NZer exchanging driving experience in Ontario

[hinksta]

Hi there, my apologies if this isn't the correct place to post this.

I'm a New Zealand citizen who has been living in Canada since April, and am wanting to claim experience for a drivers license. I have looked up the requirements for out of country drivers (given Canada doesn't have a licensing agreement with New Zealand) and it appears to claim experience I need a valid drivers license.

I have the NZ equivalent of a G2 license, and first got my G1 equivalent in January 2013. However I was informed when I went into my local Etobicoke DriveTest centre that I was unable to claim any drivers experience as I don't have a full class NZ license (G) and have to start the licensing graduation system all over again which is ridiculous. I have rang up Service Ontario as well and they gave me the same answer.

I would like some advice as to what I can do about this, such as which authorities i can contact (if anyone has had any luck?) as this is obviously limiting.

I look forward to receiving any response

-Hugh.

 

[PMM]

Hi

Hi there, my apologies if this isn't the correct place to post this.

I'm a New Zealand citizen who has been living in Canada since April, and am wanting to claim experience for a drivers license. I have looked up the requirements for out of country drivers (given Canada doesn't have a licensing agreement with New Zealand) and it appears to claim experience I need a valid drivers license.

I have the NZ equivalent of a G2 license, and first got my G1 equivalent in January 2013. However I was informed when I went into my local Etobicoke DriveTest centre that I was unable to claim any drivers experience as I don't have a full class NZ license (G) and have to start the licensing graduation system all over again which is ridiculous. I have rang up Service Ontario as well and they gave me the same answer.

I would like some advice as to what I can do about this, such as which authorities i can contact (if anyone has had any luck?) as this is obviously limiting.

I look forward to receiving any response

-Hugh.

1. Thems the rules in Ontario, you spoke to Drive Test Centre and Service Ontario who run the licensing.
2. From their web site

Less than 2 years driving experience (with exchange)

You need to take:

an eye test, when you apply
one road test (the G2 road test)

You will not be able to do the G2 road test right away. You need to wait until you gain two, full years of driving experience. For example, if you had a licence for 21 months in your home province, state or country, you can do the G2 road test after 3 months in Ontario. After you pass the G2 road test, you get a full licence.

 

[polara69]

Hi there, my apologies if this isn't the correct place to post this.

I'm a New Zealand citizen who has been living in Canada since April, and am wanting to claim experience for a drivers license. I have looked up the requirements for out of country drivers (given Canada doesn't have a licensing agreement with New Zealand) and it appears to claim experience I need a valid drivers license.

I have the NZ equivalent of a G2 license, and first got my G1 equivalent in January 2013. However I was informed when I went into my local Etobicoke DriveTest centre that I was unable to claim any drivers experience as I don't have a full class NZ license (G) and have to start the licensing graduation system all over again which is ridiculous. I have rang up Service Ontario as well and they gave me the same answer.

I would like some advice as to what I can do about this, such as which authorities i can contact (if anyone has had any luck?) as this is obviously limiting.

I look forward to receiving any response

-Hugh.

I am New Zealander and changed my NZ license last year without issues. They do have an agreement with BC. Strange that this does not apply country wide!!!!

See under BC

http://canada.angloinfo.com/transport/driving-licences/exchanging-a-licence/

 

[emamabd]

I am New Zealander and changed my NZ license last year without issues. They do have an agreement with BC. Strange that this does not apply country wide!!!!

See under BC

http://canada.angloinfo.com/transport/driving-licences/exchanging-a-licence/

Hi there, a question off-topic

I've always heard that new zealand is a very nice country and has good job opportunities..so just wondering, what made you decide to immigrate to canada?

 

[polara69]

hahaha.. you are not the first who asks me this. The simple answer is because I could. NZ is nice and safe, but too far away from anything. I am not retired yet and wanted some changes. Job wise there were no issues, just stop on one end and start on the other. No survival jobs or so.. pretty lucky.

Love it here! Awesome people, fully integrated. But who knows what life has in store for you.. Might retire in the South Pacific in years to come, maybe here. Who knows!

 

[emamabd]

hahaha.. you are not the first who asks me this. The simple answer is because I could. NZ is nice and safe, but too far away from anything. I am not retired yet and wanted some changes. Job wise there were no issues, just stop on one end and start on the other. No survival jobs or so.. pretty lucky.

Love it here! Awesome people, fully integrated. But who knows what life has in store for you.. Might retire in the South Pacific in years to come, maybe here. Who knows!

Sure, canada is a wonderful place to live and i understand that one needs change at some point.

And yes, its true that finding a professional job in canada is easier for newcomers who's first language is English. Thanks for the reply
and enjoy your new country!

 

[hinksta]

Hi


1. Thems the rules in Ontario, you spoke to Drive Test Centre and Service Ontario who run the licensing.
2. From their web site

Less than 2 years driving experience (with exchange)

You need to take:

an eye test, when you apply
one road test (the G2 road test)

You will not be able to do the G2 road test right away. You need to wait until you gain two, full years of driving experience. For example, if you had a licence for 21 months in your home province, state or country, you can do the G2 road test after 3 months in Ontario. After you pass the G2 road test, you get a full licence.

Thanks for your reply. I already knew the information on the website, which doesn't state the license needs to be of a full class to claim experience. I just want to shorten the time it takes to get my G2 at least. This is why i am confused, there is no consistency between what you see online and what they tell you in person - and why should you need a full class license to transfer experience anyway? Like you said, you still have to take all the tests. It just doesn't make any sense.

Edit: the information you posted is for countries with an exchange (i.e australia). Ontario does not have a licensing exchangment agreement with New Zealand.

Go to the out of country drivers part of the DriveTest website and you will see what I am referring to. (can't post links)

I am New Zealander and changed my NZ license last year without issues. They do have an agreement with BC. Strange that this does not apply country wide!!!!

See under BC

Really? Do you think I could somehow get it exchanged there (and then transfer the license to an ontario license)? I would need to be a resident of BC though, right?

Hi there, a question off-topic

I've always heard that new zealand is a very nice country and has good job opportunities..so just wondering, what made you decide to immigrate to canada?

New Zealand is a wonderful country, but unfortunately in the last few years the state of it has really gone downhill. Cost of living is easily over double what you pay here now, poverty is rising - making the rich richer, and the current prime minister is passing ridiculous laws and furthering the country in debt. People in NZ are either struggling to pay bills or rich as anything. I met my canadian partner over there as he went to study and I came back with him to Toronto, and to be honest, I don't want to go back unless things get sorted out. I could go on for ages about how bad things are.

Who wants to pay 2.29 for a litre of gas?!

 

[polara69]

Thanks for your reply. I already knew the information on the website, which doesn't state the license needs to be of a full class to claim experience. I just want to shorten the time it takes to get my G2 at least. This is why i am confused, there is no consistency between what you see online and what they tell you in person - and why should you need a full class license to transfer experience anyway? Like you said, you still have to take all the tests. It just doesn't make any sense.

Edit: the information you posted is for countries with an exchange (i.e australia). Ontario does not have a licensing exchangment agreement with New Zealand.

Go to the out of country drivers part of the DriveTest website and you will see what I am referring to. (can't post links)

Really? Do you think I could somehow get it exchanged there (and then transfer the license to an ontario license)? I would need to be a resident of BC though, right? I assume so!!

New Zealand is a wonderful country, but unfortunately in the last few years the state of it has really gone downhill. Cost of living is easily over double what you pay here now, poverty is rising - making the rich richer, and the current prime minister is passing ridiculous laws and furthering the country in debt. People in NZ are either struggling to pay bills or rich as anything. I met my canadian partner over there as he went to study and I came back with him to Toronto, and to be honest, I don't want to go back unless things get sorted out. I could go on for ages about how bad things are.

Who wants to pay 2.29 for a litre of gas?! Not me, very happy here!!

 

[emamabd]

New Zealand is a wonderful country, but unfortunately in the last few years the state of it has really gone downhill. Cost of living is easily over double what you pay here now, poverty is rising - making the rich richer, and the current prime minister is passing ridiculous laws and furthering the country in debt. People in NZ are either struggling to pay bills or rich as anything. I met my canadian partner over there as he went to study and I came back with him to Toronto, and to be honest, I don't want to go back unless things get sorted out. I could go on for ages about how bad things are.

Who wants to pay 2.29 for a litre of gas?!

Ooh i c, the gas is too expensive in nz...i've always thought its expensive in canada too @ 1.29 perlitre, in my country a gallon would cost $1.8 (1 Gallon = 4.5 litres) , but ofcourse there are lots of other issues over there (economical/political...etc), which is why i chose to move.

Anyway, good luck with your new life in canada

 

[hinksta]

[size=9pt] Sorry, just out of curiosity, which gallon are we talking about in Canada - a US gallon = 3.785 liters or a UK gallon = 4.546 liters?

As for getting a license there, I hear one needs to present their country of origin Driver's License (DL) plus a DL extract that says that he / she has, for example, 10 years of driving experience in his / her home country (with a clean record) and they are then good to give a G test without any wait. Although if one fails the G test they go back to G2 (again, without any waiting period though) is what I hear. I trust that is correct?

Gas price is always a relative thing, mate - depends on pricing in what part of the world you compare it with! Although I would have expected it to be way cheaper than $1.29 per liter considering huge reserves that Canada has.

I presented my driver's extract aswell, didn't make any difference unfortunately