The biggest myth I hear over and over is “you will lose your permanent resident status if you do not have a valid PR card”. This is not correct.
The PR (permanent resident) card was originally introduced for the purpose of travelling outside of Canada – when a PR returns to Canada via a commercial transportation, a PR card is the final determination for commercial transportation people to let PRs onto their carriers (i.e. flights to Canada). Over the years, provinces start using the PR card as an identification card, to withhold social services, such as health benefits. This was not an original purpose of PR card.
If you do not have a valid PR card, there are a number of options to consider to protect your PR status; without losing it. You should seek professional assistance as to your best option to proceed.
Discussion as part of article “Expired Maple Leaf Card can turn immigrants into exiles”
If you have any individual questions or concerns, please contact our office for more customized consultation for your unique situation. Please note that this posting is for general information only and is not to be considered binding or official legal counsel since situations will vary and can be complicated. The content in this post is current as of the day of entry. Due to the changing nature of Immigration law, the information in this entry may or may not still be applicable.