Crossing the border from US to Canada with uhaul truck

[oxeimon]

I'm a single US citizen who will be a postdoc at McGill university in Montreal starting this fall. This is a temporary position (3 years max), and so I will be obtaining a work permit by the time I arrive in late August.

However, I would like to visit montreal for a few days next week (likely before I get my work permit), for the purpose of scouting out some apartments and possibly signing a lease if I find one.

Since I'm already going to be there, I was thinking that I could bring some of my stuff in a uhaul and put it in storage in montreal.

My question is: Will I (a US citizen) encounter any difficulties crossing the border (US -> Canada) without a work permit in a uhaul full of my stuff? Is there any special documentation I will need?

 

[scylla]

I'm a single US citizen who will be a postdoc at McGill university in Montreal starting this fall. This is a temporary position (3 years max), and so I will be obtaining a work permit by the time I arrive in late August.

However, I would like to visit montreal for a few days next week (likely before I get my work permit), for the purpose of scouting out some apartments and possibly signing a lease if I find one.

Since I'm already going to be there, I was thinking that I could bring some of my stuff in a uhaul and put it in storage in montreal.

My question is: Will I (a US citizen) encounter any difficulties crossing the border (US -> Canada) without a work permit in a uhaul full of my stuff? Is there any special documentation I will need?

Yes - you could run into big issues. You're not supposed to be bringing belongings like that into Canada as a visitor. Wait until you have a work permit and don't bring a uhal full of as a visitor. We (very) occasionally see American end up with exclusion orders (i.e. 1 year bans from Canada) when it looks like they may be moving here without authorization. Don't risk your post doc. Wait until you have the work permit.