trying to obtain canadian drivers license while on work permit

[superhappy]

Hello everyone.
I am looking for some help. I have a friend that is here on a work permit and he tried to obtain a drivers license in alberta but when he went to get them he got there and they called immigration and they told him no he cannot obtain a drivers license in canada. He is now married to a canadian citizen and he applied for permanent residents about a year ago and still waiting. Can anyone tell me why he cannot get a drivers license.

Thanks so much

 

[habib890]

Hello everyone.
I am looking for some help. I have a friend that is here on a work permit and he tried to obtain a drivers license in alberta but when he went to get them he got there and they called immigration and they told him no he cannot obtain a drivers license in canada. He is now married to a canadian citizen and he applied for permanent residents about a year ago and still waiting. Can anyone tell me why he cannot get a drivers license.

Thanks so much

- I am not sure why he cannot have a driving license though he has a work permit. However, I saw that many international students with study permit have driving license in British Columbia. In BC they just check the study permit or work permit document at the driving license office and issue you a driving license accordingly. Even they accept international driving licenses. I am not sure about the regulations in Alberta.

Thank you.

 

[Leon]

As far as I know, he only needs to prove that he is legal in Canada and that he is living in the province.

Service Alberta website says: On July 17, 2006, changes came into effect regarding residency requirements for Alberta driver’s licences and identification cards. In order to obtain an Alberta driver’s licence or identification card, you must provide proof (i.e. visa, permanent resident card etc.) that you are lawfully entitled to be in Canada and proof (3 party residential lease agreement, letter from Alberta based employer etc.) that you are an Alberta resident. A registry agent cannot issue your driver’s licence or identification card unless they are satisfied that you are a legal resident of Alberta.

The rest is at http://www.servicealberta.gov.ab.ca/Drivers_Licence.cfm#Residency_Requirements_for_Operators_Licence

Is there something more to this story? Maybe his work permit was close to expiring when he went there?

 

[tamee]

you realize though, when he obtains a DL from canada they take his old DL and return it to the country in which it was obtained. He will also need proof how long he has been a valid driver, which if it shows the date on hi DL then its ok, if not he will have to send away for a driver record.

I just went thru this and this was my experience, experiences may differ from province to porvince, in ontario it was an equal exchange.

 

[Leon]

Canada does have a DL exchange program with certain countries, such as UK, Germany and more. If he is from one of those countries, the registry can look it up, they will do an equal exchange.

If he's not from one of those countries, he has to take the test. Since AB has a graduated DL program, they will let him take the written test right away but they will not let him take the road test unless he can prove that he has a DL from another country. For this, they need his old license plus a translation if it is not in English or his old license and an international license. The registry will send them to the AB government and they will take 2-4 weeks to approve him to take the road test. Get the phone number from the registry to call the AB government to check up because they will not let you know when it's approved.

If they are satisfied that he had his license for more than 5 years, they will let him take the advanced road test and get a full license right away. Otherwise they will only let him take the basic road test and give him a GDL license for 2 years. The only difference being that you lose GDL license for fewer demerit points than normal and you are allowed zero alcohol level, not even one beer. After 2 yrs. on GDL license, he would be able to take the advanced road test for a full license.

If he didn't have a license before or he can't prove that he did, he would have to take the written test right away and then wait a year to take the basic road test for the GDL license. With just the written test, you only get a learners permiit and are not allowed to drive alone.

As for the old license being sent back to old country, that varies. They are supposed to but some provinces do it and some don't. When my German friends moved back and tried to find out where their licenses had been sent so they would not have to pay to get a new one, they were told that it's not very common for them to be sent back. When they called the AB government to ask where they were, they were told that the AB government has better things to do than to have a full time person mailing peoples DL's back.

 

[reenachugh]

does one need employment letter for driver's license. and is there a specific format for employment letter

 

[YVR123]

does one need employment letter for driver's license. and is there a specific format for employment letter

Never heard of that requirement.

 

[aravindsriram]

I have a question. Currently I am in implied status. I have just finished my G1 written test, Can I take a driving test at this time?

 

[Canada2020eh]

I have a question. Currently I am in implied status. I have just finished my G1 written test, Can I take a driving test at this time?

No, in Ontario you have to wait 12 months to take the road test or 8 months if you have taken a driving safety course.

 

[andrews17]

I have a question. Currently I am in implied status. I have just finished my G1 written test, Can I take a driving test at this time?

You can only if you have a valid foreign driver's license and at least one year of driving experience. If not, you'll have to wait a year. Being or not in implied status won't affect anything regarding your driver's license.

Edit: this rules are for Ontario, the ones I know. Not sure how different it'll work in other provinces.