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I recently got my permanent residence in Canada; until my PR card arrives, they provided me with a piece of paper. Unfortunately the airline does not accept that piece of paper to let you on the plane. There is such a thing called an emergency travel permit that one can obtain from outside Canada, which airlines accept, but I will not have enough time to get it in time as it takes 2 weeks on average for it to get processed and they send my passport back.

In all of this drama, I do have a valid multiple-entry work visa from Canada from the past that expires on October 15. My return flight is on October 14. Do you think the airline will let me on the plane?

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    I was flying to SeaTac or Bellingham and took the bus home to Vancouver while I was in this situation but then again, I had a ten year multientry B1/B2 visa to the USA. And most of my trips were in the USA anyways. Finally: welcome to Travel SE and Canada!
    – user4188
    Commented Sep 16, 2017 at 0:22
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    Hold on, are you in Canada already? If so, then do you have a visa for where you are going? I have never been asked by any airline to check if I can come back.
    – Itai
    Commented Sep 16, 2017 at 2:02
  • Canada visas work like US visas. For a visitor the expiry date is the last day you can enter but your stay can extend well beyond that expiry date. The airline should let you on the plane if you'll arrive in Canada before your visa expires, but your dates leave you so tight that I have no idea if they actually will.
    – user38879
    Commented Sep 16, 2017 at 4:07
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    Its not clear if you are currently outside of Canada or not. Can you clarify?
    – Burhan Khalid
    Commented Sep 16, 2017 at 4:23
  • @Itai they will certainly check whether he can come back when he checks in to come back.
    – phoog
    Commented Sep 16, 2017 at 4:47

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The airline might allow with the work permit visa but I think it's a risk; I would never do it. You are basically boarding the flight on the incorrect visa (now that you are a PR) and trying to clear customs with another (CoPR). What if the Canadian immigration officer asks you why you are showing him/her your CoPR instead of your PR card/PR visa/PR Travel document that he/she assumes you used to board the flight? Noone knows (or atleast I don't) whether the airline shares the information with CBSA after you board your flight. E.g., does it show up on the CBSA officer's screen that you boarded with the visa type/visa number etc. My guess is it doesn't, but do you want to take the risk of being denied entry/accused of traveling with false papers at the Canadian border?

The reason I say this is because once you became a PR, your visa will no longer be valid, atleast on the CBSA's side.

After I became a PR and had to travel back to Canada without the PR card (it's processing got delayed and I had to leave Canada for US), I applied for a PRTD and I got it within a week of applying. I boarded the flight with that and the CBSA didn't even ask for my CoPR, just looked at PRTD and let me in.

I would recommend applying for a PR travel document. It is relatively easy and quick to get. I got mine in 7 days, shipping time included. Note that you have to be outside Canada to apply for a PRTD.

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