Not So Happy Landing!

[bonitanita]

Not yet. You have yet to receive the Citizenship certificate to become Canadian. I don't think you can vote yet.

As a resident, you're allowed to vote in most cases.

 

[bonitanita]

Well, that sounds bloody awful! Some people are just ridiculous. I've had all sorts of unpleasant dealings with Border Control people from all over the world, so I feel your pain. The first 3 times I came to Canada I was searched for drugs. I must look dodgy! Ironic since I've never even smoked a cigarette before. But, onwards and upwards. I would certainly make a complaint both with the CBSA and USCB. I hope things improve for you! By the way, if you're needing to get your SIN number, head to the Service Canada office at College and Bathurst (you're downtown Toronto right?). They were super friendly and helpful for my wife as a returning resident with lots of stuff to update and sort out!

Anyway, welcome to Toronto!

Yeah, that's one of the things that annoy me is that we are often judged. I don't like to act like a victim but I'm often pulled aside for questioning and sometimes I can't help but wonder if it is because I am brown. I dress conservatively and look pretty innocent but the colour of my skin is perhaps the reason why I am more suspicious. Who knows? My boyfriend is a whole other story. He's white, covered in tattoos, ears stretched and dreadlocks and I often wonder if they immediately assume he is a drug dealer.

Between the two of us, we have had so many difficulties travelling especially every time we hit a US border.

I think it's absolutely fine for them to do their jobs and be suspicious of people. They should be able to ask invasive questions and ensure that nothing illegal is going on. But, I don't agree that they should be able to search your car without your presence. Nor do I agree that there is any need to be so rude.

Anyway, yes, we are in Toronto and are going to view apartments tonight..... hopefully we'll find something awesome and settle down so that we can get cracking with a regular life again!

 

[SenoritaBella]

What permanent residents cannot do

As a permanent resident, you and your dependants cannot:
•Vote or run for political office.
•Hold certain jobs that have a high-level security clearance requirement.
•Remain in Canada if you are convicted of a serious criminal offence and have been told to leave the country.

As a resident, you're allowed to vote in most cases.

 

[Sweden]

Yeah, that's one of the things that annoy me is that we are often judged. I don't like to act like a victim but I'm often pulled aside for questioning and sometimes I can't help but wonder if it is because I am brown. I dress conservatively and look pretty innocent but the colour of my skin is perhaps the reason why I am more suspicious. Who knows? My boyfriend is a whole other story. He's white, covered in tattoos, ears stretched and dreadlocks and I often wonder if they immediately assume he is a drug dealer.

Between the two of us, we have had so many difficulties travelling especially every time we hit a US border.

I think it's absolutely fine for them to do their jobs and be suspicious of people. They should be able to ask invasive questions and ensure that nothing illegal is going on. But, I don't agree that they should be able to search your car without your presence. Nor do I agree that there is any need to be so rude.

Anyway, yes, we are in Toronto and are going to view apartments tonight..... hopefully we'll find something awesome and settle down so that we can get cracking with a regular life again!

Too bad it was not a nice experience, but welcome to Canada finally! as a PR I mean, you've been here longer... good luck with Toronto and apartment, hope you settle in fast!
Sweden

 

[DGT]

Yeah, that's one of the things that annoy me is that we are often judged. I don't like to act like a victim but I'm often pulled aside for questioning and sometimes I can't help but wonder if it is because I am brown. I dress conservatively and look pretty innocent but the colour of my skin is perhaps the reason why I am more suspicious. Who knows? My boyfriend is a whole other story. He's white, covered in tattoos, ears stretched and dreadlocks and I often wonder if they immediately assume he is a drug dealer.

Between the two of us, we have had so many difficulties travelling especially every time we hit a US border.

I think it's absolutely fine for them to do their jobs and be suspicious of people. They should be able to ask invasive questions and ensure that nothing illegal is going on. But, I don't agree that they should be able to search your car without your presence. Nor do I agree that there is any need to be so rude.

Anyway, yes, we are in Toronto and are going to view apartments tonight..... hopefully we'll find something awesome and settle down so that we can get cracking with a regular life again!

I feel your pain! And I find it saddening that things like this still happen, and it's disturbing that your ethnicity makes you suspect in your travels. I once had someone I know who works for the Australian High Commission in London state categorically that extra investigation goes into student visa applications there based on skin colour. Not nationality, SKIN COLOUR. It feels like the world is getting smaller, and yet the world tries to restrict the movement of people more and more. Anyway, you are here now in Toronto! Probably the most cosmopolitan city in the world! No more backwards border hicks to deal with! Best of luck, and if you need any further advice or recommendations on the city, let me know!

 

[Maddants]

Hi everyone

Just wanted to share my landing experience with you all. Most of you who landed before me shared your experiences and for the most part, they sounded like great, positive experiences. Mine was not so much fun.

We left Newfoundland in our U-Haul to make our move to Toronto. On the way, we veered off the highway and went to the border to flagpole. This was Valentines Day and we thought my landing would be a perfect way to celebrate it. Before we entered the USA, I asked the Canadian officer whether I should walk over or drive. I didn't want the USA officers to give us crap about our belongings because it was packed in, tied up and we didn't want it moved around. He told me there would be no problem and that to just drive through.

When we drove through, I told them we didn't want to enter the USA and that we were there to just flagpole. The man who was "taking care" of us was rude and arrogant. He took the keys to our U-Haul and made us sit down and wait.

20 minutes later, another officer came back to us and said "where's the keys to the back of the truck because I really don't feel like breaking it". We told him that we could get it for him and he said no. He told us to tell him where it was and that he would get it so we told him to look in the cup holder.

He came back after another 10 minutes or so. After an hour of waiting in total, the man gave me the relevant papers and told us to proceed through to Canada. When I went in the vehicle, everything had been gone through including my phone and my personal journal.

I find it disgusting that they're able to search your vehicle without you present. They could have planted anything in there. Not only that, but what was the point in checking our truck when we were not even going into the USA?

When we came back through to the Canadian side, we had another jerk officer. He asked why we were here and I explained our situation. He took everything from my hands and asked me what address I wanted my card to be sent to. I told him while he wrote it down. He never read it back to me or asked to check if it was correct. He left and was gone for over 20 minutes. He then came back and nodded his head which was his way of asking us to follow him. He talked to another officer and said "do these guys need to be searched?" I told him our vehicle was already searched but that we had not been into the USA anyway. He gave me my papers and said "ok, that's it".

I asked him what I needed to do next in terms of getting a social insurance number and so on and he replied by walking away. He reached over and grabbed a piece of paper that says "Welcome to Canada" - which by the way, this version that he gave me was ancient, useless and had all kinds of errors on it. It didn't tell me what I needed to know.

We left.

That was it. I became Canadian.

Of course, I am pleased that I have finally landed and that this ordeal is over with and that we can now move forward. However, I am very disappointed that my landing was a miserable experience. I am peeved at the officers for making what was supposed to be a very special day so tedious and trying. I understand they have a job to do but there is never any need to be a complete arsehole.

nice landing story but that mess up on how they treated you at the border

 

[Korea2Canada]

Lesson Here: Don't bring a u-haul to the US border and expect them to ignore it

*no excuse for the unprofessional treatment though.