Many permanent residence applicants have one big question: Can I travel outside Canada while my PR application is being processed? The short answer is yes — but with important exceptions AND conditions on your status, documentation, and re-entry into Canada. Below is a practical breakdown of what you need to know as of 2026.
1. Can I leave Canada after I submit my PR application?
Yes, with some exceptions, such as the In-Canada Spousal Sponsorship application, Humanitarian and Compassionate Application, and so on. Submitting a PR application to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) doesn’t automatically stop you from traveling. Many applicants leave Canada while their application is in process, especially for short visits home or brief travel. CIC News. However, your right to travel is dependent on the type of PR applications you have made, and whether you have a right to re-enter Canada after your departure.
However, leaving Canada doesn’t pause your application; IRCC continues processing whether you’re inside or outside the country. CIC News
If you need to respond in a timely manner with appropriate required responses within the required response deadline, you must be careful in planning your travel to make sure that you don’t miss anything..
2. What matters most for re-entry to Canada?
Leaving Canada is one thing, but returning is another. To re-enter Canada after traveling while your PR application is being processed, you need:
✔ A valid travel document
- A valid passport from your home country (or another valid travel document).
- If you need it, a valid temporary resident visa (TRV) or Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA) for re-entry.
- Note: A work permit or study permit alone does not let you enter Canada, it only authorizes your stay/work/study once you’re inside. IRCC Canada
These requirements are the same as those for any temporary resident returning to Canada. IRCC Canada
✔ Your current temporary status
Because PR status is not yet granted until final decision and documentation (e.g., Confirmation of Permanent Residence and PR card), when you return, you’ll usually enter as a:
- Visitor, OR
- Worker/student if your work or study permit is still valid and you have the right travel authorization. CIC News
3. What if I’m waiting for a Bridging Open Work Permit (BOWP)?
If you applied for a Bridging Open Work Permit (BOWP) after submitting your PR application, you can leave Canada while it’s being processed, but:
- If your current work permit expires while you’re abroad, you cannot work until your BOWP is approved when you return to Canada and you must have a TRV or eTA (depending on the passport you may hold) to re-enter Canada. Canada
Still, your travel itself won’t invalidate your application for BOWP. Canada
4. Will traveling outside Canada delay my PR application?
Not usually. IRCC continues processing your application, whether you’re in Canada or abroad. However:
- If IRCC needs to send you a request for additional documents or a portal message, you must promptly respond, even from abroad, to avoid delay within the specific deadline, such as 5 or 10 or 30-day timeframe in general.
- If you’re outside Canada and IRCC invites you to complete a step at a visa office (e.g., an interview), that may affect how your application is finalized.
Always check your IRCC secure account (portal) regularly.
5. Could IRCC consider my application abandoned if I leave Canada?
No — leaving Canada does not automatically abandon your application UNLESS your PR application is based on In-Canada spousal sponsorship application or humanitarian and compassionate application. PR decisions are based on your eligibility and documentation, not physical presence in Canada during processing – as a result, if your PR application is in fact requiring you to continue residing in Canada as one of the requirements to be successful, you must remain in Canada – you need to know this eligibility before making any travel plans. CIC News
That said, being outside Canada on the date IRCC sends a request you failed to see and respond to may delay processing or lead to refusal. Always monitor communications.
6. What about after PR is approved but before I get a PR card?
PR approval often comes before you receive your PR card: the travel document that most airlines and commercial carriers require to return to Canada. Canada
In that case:
- You may use your TRV or eTA to re-enter as a visitor, worker, or student first.
- You must apply for a Permanent Resident Travel Document (PRTD) from abroad to return by plane, bus, boat, or train. Canada
- Without a valid PR card or PRTD, you cannot board a commercial carrier to come back to Canada. Canada
It is essential to review the process by which your PR application is approved. If your permanent address is in Canada, you would be requested to land via an online portal, which requires you to be inside of Canada. If your PR application lists an overseas address as your permanent address, you will need to submit your passport information to obtain your Confirmation of Permanent Residence. Depending on your travel plan and your availability, you may wish to get all your documents in your home country (if you are traveling to your home country), to initiate your PR status when you re-enter Canada.
7. What if my temporary status expires while I’m away?
If your work permit, study permit, visa, or eTA expires while you’re outside Canada:
- You may be unable to return until you renew or obtain a new travel document FIRST. Without your passport, you cannot do much in terms of re-entering Canada, unless you have some exceptional circumstances.
- In some situations, you could return as a visitor or under maintained status, but you might lose permission to work or study until re-entry. IRCC Canada
Make sure all travel authorizations remain valid throughout your trip.
8. Tips to minimize risks before you travel
✔ Check if your PR application allows you to travel during its processing.
✔ Check that your passport, TRV or eTA, and work/study permit will be valid for the entire duration of your trip and re-entry.
✔ Ensure you’re checking your IRCC account daily while abroad for messages.
✔ If possible, complete critical steps (e.g., portal confirmations) before you leave.
✔ Plan short trips when key PR processing steps are imminent.
✔ Consult an immigration lawyer if your case has unique conditions (e.g., spousal sponsorship inland applications).
Bottom Line
Yes, you can leave Canada while your PR application is being processed. But there’s a big distinction between leaving and returning. To return safely:
- Make sure which PR application you applied to, to determine if you are allowed to travel during its processing
- Travel with all required travel authorizations (passport, TRV/eTA).
- Maintain a valid temporary status (if applicable).
- Respond promptly to all IRCC communications.
- Understand that you’ll re-enter on your temporary status, not yet as a permanent resident, until final confirmation and PR card issuance. CIC News