Driving in Canada as an International Student with a US license plates

[tanitm]

I am currently in the US on H1-B, but I am going to Canada in September for grad school. I plan to take my car with me and drive it there. The car has US license plates and I have a valid US license. I have a couple of questions:

1. Do I need to import my car? I have heard that they will allow you to keep your car in Canada without having to import it as long as you are an international student. However, I am bit concerned since I am not a US citizen.

2) Do I need to get a Canadian license? Technically, if I get to keep my car's US license plates, wouldn't it be illegal to drive it with a Canadian driver's license?

[khanm777]

You have to import your car and also you have to switch your US DL to CA DL.

[PMM]

Hi

You have to import your car and also you have to switch your US DL to CA DL.

Not quite as a student he doesn't need to import his car, but needs to exchange his DL.

http://www.cbsa-asfc.gc.ca/publications/pub/bsf5068-eng.html#s4

PMM

[links18]

It depends on what US state your vehicle is registered in. Some states will let you register a car there w/o having a driver's license in that state. Insurance might be an issue.