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Contents 1 Introduction 2 Visiting Canada but not "landing" 3 "Landing" in Canada and returning to UK 4 "Landing" and staying in Canada 5 A couple of caveats 6 Landing from within Canada 7 Update 8 Related Information

[edit] Introduction

• Once you have your permanent residence visa, you officially can "land" and activate your permanent resident (PR) status within one year of your immigration medical.

[edit] Visiting Canada but not "landing"

• If you want to go to Canada on a recce trip, but do not want to activate your PR status, that's okay.

• Just tell the immigration officer at your Canadian port of entry that you have a PR visa but do not yet want to "land."

• But remember that you have only one year from the date of your medicals in which to "land."

[edit] "Landing" in Canada and returning to UK

• You are allowed to "land" in Canada, activate your PR status, and return to the UK immediately -- even on the next plane back if that's how you want to handle it.

• If you want to maintain your PR status in Canada, however, you must meet your Residency Obligation.
  • That is, you must spend a cumulated total of two years out of any five year period in Canada.
  • The clock starts ticking on the date of your "landing" and the activiation of your PR status.

• You cannot get a provincial driver's licence or register with the relevant health care insurance plan during your "landing" trip.
  • Both require proof of residence in the province (e.g., residential lease agreement, offer to purchase property, etc.).

• Although it's not essential to do so during your landing trip, you could apply for a Social Insurance Number (SIN) if you wanted to do so.
  • Your SIN card supposedly is mailed to you within five business days.
  • But, depending on the length of your landing trip, it may or may not be worth risking it (in case you're forced to return to the UK before you receive your SIN card in the mail).
  • It also would be okay to delay applying for your SIN until you'd returned to Canada to settle.

• If you have not already done so by that time, it would be a good idea to open a Canadian bank account during your landing trip.
  • Note that you do not require a SIN in order to open a bank account.

[edit] "Landing" and staying in Canada

• Welcome to Canada!

• You can go ahead and carry out the chores listed in the BE Wiki article called Arrival To Do List-Canada.

[edit] A couple of caveats

• All the members of a migrating family are permitted to "land" in Canada and activate their permanent resident status at the same time. The family members also are allowed to land at different times. If family members land at different times, the principal applicant must land first. The accompanying dependents are not permitted to land before the principal applicant.

• Keep in mind, too, that the principal applicant must arrive in Canada before your Goods To Follow. If your possessions arrive in Canada before you do, they must be stored in a bonded warehouse until you reach Canada and get customs clearance for them.

[edit] Landing from within Canada

[edit] Update

• Note dated November 4th, 2008: According to the BE forum discussion thread entitled In-Canada landing for family and economic classes, the Canadian government now allows permanent residence (PR) visa applicants in the family and economic classes to undergo an in-Canada landing process if they have applied for PR abroad but are temporarily in Canada when their visas are issued.

• This would apply if, for example, you were in Canada on a temporary work permit when your permanent residence application was approved.

[edit] Related Information

• There are many relevant articles in the Moving Logistics section of the BE Wiki.