Finally landed at Vancouver yesterday and process was pretty easy. No queue, we weren't asked for proof of funds or goods to follow (told to do it when we move over in 2 years). We were quizzed a bit on the Canadian address and tel no we gave, as we are only here for a week, but we just said it was a friends's address and we are coming back when cards arrive to collect them, probably in the new year. Immo officer was fine with that. Picked up our bags and that was that!

Just curious - why are so many people landing only to immediately return home and then move back to Canada months or years later? Why not just land and stay in Canada? I assume some people might even change their minds (or have their circumstances change) and so not ever return to Canada after landing?

Years ago I worked in Canada on a TWP. I applied for PR through London and was lucky enough to have my landing papers arrive at my parents' house while I was in the UK visiting them. I "landed" on my return trip to Canada. So my situation was different as I was already living in Canada at the time.

Sorry, should have posted this in the immigration section - jet lag!

In our case, when we applied there was much doom and gloom about possibly having a 10 year wait for processing - if ever. We were quoted processing in 42-48 months and my OH retires from the police with pension and lump sum in 2012 at 50 so we need to wait for that. As it happened, they cut 2 years of our processing time.

Big congrats ST it's so good to see one of the original 2007 applicants land, even if you are only there for a week, I am so happy for you after all this time xx

Because people have established lives and/or commitments and that can take a while to sort out. People are unwilling to sell houses, quit jobs, etc until they have PR.

But aren't you already approved as a permanent resident BEFORE you land? That is, haven't you already been issued with a PR visa? I would have thought that once you know that your PR visa has been approved, that's the time to start selling your house and doing the other things that need to be done before moving to Canada. Why "land" first and then return home to take care of the things you could have taken care of BEFORE landing?

I know that there's a certain date that you must land by once your PR visa has been approved. Is this timeframe not sufficient?

That'd be exactly my question...!

[QUOTE=MarylandNed;8938678

I know that there's a certain date that you must land by once your PR visa has been approved. Is this timeframe not sufficient?[/QUOTE]

You'd think that they'd give a fair bit of time, esp considering how long they make you wait.

No, often it is not. You have a year from the time you took your medicals, so often considerably less than a year from receiving PR.

In our case we wanted to land and get kids into schools at the start of school year, and it can take many months to complete a house sale in the UK ..... so we came over and landed and I went back to finish selling the house

CHC's instructions (advice?) are that you don't quit your job or sell your property etc until you have PR granted ... thank goodness we didn't listen to that!

Let me see if I have this correct. People are landing so that their PR visa doesn't expire. Once they officially "land", they officially become PR's (can obtain a PR card) and then only have to spend 2 of the next 5 years in Canada to keep their PR status. So now they return home and have more time to prepare for their real arrival in Canada - which, ironically, is not their official "landing" as that already happened months or even years earlier.

It seems like a silly system. I think Canada should just allow you a year to complete the move once the PR visa has been approved - not a year from the medicals. I understand that they might be concerned that someone's medical condition may have changed within a year but immigrants can get around this by simply doing what they're doing now - landing and returning home. In fact, this increased timeframe means that the medical is even more likely to be out of date once the PR finally does move to Canada for real.

hmmm ... maybe you should point this out to the Canadian Immigration and Citizenship folks?

Hi

CORRECT!!

We're in the same position. We're in final stage, just submitted another set of police checks after 3.5 years process time and now just awaiting PPR.

Medicals expire 8th Jan 2011!!!!!! There's no chance to sort anything out prior. So we're landing and coming back and giving ourselves a year. You also should consider about the people have gone and having to return home because they can't find jobs. While they're so much uncertainty here in the UK it's best to try and secure jobs before moving, if poss????

I can tell you that our plans have changed considerably since first submitting our application. The main factor has been because of the recession!


Angela

Hi Congrats on your landing........we too did the landing thing this year but are not going across until summer next year....also like you my 30 years police pension kicks in at that time.............its all just good planning I think

Many congrats on your landing! We too landed this year but return for good next June when daughter completes her 'A' levels. Personally I think it's nice to have the chance to return and make your plans, knowing that you have the security of having your PR cards.

Yes - and that's always going to be an option. However, what's the point in forcing people to do it simply because they haven't been given enough time between their PR visa being issued and their medicals expiring? It would seem to make more sense to give people sufficient time to prepare for their move in the first place. Peple can always stilll land and return home if they want to - but they wouldn't be FORCED to do so because of expiring medicals.

If Cic had a set time frame and stuck to it I'm sure we would all be able to land when PR visas are issued, but they are not, that is why people especially those with children and other commitments don't want to move again after selling also most rentals are min 1 year, we like many others put our house on the market and after a year still no joy in the current climate, We like many others need that money in order to move, maybe once the market picks up ( if ) people can Gage better how long it will take them to sell.

I would be overjoyed to have our visa and land even if we couldn't move there yet, instead We are still waiting for CIC to pull there finger out