New permanent residents doing a 'soft landing' — a short initial entry to activate PR status — sometimes get conflicting family advice about whether it's safe to leave Canada again before the physical PR card arrives.
What group members advised, and where opinions differ:- The cautious view: wait in Canada until your PR card physically arrives before leaving, to avoid any complications proving your status when re-entering.
- The more relaxed view: there's no real issue leaving right away — your PR status is confirmed at landing regardless of when the card arrives, and you can arrange for the card to be mailed to a trusted contact's Canadian address (like a friend's) if you won't be there to receive it.
Because opinions genuinely differ here, weigh your own risk tolerance: leaving early avoids extra time away from home/work, but you'll need a reliable way to receive your PR card by mail and a way to prove status (like your COPR) if questioned when re-entering without the card in hand.