell them that I am planning on applying for PR under the humanitarian and compassionate grounds stream? Because that is what I'm planning on, but I'm not sure of my chances.

I certainly would not say that. You might find yourself being refused entry.

Also, if you plan to apply under H&C, I would not recommend leaving Canada. This will significantly weaken your case and make it look like you're using the H&C path because you can't qualify under an economic immigration stream vs having true H&C considerations.