once visa granted - what next? PR card?

[chrischris]

We both live and work in the UK and my wife will sponsor me in my application which we will submit outland next month. Once the application is granted, and you have 'landed', what happens next?

I hope to apply for jobs in Canada from the UK in the period between the application being granted and the expiry of the medical (hopefully that time period will be a few months), but when applying for jobs, will it be technically correct to say that I have the right to live and work in Canada if I haven't yet 'landed'?

Also, people talk about the PR card - I assume that's just a piece of paperwork that happens after you've landed - there's no difference in your immigration status between having landed and having actually received the PR card - is that correct?

Finally, I do already have a SIN from a year spent working in Canada on a working holiday visa from nearly a decade ago - does this affect anything - will it make the PR card process a bit quicker?

Answers to any of the above gratefully received

 

[kelKel]

Once you have landed you can apply for your SiN card the same day if you want as well as your health card. You'll get your SIN number on the spot your card in mail around 10 days later. You'll get health care 3 months later or depending what province you land, right away. Your PR card will usually arrive around 45 days later based on current processing times.

You can start working as soon as you have your SIN number. You can't work in Canada until you've landed as a permanent resident but I guess that couldn't stop you from showing interest in positions with resumes before you come over.

Once you've landed you are a permanent resident of Canada, there is no difference in status if you have the PR card in your hand or not. You have the card as proof of status for example, travelling.

I don't think having a SIN or past work in Canada would speed up or slow down the process.

Hope that helps! Put together a strong solid application with plenty of proof of resettlement and youll through quickly.

 

[scylla]

but when applying for jobs, will it be technically correct to say that I have the right to live and work in Canada if I haven't yet 'landed'?

I would strongly recommend that you do not say you have the right to live and work in Canada until you have actually landed and can make this statement honestly.

Here's why... Let's say your application is still in progress (i.e. you haven't landed and can't yet work in Canada). You send out a few resumes to start making connections with employers and one of these employers contacts you wanting to discuss a possible job (this employer believe you can already work in Canada because of the information on your resume). The employer then finds out that you can't actually work in Canada yet. The employer's next thoughts are, wow - if he lied about this on his resume, what else has he misrepresented about his abilities/experience? And before you know it, someone who might have hired you at the drop of a hat once you landed will never look at you again. I've actually seen this happen a number of times in my workplace. Many companies in Canada take resume misrepresentation very seriously and keep track of it centrally through their HR departments.

Instead, I'd recommend that you make it very clear in your covering letter that you are not yet legally allowed to work in Canada but expect to have legal status by XXX (make a guess at a reasonable date).

Anyway, just my two cents...

 

[chrischris]

Thanks guys for the responses there - very helpful.

Someone told me that once I've landed and been admitted as a permanent resident I could have problems re-entering Canada if I leave again before receiving my PR card in the mail. I have relatives though which is where my initial address in Canada will be - could I leave shortly after landing (e.g. a week) to go and sort out things in the UK and have my relatives forward my PR card to me in the UK? Or would there be a reason why that would not be advisable?

Cheers

 

[Baloo]

Thanks guys for the responses there - very helpful.

Someone told me that once I've landed and been admitted as a permanent resident I could have problems re-entering Canada if I leave again before receiving my PR card in the mail. I have relatives though which is where my initial address in Canada will be - could I leave shortly after landing (e.g. a week) to go and sort out things in the UK and have my relatives forward my PR card to me in the UK? Or would there be a reason why that would not be advisable?

Cheers

You will be fine.
You can request a travel document, or wait for family to send your card to you in the UK.