For someone whose PR application is still in 'applied' status, wanting to leave Canada and come back on a work permit or TRV, members clarified the key distinction:
- A student-type visa holder may extend or switch to a work permit. For someone on an existing study-related status, extending or converting to a work permit is a viable option while the PR application is pending.
- A work permit alone is not a valid travel document. This is the critical point: a work permit authorizes you to work but does not by itself let you re-enter Canada.
- Use a TRV to re-enter before COPR is issued. Since your PR application hasn't resulted in Confirmation of Permanent Residence (COPR) yet, a valid TRV is what actually allows re-entry — the work permit would need to be paired with that.
Takeaway: if your PR application is still pending (before COPR), don't assume a work permit alone lets you travel and return — you need a valid TRV (or other travel document) to re-enter; the work permit governs your right to work once you're back in the country.