Hi all - Following are my landing experiences -
1. As soon as you land in any airport, there will be two separate entrances to the Immigration counters - one for PR and Citizens and one for Visitors (which is always crowded). So, pls proceed towards the counter for PR/Citizens (not much rush) and then the officer will check your immigration card and send you to another room where they will take your COPR (one with photo) and ask few questions. For me they asked following--
A. Which country you are coming from?
B. How much money you brought?
(Pls note that, if you are coming alone, then around $4000 is enough to carry. I carried $800 cash and $3000 in Travel ATM Card. If you are coming with family, then better to bring about $1000 cash in hand and $8000 in Travel Card. Rest you can show your Indian bank stmt and tell them that you have the Funds available and matter of going to ATM and withdrawing from Canada. Pls refer to the family wise $$ amount mentioned in website. Note that you need to be very confident in telling them all this. If you hesitate, then you will be in little trouble convincing the officer about your POF. For me, they did not ask any proof and just accepted whatever I said.)
C. Where will you stay in Toronto and provide the address?
D. She asked me why I came alone and whether I am PA (I said "yes, I am PA" and told some story that family will join in March after winter.. BLAH.. BLAH....).
E. The address I gave for PR card was a friend's address. So they asked how you know your friend and what he does, etc
F. Since I had OWP visa as well, so they asked why I came last time to Canada.... (so I told the old story and I told I went back for PR stamping and got job last time itself and rushed now to join the job. I also showed the employment papers). The officer was happy and congratulated me.
G. Finally, she explained me the obligations of maintaining PR status and once again congrajulated me and said "Congratulations, Now you are officially a PR and I have updated the CIC DB with the same" !!!
H. I also asked, if ecas will be reflecting "Completed" now. She was not aware of any tool called ecas and she said she doesnt know but will update the DB immediately.
I. Then she sent me to another room, where they gave me a bag full of books and other material to read!!
J. Collected the baggage and then just before the exit there is another room - which is the CBSA room, where they again asked about the funds I was carrying. I said, I brought only $4000, so they were fine. They also asked whether I brought any food items. I said, I brought Indian packed items like Noodles, etc. They asked, if its all Veg or any nonveg. I said, everything is Veg. He then told me to go.
K. My chest was filled with Pride and it became double in size and I then almost ran out pushing the luggage trolley, where my friend was waiting to receive me!!!!!
L. Note that they will make you sign in the CIC copy of COPR and give back the Client copy of COPR to you. PLEASE REMEMBER THAT THIS IS A VERY VERY VERY IMPORTANT DOCUMENT FOR THE NEXT FEW MONTHS AS YOU WILL NEED THE CLIENT COPY OF COPR TO APPLY SIN, HEALTH INSURANCE CARD AND OTHER ITEMS. PLEASE KEEP IT VERY SAFE. ITS YOUR SOUL FOR THE NEXT FEW DAYS TILL YOU GET PR CARD.
M. Since I reached room by 3pm and was getting bored, so went to nearest Service Canada center and created a new SIN (I had old SIN but that was a temp SIN. They cancelled the old SIN and generated a new Permanent SIN).
Points A to J took about 45 mins for me.
The only trouble right now is the -14C cold its unbearable... luckily my house owner who is a Pakistani has been extremely helpful to me and very kind and caring. He dropped and picked me to/from the office and also helped me get groceries in the eve. I am really thankful to him as he didnt allow me to step out in cold.
Today, was first day at work and it was good. Joining formalities were over. They have given a laptop with VPN connectivity. Some KT on the work that I will do and more to come in the next few days. Expectations are high and I need to put more than 100% to impress them so need to lots of hard work... Guys, the struggle has just started. Past seems to be not much scary compared to what lies ahead...
Hope I will do a good job with all your best wishes!!!
Thanks and wish everyone a speedy processing and DM/Visa.