{"id":2488,"date":"2026-11-12T20:53:41","date_gmt":"2026-11-12T20:53:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.lawgicalcorp.com\/blog\/dual-intent-visit-canada-pr-pending\/"},"modified":"2026-11-12T20:53:41","modified_gmt":"2026-11-12T20:53:41","slug":"dual-intent-visit-canada-pr-pending","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.lawgicalcorp.com\/blog\/dual-intent-visit-canada-pr-pending\/","title":{"rendered":"Dual intent: visiting Canada while a PR application or sponsorship is pending"},"content":{"rendered":"

By Prabhpreet Kaur Sangha<\/a>, lawyer at Lawgical Law Corporation \u00b7 Reviewed November 12, 2026<\/em><\/p>\n

Prabhpreet Kaur Sangha is a lawyer at Lawgical Law Corporation, called to the BC bar in 2019, and a member of the Law Society of British Columbia<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n

Updated November 12, 2026: IRPA s. 22(2) and recent Federal Court decisions checked that day.<\/em><\/p>\n

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The rule:<\/strong> wanting to become a permanent resident later doesn’t stop you from getting a visitor visa (IRPA s. 22(2)).<\/p>\n

The catch:<\/strong> the officer must still be satisfied you’ll leave if your PR isn’t approved before your visit ends.<\/p>\n

Why a lawyer:<\/strong> dual intent refusals are common, and some don’t follow the law. Why a lawyer<\/a><\/p>\n

Book a consultation<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Our immigration lawyers<\/p>\n

\"SundeepSundeep S. Grewal<\/span>Barrister and Solicitor<\/span><\/a>\"PrabhpreetPrabhpreet Kaur Sangha<\/span>Barrister and Solicitor<\/span><\/a>\"PardeepPardeep S. Grewal<\/span>Barrister and Solicitor<\/span><\/a><\/div>\n
\nAbout our lawyers<\/summary>\n
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Sundeep S. Grewal<\/a><\/strong> founded Lawgical Law Corporation and argues immigration cases at the Immigration and Refugee Board and the Federal Court of Canada.<\/p>\n

Prabhpreet Kaur Sangha<\/a><\/strong> focuses on refugee claims, immigration appeals, inadmissibility, detention reviews and Federal Court cases, and has presented at Continuing Legal Education seminars and the National Immigration Conference.<\/p>\n

Pardeep S. Grewal<\/a><\/strong> is an immigration and estates lawyer known for clear communication and practical strategy.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/details>\n<\/div>\n

Many people want to visit Canada while a permanent residence application or spousal sponsorship is in process: to see a spouse, attend a family event, or look at the place they’ll live. The law allows this. Section 22(2) of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act says an intention to become a permanent resident doesn’t stop someone from becoming a temporary resident, if the officer is satisfied they’ll leave at the end of their authorized stay. In practice, officers often doubt that someone with a pending PR application will leave. The Federal Court has said treating an intention to seek PR as proof of an intention to overstay is contrary to section 22(2).<\/p>\n

Lawgical Law Corporation<\/a>, an immigration law firm in Surrey, Abbotsford and Vancouver, BC, applies for visitor visas for people with PR applications or sponsorships in process and challenges refusals; this guide is by Prabhpreet Kaur Sangha.<\/p>\n

The law<\/h2>\n

IRPA s. 22(2): an intention to become a permanent resident doesn’t preclude someone from becoming a temporary resident, if the officer is satisfied they’ll leave by the end of the authorized period. In Lee v. Canada (Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness)<\/em>, 2026 FC 32, the Court set aside an exclusion order where the officer treated a candid mention of a future PR application as proof of intent to overstay.<\/p>\n

How to show you’ll leave<\/h2>\n