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Juche

Star Member
May 28, 2009
80
0
Category........
Visa Office......
Warsaw
Job Offer........
Pre-Assessed..
App. Filed.......
01-10-2009
AOR Received.
17-11-2009
Interview........
waived
Passport Req..
15-01-2010
VISA ISSUED...
18-01-2010
OK what is the deal, I have a EU (Poland) DL and before that I have had a DL from the USA, driving a total of about 18 years accident free. Am I going to be treated like a teenager / first-time DL applicant upon landing in Canada? Will I have to take Driver Education courses and all that fluff?
 
I'm guessing you didn't even try to look at their website? Here is the information you need:

http://www.drivetest.ca/en/license/OutOfCountryDrivers.aspx
 
your DL will be valid for 2 months in Canada, but then you will have to pass a DL test to get a Canadian DL, no courses needed at all.
 
By the time I got an Ontario license I had had a Swedish one for almost seven years. What I did was:

  • Got a translated photocopy of my Swedish license from the Swedish consulate.
  • Wrote the G1 theory test
  • Made the G driving test

Everything went very smoothly and the whole process took about two weeks. Since I got a translated copy of my Swedish license they backdated my Ontario license to November 2000, which is when I got my Swedish one, so that might help me getting cheaper insurance and stuff like that. It's recommended to do the driving test outside of Toronto (if that's where you live) since they're more relaxed there. I did my driving test in Burlington.
 
just keep i mind that they are on strike now in Ontario
 
There is a reciprocity rule if you have DL from US (I believe it was till 1 year after expiration date) - you can exchange for Canadian DL. I just got mine exchanged - I had more than 5 years in US experience and got full G. There are locations which work during the strike (one is 777 bay st Toronto)
 
You can exchange your U.S. DL for a Canadian one right away with no written or driving test. To get credit for your Polish experience you need your Polish DL and an official translation (unless that experience is already included on your American record).
 
kolibri said:
There is a reciprocity rule if you have DL from US (I believe it was till 1 year after expiration date) - you can exchange for Canadian DL. I just got mine exchanged - I had more than 5 years in US experience and got full G. There are locations which work during the strike (one is 777 bay st Toronto)

are you sure about this address? there's nothing mentioned about this address amongst seven of the DriveTest Centres listed for the DriveTest during the strike.