Singaporean applicants under FSW

[calvin]

You said I am allowed to use my singapore license for six months? I assume you mean I don't even need to get a international driving license?

If I planned to land for two weeks and return 8 months later, my singapore license will not be valid then (8 months later)?

 

[mediajunkie]

Google is your best friend. I found this online: http://www.immigrationpeel.ca/transportation/license.htm

It's actually 60 days on your foreign license, not 6 months, that was my mistake. Again that is for the province of Ontario only. You never really said where you were gonna settle.

I don't think the police shares information with immigration services. As long as you have a passport stamp showing your most recent arrival in Canada, they should allow you to drive around with your Singapore license.

Now that I recall, my brother was driving around with his Singapore license because he was too lazy to get his Ontario license. He was driving around in my US-registered car and got stopped by police because my car didn't have a front license plate. He couldn't find where I put my insurance and even though he was within his 60-day limit but they wrote him a ticket anyway and they told him to get an Ontario license ASAP. He told me that the cops were biased cos he looked young but I wasn't there so I'm not sure what happened.

 

[mediajunkie]

I collected my passport with Visa stamp today!

Already booked ticket to Toronto and headed there for good on November 19. Going to join my parents and siblings who are already over there.

Thanks for all the advise on these forums.

 

[abelkwh]

wow! congrads to u, mediajunkie! U have been a great help to all of us as well and really u have a good landing in Toronto.

Hope to hear or see ya in Canada soon!

 

[tran]

Hi mediajunkie, that was fast. Hope you have a great time in Toronto.

 

[pocoyo]

Hi mediajunkie, congrats and good luck!

 

[calvin]

This question is about CPF money.

If you take transfer your CPF money some years later after you have settled in Canada, is the money transferred subjected to tax?

 

[mediajunkie]

I believe according to my dad, there is a tax treaty between Singapore and Canada to prevent double taxation. So if you've paid taxes in Singapore on money earnt in Singapore you shouldn't have to pay them again in Canada.

However if you do put the money in the bank and allow it to accrue interest, you are liable to pay tax on the interest earned.

Best thing is to make out a bank draft for the entire amount or transfer it small bits at a time.

My dad still trades stocks and shares using a Singapore broker because he says they tax way less in Canada. And even though my parents have retired they still keep their CPF in Singapore because it garners way more interest than any bank right now.

Once again google is your best friend for finding out stuff like that: http://www.iras.gov.sg/irasHome/uploadedFiles/Quick_Links/singaporecanadadta.pdf

 

[tran]

I haven't read any ex-Singaporean complaining about CPF money
being taxed by the Canadian govt. after having it transferred
over.

IMO, it's better to get hold of your CPF money asap; especially so
if it's a huge amount. Your CPF money does not belong to you
until you have complete control over it.

 

[calvin]

Would you open a HSBC account from here or is it better to do from Singapore there? Any advise?

I am planning to do my landing to vancouver this December and am thinking of buying a prepaid phone card for use soon after landing. Does anyone know if I can use my exiting phone here (say an Iphone 3G) with the prepaid sim card there?

 

[tran]

Calvin,

If you intend to land in Vancouver, the below link might be useful.

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/van-immi/

 

[calvin]

Thanks, Tran, mediajunkie,

I have gone thorugh webiste of the mobile phone providers like bell, rogers, telus etc and got the impression that I have to use the phone sold by the providers. I was hoping those of you who have been there might enlighten. If I could use my own existing phone, it saves some money.

 

[mediajunkie]

I have an iphone 3G myself, I haven't looked into the plan because I'm busy getting ready to go back, but i doubt that you will need to use the phone provided by the providers. There should be some loophole or some "extra charge" you'll have to pay in order to use your own phone. My friends at Sim Lim have told me they have exported phones in bulk to Canada and I have seen Asian stores in Toronto selling the iPhone outright without a plan attached.

3G Wireless in North America is not as advance as Singapore or any other place that has used GSM technology for the last 2 decades. They've only made the switch to GSM in the last 5 years or so, many cell pones aren't even GSM yet. I wouldn't be surprised if you got blurry looks from a Canadian or American if you asked them if they knew about SIM cards.

Anyway, I doubt you will be able to buy a SIM card compatible with your iphone 3G. Most prepaid SIM cards do not support 3G wireless and your iphone needs a 3G sim card to operate. You can't even use a Singapore Hi! card or M card with an iphone. You would be better off purchasing a prepaid cell phone - they sell those at walmart and the cheapest one i've seen goes for about $20.

As for the HSBC account, if you open a HSBC account in Singapore with more than S$100,000, then go to Vancouver and go to a branch there, they will allow you to link both accounts. But it has to be over S$100,000. My dad has his account linked and I'm pretty sure he has over $100,000. My brother tried to link his Singapore HSBC account with his Canadian HSBC account, and being only 21 years old, he did not have $100k, so HSBC wouldn't link it for him. You might want to inquire at HSBC yourself. My uncle did the same thing when he sent his daughter off to UBC and he said the staff at HSBC were extremely helpful (although I think my uncle may quite possibly be a multimillionaire which is why they were so helpful).

Anyway now that you said you're landing in Vancouver, here's some information about the licensing that may help you out: http://www.icbc.com/driver-licensing/moving-bc/licence-othercountry#Variables._frag_

You have 90 days to convert your license in British Columbia, unlike 60 days for Ontario. I guess that gives you a bit more time to get your driving test done. Everything else seems to be the same as Ontario though.

 

[tran]

I got my set of fingerprints for my Canadian PCC done
in 15 mins. at CNCC, Cantonment Police Dept. for FREE.

 

[abelkwh]

Hi Tran

Same here too man! when did u do yrs? i had mine done last week at cantonment road too! did 3 sets for free as well for FBI and State police report for US as i have stayed in US many yrs.

What stage r u at now, Tran?