US outland applicants' thread :)

[louise8118]

carr1 I hope you have a glass of wine with your dinner! Congratulations on the successful landing!

 

[iiiEllie]

I landed, it was a hot mess but it's done.

When I got to the border and showed the agent my COPR in my previous last name and wrong passport number she laughed and got another agent to help us. At some points I had 5 agents trying to figure out how to fix CIC's mistake.
They decided to let me land sign the COPR and make changes on the COPR to show my correct name and passport number. I thought oh great this is actually going to work, then the agent said "oh no" and had me sit down again and wait. After what seemed forever the agents were laughing to each other and chatting on how to fix whatever the new issue was, at one point they were laughing so hard and looked at me and said "let's remember it's not CBSA's fault it's CIC" they whole time the agents were so nice and joking with us but I kept thinking OMG this isn't going to work and I'll need to get a new COPR from Ottawa.
Well after an hour total they called me back up and handed me a new COPR with my correct name and passport number and had me sign again, they stapled it into my passport, explained what happened and said have a nice day.
Apparently the COPR I was mailed had already been cancelled by CIC with notes saying it will be reprinted this week but still in my old last name. So the CBSA agent had to cancel the stamp in my passport with that document number and reprint a new COPR with my correct info and then cancel the 2nd to be printed COPR by CIC. I was just shaking my head and the CBSA agent was laughing.
It was a complete mess, took 1 hour 15 minutes. He never asked me any question for landing, after all that mess it was sorta anti climatic if that makes any sense.

All in all I'm glad that's done but I'm not holding my breath that my PR card will come correctly

I'm heading to service Canada tomorrow to get my SIN number and apply for OHIP.

YAY!! I am SO happy that worked out so easily for you. I had been checking for an update early. Cograts, it's over, have many drinks and celibate that you don't need to deal with CIC for at least another 5 years to renew your PR card.

 

[carr1]

YAY!! I am SO happy that worked out so easily for you. I had been checking for an update early. Cograts, it's over, have many drinks and celibate that you don't need to deal with CIC for at least another 5 years to renew your PR card.

Thanks so much! Luckily all the CBSA agents were amazing and had a great sense of humor. While in MI we pigged out and had a drink, we leave for Mexico later this week so we will continue to celebrate then

 

[louise8118]

Thanks so much! Luckily all the CBSA agents were amazing and had a great sense of humor. While in MI we pigged out and had a drink, we leave for Mexico later this week so we will continue to celebrate then

Have a great time! Would you mind telling me where you crossed? I can go to either Windsor or Sarnia.

 

[CASPN]

Well, I had to go to my local sheriff's office. The municipal police will not take fingerprints for immigration purposes in the area I lived in, so that wasn't an option. There wasn't anywhere else to get them taken, either. I had to issues with it and got my FBI check after 5 months (I'm very positive they misplaced my application for a time or got it out of order... 18 weeks is way longer than expected).

I'm already in Quebec on a tourist visa, and only private companies will take your fingerprints here, not the police. Are the scanners usually more successful? The woman at the FBI recommended the ink ones to me. Did you contact the VO to say that you were having issues with your fingerprints but they were in process, or did you just wait it out and send them in when you got your clearance?

 

[carr1]

Have a great time! Would you mind telling me where you crossed? I can go to either Windsor or Sarnia.

I always cross at the Windsor tunnel, they are the best! I had a bad experience at the Windsor Ambassador bridge and ever since I only cross at the tunnel. In November they gave me a VR which made crossing while my app processed so easy, no questions besides what are we bringing back and forth.

 

[carr1]

Went this morning to Service Canada and got my SIN, took 10 minutes then went upstairs to Service Ontario and applied for OHIP, that took 15 minutes, said I'll be covered on July 10.
I guess all I have left is wait for the PR card

 

[CDNPR2014]

Went this morning to Service Canada and got my SIN, took 10 minutes then went upstairs to Service Ontario and applied for OHIP, that took 15 minutes, said I'll be covered on July 10.
I guess all I have left is wait for the PR card

isn't it crazy how efficient the service offices are in ontario? just wait until you get your license and register your car. it's freaking amazing how quick it is! no more spending the day at the dmv!

 

[carr1]

isn't it crazy how efficient the service offices are in ontario? just wait until you get your license and register your car. it's freaking amazing how quick it is! no more spending the day at the dmv!

I've had my Ontario drivers license for 16 months already, I got it 2 months after I arrived as a visitor. I'm not importing my car, I sold it before I came.

They are so efficient! It was so nice how quick everything went this morning

 

[CDNPR2014]

I've had my Ontario drivers license for 16 months already, I got it 2 months after I arrived as a visitor. I'm not importing my car, I sold it before I came.

They are so efficient! It was so nice how quick everything went this morning

if you haven't already, make sure to sign up with an immigrant service centre in your area, and if you are looking for a job, make sure they can give you a referral to LASI World Skills. The local office in my area is AWESOME and they were instrumental in my finding employment when i first landed. While i didn't get my current full time job through their partnership, just being able to talk to someone and go to workshops with others in my situation was beyond valuable and helped keep my confidence up during the job search process.

Also, you'll qualify for Dress for Success, assuming you're in an area they serve (you'll need a referral to them too). you get free clothes and accessories to help you get on your job search. not new, just gently worn, and they can have some great stuff. i got like 4 outfits, jewelry, shoes and a hand bag.

 

[carr1]

if you haven't already, make sure to sign up with an immigrant service centre in your area, and if you are looking for a job, make sure they can give you a referral to LASI World Skills. The local office in my area is AWESOME and they were instrumental in my finding employment when i first landed. While i didn't get my current full time job through their partnership, just being able to talk to someone and go to workshops with others in my situation was beyond valuable and helped keep my confidence up during the job search process.

Also, you'll qualify for Dress for Success, assuming you're in an area they serve (you'll need a referral to them too). you get free clothes and accessories to help you get on your job search. not new, just gently worn, and they can have some great stuff. i got like 4 outfits, jewelry, shoes and a hand bag.

Thanks so much for all the advice! Great ideas, I'll have to check into an immigrant service center. I think I'll start working part time if I can for now through the summer then look into full time work in the fall.
I'm helping my husband out with his daughter right now as she's finishing high school and getting ready for university.
I never knew there were so many services available as a newly landed resident!

 

[CDNPR2014]

I never knew there were so many services available as a newly landed resident!

OMG... there are TONS! you just have to know where to look!

Yes, for the most part, most pr's do start in part time jobs (at least in my area). it's pretty tough where I'm from to land full time employment, even for canadians. most jobs are part time or contract basis. PT is great for building canadian references who will be instrumental in securing that full time employment. I honestly have not found my US experience to be helpful in finding working. Even though it's "similar" there are slight differences Canadian employers are looking for. This is my experience based on not having a very specific skill. if you have a very specific skill, it will be easier to get full time work.

Check out Service Ontario for their employment programs too. oh, and if you're in Toronto or Ottawa, you MUST sign up for Peter's New Jobs, it's a job listing site that is awesome. Technically, you have to pay after 30 days, but they give you a free month trial, so all you have to do is keep switching email addresses to keep getting the list for free. They mostly post full time jobs and send out a daily list of openings. and it's not like monster or indeed where they are mostly retail or not so great jobs, they are legit/good jobs companies are hiring for.

feel free to PM me about anything related to job searching. not sure what area you are in, so while the process will be the same, the success rate may not be.

 

[carr1]

OMG... there are TONS! you just have to know where to look!

Yes, for the most part, most pr's do start in part time jobs (at least in my area). it's pretty tough where I'm from to land full time employment, even for canadians. most jobs are part time or contract basis. PT is great for building canadian references who will be instrumental in securing that full time employment. I honestly have not found my US experience to be helpful in finding working. Even though it's "similar" there are slight differences Canadian employers are looking for. This is my experience based on not having a very specific skill. if you have a very specific skill, it will be easier to get full time work.

Check out Service Ontario for their employment programs too. oh, and if you're in Toronto or Ottawa, you MUST sign up for Peter's New Jobs, it's a job listing site that is awesome. Technically, you have to pay after 30 days, but they give you a free month trial, so all you have to do is keep switching email addresses to keep getting the list for free. They mostly post full time jobs and send out a daily list of openings. and it's not like monster or indeed where they are mostly retail or not so great jobs, they are legit/good jobs companies are hiring for.

feel free to PM me about anything related to job searching. not sure what area you are in, so while the process will be the same, the success rate may not be.

Thanks again for all the info!

We are in the Windsor area which apparently is the unemployment capital of Canada.
I'm going to try going back to work with the company I worked for in the states, maybe telecommute, my husband still works for them (that's how we met) but it's a long shot.

Just breezing through jobs online it seems they really want college degrees even for what I would consider entry level work. I never did finish college in the states but worked in my field for a long time.
I can always go work in the states too, just a bit of a longer commute and crossing the border daily.
I've been dying to get back to work through this whole process but recently my step daughter moved in and she needs a lot of help so that's been like a job!
I'll start job hunting seriously in a few months. I'm sure my hubby would love me back making some money again!! Lol!

 

[CDNPR2014]

Thanks again for all the info!

We are in the Windsor area which apparently is the unemployment capital of Canada.
I'm going to try going back to work with the company I worked for in the states, maybe telecommute, my husband still works for them (that's how we met) but it's a long shot.

Just breezing through jobs online it seems they really want college degrees even for what I would consider entry level work. I never did finish college in the states but worked in my field for a long time.
I can always go work in the states too, just a bit of a longer commute and crossing the border daily.
I've been dying to get back to work through this whole process but recently my step daughter moved in and she needs a lot of help so that's been like a job!
I'll start job hunting seriously in a few months. I'm sure my hubby would love me back making some money again!! Lol!

best of luck in your settlement! now that you're official, it will be a whole new experience. keep in mind the settlement agencies also offer support for family and housing needs. there's a lot of free services for all sorts of settlement issues.

 

[fleuredeflorida]

Hello again- I have another question I'm hoping the wisdom of the board can help me figure out.

Does the outland application have to be sent from the US or outside of Canada? My wife and I had been hoping to submit this before I arrive on Sunday (as a visitor) but we've hit some delays with gathering tax documents, etc. Could we send the application from Toronto, or would we need to send it to my parents in FL and have them send it in the CIC?