Revin Kevin

Hi and hello,

It looks like we will receive COPR quite soon, we are Provincial Nominees, we were always planning to do a landing trip and then move over at a later date. Quite seperatly we have a pre arranged visit coming up to the US and will be flying into Montreal and then car to New York State, Montreal is not in our nominated province but we the would like to use the trip as our landing trip if the COPR comes through in time. I have read that the border guards can get a bit funny about it if you don't land in your nominated province.

Hurlabrick

All your questions answered here:

http://britishexpats.com/wiki/Landing_as_PR-Canada

Revin Kevin

Thanks, it's this bit I am concerned about since our onward travel is to the US then back to UK, .

" If you are a Provincial nominee and you are not landing in your nominating Province (especially if you could have) you may need to show your ONWARD travel plans."

DigitalGhost

I would avoid landing in QC even if you were a federally sponsored immigrant tbh. I asked a similar question about this prior to my own landing and gathered that it was generally discouraged and possibly more hassle than its worth.

Saying that, if you do have a return ticket back to the UK then they should theoretically accept that as proof that you don't intend to settle in Montréal (and most immigrants from Britain wouldn't for obvious reasons).

DigitalGhost

My thread:

Landing trip to Montreal - is it possible?

Siouxie

I think being Provincial Nominees landing in Montreal could indeed cause you issues. You would need to show that you had onward flights/travel arrangements to your Nominating Province.

It's different for people who are becoming general PR's (through Express Entry or Spousal / Family sponsorship) - they can land anywhere.. but as I understand it, Provincial Nominees have to show that they are intending to go to the Province that nominated them. It comes under this - "Provincially-nominated immigrants sign and agree to a contract with the Province and must demonstrate a genuine intention to live there in order to be granted Permanent Residence status in Canada.

I'd suggest you either defer doing your "landing" until you are able to land in/travel to your Province of Nomination or else buy a cheap onward flight for later that day!


Um no - as I understand it, as Provincial Nominees they would have to show ongoing travel to the Province that nominated them in order to be granted PR, it's not so much QC/Montreal being concerned they intended to remain there when they haven't been nominated/approved by QC - more about meeting the Nominating Province requirement that they intend to live in that Province.

Revin Kevin

Hi and thanks for the answers.

For us it's an economic and time thing, there are 5 of us all working or at college so lining up time off together isn't easy then the cost of even just a short visit will come to a few thousand pounds. It would be nice to know if they can legally refuse the landing especially as we will clearly have return tickets or is it down to the individual we meet on the day?
I suppose we could just tell the border people what we want to do on the day and if it looks like they are going to be difficult then we won't land if they are amenable then we will.

Siouxie

Yes they can, if they do not believe it is your intention to move to the Nominating Province then they can refuse to validate your COPR for you to become Permanent Residents.
The "Freedom to live anywhere in Canada" does not apply until AFTER you become a Permanent Resident at the time of Landing.
Personally I wouldn't risk your PR for the sake of an onward flight to the nominating Province or a few days driving! Can you not change your flights?

Revin Kevin

No we can't change flights, I think we will turn up with our paperwork and ask if they would be happy to process the landing - if they do refuse we would have lost nothing and we will just have to land in "our" province at a later date.

Siouxie

Then perhaps you could book an internal flight for later that day or book a vehicle to drive to the Nominating Province to show that it is your intention to reside there? Perhaps you have already booked a vehicle, in which case, could you book a hotel in the Nominating Province for a night or two .. even if perhaps you didn't manage to drive there straight away? Please be aware that without onward transportation arrangements to the Nominating Province you are potentially taking a risk. Provincial Nomination is different to other Immigration routes and there are strict requirements. You may be better just deferring the landing trip and treat this one as a vacation.

It's not just a case of them refusing to 'land' you - perhaps I haven't explained very well.

Theoretically and worse case scenario, as I understand it, you could risk your PR application if you get a jobsworth CBSA officer who believes that you have no intention to reside in the Nominating Province and therefore no longer meet the requirements/conditions to become Permanent Residents. Which Province has nominated you? - some are stricter than others

Have you got anything to prove that it's your intention to live in the Nominating Province? Job contract / house rental / hotels booked / school registration or similar? You have to look at it from a CBSA Officers viewpoint

Calling Snowy / Former Lancastrian / Christmasoompa / PMM for advice... I'm going on what I have read.. they may have more information

You may want to read this: https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration...r-24-2010.html
... and the parts about Provincial Nominees on the Province Agreements: https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration...rritorial.html

Snowy560

Siouxie's concerns are absolutely justified. If the officer suspects or decides you have no intention of living in the province of nomination it won't simply be a case of refusing to land you on just that one day.

christmasoompa

+2, Siouxie is absolutely right. You may not be given the option to land at a later date, worst case scenario your whole PR application is a goner. I wouldn't risk it personally.

Revin Kevin

Wow it seems incredible if that is a real possibility, I assume that they will know we have COPR when we get to passport control, so are we saying that there is no problem saying we just want to pass through without landing or could they get funny about that too if they got out of bed on the wrong side?

PMM

Hi

1. As long as you have a valid ETA, then there shouldn't be a problem if you explain you are going to "land" at a later date.