Looking for some advice (IEC Visa)
Feb 5th 2018, 1:44 pm
#1
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Thread Starter
Joined: Jan 2017
Posts: 7
Looking for some advice (IEC Visa)
Greetings everyone!
I was just wondering if the experienced posters on here would be able to help me with some of the many questions that have been floating around my brain. I apologize in advance for the length, and also if the answers to my questions are easy enought to find myself - I'm a little bit stressed out as I'm sure you can all understand.
I am planning to fly out to Canada in the second week of March to activate my IEC visa. I'm in the final planning stage and will be finalizing my flights, insurance and initial accomodation this week.
Currently my long term plan is as follows:
Live and work as a "Canadian" in Toronto for a year, then do the tourist thing, road tripping across Canada and the US, before heading back to the UK for a few weeks and finally onto Australia to start my second Working Holiday there.
Along with answers to my questions below, I would really appreciate a reality check as well regarding my short term plan. I'm hoping to get my SIN at the airport along with a cheap PAYG sim and then start applying for jobs as soon as I check into my accomodation. I'm not as skilled as some of the other posters on here so I shall be aiming for a job in retail. I was thinking that I'd stay in a hotel/hostel for a week or so and try to find a temporary sublet to move in to, looking for something more permanent once I've secured a job. Does this sound feasible? I would love to get a bachelor or basement apartment but I think I may have to stick with shared accomodation.
1) Is it worth renting a post box before I open a bank account or will any address do? Apart from my passport and work permit, is there anything else I would need to open a bank account? I bank with Barclays here in the UK so I will probably look to open an account with Scotiabank.
2) As mentioned above, I am currently planning on working for a year first before I do any sort of travelling inside Canada - I am hoping to just use public transport during this period. When the time comes to travel, I would like to hire a rental car, rather than buying my own vehicle. With regards to my UK license, am I right in thinking that I have 60 days to exchange it from when I land, and not from a time of my own choosing?
3) For those of you who have returned to the UK from Canada, is it an easy process to get your UK driving license reissued? Obviously they will be aware that I have exchanged it for a Canadian one - will there be any hassle? I expect it won't be cheap. Is it something that I could do online during the final part of my road trip through the US or would I need to arrange it whilst back in the UK? Can it be done in a few weeks? My address won't have changed from the one on file.
4) Do I need to present a copy of my driving record when I exchange my license? I'm planning to get one anyway for when I rent a car further down the line.
5) The whole US visa thing is very confusing so I've decided to leave it until the end of my trip. As I'm going to Canada first, I know that I'll need a B1/B2 visa. From my brief research on the subject I gather that I can do the interview at the consulate in Toronto despite being a UK national. Would someone be kind enough to relay their own experience with this?
6) My first job applications will be going out to an employer (a Multinational) that I worked for briefly in Australia. Should I be lucky enough to get anywhere with them, I will be looking to find accomodation around the edges of the City of Toronto near where they're based - are rental scams prevalent all over of the GTA or are they mainly confined to the downtown area?
7) Is there anything that I can bring with me that would help during the rental process? I'm afraid that I just stuck to sublets when I was in Australia and I have no rental history here in the UK.
Thanks in advance
I was just wondering if the experienced posters on here would be able to help me with some of the many questions that have been floating around my brain. I apologize in advance for the length, and also if the answers to my questions are easy enought to find myself - I'm a little bit stressed out as I'm sure you can all understand.
I am planning to fly out to Canada in the second week of March to activate my IEC visa. I'm in the final planning stage and will be finalizing my flights, insurance and initial accomodation this week.
Currently my long term plan is as follows:
Live and work as a "Canadian" in Toronto for a year, then do the tourist thing, road tripping across Canada and the US, before heading back to the UK for a few weeks and finally onto Australia to start my second Working Holiday there.
Along with answers to my questions below, I would really appreciate a reality check as well regarding my short term plan. I'm hoping to get my SIN at the airport along with a cheap PAYG sim and then start applying for jobs as soon as I check into my accomodation. I'm not as skilled as some of the other posters on here so I shall be aiming for a job in retail. I was thinking that I'd stay in a hotel/hostel for a week or so and try to find a temporary sublet to move in to, looking for something more permanent once I've secured a job. Does this sound feasible? I would love to get a bachelor or basement apartment but I think I may have to stick with shared accomodation.
1) Is it worth renting a post box before I open a bank account or will any address do? Apart from my passport and work permit, is there anything else I would need to open a bank account? I bank with Barclays here in the UK so I will probably look to open an account with Scotiabank.
2) As mentioned above, I am currently planning on working for a year first before I do any sort of travelling inside Canada - I am hoping to just use public transport during this period. When the time comes to travel, I would like to hire a rental car, rather than buying my own vehicle. With regards to my UK license, am I right in thinking that I have 60 days to exchange it from when I land, and not from a time of my own choosing?
3) For those of you who have returned to the UK from Canada, is it an easy process to get your UK driving license reissued? Obviously they will be aware that I have exchanged it for a Canadian one - will there be any hassle? I expect it won't be cheap. Is it something that I could do online during the final part of my road trip through the US or would I need to arrange it whilst back in the UK? Can it be done in a few weeks? My address won't have changed from the one on file.
4) Do I need to present a copy of my driving record when I exchange my license? I'm planning to get one anyway for when I rent a car further down the line.
5) The whole US visa thing is very confusing so I've decided to leave it until the end of my trip. As I'm going to Canada first, I know that I'll need a B1/B2 visa. From my brief research on the subject I gather that I can do the interview at the consulate in Toronto despite being a UK national. Would someone be kind enough to relay their own experience with this?
6) My first job applications will be going out to an employer (a Multinational) that I worked for briefly in Australia. Should I be lucky enough to get anywhere with them, I will be looking to find accomodation around the edges of the City of Toronto near where they're based - are rental scams prevalent all over of the GTA or are they mainly confined to the downtown area?
7) Is there anything that I can bring with me that would help during the rental process? I'm afraid that I just stuck to sublets when I was in Australia and I have no rental history here in the UK.
Thanks in advance
Feb 5th 2018, 2:03 pm
#2
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Joined: Feb 2014
Location: Done with condescending old hags
Posts: 1,194
Re: Looking for some advice (IEC Visa)
along with a cheap PAYG sim and then start applying for jobs as soon as I check into my accomodation. I'm not as skilled as some of the other posters on here so I shall be aiming for a job in retail. I was thinking that I'd stay in a hotel/hostel for a week or so and try to find a temporary sublet to move in to, looking for something more permanent once I've secured a job. Does this sound feasible? I would love to get a bachelor or basement apartment but I think I may have to stick with shared accomodation.
1) Is it worth renting a post box before I open a bank account or will any address do? Apart from my passport and work permit, is there anything else I would need to open a bank account? I bank with Barclays here in the UK so I will probably look to open an account with Scotiabank.
2) As mentioned above, I am currently planning on working for a year first before I do any sort of travelling inside Canada - I am hoping to just use public transport during this period. When the time comes to travel, I would like to hire a rental car, rather than buying my own vehicle. With regards to my UK license, am I right in thinking that I have 60 days to exchange it from when I land, and not from a time of my own choosing?
Yes.
3) For those of you who have returned to the UK from Canada, is it an easy process to get your UK driving license reissued? Obviously they will be aware that I have exchanged it for a Canadian one - will there be any hassle? I expect it won't be cheap. Is it something that I could do online during the final part of my road trip through the US or would I need to arrange it whilst back in the UK? Can it be done in a few weeks? My address won't have changed from the one on file.
Get a D1 form from any post office, fill in name, date or birth, UK driver licence number, mail it off with your Ontario (or whatever licence you have then) licence enclosed, your GB one will be re-issued within a couple of weeks.
Edit: From your stated plan, wouldn't it be easier to just swap the Canadian licence when you get to Australia?
5) The whole US visa thing is very confusing so I've decided to leave it until the end of my trip. As I'm going to Canada first, I know that I'll need a B1/B2 visa. From my brief research on the subject I gather that I can do the interview at the consulate in Toronto despite being a UK national. Would someone be kind enough to relay their own experience with this?
You would only technically require a B2 tourist visa if you planned on going to Canada via the US first, not the other way around.
Feb 6th 2018, 12:05 pm
#3
Just Joined
Thread Starter
Joined: Jan 2017
Posts: 7
Re: Looking for some advice (IEC Visa)
You can do this at Toronto Pearson (and no other airport)
A week might be a short time, depends on how picky you are. Rents in Canada often go month-month, so if you arrive early in the month, you might find it hard to find one within a week. Or you might find one in perfect time to start the next month, or immediately. Always hard to say.
I was thinking of looking for a sublet first, perhaps covering someone's rent whilst there on holiday or something. I'll need a job first before I look for anything permanent - no point working at one end of the city and living at the other
I have never heard of anyone renting a post box before arrival. You will need passport, permit and an address to open an account, and they'll probably demand your SIN as well.
I was thinking of renting a post box on my first/second day in town just to make it easier to receive my PIN from the bank but after looking at the Canada Post site I don't think I'll be able to as a foreigner. Could I use the Poste Restante/General Delivery service instead?
https://www.ontario.ca/page/exchange...rivers-licence
Yes.
Thank you for the link
You're right, it's not cheap. It's free.
Get a D1 form from any post office, fill in name, date or birth, UK driver licence number, mail it off with your Ontario (or whatever licence you have then) licence enclosed, your GB one will be re-issued within a couple of weeks.
Edit: From your stated plan, wouldn't it be easier to just swap the Canadian licence when you get to Australia?
That's a pleasant surprise. Do you mean swapping the Canadian for an Australian license? I think it'll be simpler to get it whilst I'm back home but we'll see.
If you're planning on being in the US three months or less, you will only require an I94W for $6 at the land border (or an ESTA if flying in). Your plan should probably finish in Canada if you will own a car you need to sell, as international importation for sale is far less straightforward.
You would only technically require a B2 tourist visa if you planned on going to Canada via the US first, not the other way around.
A week might be a short time, depends on how picky you are. Rents in Canada often go month-month, so if you arrive early in the month, you might find it hard to find one within a week. Or you might find one in perfect time to start the next month, or immediately. Always hard to say.
I was thinking of looking for a sublet first, perhaps covering someone's rent whilst there on holiday or something. I'll need a job first before I look for anything permanent - no point working at one end of the city and living at the other
I have never heard of anyone renting a post box before arrival. You will need passport, permit and an address to open an account, and they'll probably demand your SIN as well.
I was thinking of renting a post box on my first/second day in town just to make it easier to receive my PIN from the bank but after looking at the Canada Post site I don't think I'll be able to as a foreigner. Could I use the Poste Restante/General Delivery service instead?
https://www.ontario.ca/page/exchange...rivers-licence
Yes.
Thank you for the link
You're right, it's not cheap. It's free.
Get a D1 form from any post office, fill in name, date or birth, UK driver licence number, mail it off with your Ontario (or whatever licence you have then) licence enclosed, your GB one will be re-issued within a couple of weeks.
Edit: From your stated plan, wouldn't it be easier to just swap the Canadian licence when you get to Australia?
That's a pleasant surprise. Do you mean swapping the Canadian for an Australian license? I think it'll be simpler to get it whilst I'm back home but we'll see.
If you're planning on being in the US three months or less, you will only require an I94W for $6 at the land border (or an ESTA if flying in). Your plan should probably finish in Canada if you will own a car you need to sell, as international importation for sale is far less straightforward.
You would only technically require a B2 tourist visa if you planned on going to Canada via the US first, not the other way around.
