DOUBTS? "Can I 'Land' anywhere" matter -Which POE to Choose !!!

[computergeek]

Hi there!

I got my COPR under FSW and scheduled to travel to Toronto on February 9 2014 via direct flight from Karachi, Pakistan .Being a PA, I am accompanied by my family members as well since our visa will expiry on Feb 22, 2014.

Although I have gone through the earlier posts which confirm having no issue, I want to reconfirm whether there be any issue if I land in Toronto? As per my COPR, the port of entry has been stated to be “Calgary, Alberta”. My plan is to settle in Toronto since I have friends there.

Will I be allowed to land in Toronto to complete my landing formalities?

Please advise.

Kindest regards.

There will be no issue. You may land at any Port of Entry. As a PR you may then live or work wherever you choose.

 

[munfarid]

There will be no issue. You may land at any Port of Entry. As a PR you may then live or work wherever you choose.

@ Computergeek: Thank you indeed!

 

[computergeek]

I should point out that some programs (e.g., PNP) may have special restrictions (so you might have financial penalties for not abiding by the program). Similarly, if you choose to move to Quebec from another location in Canada you will not be eligible for some Quebec services because you did not obtain a CSQ.

 

[canadavisa14]

Hello,

My wife finally got her Canadian visa for PR sponsorship to Canada and it will be her first time visiting Canada. We have her passport stamped with the Canadian Visa but I have a quick question.

Context: She is first landing in Toronto but has a boarding flight to Ottawa and she is coming here alone (I couldn't travel because of my work so I will be picking her up but I am debating if I should book her a ticket towards Montreal and drive there or let her come to Ottawa and help out when she firsts lands.)

1) will she be with the customs/immigration officer at Toronto or in Ottawa?
2) Can I still ask and request to be with her when she firsts lands and will be with the customs/immigration officer?

Thanks,

 

[fuad1980]

Hi Canadavisa14,

Your wife will have to complete her immigration formalities in Toronto as First Point of Entry to Canada and then move to Ottawa.

Regards,
Fuad

 

[leo hot hunk]

Guys,

Lots of us have got the visa/s lately [2010]. And we are now having some doubt about our 'choice of landing', after being on this great forum & having surfed enough reg. various Canadian cities. Thus, the question, "Should I Land in the City mentioned in my Application/COPR, or can go to another Canadian city"?

Please be Clarified that:
As a federal skilled worker, we can chose any POE in Canada & complete our landing formalities, regardless of the destination mentionned in our Apps or the COPR, except Quebec* [details below].

Canada's immigration laws provide for a 2 step process for our visa applications:
>Step-1. The CIC/CHCs carry out stage One (read our apps processing system).
>Step-2. Carried out by an Immigration Officer at the POE.

Reg. step-1, we are already familiar. This is how we get our PR Visas. For the step-2 (at POE) however, landing is our "Right". Though not an 'automatic right', we must still satisfy the officer at the POE that our entry is permissible: A12(1), called the 'Verification of PR', outlined in Sections 19(1) & (2) of the Act. But, another thing is also involved in this step-2, called 'Completion of the Record of Landing' for admission into Canada, which is obligatory.

For this "Record of Landing", 'admissibility' is not affected by our choice of POE. All it's needed is to fill up certain forms, specifically the PR Card form (IMM 5444E), wherein we have to provide an address for card delivery. This can be anywhere, beyond the POE. This is how newcomers with COPR destination as Montreal-Quebec drive thru the POE of Sarnia, Bluewater Bridge. There are many other examples, but for brevity I just chose one.

*There is only 'one' catch though. For Quebec, although any FSW would be allowed to enter thru a Quebec POE, they cannot complete the 'Record of Landing' here. And would have to further drive/fly to another province (any) to report to its Immigration Officer for the 'completion' of record of landing. This is because Quebec needs the CSQ certificate to complete this procedure. Which only is for a Quebec PR applicant. (however, it is not vice-versa... a Quebec PR applicant can do all the formalities in any other Canadian POE).

End Note: Anyone of us FSWs can land in any Canadian POE, irrespective of what's written in our apps or the COPR.

Hope that's of some help.
Qorax.

Hi Qorax,
Thank you for all your useful information, I still did not got for the Quebec Landing.
I did my landing (last week) via Quebec province as I have a CSQ and I am into QSW.
Can I stay in Ontario province after landing from Quebec province.
Please guide me with your valuable inputs.

Thanks
Leo

 

[computergeek]

Hi Qorax,
Thank you for all your useful information, I still did not got for the Quebec Landing.
I did my landing (last week) via Quebec province as I have a CSQ and I am into QSW.
Can I stay in Ontario province after landing from Quebec province.
Please guide me with your valuable inputs.

Thanks
Leo

As a permanent resident of Canada, you may live and work anywhere in Canada.

 

[rizmayo]

Hello,

My wife finally got her Canadian visa for PR sponsorship to Canada and it will be her first time visiting Canada. We have her passport stamped with the Canadian Visa but I have a quick question.

Context: She is first landing in Toronto but has a boarding flight to Ottawa and she is coming here alone (I couldn't travel because of my work so I will be picking her up but I am debating if I should book her a ticket towards Montreal and drive there or let her come to Ottawa and help out when she firsts lands.)

1) will she be with the customs/immigration officer at Toronto or in Ottawa?
2) Can I still ask and request to be with her when she firsts lands and will be with the customs/immigration officer?

Thanks,

Toronto Airport is a secure area and you will not be allowed to enter the area where immigration and customs is done if you are not a passenger. Some people do get access to these areas, however they have high security clearance or they are part of embassy staff.

Many people come to Canada who have never traveled in their life, therefore her first landing cannot be consider special circumstance for you to be allowed in, even if you had security clearance.

If you don't mind my asking, i am a bit confused as to why you are struggling between Ottawa and Montreal? I would assume you want you wife to come to the same place you are at.


Regards,

 

[canada2]

Thank you all for your relevant comments. Read the below note from Qorax regarding landing in Montreal(Quebec)

"There is only 'one' catch though. For Quebec, although any FSW would be allowed to enter thru a Quebec POE, they cannot complete the 'Record of Landing' here. And would have to further drive/fly to another province (any) to report to its Immigration Officer for the 'completion' of record of landing. This is because Quebec needs the CSQ certificate to complete this procedure. Which only is for a Quebec PR applicant. (however, it is not vice-versa... a Quebec PR applicant can do all the formalities in any other Canadian POE)"

Mine is a repeat question discussed many times on this forum.
I want to fly to Montreal, spend few days with my kids studying in University(Montreal) and then proceed to Toronto.
Being a FSW with Toronto as final destination (COPR), would I be allowed to complete my landing in Montreal.

So after entering Montreal, where can I find the immigration officer in Ottawa/Toronto to complete my paperwork?(as per Qorax note)

Thanks..

 

[lgg]

Hi all,

I've read a lot of the posts and I think its safe what I have planned, but want to double check because there has been changes to the FSW and QSW programs:

I applied for PR under the QSW, my husband is the PA and he knows french, we are flying together. I also have a sister living in Ontario, so I want to land in Toronto, where my sister will pick us up. I have read that, as the visa issued is the same, I can land in any POE and do my paperwork and there shouldn't be any issues, but can I supply my sister' address for receiving the PR cards, even if we decide to enter through Montreal (I read in some post that if the PR doesn't have a CSQ won't have access to some Quebec program/services, but what are those?), can we still supply her address for that purpose? If IO either at Toronto or Montreal asks, I can tell that I want to spend some time with my sister, as we don't have friends or family in Quebec. After, if we decide that we have better opportunities by staying with my sister, will that be an issue? I mean, we can still go to get a SIN number and Health card, no questions asked?

Thank you all for the help.

 

[rizmayo]

Thank you all for your relevant comments. Read the below note from Qorax regarding landing in Montreal(Quebec)

"There is only 'one' catch though. For Quebec, although any FSW would be allowed to enter thru a Quebec POE, they cannot complete the 'Record of Landing' here. And would have to further drive/fly to another province (any) to report to its Immigration Officer for the 'completion' of record of landing. This is because Quebec needs the CSQ certificate to complete this procedure. Which only is for a Quebec PR applicant. (however, it is not vice-versa... a Quebec PR applicant can do all the formalities in any other Canadian POE)"

Mine is a repeat question discussed many times on this forum.
I want to fly to Montreal, spend few days with my kids studying in University(Montreal) and then proceed to Toronto.
Being a FSW with Toronto as final destination (COPR), would I be allowed to complete my landing in Montreal.

So after entering Montreal, where can I find the immigration officer in Ottawa/Toronto to complete my paperwork?(as per Qorax note)

Thanks..

Hi

Qorax's post on this matter is outdated.

You will have to complete your landing at Montreal airport now. Unless you have a passport that allows you visa free entry into Canada, there is no way to enter Canada without completing your landing at the first international airport you fly into.

However this is good news for you. You can complete your formalities at Montreal airport (many FSW applicant have done this so don't worry), spend time with your kids without worrying about completing your formalities elsewhere. When immigration officers at airport asks for your address, just make sure it is not an address in Quebec and they may also ask (not likely) how you intend to reach your final destination, an airline or bus ticket would be good to have at that time.

Regards,

 

[rizmayo]

Hi all,

I've read a lot of the posts and I think its safe what I have planned, but want to double check because there has been changes to the FSW and QSW programs:

I applied for PR under the QSW, my husband is the PA and he knows french, we are flying together. I also have a sister living in Ontario, so I want to land in Toronto, where my sister will pick us up. I have read that, as the visa issued is the same, I can land in any POE and do my paperwork and there shouldn't be any issues, but can I supply my sister' address for receiving the PR cards, even if we decide to enter through Montreal (I read in some post that if the PR doesn't have a CSQ won't have access to some Quebec program/services, but what are those?), can we still supply her address for that purpose? If IO either at Toronto or Montreal asks, I can tell that I want to spend some time with my sister, as we don't have friends or family in Quebec. After, if we decide that we have better opportunities by staying with my sister, will that be an issue? I mean, we can still go to get a SIN number and Health card, no questions asked?

Thank you all for the help.

Landing in Toronto is not a problem and you can get your SIN number at the airport if you land on a weekday during working hours. You are not eligible for a health card unless you have lived in a province for 3 months (health card is a provincial matter, you need to apply for new cards each time you permanently move to a new province).

There is certain funding that Quebec provides its residents. You for example may be eligible for up to C$500 to learn french.

However I am not sure if you will have any issues having your cards delivered to a Toronto address (should not be a problem). However it is better to ask the immigration officer at the airport. If you don't have a Quebec address yet don't worry, you can just tell the immigration officer and he will tell you have to update your address later online within a period of 6 weeks.

Regards,

 

[Enas Edward Phillip]

i will come to Canada as a new immigrant for Manitoba Provincial Nominee Program (MPNP).
Can I make landing At the Immigration Counter in Manitoba .although my flight stopped as transit for 2 hours only in Toronto or I would like to know if obligatory to make these procedures in Toronto as it is the first port i will reach in Canada .
i prefare to make procedures in Winnipeg to have enough time
Please help me ,thank you for your effort

 

[computergeek]

i will come to Canada as a new immigrant for Manitoba Provincial Nominee Program (MPNP).
Can I make landing At the Immigration Counter in Manitoba .although my flight stopped as transit for 2 hours only in Toronto or I would like to know if obligatory to make these procedures in Toronto as it is the first port i will reach in Canada .
i prefare to make procedures in Winnipeg to have enough time
Please help me ,thank you for your effort

You must complete your landing process at your first Port of Entry into Canada. When you board the flight to MB, it will be a domestic flight - you will not interact with CBSA for immigration OR customs.

 

[Cyrussuarez]

i have the same situation as Enas (applied via MPNP as well). Just got our visa and we're thinking on where to land. I'm thinking of Calgary as our POE. I want to check with you guys if that's possible.