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How to get essential items/documents in BC, if they all seem to require already having each other?

ilikesushi

Full Member
Feb 16, 2016
21
0
I've finally landed as a PR and am now living in Canada, but I'm confused about a few things:

1) I landed 10 days ago, and I still can't manage to check the status of my PR card (which Immigration Officers registered me for when I was landing) online, nor can I link the PR Card application to my MyCIC account. So I have no idea if my PR card is actually being processed, much less if there is anything needed from me (like new photographs in case the ones I provided were insufficient).

2) My husband, who is my dependent for PR, got a job where they offered to sign him up for the health plan, and included me as a spouse on his plan. Does that mean I've already met my requirement to be registered with the MSP? And since we just landed, would that coverage come into effect upon the start of his job, or after the standard 3 month waiting period?

3) How can I get a BC driver's licence within 90 days if the ICBC doesn't accept CoPR or SIN document as proof of identity? It requires a PR card, but that might not arrive in time. My country of origin has an agreement with Canada to allow full licence exchange, but it seems that my origin country's passport wouldn't suffice, or would it?

Also, ICBC accepts the BC Services Card as identification, but I can't get that until I'm covered by the MSP, which would likely be beyond 90 days as well.

Do I just have to pray and hope that I'll receive my PR card in the mail within 90 days? Many thanks in advance for any advice. I tried googling my questions, but nothing I found has addressed these exactly.
 

canuck78

VIP Member
Jun 18, 2017
57,422
14,134
I've finally landed as a PR and am now living in Canada, but I'm confused about a few things:

1) I landed 10 days ago, and I still can't manage to check the status of my PR card (which Immigration Officers registered me for when I was landing) online, nor can I link the PR Card application to my MyCIC account. So I have no idea if my PR card is actually being processed, much less if there is anything needed from me (like new photographs in case the ones I provided were insufficient).

10 days especially with some weekends and stat holidays is not very long. You'll have to be a bit more patient.

2) My husband, who is my dependent for PR, got a job where they offered to sign him up for the health plan, and included me as a spouse on his plan. Does that mean I've already met my requirement to be registered with the MSP? And since we just landed, would that coverage come into effect upon the start of his job, or after the standard 3 month waiting period?

Your husband was offered an extended health benefit plan (things not covered by (MSP). You will have to check with empoyer whether there is a probation period or it starts right away. You still have to sign up for MSP with standard wait period.

3) How can I get a BC driver's licence within 90 days if the ICBC doesn't accept CoPR or SIN document as proof of identity? It requires a PR card, but that might not arrive in time. My country of origin has an agreement with Canada to allow full licence exchange, but it seems that my origin country's passport wouldn't suffice, or would it?

Also, ICBC accepts the BC Services Card as identification, but I can't get that until I'm covered by the MSP, which would likely be beyond 90 days as well.

Do I just have to pray and hope that I'll receive my PR card in the mail within 90 days? Many thanks in advance for any advice. I tried googling my questions, but nothing I found has addressed these exactly.
Guessing you have to hope you get your PR card but welcome other suggestions