No Canadian Address at the time of Entry

[NewYorker]

Hello All,

I have a question about the address in Canada. When you enter in Canada, at the port of entry the IO will ask you the address where you are going to reside so they can mail your PR card. What if you don't know anyone and you are going to stay in the hotel for a while after you look for something permanent. Which address you will give to the IO? Can you tell/ask IO that you don't have an address right now, you will update the address later when you'll have one OR it is a requirement to have an address when you are entering?

Thanks,

[Leon]

You can tell them you will update it later.

[cchabert]

I just ask my brother in law, when he go to Canada he doesn't have any address, or friends or anything, and when they ask him the address he said her doesn't have one, and that's it, then he travel to Vancouver, Calgary and Toronto to choose where to settle, when he decide Toronto, he open a Po Box and then go to the nearest government office and apply for his PR Card. that simple.

[NewYorker]

Cool - Thanks guys, the time haven't came yet but just checking to ensure when it comes, I am ready.

[cchabert]

Same here, I'm already google everything about the details living there, like price of milk or diapers, Leon gave good advice of the groceries stores in Alberta, I'm applying on the H1B program and you? BTW Where are you in US New York?

[NewYorker]

I am waiting for what they will ask next, I have sent the Tax documents they requested few weeks ago, I hope next is Medical, Police reports and RPRF fee and waive the interview - According to my calculation if everything went well, I do not have much time left here, and that is why I was asking these questions to prepare myself in advance.

I have seen your post and Leon's reply to it for the cost of Milk and Dippers because I will be needing those too.. Not much difference from US, I hope I could get at least same salary whet I am getting here, then things will be alright.

[cchabert]

Don't forget to bring your car insurance report and your driver license history from DMV

[NewYorker]

Car Insurance Report and DMV report, is this necessary to get/exchange license? You didn't mention that.. What is the use?

Thanks,

[Leon]

The use is that when you get your car insured, you don't pay like a first time driver.  Unless you want to

[cchabert]

Leon is right I forgot to mention that, you have to prove that you have your driver license for more than 2 years so insurance companies don;t charge you like a first time driver, I hear people in Canada get their driver license for the first time and wait 2 years before having a car so the price will be lower.

Also when you exchange license the DMV report will told them if you have any bad history and if so they can't exchange your license and apply from scratch to get a new one.

[Leon]

I don't actually think it has too much to do with when you got your license.  It has to do with age as well as your driving record.  People I work with have told me if you don't have a car for as little as 6 months, your rates go up again.  I was working with a young guy, maybe 19 who just got his license and car and he was paying something like 240 a month.  I also got my license recently, couldn't exchange from my country so basically I am a first time driver here with no history  and still my insurance only works out to about 135 a month but then again, I'm a lot older than 19, more like twice that.  Then I have another coworker who lost his license for DUI and is getting it back and he said his rates will now be around $400 a month.

Proving that you had a license for over 2 years could have to do with whether they give you a full license or not.  Here in AB, a persons first license after learner is marked GDL, stands for graduated drivers licensing.  With that, you are allowed zero alcohol level and you lose your license for less points than normal, I think it's 8 points vs. 15 for a full license.  You can also not upgrade to drive a taxi or truck when you have a GDL license.  You have to have the GDL license for 2 years before you are allowed to take a more difficult road test to get a full license.  I know some other provinces have similar systems.

[NewYorker]

Leon and CChabert, thanks for the info, I will get the record from DMV as well as the insurance. This is good to know and to take all the information/records with you once you are there.

I have long (far more than 2 years) driving history in USA with no tickets and accidents, would that help me to get a full license in AB right away? Or I still have to be learner and GDL etc.

Thanks

[Leon]

If you have a license from any of the countries Canada has drivers license exchange with which are Austria, Belgium, France, Germany, Japan, South Korea, Switzerland, USA and the United Kingdom of Great Britain (excluding Northern Ireland) you can just exchange it.  No testing needed.

If you only have a license from some other country, you need to bring your license and a translation if it's not in English, hand it in and they will at some point approve you to take the road test.  You can take the written test right away to get the learners license and if you can't provide a foreign license or a translation of your foreign license or an international license, you will have to wait 1 year after the written test to take the basic road test and get the GDL so having the foreign license and translation will let you take the road test sooner.

There is some info here http://www.transportation.alberta.ca/Content/docType47/Production/reciprocallicensing.pdf but from my German friends, I've heard that the registries in AB are often unsure about how to handle drivers license exchanges and don't always know the rules.  One guy got a motorcycle license and all kind of things he wasn't supposed to have added to his Canadian license by mistake

[NewYorker]

Great!, Looks like I'll just have to exchange and give a vision test etc. No need to wait as I carry a valid US license until 2011. But to do all that I need to get the PR first... Oh well! wait is not over yet..

[cchabert]

New Yorker which class is your driver license? here in Georgia said Class C and in the link that Leon post said Class 5, 6  & 7, numbers or letters in your state?