Okay here goes…my experience. I took a bus to Niagara Falls for my re-entry into Canada. I walked over to the Rainbow Bridge (weather was really nice, and I bought an ice cream) and crossed the bridge. You need 50 cents to cross (else you’re in trouble). So make sure you have at least two quarters.
Once I walked over to the other side (took about 10 mins), I was called in by the US immigration officer. It was around 10 AM on a Saturday and I was surprisingly all alone. No lineup/queue. The office just asked for my nationality, passport and I told him that I am not here for entering USA but flag polling back to Canada. He gave me a piece of paper - this is the administrative refusal form stating that I am not authorized to enter USA. All he asked me was, if am I doing this for PR or for Work Permit. Strange question, but I answered PR and he gave me the form.
I took this form and walked back to the Canadian border. There are two stops here. The first stop is where the CBSA officer gave me a yellow slip for the purposes of landing in Canada. I took this and went to a nearby building where the actual immigration is done.
As soon as I went in, I was called in right away by a grim faced CBSA officer (again no queue - I was lucky). The officer took my passport, the yellow slip and asked me to wait. I waited for about 15 minutes and then I was called again - this time by another officer.
He asked me the following:
1. How long I was living in Canada - I answered to the exact year, month and day. (He smiled, they usually don’t)
2. What is the immigration document that legalizes my stay in Canada - I said my work permit. He wanted to take a look, so I gave it to him
3. He asked about my work - I am an IT professional. (And promised him that I won’t hack into CBSA - again he smiled)
4. He asked about my marital status - This time I wasn't cocky and I gave a straight answer
5. If I plan to move from my current address in the next 3 months - NO
6. If I was still with the same company mentioned in my WP - I said YES.
7. And some strange questions - Am I armed? Do I have anything to declare? (All I had was my files, wallet and my jacket) Will I be brining anything from USA? Do I have any electronic goods? (Only my mobile phone) All answers were NO.
8. If I had any other immigration documents with me? I said I had my COPR and the administrative refusal form from USA border. He said that’s all he needed.
9. He asked me to sign my COPR form in front of him. Asked me to check all the details there before signing and date it as well which I did.
10. He asked about my proof of residence. I had my ID card so I handed it over to him.
FYI: He didn't ask for my proof of funds as I already had a job. I did take my bank statements and my employment letter just in case.
After all this, he looked me straight in the eye with a gaze so cold and tore up my work permit with a grin on his face (my heart skipped a beat) and he congratulated me on becoming a permanent resident of Canada. After being dramatic, he read my rights. When I asked about the theatrics he pulled with tearing my WP, he smiled and said I was a funny guy (believe me I am not) and that I didn't need it anymore.
After that he asked if I had any questions for him. I answered NO. That’s it. He said I was free to leave this building as a resident. The whole thing (from crossing the bridge to the end) took about one hour. All the officers were very friendly and helpful and again, I was lucky because there was no queue and hardly anyone waiting for their turn.
