UK driver's license conversion in Ontario

[Eabie]

Hello,

I'm a Canadian citizen who's recently applied to sponsor my English husband as a PR. I've read that UK drivers can convert their driver's license, if they've had it for two years or more, for a full G class driver's license in Ontario. What I've had a little more diffiulty finding out about, though, is what happens if my husband just received his UK license shortly before moving to Canada. If he only had it for a few months, say, would he at least be able to exchange it for the G2 probationary license (whether after passing a test or not)? It's just the G1 learner's permit phase that we wish to avoid if possible, or at least to lessen its duration.

Thanks for your help!

 

[PMM]

Hi

Hello,

I'm a Canadian citizen who's recently applied to sponsor my English husband as a PR. I've read that UK drivers can convert their driver's license, if they've had it for two years or more, for a full G class driver's license in Ontario. What I've had a little more diffiulty finding out about, though, is what happens if my husband just received his UK license shortly before moving to Canada. If he only had it for a few months, say, would he at least be able to exchange it for the G2 probationary license (whether after passing a test or not)? It's just the G1 learner's permit phase that we wish to avoid if possible, or at least to lessen its duration.

Thanks for your help!

1. Nope, it doesn't appear so. http://www.ontario.ca/driving-and-roads/exchange-foreign-drivers-licence Less than 2 years driving experience, G1 license and once 2 years experience G2 road test.

Less than 2 years driving experience (with exchange)

You need to take:

an eye test, when you apply
one road test (the G2 road test).

You will not be able to do the G2 road test right away. You need to wait until you gain two, full years of driving experience. For example, if you had a licence for 21 months in your home province, state or country, you can do the G2 road test after 3 months in Ontario. After you pass the G2 road test, you get a full licence.

While you wait, you can drive with your G1 licence, under certain conditions.

 

[Eabie]

Right... I get the sense from that, at least, that they will reduce the amount of time you need to drive on your G1 if you have a UK license. So even if he had it for, say, 3 or 4 months, then that'd be 3 or 4 months lopped off the time he needs to drive on his G1 before going for his G2. It's not much, but it's still something I suppose.

The other thing I was reading was that you could undertake a Beginners Driver's Course in Ontario and reduce the amount of G1 time from 12 to 8 months. Thus the graduated licensing program would take 20 rather than 24 months (assuming passes on schedule, etc.). They don't mention that on the exchanging foreign licenses page, though.

 

[hsbalouch]

Right... I get the sense from that, at least, that they will reduce the amount of time you need to drive on your G1 if you have a UK license. So even if he had it for, say, 3 or 4 months, then that'd be 3 or 4 months lopped off the time he needs to drive on his G1 before going for his G2. It's not much, but it's still something I suppose.

The other thing I was reading was that you could undertake a Beginners Driver's Course in Ontario and reduce the amount of G1 time from 12 to 8 months. Thus the graduated licensing program would take 20 rather than 24 months (assuming passes on schedule, etc.). They don't mention that on the exchanging foreign licenses page, though.

I had a UK provisional driver's license for more than 2 years and was able to appear for G2 test straight away after passing the theory test,

 

[Eabie]

I had a UK provisional driver's license for more than 2 years and was able to appear for G2 test straight away after passing the theory test,

Really! That's better news. My husband has a *provisional* UK license, but he still has to get his proper license. We're trying to cut down on the waiting time to get a full Ontario driver's license because there's an educational program he's interested in starting in a couple years, but he'll need his license for the internship portion of it. If he can't get his license in time, it'd mean not being able to apply to the program for a whole other year, which would just be delaying our lives.

Mind, my husband's only had his provisional license for a couple months. I don't know whether or not they'll factor that in when deciding how long he has to have his G1. But any amount of time we can reduce from his having to drive on a G1 is good news for us.