How long can you stay before moving to Canada after receiving the permanent residency.

[eny]

Hello,

I'm an H1B worker in the USA . If I receive the Perm Residency in Canada, do I need to move immindatly? How long can I stay working in the US before I move to Canada?

 

[donnanne]

You can remain in the US until the expiry of your H1-B visa (there should be an expiry date on it).
It sounds like you have not yet applied for your Canadian PR? If your H1-B visa will not be renewed, you should apply for Canadian PR without delay. When CIC issue you with your confirmation of PR (last step in the process), You have up to 6 months to enter Canada and activate your PR status

 

[21Goose]

Once your get your COPR, you have to land in Canada before the COPR expires. The expiry date is usually one year from your medical test, so it could be anything from 6-9 months depending on how soon you get your COPR.

Landing in Canada is a simple process, and you can come back to the US the very same day if you like. Once you have landed, the only thing to keep in mind is the residency requirement of spending two years out of the next five in Canada.

So, you can get your PR, land in Canada, come back to the US, and spent the next three years here without any issues. After that, you can go back to Canada in 2020, stay two years, and meet the residency requirement and get an automatic renewal for your PR card.

If you do not meet the residency requirements, then CIC may not automatically renew your PR card - they may ask you to prove that you are a resident/intend to be a resident.

 

[Bobbieleigh]

You can remain in the US until the expiry of your H1-B visa (there should be an expiry date on it).
It sounds like you have not yet applied for your Canadian PR? If your H1-B visa will not be renewed, you should apply for Canadian PR without delay. When CIC issue you with your confirmation of PR (last step in the process), You have up to 6 months to enter Canada and activate your PR status

It's not true. Don't confuse people.

 

[ILoveBritishColumbia]

Once your get your COPR, you have to land in Canada before the COPR expires. The expiry date is usually one year from your medical test, so it could be anything from 6-9 months depending on how soon you get your COPR.

Landing in Canada is a simple process, and you can come back to the US the very same day if you like. Once you have landed, the only thing to keep in mind is the residency requirement of spending two years out of the next five in Canada.

So, you can get your PR, land in Canada, come back to the US, and spent the next three years here without any issues. After that, you can go back to Canada in 2020, stay two years, and meet the residency requirement and get an automatic renewal for your PR card.

If you do not meet the residency requirements, then CIC may not automatically renew your PR card - they may ask you to prove that you are a resident/intend to be a resident.

I am in a similar situation and have a few additional questions about landing and then coming back to the US right away:

1. Isn't a Canadian address required for them to send the PR card to? If somebody goes back to the US right away after landing, how will they be able to receive PR card?

2. If a Canadian address is required, will they accept a PO box address within Canada for sending the PR card? Or does it have to be an actual residence/street address?

3. I read on another thread that during landing, you have to present forms that show the value of all your goods which will be brought to Canada. If somebody is not planning to move to Canada immediately, are these forms still required?

Thank you in advance!

 

[21Goose]

I am in a similar situation and have a few additional questions about landing and then coming back to the US right away:

1. Isn't a Canadian address required for them to send the PR card to? If somebody goes back to the US right away after landing, how will they be able to receive PR card?
Yes, a Canadian address is required. Most people give them a friend/relative/family member's address - CIC will mail them the card in ~2 months, and then they can FedEx it to you. If you don't know anyone at all in Canada that you trust to do this, you can still enter with no address. You have 180 days after entering to update the address, so spend those six months trying to find someone. If that's impossible, you can ask for a PRTD or cross a land border in a private car when you move for good.

2. If a Canadian address is required, will they accept a PO box address within Canada for sending the PR card? Or does it have to be an actual residence/street address?
Not sure. Someone else can chime in here.

3. I read on another thread that during landing, you have to present forms that show the value of all your goods which will be brought to Canada. If somebody is not planning to move to Canada immediately, are these forms still required?
Yes, they are. I just did this. You have to give the CBSA officer a list of all your good following (mine was a three page excel list + 18 pages of photographs for jewelry, 2 per page) and they will fill out a receipt and give it to you. When you bring your goods later, you show them the receipt and that list, and you won't have to pay customs duties.

Thank you in advance!

 

[rockytg]

For point 2 you can reach out to UPS. They would provide you with an address(mail box) which can be used for delivery of PR card. The address which they give is of the store itself ( how it was for the one I approached) with a suite number alloted to you which gives an impression of a physical address.
One, however, has to pay for this.

 

[Wolverine17]

For point 2 you can reach out to UPS. They would provide you with an address(mail box) which can be used for delivery of PR card. The address which they give is of the store itself ( how it was for the one I approached) with a suite number alloted to you which gives an impression of a physical address.
One, however, has to pay for this.

Can you please give more details about that,do they ship you the cards once they recieve it

 

[rockytg]

Can you please give more details about that,do they ship you the cards once they recieve it

I bought a mail box in Saskatoon from the UPS store three weeks back. It cost be around 80 Canadian dollars(18 for set up and rest for three months mailbox rental). The cost can vary depending upon which city you would be buying the mailbox.
The one drawback of having the mailbox is one is required to reach out to them to find out if there is any mail or not. Could be done via phone/mail. ( Could be different for other stores. The one I went to wanted me to call/mail them)
They do forward the mails which you get, however, one needs to pay for the courier cost.

 

[Wolverine17]

I bought a mail box in Saskatoon from the UPS store three weeks back. It cost be around 80 Canadian dollars(18 for set up and rest for three months mailbox rental). The cost can vary depending upon which city you would be buying the mailbox.
The one drawback of having the mailbox is one is required to reach out to them to find out if there is any mail or not. Could be done via phone/mail. ( Could be different for other stores. The one I went to wanted me to call/mail them)
They do forward the mails which you get, however, one needs to pay for the courier cost.

And who checks the mail box and how do you keep in touch with them

 

[rockytg]

And who checks the mail box and how do you keep in touch with them

We need to call/mail the UPS store to find out if there is any mail for us.

 

[ILoveBritishColumbia]

Thank you for all the information! This is very helpful for us folks who are in the same situation.

 

[apara]

Really helpful!! Thanks rockytg

 

[babilon]

"If you don't know anyone at all in Canada that you trust to do this, you can still enter with no address. You have 180 days after entering to update the address, so spend those six months trying to find someone. If that's impossible, you can ask for a PRTD or cross a land border in a private car when you move for good."

Hi @21Goose ,
Which on do you recommend? We live in the US (not citizens) and are thinking to rent a UPS mail box but is it much safer not to give any address and get a PRTD?

- I am also confused about PRTD: Within 180 days, do we get our PR status legally even if we don;t have our PR cards? This is quite important for me because I will start job searching and I know without a PR status I don't have much chance.

I also saw here, in some cases, they may want extra photos for the PR card or so. Let say, we declare our (UPS) Canada address and they ask for photos, can we send them via express mail from the US? Does the address on the envelope have to be my declared Canada address?

 

[21Goose]

"If you don't know anyone at all in Canada that you trust to do this, you can still enter with no address. You have 180 days after entering to update the address, so spend those six months trying to find someone. If that's impossible, you can ask for a PRTD or cross a land border in a private car when you move for good."

Hi @21Goose ,
Which on do you recommend? We live in the US (not citizens) and are thinking to rent a UPS mail box but is it much safer not to give any address and get a PRTD?

I didn't do the UPS box myself, but it should be perfectly safe. I mean, sure, there's a slim chance that UPS could screw up somewhere, but I don't think that's worth worrying about.

- I am also confused about PRTD: Within 180 days, do we get our PR status legally even if we don;t have our PR cards? This is quite important for me because I will start job searching and I know without a PR status I don't have much chance.

You get your PR status the minute you are admitted into the country. The next step is to get a SIN number (similar to SSN), and you can get that the very same day with your COPR and passport. Once you have your SIN number, you can apply for jobs, open bank accounts, and generally get all the benefits of being a Canadian PR.

I also saw here, in some cases, they may want extra photos for the PR card or so. Let say, we declare our (UPS) Canada address and they ask for photos, can we send them via express mail from the US? Does the address on the envelope have to be my declared Canada address?

Sure, you can send them from the US or wherever else in the world. They don't care about the return address on your envelope.