Canadian relocating back to Toronto after 7 years... please advise

[infoseeeker]

Hello all,

Last year my wife finally got her PR. We went through the whole B4 form and when we had landed in Pearson International Airport we saw an office who checked out our B4 form and stamped it. That was in August 2012 and now we are finally planning our relocation from Singapore to Toronto in the next couple of months. Phew! We are excited!

A few questions which need your advice:

1. When we landed in Toronto last year to kick start her PR we had a B4 list of items, but some of the items we thought we would sell, now we plan to ship back. That list was under her name. I understand that if a Canadian has been living outside of Canada for over 5 years, he/she can also have a B4 list of items when he/she relocates back to Canada. Is this true? Do I have to show the B4 list of my wife with all our items? In my new B4 form, do I just put in the few items we left out only?

2. When I land in Pearson airport, do I have to also go through the same procedure that my wife did to let Canada Immigrations that I'm relocating and resuming my residency? what do I have to do?

3. How long does it take for my Ontario health coverage to kick in? Do I just have to book an appointment to Services Canada to do this?

4. My Canadian driver's license is fine, but my wife has had an active drivers license from Malaysia and it's still valid until 2015. Can I check with you if she still has to go through the Written Test, get her G1, then 1 year later go for her G2 road test and then 1 year later go for her G test? Is there a way where she can just take a course and just go and take her G test right away?

Thanks so much!

 

[steaky]

1) Yes, you can show a separate B4 form
2) Just tell the custom officer about this and show your B4 form
3) OHIP has a 3 months wait period. Hope other poster can give you details
4) I believe she need to go through test. Read this website:

http://icandrive.ca/

 

[infoseeeker]

Hi Steaky!

thanks for the quick reply and info!

 

[Leon]

3. You can both register for health care as soon as you have some proof of residing in ON. Keep your boarding cards to prove when you arrived. You should be covered 3 months after you arrived. In ON, you must stay in the province for 5 out of the first 6 months after you've arrived and after that for 6 months a year in order to keep your coverage.

4. She needs to get a drivers abstract from some driving authority (police?) where she lives. She needs to get this letter translated to English or French. Same with her license. The letter should be no older than 3 months when she arrives in ON. She would present the letter and ask them to consider her experience in order to release her from the requirements of the GDL program. If she has more than 2 yrs. experience, she can take the G road test right after she passes the written one. If she has more than 1 yr. experience, she can take the basic road test and get a G2 license which would allow her to drive by herself at least.

 

[missmini]

from my understanding you are a former resident as long as you've been resident of another country of at least one year OR the last time you entered Canada was more than one year ago; if you are one or the other you can bring back your own things and yes you will have your own B4 form; just include the items you plan to bring now not the ones you already included on your wife's form
all these goods needs to be owned, possessed, used for at least 6 months prior to your arrival BUT if you were outside for more than 5 years than you are exception to this rule
if i'm wrong please anyone correct me, i'm going through this myself ???
now it depends also what you declared and what the officer checked when you came with your wife - did they consider that you were visiting or that you were a former resident resuming residency
now, Leon, steaky or anyone, i would also like to know the 5 years period does it mean - 5 years not being at all in Canada or visiting would b ok? i'm also returning having stayed 5 years outside but during these 5 years i did go back regularly for family visits; so i'm confused : i guess i'll explain it in a letter and hope i still have some proofs (old plane tickets, boarding passes etc)

thaaaank you