Hello,
I used to read quite a few threads on this forum and others during my immigration process. Learned quite a bit. I landed recently and thought I should post a write up of my experience here to help other though the anxious process of immigrating.
I flew from Qatar Airways as it fly's direct from Lahore via Qatar to Montreal. Great flight, I flew business because I wanted a good nights rest before landing and it was worth it. Very comfortable. Flight was 3.5 hours to Doha and about 13 hours to Montreal after a 4 hour stopover in Doha. Qatar business lounge in Doha needs to be experienced.
Landed in Montreal and was the first off the plane, this allowed me to be the first one at immigration and I did not have to stand in line at all. Just walked over to the immigration officer and handed over my passport. He asked if I was immigrating and I told him yes. He quickly stamped my passport after checking my visa and told me I will have to go to secondary immigration which will process my landing. It's right next to the immigration counter and the officer will point you in the direction. Went there took a token and waited for my turn, again because I was the first one though immigration and they were less flights at that time, I got called in about 5 minutes. The officer asked for my COPR, Passport and list of goods to follow. She asked why my wife and kids are not traveling with me and I told her they will be coming next month once I arrange things here in Montreal.
She asked if I was doing a short landing and I told her no, I wasn't. I've moved here permanently. She processed my documents stamped my Goods to follow list and kept a copy. She then told me to go to another counter in the same office for Quebec specific information. I asked her if she needed my address to mail the PR card but she said since you don't have a permanent address I cannot take your addresses. I told her I have my friends permanent address and I will be living there but she refused. She instead gave me a paper and told me to call the number and update my address when I have a permanent address for myself. I found this strange, anyway no use arguing with the landing officer. She told me without my PR card in hand I can leave Canada but cannot reenter without it. I asked if I can enter though a land border on my COPR without the PR card for example the US in a private vehicle and she said, call immigration Canada and ask. I thought dude you ARE immigration Canada, a yes or no answer would be great. Anyway she stamped my COPR with landing date, gave me a welcome to Canada booklet and sent me to the next counter. All went smooth although personally I was expecting a bit of warmer reception as I had heard the immigration officers are friendly and welcoming to new immigrants. Oh she did ask if I was carrying any funds and I told her about $10,000 USD, she did not ask to see it.
Got called to the next counter (Quebec Specific one) instantly as it had the same token number. The young lady sitting there was quite pleasant and very welcoming. She asked for my COPR, my selection certificate and passport. Typed some stuff in her computer and told me I had to get a SIN number from Service Canada and asked if I needed my medical appointment now. I told her I will call and get it later but she said I only have 14 days to get the medical card done after landing so I asked her to setup the appointment. She did. This lady (unlike the previous officer) was very welcoming and happy to answer basic questions and gave me a map of the Metro and of Montreal itself. Told me after returning my documents I was done and finally a "Welcome to Canada"
Exited immigration and went to baggage area, got one bag, the other (which was my main bag) was missing. Waited 30 minutes and then talked to an airline rep telling him I couldn't find my bag. He searched around told me sometimes they send bags to the over sized section but didn't find my bag there as well. Had to stand and file a lost bag report. Was extremely disappointed as that bag had all my clothes and some cards (ATM, driving license etc). I had made the mistake of keeping those cards in the check in bag in a hurry. What a pain cancelling them if they got lost. Got a receipt from the baggage handling company and they told me if they can locate my bad they will let me know in two working days. Left disappointed as the worse time to have your bag lost is when you're immigrating and all the things you have planned for and arranged suddenly get lost. Don't make the mistake I did, never put anything in your check in luggage that you can't afford to lose. Carry all cards, documents, valuable electronics etc with you in your hand carry.
When exiting got called into secondary customs inspection. Had to wait in line for 10 minutes, these customs guys were not messing around. They were opening everyone's luggage and inspecting items like crockery, animal certificates, prohibited items, disallowed foods etc. I was however sent to a very nice officer who just asked me how much cash I was carrying and wrote it down on a form, had me sign it and told me I was done. He was the first guy who saw my paperwork and told me Oh you're a permanent resident. That felt good. After 5 years and a lot of paperwork that was pleasing to hear.
Montreal airport is a nice airport, nothing fancy like middle eastern airports but very functional and professional. I headed to the cab line, only to see atleast a 100 people stand in line in front of me, saw that the Limo line was shorter with about 25 people and joined that instead. Limo's are cars in the category of BMW 5 series, E classes or Cadillac's with better more professional drivers. They charge a flat $55 CAD to downtown. Not worth to take the bus with luggage after a long journey, just take a cab I think $35-40 or a Limo $55-60. The driver was a very nice guy, gave me information about Montreal on the way to downtown. Told me for English speaking people the Island of Montreal itself or Laval was the place to settle. Anything east of the Island was mostly French and a bit unwelcoming to English speaking people. 25 mins later we were in downtown and he dropped me off in front of the apartment I had arranged. I tipped him $15 for the helpful information he provided and the comfort of a welcoming face after arriving for the first time.
As for my accommodation, I was not a tight budget so I booked a one bed room fully furnished corporate apartment. In Quebec if you book for less than 30 nights you getting taxed as a tourist, ie you have to pay tourism tax, GST, QST which all add about 20-22% to the price of your accommodation. If you book for 31 nights or more you are charged as a long stay accommodation and those taxes are not applicable. For example I would have to pay the same for 22 nights as I have to pay for 32 nights. I booked for 35 nights and it cost me about $3500 CAD. I could get much cheaper but this is for a 5 star fully furnished apartment in the heart of downtown and right next to the Metro.
I rested for two days and then went to Service Canada's office on the main Boulevard Rene Levesque. 5 minutes walk from Metro Place'dArmes. Their office is in the basement. Went to the counter with my COPR and passport, the lady took my detail and told me to take a seat and the current waiting time is about 30 minutes. Was called in about 25 minutes and a pleasant gentleman asked my address and phone number, issued me a SIN number and gave me a print out. Really a no hassle process, I went at 2 pm and I was done in a total of 45 minutes.
I went to Best Buy to get a sim because it was the mostly convenient place for me to go. I wanted a prepaid sim for my unlocked phone which I brought with me from Pakistan. The sales rep suggested me a CHATR unlimited Canada wide calling and texting package with 2GB data, it cost me about $70 CAD valid for a month before I need to top up again at the end of 30 days. They don't need any ID, just a name is enough.
Will write more in a while.
I used to read quite a few threads on this forum and others during my immigration process. Learned quite a bit. I landed recently and thought I should post a write up of my experience here to help other though the anxious process of immigrating.
I flew from Qatar Airways as it fly's direct from Lahore via Qatar to Montreal. Great flight, I flew business because I wanted a good nights rest before landing and it was worth it. Very comfortable. Flight was 3.5 hours to Doha and about 13 hours to Montreal after a 4 hour stopover in Doha. Qatar business lounge in Doha needs to be experienced.
Landed in Montreal and was the first off the plane, this allowed me to be the first one at immigration and I did not have to stand in line at all. Just walked over to the immigration officer and handed over my passport. He asked if I was immigrating and I told him yes. He quickly stamped my passport after checking my visa and told me I will have to go to secondary immigration which will process my landing. It's right next to the immigration counter and the officer will point you in the direction. Went there took a token and waited for my turn, again because I was the first one though immigration and they were less flights at that time, I got called in about 5 minutes. The officer asked for my COPR, Passport and list of goods to follow. She asked why my wife and kids are not traveling with me and I told her they will be coming next month once I arrange things here in Montreal.
She asked if I was doing a short landing and I told her no, I wasn't. I've moved here permanently. She processed my documents stamped my Goods to follow list and kept a copy. She then told me to go to another counter in the same office for Quebec specific information. I asked her if she needed my address to mail the PR card but she said since you don't have a permanent address I cannot take your addresses. I told her I have my friends permanent address and I will be living there but she refused. She instead gave me a paper and told me to call the number and update my address when I have a permanent address for myself. I found this strange, anyway no use arguing with the landing officer. She told me without my PR card in hand I can leave Canada but cannot reenter without it. I asked if I can enter though a land border on my COPR without the PR card for example the US in a private vehicle and she said, call immigration Canada and ask. I thought dude you ARE immigration Canada, a yes or no answer would be great. Anyway she stamped my COPR with landing date, gave me a welcome to Canada booklet and sent me to the next counter. All went smooth although personally I was expecting a bit of warmer reception as I had heard the immigration officers are friendly and welcoming to new immigrants. Oh she did ask if I was carrying any funds and I told her about $10,000 USD, she did not ask to see it.
Got called to the next counter (Quebec Specific one) instantly as it had the same token number. The young lady sitting there was quite pleasant and very welcoming. She asked for my COPR, my selection certificate and passport. Typed some stuff in her computer and told me I had to get a SIN number from Service Canada and asked if I needed my medical appointment now. I told her I will call and get it later but she said I only have 14 days to get the medical card done after landing so I asked her to setup the appointment. She did. This lady (unlike the previous officer) was very welcoming and happy to answer basic questions and gave me a map of the Metro and of Montreal itself. Told me after returning my documents I was done and finally a "Welcome to Canada"
Exited immigration and went to baggage area, got one bag, the other (which was my main bag) was missing. Waited 30 minutes and then talked to an airline rep telling him I couldn't find my bag. He searched around told me sometimes they send bags to the over sized section but didn't find my bag there as well. Had to stand and file a lost bag report. Was extremely disappointed as that bag had all my clothes and some cards (ATM, driving license etc). I had made the mistake of keeping those cards in the check in bag in a hurry. What a pain cancelling them if they got lost. Got a receipt from the baggage handling company and they told me if they can locate my bad they will let me know in two working days. Left disappointed as the worse time to have your bag lost is when you're immigrating and all the things you have planned for and arranged suddenly get lost. Don't make the mistake I did, never put anything in your check in luggage that you can't afford to lose. Carry all cards, documents, valuable electronics etc with you in your hand carry.
When exiting got called into secondary customs inspection. Had to wait in line for 10 minutes, these customs guys were not messing around. They were opening everyone's luggage and inspecting items like crockery, animal certificates, prohibited items, disallowed foods etc. I was however sent to a very nice officer who just asked me how much cash I was carrying and wrote it down on a form, had me sign it and told me I was done. He was the first guy who saw my paperwork and told me Oh you're a permanent resident. That felt good. After 5 years and a lot of paperwork that was pleasing to hear.
Montreal airport is a nice airport, nothing fancy like middle eastern airports but very functional and professional. I headed to the cab line, only to see atleast a 100 people stand in line in front of me, saw that the Limo line was shorter with about 25 people and joined that instead. Limo's are cars in the category of BMW 5 series, E classes or Cadillac's with better more professional drivers. They charge a flat $55 CAD to downtown. Not worth to take the bus with luggage after a long journey, just take a cab I think $35-40 or a Limo $55-60. The driver was a very nice guy, gave me information about Montreal on the way to downtown. Told me for English speaking people the Island of Montreal itself or Laval was the place to settle. Anything east of the Island was mostly French and a bit unwelcoming to English speaking people. 25 mins later we were in downtown and he dropped me off in front of the apartment I had arranged. I tipped him $15 for the helpful information he provided and the comfort of a welcoming face after arriving for the first time.
As for my accommodation, I was not a tight budget so I booked a one bed room fully furnished corporate apartment. In Quebec if you book for less than 30 nights you getting taxed as a tourist, ie you have to pay tourism tax, GST, QST which all add about 20-22% to the price of your accommodation. If you book for 31 nights or more you are charged as a long stay accommodation and those taxes are not applicable. For example I would have to pay the same for 22 nights as I have to pay for 32 nights. I booked for 35 nights and it cost me about $3500 CAD. I could get much cheaper but this is for a 5 star fully furnished apartment in the heart of downtown and right next to the Metro.
I rested for two days and then went to Service Canada's office on the main Boulevard Rene Levesque. 5 minutes walk from Metro Place'dArmes. Their office is in the basement. Went to the counter with my COPR and passport, the lady took my detail and told me to take a seat and the current waiting time is about 30 minutes. Was called in about 25 minutes and a pleasant gentleman asked my address and phone number, issued me a SIN number and gave me a print out. Really a no hassle process, I went at 2 pm and I was done in a total of 45 minutes.
I went to Best Buy to get a sim because it was the mostly convenient place for me to go. I wanted a prepaid sim for my unlocked phone which I brought with me from Pakistan. The sales rep suggested me a CHATR unlimited Canada wide calling and texting package with 2GB data, it cost me about $70 CAD valid for a month before I need to top up again at the end of 30 days. They don't need any ID, just a name is enough.
Will write more in a while.
