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Landing Experience at Toronto Pearson - February 2019

northern sunshine

Hero Member
Mar 22, 2017
674
715
USA
Category........
FSW
Visa Office......
Ottawa
NOC Code......
2112
App. Filed.......
12-06-2018
AOR Received.
12-06-2018
Med's Done....
02-06-2018
Passport Req..
26-07-2018
LANDED..........
23-02-2019
Before anything, I want to point out that although I did a "soft" landing, I did not at any point mention that I was only staying for a week. All I ever said was that I was becoming a permanent resident. I chose to do my goods to follow at the time of landing, but you are technically not obligated to do so if you do not have the intention of starting residence at the time of landing. ("Variation Between Customs/Immigration Legislation")

What happened:

I checked in for my flight as usual in the US. As a US citizen, I only provided my US passport as my travel document and made no mention of my intent to become a PR. I checked one larger bag with some items that I'm leaving with my SO to lighten the load later on.

The flight was pretty uneventful and I chatted with a lady from Toronto for the duration of it. They passed out customs forms early in the flight and I filled out the basic info, but I ended up leaving both the "visitor" and "resident" sections blank because I wasn't sure what I was supposed to put. I also forgot that goods to follow count as "unaccompanied goods" and checked "no" for this. It should be "yes."

The first hall I encountered was passport control. Although I hold a US passport, I asked the assistant where I should go and he directed me to the "all other passports" line. When I got to a counter and explained my situation, the officer took my customs form and wrote a bunch of things on it in sharpie and highlighter and explained that I would go to immigration to have my forms signed. She asked me if I had goods to follow and I said yes, so she told me there was a chance that I might do my goods at immigration, but that I would probably do them at customs. She then instructed me to head down the hallway to the right to immigration.

I was the only person at immigration. I stood at the "wait here" sign for a couple of minutes before one of the officers waved me over to his window. He was very kind to me and asked me if I was coming on a student or work permit. I told him I was becoming a permanent resident and he was surprised, saying they don't get a lot of Americans and that the last one he processed was probably four or five months ago. He cross-checked my information between the passport and CoPR to make sure it was accurate (something you should also do when you get your CoPR, by the way) and then started entering things into his computer. We chatted a little bit about the process and he said it's the worst when you had large families because then it's difficult to keep track of all the forms during processing, so sometimes one of them gets missed and someone has to come all the way back to get things fixed. He asked me if I had been convicted of any crimes (no), if I had any dependents (no), and how much money I had on me. I asked him if he meant cash and he said yes, so I answered honestly, saying it was around $200. He seemed concerned and said that I had stated in my application that I had like $15k. I explained that that was all in my bank account and that I had the latest statement if he wanted to see it. He said no, that he just needed to report how much I was bringing in with me. I was a little concerned but it doesn't seem to have affected anything.

After about 5 minutes he was done entering things on the computer and and filled out the blank sections on my CoPR. He asked if I had an address for my PR card and I provided him a typed copy, which he then wrote on the CoPR and entered into the computer. Then he handed me both CoPR forms and asked me to sign in three areas. He also instructed me to write the date as he did (year-month-day) and not the way we write it in the states, saying how in Canada they don't have any standardized date format. I noticed he had not filled in the "last entry date" and "undertaking (mos)" section and asked him about it, and he said that those would only be filled if I had been in Canada before on another visa like a work permit or student visa, as sometimes the time spent on those visas counts towards things like citizenship.

Finally, he stapled and folded my CoPR into my passport. I asked him if it would be okay to unstaple it as I'm renewing my passport soon and he said it would not be a problem, especially once I've received my PR card. He directed me to customs, where I'd be able to do my goods to follow. He also said that usually there's a booth there to get my SIN, but since it was a weekend, they weren't open, so I'd have to go to a Service Canada (and not Service Ontario!) another time. He congratulated me and said welcome to Canada, and I thanked him and went on my way.

As I proceeded, I was stopped by a little kiosk by the door. He asked to see my CoPR and started entering information into his computer. I asked what it was for and he said they collected information on new permanent residents. As he said that, someone walked out of a room down the hall with a red bag and came towards us. He pulled some documents from the bag and said he was giving me some information like a guide to getting/using a SIN and healthcare, tips on integrating into Canada, and a welcome book (PDF linked at end). I thanked him, got my passport/CoPR back, and went on down the hall.

Goods to follow:

The hallway led to baggage claim. I located the appropriate carousel and saw that it was pretty much empty. I looked around a bit to see if they'd pulled my bag off to the side, but then I saw my bag come around the bend and grabbed it. Since I didn't see a window for customs, I just got in line like everyone else. I handed the officer at the desk my customs form and explained that I needed to see customs because I was a new permanent resident. He pointed me down a long hall to the right and handed my form back.

Customs was nearly empty and there were only two other groups there the entire time I was there. I waited at the "wait here" sign for 5 or so minutes before an officer entered one of the booths and waved me over.

I explained that I was a new PR and needed to do my goods documentation. He said that he needed to see my customs document first, which I handed over. He looked at it for a bit and noted some things, then asked me if there was a reason I had checked no to "unaccompanied goods." I had totally forgotten that "goods to follow" count as unaccompanied goods, since I planned on bringing all my goods over with me when I moved permanently. I apologized that I didn't realize that's what it meant, and he made some more notes and asked me about my goods. I provided my list of goods (an excel sheet with categorized items, estimated values on each item and a total value at the end). I explained how I had set it up and noted that the value at the end included my car. He said that for these purposes the car needed to be separated from the value of the goods, but otherwise did not make any comments on my items. He told me it would be a few minutes and started preparing a form BSF186 on my behalf. In the goods section, he just wrote "see attached". He asked for the address I expected to be at and I provided the typed address again. He then stamped each page of my goods list, my CoPR, my passport, and the BSF186. On my CoPR and passport stamps he wrote "GTF" and a code number on them, which I believe corresponds to their internal documentation.

He then took the papers to the back and I presume copied them, then returned with a receipt for $0 taxes paid. He had removed the staple from my original list and re-stapled it (upside down and out of order...) to the receipt and BSF186. He handed the packet to me and said I should provide it when I bring the rest of my goods and I won't have to pay any taxes on them. I thanked him and he told me to follow him and he would show me to the exit. As we got to the door, he congratulated me and said welcome to Canada, and I headed down the hall.

The hall looped around to the left and connected to the arrivals exit that most people come out of after getting their checked bags. It was now about an hour and 10 minutes after my flight had landed and my boyfriend was there waiting for me at arrivals. :)

I was never asked about my accompanying goods and clearly had a big checked bag with me at the time, so even though I was prepared to give them a list, it doesn't seem to matter to them.

Getting a SIN:

Since the SIN desk was closed when I landed, we went to the local Service Canada on Monday morning. The place was almost completely empty. I approached the front kiosk and informed the woman there that I was a new PR and needed a SIN. She entered my name in their system and asked for my postal code. She told me to take a seat and that I'd be called up in a few minutes.

I was called up almost immediately after I sat down. The woman at the booth confirmed my situation with me and told me to take a seat after I handed over my passport and CoPR. Then she asked me to state my name (since I have a middle initial on my CoPR I need to state it when I talk to them) and birth date. She also asked for my parents' names, the date I landed, and my address. Finally, she confirmed the information I had provided to her with me, then printed off my SIN on a piece of paper and handed it to me, along with a packet explaining what it's for and when I need to and don't need to provide my SIN. The paper explains that they don't issue "cards" any more and that the paper is all I'm going to get, so it was important to keep it safe.

Helpful Links:

Landing in Canada (Settlement.org)

Welcome to Canada book (IRCC)
 

northern sunshine

Hero Member
Mar 22, 2017
674
715
USA
Category........
FSW
Visa Office......
Ottawa
NOC Code......
2112
App. Filed.......
12-06-2018
AOR Received.
12-06-2018
Med's Done....
02-06-2018
Passport Req..
26-07-2018
LANDED..........
23-02-2019
I had to cut this down a lot to get it to fit the 10k character limit, but here's a little more about PR cards:

The PR card application is started on your behalf when you have your CoPR signed and PR activated. I just linked my PR card application to my CIC account today (about 4 days after landing) without a problem using my UCI and family name. At the moment, the processing time states that it should take about 41 days to receive my first card. I suspect that they may reject my photos since they were taken back in July and therefore not within the 6 month guideline, but we'll see. We are going to take some more photos as backup on Friday, and I'll be leaving them with my SO so that he can send them from within Canada if they are requested.

And another link:

What to do if your application is approved (IRCC)
 

Arod

Hero Member
May 15, 2017
390
374
Before anything, I want to point out that although I did a "soft" landing, I did not at any point mention that I was only staying for a week. All I ever said was that I was becoming a permanent resident. I chose to do my goods to follow at the time of landing, but you are technically not obligated to do so if you do not have the intention of starting residence at the time of landing. ("Variation Between Customs/Immigration Legislation")

What happened:

I checked in for my flight as usual in the US. As a US citizen, I only provided my US passport as my travel document and made no mention of my intent to become a PR. I checked one larger bag with some items that I'm leaving with my SO to lighten the load later on.

The flight was pretty uneventful and I chatted with a lady from Toronto for the duration of it. They passed out customs forms early in the flight and I filled out the basic info, but I ended up leaving both the "visitor" and "resident" sections blank because I wasn't sure what I was supposed to put. I also forgot that goods to follow count as "unaccompanied goods" and checked "no" for this. It should be "yes."

The first hall I encountered was passport control. Although I hold a US passport, I asked the assistant where I should go and he directed me to the "all other passports" line. When I got to a counter and explained my situation, the officer took my customs form and wrote a bunch of things on it in sharpie and highlighter and explained that I would go to immigration to have my forms signed. She asked me if I had goods to follow and I said yes, so she told me there was a chance that I might do my goods at immigration, but that I would probably do them at customs. She then instructed me to head down the hallway to the right to immigration.

I was the only person at immigration. I stood at the "wait here" sign for a couple of minutes before one of the officers waved me over to his window. He was very kind to me and asked me if I was coming on a student or work permit. I told him I was becoming a permanent resident and he was surprised, saying they don't get a lot of Americans and that the last one he processed was probably four or five months ago. He cross-checked my information between the passport and CoPR to make sure it was accurate (something you should also do when you get your CoPR, by the way) and then started entering things into his computer. We chatted a little bit about the process and he said it's the worst when you had large families because then it's difficult to keep track of all the forms during processing, so sometimes one of them gets missed and someone has to come all the way back to get things fixed. He asked me if I had been convicted of any crimes (no), if I had any dependents (no), and how much money I had on me. I asked him if he meant cash and he said yes, so I answered honestly, saying it was around $200. He seemed concerned and said that I had stated in my application that I had like $15k. I explained that that was all in my bank account and that I had the latest statement if he wanted to see it. He said no, that he just needed to report how much I was bringing in with me. I was a little concerned but it doesn't seem to have affected anything.

After about 5 minutes he was done entering things on the computer and and filled out the blank sections on my CoPR. He asked if I had an address for my PR card and I provided him a typed copy, which he then wrote on the CoPR and entered into the computer. Then he handed me both CoPR forms and asked me to sign in three areas. He also instructed me to write the date as he did (year-month-day) and not the way we write it in the states, saying how in Canada they don't have any standardized date format. I noticed he had not filled in the "last entry date" and "undertaking (mos)" section and asked him about it, and he said that those would only be filled if I had been in Canada before on another visa like a work permit or student visa, as sometimes the time spent on those visas counts towards things like citizenship.

Finally, he stapled and folded my CoPR into my passport. I asked him if it would be okay to unstaple it as I'm renewing my passport soon and he said it would not be a problem, especially once I've received my PR card. He directed me to customs, where I'd be able to do my goods to follow. He also said that usually there's a booth there to get my SIN, but since it was a weekend, they weren't open, so I'd have to go to a Service Canada (and not Service Ontario!) another time. He congratulated me and said welcome to Canada, and I thanked him and went on my way.

As I proceeded, I was stopped by a little kiosk by the door. He asked to see my CoPR and started entering information into his computer. I asked what it was for and he said they collected information on new permanent residents. As he said that, someone walked out of a room down the hall with a red bag and came towards us. He pulled some documents from the bag and said he was giving me some information like a guide to getting/using a SIN and healthcare, tips on integrating into Canada, and a welcome book (PDF linked at end). I thanked him, got my passport/CoPR back, and went on down the hall.



Getting a SIN:

Since the SIN desk was closed when I landed, we went to the local Service Canada on Monday morning. The place was almost completely empty. I approached the front kiosk and informed the woman there that I was a new PR and needed a SIN. She entered my name in their system and asked for my postal code. She told me to take a seat and that I'd be called up in a few minutes.

I was called up almost immediately after I sat down. The woman at the booth confirmed my situation with me and told me to take a seat after I handed over my passport and CoPR. Then she asked me to state my name (since I have a middle initial on my CoPR I need to state it when I talk to them) and birth date. She also asked for my parents' names, the date I landed, and my address. Finally, she confirmed the information I had provided to her with me, then printed off my SIN on a piece of paper and handed it to me, along with a packet explaining what it's for and when I need to and don't need to provide my SIN. The paper explains that they don't issue "cards" any more and that the paper is all I'm going to get, so it was important to keep it safe.

Helpful Links:

Landing in Canada (Settlement.org)

Welcome to Canada book (IRCC)
Thanks for telling us your experience. I also did a soft landing in February and cannot wait to go back for good now. I also got the red bag with the Welcome to Canada book, very interesting and useful so I suggest you read it when you can.;)
 
  • Like
Reactions: northern sunshine

Ronaldinho

Full Member
Dec 9, 2018
26
34
I had to cut this down a lot to get it to fit the 10k character limit, but here's a little more about PR cards:

The PR card application is started on your behalf when you have your CoPR signed and PR activated. I just linked my PR card application to my CIC account today (about 4 days after landing) without a problem using my UCI and family name. At the moment, the processing time states that it should take about 41 days to receive my first card. I suspect that they may reject my photos since they were taken back in July and therefore not within the 6 month guideline, but we'll see. We are going to take some more photos as backup on Friday, and I'll be leaving them with my SO so that he can send them from within Canada if they are requested.

And another link:

What to do if your application is approved (IRCC)

Hi buddy, thanks for sharing your experience, just few questions to you:

1) how we can link our PR card application with my CIC account / profile ?
2) what is the abbreviation that you used SO ?
3) customs forms are used to declare money / cash above 10 000 CAD ?
4) if I am a provincial nominee, can I give an address outside of the nominated province in order to get my PR card ? (probably no, but just asking if you have any experience) ?
5) are you receive your SIN immediately ?
6) if we make a soft landing, is it obligatory to apply for health care card ?
7) what is the best option to receive a PR card if I do not have a relatives/friends ? just your opinion ?

thank you again
 

northern sunshine

Hero Member
Mar 22, 2017
674
715
USA
Category........
FSW
Visa Office......
Ottawa
NOC Code......
2112
App. Filed.......
12-06-2018
AOR Received.
12-06-2018
Med's Done....
02-06-2018
Passport Req..
26-07-2018
LANDED..........
23-02-2019
Hi buddy, thanks for sharing your experience, just few questions to you:

1) how we can link our PR card application with my CIC account / profile ?
2) what is the abbreviation that you used SO ?
3) customs forms are used to declare money / cash above 10 000 CAD ?
4) if I am a provincial nominee, can I give an address outside of the nominated province in order to get my PR card ? (probably no, but just asking if you have any experience) ?
5) are you receive your SIN immediately ?
6) if we make a soft landing, is it obligatory to apply for health care card ?
7) what is the best option to receive a PR card if I do not have a relatives/friends ? just your opinion ?

thank you again
Many questions! I'll answer what I can.

1. If you log into your CIC account, there is an option before your submitted applications that says "Did you apply on paper or don't see your online application in your account? Add (link) your application to your account to access it and check your status online." I clicked that and it gave me some options to look up my application using the information available on my CoPR. Then it said it had found a match and I chose to link it to my account. Now it shows up under my submitted applications when I log in.
2. SO = significant other, meaning my boyfriend (he's Canadian so he doesn't have to go through any of this).
3. I think there is a box on the customs form that you can check if you are carrying more than $10k on you, but you will need to fill out another form at customs for this amount when you declare it to them I believe.
4. I don't have personal knowledge of this, unfortunately, so I couldn't say.
5. When I went to Service Canada on Monday morning I received my SIN within 5-10 minutes.
6. No, it's not obligatory anywhere as far as I know. In fact, depending on your province, you may not even be eligible for health care yet as you would not have lived in that province for a sufficient period of time. For example, Ontario has a 3 month waiting period before you are eligible for health care.
7. Hm... Probably either asking the officer who signs your CoPR to put off processing your PR card until you have a Canadian address at which to receive it (so after your permanent move) or looking into some sort of forwarding service. There are probably some threads on the forum about each option.
 

Shikta

Star Member
May 14, 2018
122
78
This is really helpful!
Thanks for taking the time out to share your experience.
I am planning to land in the coming month and this will come in handy :)
 
  • Like
Reactions: northern sunshine

Laumyl

Star Member
Oct 6, 2018
85
72
Dubai
Category........
FSW
Visa Office......
Abu-Dhabi
Nomination.....
12/12/2018
AOR Received.
17/12/2018
Superb information, reading this was the perfect sunday morning read, i felt like i was following you through the hallways in the airport!
Hopefully in a few months it will be us. I am wondering if the process differs when you land by road rather than air.
Wish you all the best for this new chapter of your life, and again thank you for sharing all of this.
 

northern sunshine

Hero Member
Mar 22, 2017
674
715
USA
Category........
FSW
Visa Office......
Ottawa
NOC Code......
2112
App. Filed.......
12-06-2018
AOR Received.
12-06-2018
Med's Done....
02-06-2018
Passport Req..
26-07-2018
LANDED..........
23-02-2019
Superb information, reading this was the perfect sunday morning read, i felt like i was following you through the hallways in the airport!
Hopefully in a few months it will be us. I am wondering if the process differs when you land by road rather than air.
Wish you all the best for this new chapter of your life, and again thank you for sharing all of this.
Thank you! :) I believe it's about the same by land as by air, at least from what I've read. I know there are a couple posts floating around the forum. Sharing our experiences is so valuable.
 

Peacekeeper87

Champion Member
Jul 18, 2018
1,727
806
NOC Code......
0124
Getting a SIN:

Since the SIN desk was closed when I landed, we went to the local Service Canada on Monday morning. The place was almost completely empty. I approached the front kiosk and informed the woman there that I was a new PR and needed a SIN. She entered my name in their system and asked for my postal code. She told me to take a seat and that I'd be called up in a few minutes.

I was called up almost immediately after I sat down. The woman at the booth confirmed my situation with me and told me to take a seat after I handed over my passport and CoPR. Then she asked me to state my name (since I have a middle initial on my CoPR I need to state it when I talk to them) and birth date. She also asked for my parents' names, the date I landed, and my address. Finally, she confirmed the information I had provided to her with me, then printed off my SIN on a piece of paper and handed it to me, along with a packet explaining what it's for and when I need to and don't need to provide my SIN. The paper explains that they don't issue "cards" any more and that the paper is all I'm going to get, so it was important to keep it safe.

Helpful Links:

Landing in Canada (Settlement.org)

Welcome to Canada book (IRCC)
Bravo!
Truly appreciate you taking the time to share your experience, truly helpful!
All the best to your new life with your SO ;)! And congratulations!
 

jisho

Star Member
Jan 5, 2015
66
4
@northern sunshine Thank you for posting your experience. It is pretty informative.
Quick question: Why did you provide goods to follow list when you are doing soft landing? I will also be landing next week (soft landing), stay for 7 days before returning back to the US. I don't think I need to provide any provide any goods to follow list as I don't fall in any of the classification types mention on form BSF 186.
The classifications are
1) Former Resident (Tariff item no: 9805.00.00)....... False for me. I am a would be resident.
2) Beneficiary (Tariff item no: 9806.00.00)....... False for me.
3) Seasonal Resident (Tariff item no: 9829.00.00)................. False for me.
4) Settler(Tariff item no: 9829.00.00).
a) I am entering Canada with the intention of establishing, for the first time, a permanent residence for a period in excess of 12 months and I arrived in Canada on ____________. Again this should not be applicable for people doing a soft landing whose initial period of stay in Canada is less than 12 months. Would I not be lying on this form if I choose this option as I know that I will be there for 7 days only?

Let me know your thoughts.
 

akkoajangajang

Star Member
Jan 10, 2019
61
22
Category........
FSW
NOC Code......
2173
App. Filed.......
22-01-2019
Nomination.....
30-01-2019
AOR Received.
01-03-2019
Med's Done....
12-04-2019
Passport Req..
14-05-2019
VISA ISSUED...
13-06-2019
LANDED..........
30-09-2019
Thank you for sharing your experience and congratulations on completing the landing formalities!

I’m also curious like Ronaldinho about what one should do if they do not have an address in Canada to receive the permanent resident card. I’m not aware of a forwarding service that can be used.
 

northern sunshine

Hero Member
Mar 22, 2017
674
715
USA
Category........
FSW
Visa Office......
Ottawa
NOC Code......
2112
App. Filed.......
12-06-2018
AOR Received.
12-06-2018
Med's Done....
02-06-2018
Passport Req..
26-07-2018
LANDED..........
23-02-2019
@northern sunshine Thank you for posting your experience. It is pretty informative.
Quick question: Why did you provide goods to follow list when you are doing soft landing? I will also be landing next week (soft landing), stay for 7 days before returning back to the US. I don't think I need to provide any provide any goods to follow list as I don't fall in any of the classification types mention on form BSF 186.
The classifications are
1) Former Resident (Tariff item no: 9805.00.00)....... False for me. I am a would be resident.
2) Beneficiary (Tariff item no: 9806.00.00)....... False for me.
3) Seasonal Resident (Tariff item no: 9829.00.00)................. False for me.
4) Settler(Tariff item no: 9829.00.00).
a) I am entering Canada with the intention of establishing, for the first time, a permanent residence for a period in excess of 12 months and I arrived in Canada on ____________. Again this should not be applicable for people doing a soft landing whose initial period of stay in Canada is less than 12 months. Would I not be lying on this form if I choose this option as I know that I will be there for 7 days only?

Let me know your thoughts.
I did my goods when I landed because I wanted to simplify the process when I move later this year. I know what I'm bringing with me and I will be driving it up personally before October and remaining in Canada thereafter. Things are fairly fixed for me, time-wise.

The discrepancy with a soft landing is known and acknowledged by CBSA (see the first paragraph of my post), but it seems some officers either don't care or are not fully aware of the difference and view your initial landing as an official settler's landing and expect you to do your goods at that time, even though it says you should have the intent to reside for a period of more than 12 months. Frankly, it benefits you more to do it at the time of your permanent move rather than your initial landing since you don't have to list all your goods long before actually moving. If you're concerned about it, though, talk to the officers.
 

northern sunshine

Hero Member
Mar 22, 2017
674
715
USA
Category........
FSW
Visa Office......
Ottawa
NOC Code......
2112
App. Filed.......
12-06-2018
AOR Received.
12-06-2018
Med's Done....
02-06-2018
Passport Req..
26-07-2018
LANDED..........
23-02-2019
I’m also curious like Ronaldinho about what one should do if they do not have an address in Canada to receive the permanent resident card. I’m not aware of a forwarding service that can be used.
They should provide information to you that instructs you on how to update your address with them online or by phone, so if you land without an address, you can update it later when you have one. Not sure if there's any time limit on it, but that's certainly an option. You would not be the first person!
 

akkoajangajang

Star Member
Jan 10, 2019
61
22
Category........
FSW
NOC Code......
2173
App. Filed.......
22-01-2019
Nomination.....
30-01-2019
AOR Received.
01-03-2019
Med's Done....
12-04-2019
Passport Req..
14-05-2019
VISA ISSUED...
13-06-2019
LANDED..........
30-09-2019
They should provide information to you that instructs you on how to update your address with them online or by phone, so if you land without an address, you can update it later when you have one. Not sure if there's any time limit on it, but that's certainly an option. You would not be the first person!
Sorry, does that mean that I will not have my PR card the next time I enter the country? In my case, I wont have an address in Canada until I actually move there for good (which won’t be the case when I do my soft landing).