A new PR doing a soft landing worried about the border question on duration of stay — having read that people who admitted to short visits had their PR card processing not initiated. Members clarified both the script and the stakes:
- The purpose question matters more than the duration question. Members said officers typically ask the purpose of travel, and the correct answer is that you are landing as a permanent resident for the first time. One member framed the fuller version: you're coming for permanent settlement as a PR, because that is your end goal — a truthful statement even if this particular trip is short.
- A short stay can't strip your PR status. The key reassurance: even if the officer learns it's a brief visit and doesn't initiate the PR card, you are still a permanent resident from the moment you land. Status comes from landing, not from the card.
- The card can be sorted afterwards. If the card isn't initiated at landing, you can call IRCC, provide a Canadian mailing address, and ask for the card to be processed. The card is a travel document, not the status itself.
- On the return ticket: the poster asked whether officers can see a booked return flight. The thread didn't resolve what officers can check — but the sensible read of the members' advice is to answer truthfully about settlement intent rather than constructing a story around what may or may not be visible.