Applied to sponsor my family through Ottawa, Ontario but I always travel internationally from Montreal

[Keyjoe23]

Hey guys,

I live and work in Ottawa, pay taxes there, and all of my documents are tied to Ottawa (health card, driver’s licence, bills, etc.).

However, I travel internationally quite often — around once every two months — and I usually fly out of Montreal Airport. For context, I actually lived in Montreal until last year, before applying for family sponsorship. I then moved to Ottawa because of my company’s return-to-office policy, which also worked well with my family application.

I’m a bit worried that frequent departures from Montreal could make it seem like I actually live there, and that they might think I falsely claimed to live in Ottawa. Is that something that could realistically happen?

What are the chances of this being an issue? Flights from Ottawa are often limited or expensive, so I usually find it much easier to travel through Montreal.

I am asking because I don't want this to sound that I lie in the documents to avoid getting Quebec intake which was closed last year when I applied.

 

[armoured]

Wouldn't worry about it, much of the federal govt flies out of montreal, too, and vast swathes of eastern ontario as well.

 

[canuck78]

Hey guys,

I live and work in Ottawa, pay taxes there, and all of my documents are tied to Ottawa (health card, driver’s licence, bills, etc.).

However, I travel internationally quite often — around once every two months — and I usually fly out of Montreal Airport. For context, I actually lived in Montreal until last year, before applying for family sponsorship. I then moved to Ottawa because of my company’s return-to-office policy, which also worked well with my family application.

I’m a bit worried that frequent departures from Montreal could make it seem like I actually live there, and that they might think I falsely claimed to live in Ottawa. Is that something that could realistically happen?

What are the chances of this being an issue? Flights from Ottawa are often limited or expensive, so I usually find it much easier to travel through Montreal.

I am asking because I don't want this to sound that I lie in the documents to avoid getting Quebec intake which was closed last year when I applied.

As long as you are returning to live and work in Ontario there is no issue. How you get back into the country has no impact as long as you have proof you are residing outside of Quebec. Agree that many who live in Ottawa often travel to Montreal for access to more flights..

 

[armoured]

Wouldn't worry about it, much of the federal govt flies out of montreal, too, and vast swathes of eastern ontario as well.

I mean, really should add here that Montreal is a major transfer airport for international travellers both inward and outbound (less than Toronto, sure, but still important).

I've no idea how much CBSA/DOT track on an individual level how many 'exits' from/entries into Canada via airline arrived from/transfer on to other airports/provinces, but I'm sure they're quite aware of it and have at least some high-level figures that give them an idea. (My guess is they don't typically have this info for individual travellers, they only stood up the exit-tracking capability in the last five years.)

Anyway same point: they know very well that a large number of travellers arriving/exiting Montreal aren't actually residents of/travelling to Montreal or even Quebec.