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AINP - SRS H1B Landing Experience and post landing related activities.

Ell.Bee

Hero Member
Jan 18, 2009
508
36
Category........
Visa Office......
Buffalo
NOC Code......
2171
Job Offer........
Pre-Assessed..
App. Filed.......
Feb - 2009
Doc's Request.
Nov - 2009
Nomination.....
Dec - 2009 CIC App. Filed..: May 2010
AOR Received.
08-23-2010
IELTS Request
N/A
File Transfer...
N/A
Med's Request
08-23-2010
Med's Done....
09-09-2010
Interview........
N/A
Passport Req..
03-01-2011
VISA ISSUED...
03-17-2011
LANDED..........
04-06-2011
Hi,

I am starting this thread for the convinience of those who are preparing for the landing shortly. Please follow this thread for landing related.

Thanks,
L.B

arajesh5 said:
Guys,

First things first - My family and I landed as PRs today. Yes it was successful.

Now, the story - nothing big.

1. One person in this forum helped me with an address in Alberta. I must thank him profusely for it. The address alongwith very useful thoughts from AlbertaOrburst, Manny, AlbertaATJ and Avalap helped me tons.
2. I went to the counter at 11 AM. There was nobody waiting in line. I went straight to the immigration line. A lady officer called me. I went to her and did not let her talk. I said I went there a day ago and that the officer was not convinced with a Manitoba address. Told her I have an Alberta address and am back to complete my landing formalities. She said -- "Thats great". Give me the COPRs. I did. She asked me "Oh provincial nominee". I said Yes. She asked me "When do you intend to move to Canada". I said "In a couple of months when I wrap up job n such." . She asked me to take a seat, called me in 10 minutes and asked me to sign the COPRs.

... Do you notice I used some of your advice here ? lol - even the words in a few places.

Lessons to be learnt:

1. Talk convincingly. It is NOT automatic that your PR is granted at the landing post. Note: I can talk superb. If I cudnt play this game well - that means this task needs preparation. Do you homework - Plan to talk convincingly about how soon you plan to move to Alberta.
2. Have an address in Alberta. The fact that an address in Alberta is not necessary is not completely correct. I did take this part light and it bit me. and Oh - Know what .. I had to stay 2 days nights in the US - all hotels in Niagara Falls and Buffalo were $199 minimum - and thats for very ordinary - no-iron-box-Knights Inn (not an Hampton Inn or Embassy Suites)

and about Canada - I wouldnt relate this to Canada being unwelcoming as a few people tend to think. I think the officer who declined to let me land was doing his work - Check abuse - Check to see if PNPs intend to serve the actual purpose of PNP immigration.

about Service Canada - went at lunch time -so had a good 1 hour wait.

and to the forum - I have seriously not found such a nice bunch before. Kudos guys.

and to myself - A big lesson in life - about ill planning.

Thank you so much .. Srini_72 :) , AlbertaOrbust, Xprime, Josephdadreamer, Avalap, Manny and AlbertaATJ.
 

Ell.Bee

Hero Member
Jan 18, 2009
508
36
Category........
Visa Office......
Buffalo
NOC Code......
2171
Job Offer........
Pre-Assessed..
App. Filed.......
Feb - 2009
Doc's Request.
Nov - 2009
Nomination.....
Dec - 2009 CIC App. Filed..: May 2010
AOR Received.
08-23-2010
IELTS Request
N/A
File Transfer...
N/A
Med's Request
08-23-2010
Med's Done....
09-09-2010
Interview........
N/A
Passport Req..
03-01-2011
VISA ISSUED...
03-17-2011
LANDED..........
04-06-2011
Re: SRS - AINP Landing Experience and related.

Hi Rajesh,

Congrats!

You did not mention anything about the proof of funds. Did they ask anything related to it?

Thanks,
L.B
 

baraynawab

Member
Aug 31, 2009
17
1
Hello Friends,

I landed in Canada through Detroit Ambassador bridge.

One of the immigration officer called us and asked us some questions:

IO: What brings you to Canada?
ME: I am landing here today as a part of the immigration process

IO: Are you moving in to Canada today ?
ME: We are here to complete the landing formalities and are travelling back to the US immediately. I have my job until end of November and I intend to move to Canada permanently after that.

The immigration officer started asking some regular Qs about goods to follow and We were asked to wait. After waiting for 20 minutes, the immigration officer called us again.

IO: Please sign these COPR forms without touching the green border.
ME: -- Signed the forms --

She tore off one of the pages in the COPR form and stapled it to our passports and put a seal with the landing date.

IO: Your landing has been completed and the proof for the same is attached to your passport.

The immigration officer informed me that since I'm not moving in I cannot apply for PR Card and asked me to apply for PR card when I live in Canada and she also told me that with the landing paper attached to the passport we can't travel to canada through air but only by road.so I asked what my options are if i am flying from india to canada she said you can get a travel document from embassy in delhi and travel with that.

ME: I didn't know what to say now.

IO: Do you have any questions for me? Hand over this slip to the security officer outside.
A: No Thank you so much for your help.

Handed over the slip and the security officer released the vehicle keys to us.

Made a U-turn and started traveling into the US and successfully used AVR. But, they made an entry on our passports.

What's my option to apply for PR Card now ? any suggestion ? help?

Thanks

Today I checked the ECas status and it says :



We started processing your application on July 10, 2009.


Medical results have been received.


A decision has been made on your application. The office will contact you concerning this decision.


You entered Canada at the Windsor Ambassador Bridge office on July 19, 2010 and became a Permanent Resident.
 

AB2009IL

Full Member
Jan 22, 2010
31
4
Category........
Visa Office......
New York City, NY
NOC Code......
2132
Job Offer........
Pre-Assessed..
App. Filed.......
Dec 06 2008
Doc's Request.
Nov 04 2009
Nomination.....
26 Nov 2009
AOR Received.
Mar 05 2010
IELTS Request
NA
File Transfer...
Mar 30 2010
Med's Request
Mar 05 2010
Med's Done....
Mar 30 2010
Interview........
Waived
Passport Req..
Jul 09 2010
VISA ISSUED...
Jul 26 2010
LANDED..........
Aug 19 2010
Does anyone have information on various Govt. processes that we need to complete after landing? I am aware of only one i.e., SIN Card.
I have also heard about

1. Alberta ID or Driver's License
2. Alberta Health Insurance Card

I am wondering if we are eligible to apply for these immediately after landing.

Any thoughts?
 

email2kale

Hero Member
Feb 5, 2009
387
12
Category........
Visa Office......
Buffalo
NOC Code......
2171
Job Offer........
Pre-Assessed..
App. Filed.......
05-Feb-2009
Nomination.....
03-Dec-2009
AOR Received.
14-Jun-2010
Med's Request
14-Jun-2010
Med's Done....
17-Jun-2010
Passport Req..
22-Jul-2010
VISA ISSUED...
05-Aug-2010
LANDED..........
05-Dec-2010
AB2009IL said:
Does anyone have information on various Govt. processes that we need to complete after landing? I am aware of only one i.e., SIN Card.
I have also heard about

1. Alberta ID or Driver's License
2. Alberta Health Insurance Card

I am wondering if we are eligible to apply for these immediately after landing.

Any thoughts?
Hi - Check the following links for

1. Alberta ID or Driver's License
http://www.servicealberta.ca/1048.cfm

2. Alberta Health Insurance Card
http://www.health.alberta.ca/AHCIP/Q-how-to-register.html

BTW, when are you planning to move Alberta? How are your job trails going on for there...

Thanks
-Kale
 
C

cchabert

Guest
Ok guys here it is my landing experience :

At the Atlanta airport I was ask at the kiosk for my Canadian Visa, after the boarding passes we're printed we check the bags and we're asking to show our I-94, I show my I-797 (My H1B paper ) and I was told that I need to show that again. When we land on Dallas, TX. At the moment to board the airplane I was ask to show the form again but this time they detach the I-94 from my H1B form and they keep it.
On the flight they give us a declaration form to fill and sumit to customs at landing.
When we land, we walk to customs and make a line, 2 persons in front of us but we wait almost nothing so when our turn came the officer greeting us with a big smile and ask ...”Good afternoon..wich is the purpose of your visit to Canada?... To live here....(I said) .....Ok Good Welcome to Canada passports please......
He review the passports and stamp the declaration form that we fill on the plane and ask us if we have good to follow, I said yes, then he instruct us to go to inmigration and welcome us again.
On inmigration we wait no more than 5 minutes when a lady call us, she ask again the reason for our visit to Canada and I said I'm doing the landing, she ask for our passports and COPR, she ask if we have any problems with the police before and how much money we bring, I said 25,345 and she said “I'll put $25,000 on the CORP” but she never ask me for any bank statement or other way to proof the funds, the she told us to sign the CORP and she staple the form to our passports, then she ask for a address and she mention that our PR cards will come on the mail in around 60 days, she welcome us again (note 3 times already) and told us to go to customs.
So we went to pickup our luggage and walk to customs, another lady ask for our declaration form that the first officer stamp, then she ask for the list and ask the total amount of both list, (list of good to follow and the list of goods we bring with us) after adding both list she stamp them and gave me back one copy and again welcome us. So as soon we land and go out from the plane and do all the paper work it take 1 hour, remember we're family of 4 with 2 little ones.
The next day we went to service Canada to get our SIN number for each family member, we just show our passport and gave the address that we gave the day before to inmigration, she check our names and again welcome us to Canada, next stop to open the bank account, because I have the funds on RBC Banks I went to the first one closer to home, the lady, (yes hard to believe but all the people we're talking to do anything were women except for the very first officer) open the account for us, she just ask for our SIN and Passport and one address, we don;t gave her any money at all and give us provitional checks and debit cards and again welcome us to Canada. Later on the day I call a 1 800 number and transfer the funds from USA to Canada with no charge and the funds were there inmediatly.
The next day I rent and apartment and they ask me for 3 months of rent in advance because I don't have a job and that's pretty much it...hum...yes the person who rent us the apartment was a woman and again welcome us to Canada.
So on Monday we're going to register us for the health insurance card, change our drivers licenses and take my little one to the school board of Calgary to have her have a English test to enroll her on her school that lucky me is crossing the street, and this test is mandatory to every kid who is not born in Canada even if you born in the USA, rules are rules.
Ok I think I cover everything, next week I'll post the rest of the process.

Good luck to everyone and don't give up, this country is full of blessings. Cheers!




Ok guys this is my Customs Experience:


On Monday the moving company (www.upack.com) call me to announce that my container was arrive and I need to go to Custom to clear it, they email me the forms and a copy of my list of goods to follow with a bar-code, (when I contract their services one of the requirements for them is to have a copy of my visa, passport and list to of goods to follow).
On Tuesday I went to the customs office with all the info the moving company sent me plus all the passports and the list of goods to follow that they stamp me at the airport.
When we arrive we wait about 5 minutes and (yes you guess another lady) I show the papers that the moving company sent to me and the ones at the airport, she began to sort the papers and ask us if we are planing to bring more goods at the future, we said no, then she gave me a form to fill, mainly this form came with around 20 questions with yes or no for answer, and the question were about if we bring, food, tobacco, arms, meet (including cat or dog food), etc. after signing this form she mainly ask the same questions again to see if we're lying I believe, she also ask about any recently purchase, we don't have anything new but I ask why and she said that anything that we purchase in less that 6 months has to paid import tax.
After she finish to stamp all papers and the release form to the moving company, she send me to the cashier, this (nope it wasn't a lady this time) guy stamp more copies, he keeps one and gave one for me, then return to the officer and she gave us our passports and in all 4 she stamp "No more goods to come" and again she said "Welcome to Canada".
Then we went to the terminal to see our container (about 20 minutes driving) and we just show the release form from customs and that's pretty much it, lucky us that we saw a couple of guys in a truck picking up a mattress in a big truck and we ask if they can bring our stuff too and they agree, so I have already all my stuff at the apartment.
So I close the container on Monday Jan 4 and I have my stuff at home on Jan 12, not bad. :)
Health insurance and driving license will come later as soon as I do that errand.

Cheers!

Ok this now my Health Insurance Card and Driver License experience:

Here in Alberta the offices of AAA (Alberta Automovil Association) offer the services to register for your health insurance card and driver license, but only to his members, lucky us the lady who receive us she is an active member so we went an ask if we can do it using her membership and they agree.

1.- Health Insurance card: I just fill the form and show our passport w/corp and a copy of the leasing contract, she (again another lady) input the computer and 3 minutes later she told us that the cards will be on our mail in one week.

2.- Drivers License: She ask for our GA drivers license and our driving record, she fill a form and then she told us to go and do the eye test, nothing different that the one we do in GA, after that she gave tha papers to a guy that he finished the process of filling our temporary driver license, taking a picture, (they keep the drivers license from GA) also we paid the fee of $130 CAD for both licenses for 5 years, yes I know more expensive than in the USA, and that was pretty much it, we'll got our official license on the mail also in a week. we got the class 5 license that means we don;t have restrictions, I hear a case of a guy who came from the USA and let his driving license expire and they gave him a class 7 one, means he can't drive alone he need to drive with someone who have a class 5 license for 2 years period, different rules of course different country.

The whole process take about 40 minutes, and yesterday Friday I got on the mail ours SIN (Social Insurance Number) on the mail, so now I complete the process to register and have all the paper I need here, the next step is start hunting for a job, the things here are in a different pace than in Atlanta, here people is more relax and more family oriented, people go home and eat with the family and return later to continue to work. :) so far super very good this country has treat us.

Questions? please have them I'll do my best to answer them.

Peace!

Ok guys, this my personal experience on this first 3 months on Calgary on finding a job:

1.- I start opening and account in Workopolis and Service Canada, also reading the Calgary Herald and The Sun, and I sent my US resume (keep and eye on this I said sent, not SPAM) to the jobs that look interesting to me. I found out that for example in the banks if you apply to all the positions the system will block you for 6 months, so remember..DO NOT SPAM YOUR RESUME!!

2.- On March I enroll to a 3 weeks course on resume writing, interview preparation, cover and thank you letters and business cards, I extra highly recommend this course, they simply change completely my resume and cover letter, also I found out that:

a) 95 to 99% of people coming to Canada even if they have a high degree in Harvard, Germany or the ones you liked, they'll have a hard time to find a job on their field because the lack of Canadian experience.

b) The more certified are you the better, here even the guys who walk dogs need to be certified, so depends on your profession get certified when you get here.

c)Volunteer here is a big thing, you'll get more interviews if they saw that you have volunteer, here is 2 types of that, the informal one and the formal one, this is the want you need to fo because they gave a certified for the hours that you volunteer, also if you volunteer on something related to your career you can add that to your resume and that counts as a Canadian experience.

The institution where I got the course was:

http://www.ccis-calgary.ab.ca/

And don't get the name miss lead you, this organization have nothing to do with religion, they talk to everybody regardless of that, they have many ways to help you, like the mentor program, I just enroll on this one and they'll found a professional who will coach me for 4 months on how to get a job in my field, how to gain Canadian experience, etc. and the better part of all is that is free. Also they gave me a list of about 500 links for websites to find jobs on each area like engineering, accountant, etc. great list!

3.- In the last week of the course on CCIS I found out by this organization:

http://www.immigrantservicescalgary.ca/

About a job fair by Home Depot, and I went and pass the screen plus 2 more interviews so this is my first job in Canada and my survival job. My CCIS counselor told me to keep looking to a job related to my career and get certified, so also I went to the CGA Association of Alberta and gave them my school grades, in the next 2 weeks they'll told me if I need IQAS or not, also they'll mention the courses I need to take to get my CGA, this can be done in approx. 1 to 2 years, but you don;t have to wait until the end, as soon you become a member you can put that you;re a student in your resume and get more interviews and also is common for the employers to paid for the courses.

So don;t just stick with one association, all of them offer different things, if all of them offer the same the government will shut them down, take advantage of all the wonders that the system offer to you as a new immigrant and don;t lose your focus.

To finish: Be open, shoot high but Don't come with high expectations on it as a quick or easy search it's better to be realistic and be surprise with a good opportunity, because it's possible however most people has to start from scratch and build their self's up, and be patient, remember that you're coming to another country and don;t expect to have the same life style since day one.
 
C

cchabert

Guest
Ok the beans are ready here it is:

http://www.canadavisa.com/canada-immigration-discussion-board/from-atlanta-to-calgary-my-first-6-months-job-experience-t49940.0.html;msg379842#msg379842
 

AB2009IL

Full Member
Jan 22, 2010
31
4
Category........
Visa Office......
New York City, NY
NOC Code......
2132
Job Offer........
Pre-Assessed..
App. Filed.......
Dec 06 2008
Doc's Request.
Nov 04 2009
Nomination.....
26 Nov 2009
AOR Received.
Mar 05 2010
IELTS Request
NA
File Transfer...
Mar 30 2010
Med's Request
Mar 05 2010
Med's Done....
Mar 30 2010
Interview........
Waived
Passport Req..
Jul 09 2010
VISA ISSUED...
Jul 26 2010
LANDED..........
Aug 19 2010
Hello All,

I completed my landing process last week on August 19 at Edmonton International Airport. It was an extremely pleasant experience.

The first CBSA officer greeted me, checked my passport and asked me to go to immigration office. I was the only person in line. Another CBSA officer called me and checked my documents, stamped my passport and asked me to sign COPR. No questions were asked. She simply welcomed me to Canada and talked about the weather. I asked her some questions about the cash I was carrying and about the goods to follow. After stamping my passport she asked me to see the cashier. I went to the cashier at customs and showed the goods accompanying and goods to follow lists. I had two copies of each list. He stamped both and kept one copy and returned one to me. He also said, "welcome to Canada". It felt really very good.

Next day I went to Canada Place in downtown where all the govt. offices are located. Applied for SIN number and got it in 5 mins. That lady also welcomed me to Canada. Then went to Alberta Health Services in Scotia Place and applied for Alberta Health Care Insurance and also for Provincial ID. Got those two numbers in 30 mins. All respective cards except PR card should be arriving in 2 weeks at my mailing address in Canada. I was surprised by the speed at which all this happened. I also opened a bank account the same day. It was a very nice experience as well.

If any one of you have any questions, please feel free to contact me. I will be glad to help you.
 

rockefeller

Newbie
Sep 1, 2010
1
0
Dear Members,

We have got Canadian Immigration Visa through AINP program and have to land in Alberta before 23rd sept. I and my wife are currently in H1b and our original visa stamps have expired a year ago though we have valid I-94 till end of 2012. Although many members have posted experiences about using AVR to return back after landing, we are concerned as we are landing by flight and not by road. Can we request the airline staff not to remove our I-94 and will they allow us to fly back with the I-94 and expired visa. Will the CBP inspection / immigration be done in Calgary or POE in US. Will they give us a new I-94 on re-entry or let us in with the old unexpired I-94. I read somewhere that for flights from Canada to US, immigration will be cleared in Departure airport in Canada itself and the flight will land in US as a domestic flight. I would appreciate if somebody can provide us the answers. So if any one has experience of landing and returning back successfully on AVR by flight, please advice or quote your experience. Thank you.

SI.
 

AB2009IL

Full Member
Jan 22, 2010
31
4
Category........
Visa Office......
New York City, NY
NOC Code......
2132
Job Offer........
Pre-Assessed..
App. Filed.......
Dec 06 2008
Doc's Request.
Nov 04 2009
Nomination.....
26 Nov 2009
AOR Received.
Mar 05 2010
IELTS Request
NA
File Transfer...
Mar 30 2010
Med's Request
Mar 05 2010
Med's Done....
Mar 30 2010
Interview........
Waived
Passport Req..
Jul 09 2010
VISA ISSUED...
Jul 26 2010
LANDED..........
Aug 19 2010
I think Priya has done it. Check her posts on H1B SRS Post Nomination link on the forum.
 

AB2009IL

Full Member
Jan 22, 2010
31
4
Category........
Visa Office......
New York City, NY
NOC Code......
2132
Job Offer........
Pre-Assessed..
App. Filed.......
Dec 06 2008
Doc's Request.
Nov 04 2009
Nomination.....
26 Nov 2009
AOR Received.
Mar 05 2010
IELTS Request
NA
File Transfer...
Mar 30 2010
Med's Request
Mar 05 2010
Med's Done....
Mar 30 2010
Interview........
Waived
Passport Req..
Jul 09 2010
VISA ISSUED...
Jul 26 2010
LANDED..........
Aug 19 2010
Here is the AVR experience link

http://www.canadavisa.com/canada-immigration-discussion-board/-t15729.0.html;msg382334#msg382334
 
C

cchabert

Guest
Ok guys this is an upgrade on my IQAS, I received last week and they also sent it to CGA (Certified General Accountant Association) and those guys gave me list of courses I need to take before start my certification, I want to share this with you guys:
First Student Fee : $745 per year and this includes:
1.- Get access to over 170 jobs on CGA’s exclusive job board for students and members only.
2.- Put Student in the CGA Program of Professional Studies on your resume and get the credibility that will lead to the job offers you desire.
3.- Be invited to exclusive networking events!
4.- Keep transfer credits and don’t be affected by program changes
5.- CGA Member & Student Perks.
Then the courses:
1.- Law 1
2.- Communications 1
3.- Business Case 1 – Accounting
4.- Auditing 1
5.- Business Case 2 – Auditing
6.- Taxation 1
Each course cost in average $680 CAD plus books
After pass all this courses, then I can start to do the designation and this is:
1.- Prof. Applications 1 $1,195
2.- Management Info Systems 2 $1,180
3.- Finance 2 $1,180
How long is going to take this? I don’t know yet, so far I’ll wait until January when my benefit from the University starts so I can see how many courses I can studied for free and then I’ll decide.
 

hsetin

Star Member
Jul 29, 2009
65
4
Calgary
Category........
Visa Office......
New Delhi
Job Offer........
Pre-Assessed..
App. Filed.......
01-11-2012
AOR Received.
11-12-2012
File Transfer...
11-12-2012
Med's Done....
01-11-2012
Passport Req..
01-03-2013
Posting it again as requested -
Alright Folks,
Here is a quick post about my Landing experience this weekend- AINP Candidate Landing in Canada through Buffalo.
Feel free to shoot some questions, I will respond in a day or two.
I drove to Buffalo and stayed overnight and presented myself in my car and some luggage next morning at the border.

At Canadian Border Checkpoint , the Officer asks the purpose of my visit and I tell him that I am immigrating today, He welcomes me in gruffy loud voice - Welcome to be greatest country in the world.
He enters some information on a yellow card and returns my passport with the card and I am asked to pull over at one of the spots and go and present my papers and this card in the office.

No one in queue for Immigration, The lady officer reading a Stephen king Novel, quickly takes a look at my papers and again asks me the purpose of visit and explains me the residency requirement of staying there 3 out of 5 consecutive years, or else I will loose my residency, she asks me if I am staying in Toronto, I explain her that I am entering in Toronto as this is closest to where I live and I intend to later move to Alberta and therefore I have an Alberta address of a friend. She asks me the address where PR card should be sent and I give her my Calgary address. And At the end of discussion, I told her that if I will be going back to US, and that I have to bring more stuff from there and I might drive or fly with my goods. She said that I can come and go as I please, and there will be no problem, but I can not take a commercial airliner, unless I have my PR card and that it would take between 2-4 weeks. No more questions on that.

She asks for my medical form (It was mentioned on my COPR, I have a medical condition and would need to see the doctor when I move there, later I realize that she forgot to return it back to me, and I have to call CIC to know how to get it back or if I need it at all)

She asks me if I had applied for Green Card in US , and I tell her that I have not. She asks about my job situation, and when I am planning to move and I tell her that I am looking for jobs, and had no luck so far and I intend to move in a few weeks.
She asks about my intention to import car, and explains the paper work needed, and inquires about the cash I am carrying, notates all this information, She also explains me a few other formalities, and asks me to take my car title to the lady on the other counted who would enter my list of goods and vehicle import information. Folks you can not sell a car in less than a year without paying the import duty. So only bring a car if you intend to use it for a long time, and also the automobile should be bought more than 6 months before you move. Also as you might have already read on the forum, the auto insurance rates are pretty high and in some cases even more than double of US rates, even for a good driving record.

However the same car will have additional 10-12 % interest if you buy in Canada (Not super sure, please check this information).

The next lady officer takes about 15 minutes for the list of goods to be certified / copied and also fills in some additional forms for CAr Import. All done in about 30 minutes and I walk out of the door and start driving to Toronto.
I go to get the SIN number after my first cup of Tim Horton's, and I get it all done in less than 15 minutes, again no queue. I think early morning is the best time to get all these things done.

Next Stop my local hotel reservation in downtown Toronto, Lunch (some thai food) and than I head to Royal Bank of Canada. RBC Ontario is not same as RBC Alberta and therefore I had a pretty tough time explaining RBS staff that although my temporary SIN card and Landing papers say that the address is Calgary, I still want to get a bank account in Ontario, to start a credit history and to get a temporary debit card.
I would recommend you guys to go to TD bank as they also have branches in US, and I think they are offering zero monthly fee for new accounts by "newcomers".

Couple of observations (may be biased or incorrect, or specific to downtown Toronto only)-

Cons-
 Almost everything was 10- 20% more expensive -postage, cab, gas, parking, cable, my favorites subway and Pizzahut too Sad
 A few parts of Toronto can use some serious trash collection, and graffiti removal (like southeast DC).


Pros -
 Cultural diversity is pretty amazing, even more than DC.
 People are undoubtedly more courteous and helpful , and nice. From customs to customer care , and everywhere, even strangers.
 This weekend was a special weekend for Toronto, there was an all night cultural festival, the entire downtown was lit and the place was very happening, I can definitely live in this kind of atmosphere.
 Infrastructure is good with Trams and Buses used by all demographics and so many people use bicycles in downtown, even as late as as 10 PM at night, and not for exercising but for going to work, and even visiting each other, just like Amsterdam and other European cities, (although I did not see 3 people riding the same bicycle,so a little different from europe may be).
 Very Safe neighborhoods (to the best of my knowledge)


Overall a very good experience and to top it off with a visit to Niagara Falls made it an awesome trip. Now its time to find a job in Alberta and make my final moving arrangements.

Ell.Bee said:
Hi,

I am starting this thread for the convinience of those who are preparing for the landing shortly. Please follow this thread for landing related.

Thanks,
L.B