移民局官网的内容如下:
Time Lived in Canada
To keep your permanent resident status, you must have been in Canada for at least 730 days during the last five years. These 730 days don’t need to be continuous. Some of your time abroad may count towards the 730 days.
Losing your permanent resident status
You don’t lose your permanent resident status when your PR card expires. You can only lose your status if you go through an official process.
You can lose your permanent resident status if:
- an adjudicator determines you are no longer a permanent resident after an inquiry or PRTD appeal;
- you voluntarily renounce your permanent resident status;
- a removal order is made against you and comes into force; or
- you become a Canadian citizen.
Even if you don't meet the residency obligation, you are still a PR until an official decision is made on your status.
Voluntarily giving up (renouncing) permanent resident status
Losing your permanent resident status does not happen automatically.
There may come a time when you no longer want to be a permanent resident of Canada. For example, if you do not want to wait for a visa officer to do a formal assessment of your permanent resident status.
You may not be able to enter Canada until your permanent resident status is resolved either by receiving a permanent resident travel document or by voluntarily giving up your permanent resident status.
简单说:
枫叶卡过期不意味着失去移民身份。
但是如果没有在枫叶卡的五年有效期内住满730天就失去移民身份。
但这个“失去”不会自动发生,必须经过一个正式的官方程序。
如果想进入加拿大,但又不想耗时等待移民官对自己移民身份的正式评估,可以选择填写表格主动放弃移民身份。
枫叶卡过期的情况下,进入加拿大只有两种方法:申请“移民身份专用的旅行文件TD”,或者主动申请放弃移民身份后申请签证。