Entered Canada today with study permit approved after March 18

[Matt173]

Hi everyone, I greatly benefitted from this forum so I want to return the favor.

I entered Canada today via land based border. My study permit was approved after March 18 which is why I first entered the US to drive to the land based border because if coming from US the study permit approval date is not a criterion.

Even though I take online classes my graduate research was deemed essential for travel. Am happy to answer related questions but please do not ask me about AIP as AIP does not apply in this specific case. This is for those whose study permit was approved after March 18.

Good luck to all of you who are still waiting for your study permit.

 

[Bishops2020]

What nationality are you? Where were you resident?

 

[Matt173]

European citizen but lived in Hong Kong for the past 7 years. I could enter the US because Hong Kong is exempted from the China travel ban and I have also not been in the Schengen region in the past 14 days which is also banned from entry into US.

What nationality are you? Where were you resident?

 

[Th3_Future]

Hi everyone, I greatly benefitted from this forum so I want to return the favor.

I entered Canada today via land based border. My study permit was approved after March 18 which is why I first entered the US to drive to the land based border because if coming from US the study permit approval date is not a criterion.

Even though I take online classes my graduate research was deemed essential for travel. Am happy to answer related questions but please do not ask me about AIP as AIP does not apply in this specific case. This is for those whose study permit was approved after March 18.

Good luck to all of you who are still waiting for your study permit.

So you finally did it. It wasn't just a loophole made from miscalculation. But one that is worth trying, like I did suggest to you; that you can give it a shoot. But you were too cautious of not "spending money to fly half way across the globe just to be sent back". Congrats! on the safe trip.

 

[Matt173]

I am a big proponent of sound statistics and interpretation of data. The current sample size is way too small to draw final conclusions. Until now I don't understand the rule of why it matters whether the study permit was approved before or after March 18. It's even more bizarre that this rule apparently does not apply for those coming from the US.

Not a conclusion but my hunch is that many CBSA border agents think similarly and hence do not apply this rule. That's at least my best guess of why I was let in.

So you finally did it. It wasn't just a loophole made from miscalculation. But one that is worth trying, like I did suggest to you; that you can give it a shoot. But you were too cautious of not "spending money to fly half way across the globe just to be sent back". Congrats! on the safe trip.

 

[Lksin]

Congrats! I’m also from Hong Kong and was approved after March 18. Did you stay few days in US? Why you chose land based border? Did the border agents asked you many questions? Which border you went through?

 

[Matt173]

Hi, great to hear from a fellow mate from HK. I actually landed in the US and drove straight to the border with a one-way rental car. I chose a land based border because I got the impression from reading a lot on this forum that border agents at land based borders are more conservative in their political leaning and hence care more about the local economy and logic of regulations whereas at airports border agents seem to be more overly self protective and hence rather interpret regulations overly stringent. That is only my own impression. Not sure it applies broadly. I drove through the Douglas, BC border. Interestingly I was not asked a single question about essential vs nonessential travel. I just spoke the truth that aside my online courses I also need to do graduate level research and he did not ask any questions in response. I am pretty sure that this particular agent would not even have asked anything regarding this issue if I did not volunteer to speak about why I think my travel should be treated as essential.

In summary, I get the impression that a number of border agents seem to be fed up with contradictory and certain nonsensical regulations. Now, that's not a suggestion to ignore regulations on our part but it now makes sense why the border agent did not even raise eyebrows when I was honest and told him I live in HK and flew to US in order to qualify as "coming from the US" to avoid the Match 18 cutoff criterion. The regulation makes zero sense and is indeed stupid when you really think about it and I just venture a guess that many border agents think alike. Hope this helps.

Think about it for second. From a logical perspective, you could interpret this as a loophole: flying directly to Canada I would be bound by the March 18 deadline regulation but when I enter the US and come to Canada from the US (which I did) I also adhere to the regulation when strictly taking it by the exact wording of it. It states "if coming from the US, including non national (meaning non US citizen) then I can enter with an approved study permit if my travel is deemed essential without the March 18 criterion". It seems inconsistent but on the other hand if "coming from US" meant US legal residents (citizen or foreigner with legal residence in US) then that seems nonsensical as well given the US has one of the worst infection rates in the world. Well, I am glad it worked out this way and wanted to share that this might be an option for those who have an approved study permit.

Congrats! I’m also from Hong Kong and was approved after March 18. Did you stay few days in US? Why you chose land based border? Did the border agents asked you many questions? Which border you went through?

 

[Matt173]

US border agent did not seem to care at all. He only asked me what my plans are and I told him that I plan to transit through the US to Canada but might be back if I cannot enter due to covid related issues and he gave me the max amount of time (3 months in my case) that my particular personal situation allows. No issues there whatsoever. Both, the US and Canadian border agents were top notch, patient, professional, and super nice, while asking the questions they needed to ask. In total, a very pleasant and great experience. I was way too scared of every single step but it also forced me to very diligently prepare. I created a nice folder with every document any of the agents might have requested and hence felt prepared.

My permit approved before March 18 and I will enter for the first time for winter semester start in class course.
I am planning to go to the US to visit some friends and family but I was afraid that coming from the US would be a negative given the covid numbers but it seems like it is the contrary. How was the US border officer? Did you tell them you will go to Canada straight away?

 

[Impatient Dankaroo]

A classmate of mine entered Canada through the airport despite our next semester being online so who knows who's allowed in and who's not

 

[Matt173]

... Indeed, hence my saying that all I shared is just limited to my own experience and impressions...

A classmate of mine entered Canada through the airport despite our next semester being online so who knows who's allowed in and who's not

 

[mp3004]

US border agent did not seem to care at all. He only asked me what my plans are and I told him that I plan to transit through the US to Canada but might be back if I cannot enter due to covid related issues and he gave me the max amount of time (3 months in my case) that my particular personal situation allows. No issues there whatsoever. Both, the US and Canadian border agents were top notch, patient, professional, and super nice, while asking the questions they needed to ask. In total, a very pleasant and great experience. I was way too scared of every single step but it also forced me to very diligently prepare. I created a nice folder with every document any of the agents might have requested and hence felt prepared.

Did the Cananda border officer ask you about your 14 days quarantine plan?

 

[Matt173]

Not much. He only read some quarantine related regulations and the penalties when not followed and asked me whether I understood all that. I offered to show him my quarantine plan and all hotel and transportation bookings and I also printed out information about nearby hospitals, food and grocery deliveries but he said he did not need to see this.

Did the Cananda border officer ask you about your 14 days quarantine plan?

 

[hjkojima]

Congrats @Matt173. Where will you be staying for the quarantine?

 

[Matt173]

Thanks, I stay at a hotel in Richmond not too far from the airport. Lots of Chinese food choices for room delivery ;-)

Congrats @Matt173. Where will you be staying for the quarantine?

 

[Hertie]

Hi, great to hear from a fellow mate from HK. I actually landed in the US and drove straight to the border with a one-way rental car. I chose a land based border because I got the impression from reading a lot on this forum that border agents at land based borders are more conservative in their political leaning and hence care more about the local economy and logic of regulations whereas at airports border agents seem to be more overly self protective and hence rather interpret regulations overly stringent. That is only my own impression. Not sure it applies broadly. I drove through the Douglas, BC border. Interestingly I was not asked a single question about essential vs nonessential travel. I just spoke the truth that aside my online courses I also need to do graduate level research and he did not ask any questions in response. I am pretty sure that this particular agent would not even have asked anything regarding this issue if I did not volunteer to speak about why I think my travel should be treated as essential.

In summary, I get the impression that a number of border agents seem to be fed up with contradictory and certain nonsensical regulations. Now, that's not a suggestion to ignore regulations on our part but it now makes sense why the border agent did not even raise eyebrows when I was honest and told him I live in HK and flew to US in order to qualify as "coming from the US" to avoid the Match 18 cutoff criterion. The regulation makes zero sense and is indeed stupid when you really think about it and I just venture a guess that many border agents think alike. Hope this helps.

Think about it for second. From a logical perspective, you could interpret this as a loophole: flying directly to Canada I would be bound by the March 18 deadline regulation but when I enter the US and come to Canada from the US (which I did) I also adhere to the regulation when strictly taking it by the exact wording of it. It states "if coming from the US, including non national (meaning non US citizen) then I can enter with an approved study permit if my travel is deemed essential without the March 18 criterion". It seems inconsistent but on the other hand if "coming from US" meant US legal residents (citizen or foreigner with legal residence in US) then that seems nonsensical as well given the US has one of the worst infection rates in the world. Well, I am glad it worked out this way and wanted to share that this might be an option for those who have an approved study permit.

@Matt173 How much did it cost for the one way rental car?