My point exactly - which is how this discussion came about the first time. You implied that "landers and leavers" had 60 days after landing to get driving licenses, that there was an urgent need for SINs, and that it was compulsory to have a PR card to return to Canada. Imho none of those statements was accurate, I didn't want them to pass into forum legend so I stated the reasons why each was not necessary.

I think you conceded I was right on the driving license and SIN, but you wouldn't agree about the PR card - your prerogative. If you want a discussion about it, I'll discuss. If you just want to make more sarky comments and thinly-veiled insults, I won't.

I wouldn't advocate trying to live life as PR in Canada without one, this debate sprung from an earlier one where JCExit was telling someone who was landing and leaving that they would not get back in to Canada without a PR card. As you've experienced, that's definitely not the case.

I've re entered Canada several times from the UK and US since becoming a PR and every airline has asked me for the PR Card at check in at both Manchester Airport and Chicago. I'm sure if I didn't have it I could have argued my way in based on my UK Passport, however there is no guarantee and the airline is allowed to refuse you boarding so I'd think it best to have it unless you don't mind running the risk of spending excessive amounts of time in airports.

In that respect the PR Card is just a travel document guarantee to the airline that you will be granted access and they won't have to pay to fly you back if you are refused entry to Canada. So as said earlier with a visa waiver passport they are presuming that you will be granted access. That thinking is slightly flawed though because if you are a PR then you can only be admitted to Canada as a PR, not as a visitor, so you still have to prove to immigration canada you are a Permanent Resident. The visa in your passport is not proof of current PR status, just proof you were given a visa to land at one point. Also the piece of landing paper in your passport is not proof. The only simple proof is a PR Card which will allow for easy re entry to Canada once you reach customs and immigration.

If you don't have the PR Card then you have to prove you are a PR and also prove your PR status has not been voided by such actions as remaining outside Canada for more than the allowed time etc. So if you are a new PR then it's impossible to have stayed out too long and 99% of the time you will meet a reasonable agent who will let you in as a PR. If you have been a PR for a while then without a PR Card you may be more hard pressed to prove you have met residency requirements, you may be referred to the immigration desk to explain yourself. Now you might have no problem doing so but it's still a hassle to stand in line for hours waiting.

If you can't prove you are a PR then you have to leave because what they can't do is just admit you as a visitor based on your visa waiver type passport. I believe that technically if they do admit you as a visitor then you are jeapordising your PR status as you cannot be in the country under two different immiration statuses at the same time.

Everytime I have re-entered Canada with the PR card it has resulted in a quick question of where I went and why and then straight through. I think it much easier to do that and have it as a travel document than wonder every time you go to an airport to fly to Canada whether you will be let on the plane and everytime you enter Canada wondering if you will have to spend half an hour debating with an immigration agent as to whether you really are a PR or not based on an old visa and your driving licence or something.

Drew

Wow, that's an old thread you're replying to!

Being in possession of a PR card doesn't prove you have valid PR status though, and it's only your valid PR status that guarantees you entry - you said yourself that things like COPR and cancelled PR visa in your passport aren't proof enough, why would you think the PR card is any different?

Mr B was asked for PR card on a ThomasCook charter, and it's clear their policy is misguided, but I agree, no point trying to argue that with a check-in clerk. If you want to fly with them, either buy a return ticket or have a PR card/travel doc/Canadian passport - those are their rules. Simple. He's not been asked for it by Air Canada, by Skyservice charter, or by AA or United via Chicago...strange that you were.

Nobody's saying travel with the PR card isn't preferable, the point is several forum members insist that you will not be readmitted to Canada or allowed to board Canada-bound scheduled transportation without a card, and that's just not the case for visa-waiver nationals. This is useful to know for landers and leavers who may not have access to a Canadian address for the card to be sent to, or for card-less visa-waiver PRs who need to travel urgently, that's why I keep harping on about it every time I see a post that says "you can't get back to Canada without a PR card"

There's a good Wikipedia article on PR cards here - scroll down to "Required to enter Canada" section.