So, after two years of processing & paperwork we finally landed in Toronto on Dec 16, 2016 from Delhi, India. This forum has been a great help in preparing me and my family for landing. I wanted to share my landing experience and the first few days in Canada.
Our visit to Canada is a soft landing this time as we plan to come back properly in Summer. Here are few things I noticed that has changed or maybe different than shared earlier.
Thats it. No documents were asked for. No copies. Nothing. I carried a whole bunch of documents in set of two copies but of no use.
Stepping out we were greeted by snow flurries and cold breeze. So make sure you have your warmers and snow jackets handy. But once you are home you will not feel a thing. Its just another normal day indoors. Of course stepping out for a smoke is cumbersome, but its fine.
POST LANDING
LIFE IN CANADA
Now this is a more personal experience and it may differ with others too. We live in Gurgaon, India and are used to living in apartments, buying groceries from malls, multiplexes, multiple cars, etc.
I found only minor differences in the lifestyle and in somethings its even cheaper. For e.g., Tim Horton’s coffee is equivalent or cheaper than Cafe coffee day in India. Malls are similar priced, but the quality of products are really good. People are generally warm and trust worthy. Lifestyle in Indian household is similar to back home. You get everything here so you won’t miss anything. Food, clothing, name it, its all there. Yes cigarettes are expensive, but thats understandable. Its simple, the lifestyle here is different so don’t convert dollars to rupees when buying anything. Be smart in spending but not chindi(extra frugal
)
Winters are cold but inside the house its fine. We are living in a house and realise that living in apartment is better. You don’t have to remove the snow every morning, clean your drive way, car parking, heating up the car before leaving, etc etc. The apartment complex is convenient to live in with building managers to sort out any issues, car parking in the basement and cleaning services taking care of snow.
All in all, interesting start but lot more to learn.
Our visit to Canada is a soft landing this time as we plan to come back properly in Summer. Here are few things I noticed that has changed or maybe different than shared earlier.
- We landed on Friday, Dec 16 via Air Canada and immediately were ushered to a big hall. The left side of the hall is for US/Canadian citizens entering the country and right side is for other countries. Follow the line on the right hand side and wait for an immigration officer. He will check your visa & passports, stamp it and let you go. Merge in to the line ahead and watch the screen for your baggage belt number. Remember it as you will need it later.
- As you step ahead, an officer will ask you to go to a room for immigration. It was fairly empty with about 15-16 folks ahead of us. Once your turn comes, the officer asks for your Passport, COPR and local address. He asked us if we are carrying cash, but apart from that he didn’t even check our Proof of Funds letter. After about 10-12 mins wait, he called us back and gave us our copy of COPR signed and stamped. Since I have Inactive TB, I was also given a form and a phone number to call within 30 days for medical examination. All in all about 35 mins to complete all paperwork here.
- Right behind the officer is another room where you are issued SIN number by Service Canada. We went around, met a guy at the helpdesk who gave us all the information (pamphlets, brochures, etc.) we need for Mississauga (where will live temporarily). From there we waited in line for our turn - took us about 10-15 mins again. Gave my signed COPR, passport & address, after which he took about 10 mins to issue us our SIN number. Its a simple paper, as you don’t get a card anymore. The paper should never be folded/laminated, or shared with anyone except your employer and kept safely in your files. 20 mins here
- That done we walked out where we met another guy who gave us a quick weather report and big book on things to do. 5 mins here
- We stepped out, went down by the escalator and went to collect our bags. Mind you through all this there are no duty free shops, so if you were planning to buy any gifts for relatives/friends, then prepare ahead.
- Went to the exit gate where the CBSA officer sitting next to the turnstile checked our COPR n passport (hereon documents). He then directed us to a big hall behind him marked as Transfers. This is a very large hall with CBSA officers going through baggage in detail. Some counters had large suitcases open and officers going through every single item in the bag. Now here we thought it will take us a good 2 hrs. Once we were called in, we went to the officer and gave him our documents. He asked for Goods to Follow list which was basically BSF186 & BSF 186A form on CBSA website. We gave him two copies of the list along with two copies of photographs of jewellery that we were planning to bring in. He looked at it all, made entry on his computer and then went to the cashier to get us a receipt. I told him that am carry 6 packets(not cartons) of cigarettes which he was ok with. That done and we were let go. All in all another 40 mins.
Thats it. No documents were asked for. No copies. Nothing. I carried a whole bunch of documents in set of two copies but of no use.
Stepping out we were greeted by snow flurries and cold breeze. So make sure you have your warmers and snow jackets handy. But once you are home you will not feel a thing. Its just another normal day indoors. Of course stepping out for a smoke is cumbersome, but its fine.
POST LANDING
- Come Monday, we go to Service Ontario office in Mississauga to get our Ontario Photo ID & Health card application completed. This is important as the SIN number is no longer considered as ID proof. Without the ID proof you cannot open a bank account except for Nova Scotia bank but their charges are really high. At the counter the lady asked if we have a Driving License from India. She further instructed us that instead of the Ontario Photo ID card, we should directly apply for G1 driving license which will work as photo ID. This photo ID is then required to apply for the health card.
- We were asked to go to 5555, Eglinton Ave driving test office. Once there, we met the officer who took a copy of our DL and passport. She charged us $180 per head for G1 & G2 tests and told us to come back to take a 10 mins written test. She also asked us to get a DL extract(experience letter) from RTO in India which will bypass G2 and directly take us to G test. The experience of driving in India is added once the DL extract is submitted. Make sure that the letter has no spelling mistakes on this letter. Thats it, within 2 hours we were done and dusted. Planning to go for the test next week.
- Called the Ontario health office, who got me connected to a nurse. She took all the details and asked me to meet a physician with a form from www.peel-stoptb.ca who will take a chest X-ray and send it back to the nurse. Planning that too next week.
LIFE IN CANADA
Now this is a more personal experience and it may differ with others too. We live in Gurgaon, India and are used to living in apartments, buying groceries from malls, multiplexes, multiple cars, etc.
I found only minor differences in the lifestyle and in somethings its even cheaper. For e.g., Tim Horton’s coffee is equivalent or cheaper than Cafe coffee day in India. Malls are similar priced, but the quality of products are really good. People are generally warm and trust worthy. Lifestyle in Indian household is similar to back home. You get everything here so you won’t miss anything. Food, clothing, name it, its all there. Yes cigarettes are expensive, but thats understandable. Its simple, the lifestyle here is different so don’t convert dollars to rupees when buying anything. Be smart in spending but not chindi(extra frugal
) Winters are cold but inside the house its fine. We are living in a house and realise that living in apartment is better. You don’t have to remove the snow every morning, clean your drive way, car parking, heating up the car before leaving, etc etc. The apartment complex is convenient to live in with building managers to sort out any issues, car parking in the basement and cleaning services taking care of snow.
All in all, interesting start but lot more to learn.
