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| Subject: Landing in Nova Scotia |
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To Richard and forum: So sorry for the reporting delay but its been horrific over here with getting our house ready for selling and a recent flooding and sewer back-up and other problems. Anyway, we flew from Akron (Ohio) to Boston, picked up a rental car and drove to Bar Harbor, Maine. After several days filling our gut with lobster we took the Canadian "Cat" ferry over to Yarmouth, Nova Scotia, a just under three hour trip, were directed to Canadian Immigration, our passports were stamped with the Permanent Resident seal, the Permanent Resident form (COPR) with our pictures and personal information prepared by Canadian Immigration was taken and we were given back a copy of this form, we also handed over our Personal Effects list with the duplicate we had made stamped and returned to us, we did not have much more time than to have lunch in town before having to return back on the returning ferry that afternoon. After about a month we received the Permanent Resident cards Fedexed to our USA address by our Canadian contact. (Immigration will only send the cards to a Canadian address)The cards are very colorful, like the Canadian currency. The immigration people were very nice. We decided to kill two birds with one stone since we love Maine and combine the landing with a Maine vacation. I want to thank everyone past and present on the forum for their valuable help; because of the forum we knew just what to do as far as preparing for the landing and the actual procedure of landing.
I wish everyone luck in the pursuit of their dreams and will continue to help others on the forum.
[16-10-2006,20:57]
[***.123.98.203]
Bob |
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(in reply to: Landing in Nova Scotia)
Awesome, Bob! Congratulations! I´m glad to hear everything went so smoothly for you. I´m also glad to hear that you were able to have your PR card FedExed by a friend--I´d read somewhere that it´s illegal to send it over the border, but I can´t for anything find the post. Others say it´s fine, so I guess I´ll relax about it. Congratulations again, and best of luck to you in your new life in Canada!
[16-10-2006,21:17]
[**.24.116.116]
wannabecanadian |
(in reply to: Landing in Nova Scotia)
Thanks, wannabecanadian,
Actually, there was some question about us going and returning the same day, especially as we were not "really" landing for several months, but I think that was due to the fact that most immigrants landing in Yarmouth are from distant countries other than the USA, and these people would tend to land permanently at that time and not return to their native country because of the distance. Sometimes one might be questioned about landing in a province other than the one stated in one´s application, but (except, I think for Quebec), one can land in any province to qualify as a landing, regardless of what one put down in the original application.
The other thing -- it is common for people to give a Canadian address for the mailing of the PR card and have it mailed back to your country. It´s totally legal, we stated on the Fedex envelope that it contained PR cards, and the immigration officer knew we were having it sent to a friend (who would then send it to us). I used Fedex rather than regular mail because though it costs big bucks, it is safe and fast and I didn´t want the cards lost with the tremendous hassle of replacement.
Good luck, wannabecanadian as you pursue your dream.
[16-10-2006,22:28]
[***.123.98.203]
Bob |
(in reply to: Landing in Nova Scotia)
Echoing wannabe, congratulations Bob. Our landing experiences at Sault Ste. Marie Internatioal Bridge were very similar. We´re still waiting for our Canadian friends to receive our PR cards for us, however.
Sorry to hear about flooding problems at home, and hope those have been resolved. Wondering what you´ll do for temporary quarters and storing of belongings between residences during settling. That was our dilmema, which we think we´ve gotten around.
Have house closing at end of the month and slowly moving things there. Some by rented trailer and some to be by rental truck. Signed-up for Ontario health system and will receive health cards in December valid to begin exactly 3 months after the landing date stamped in passports.
More administrative stuff to do next is apply for SIN cards, exchange to Ontario driver´s licences (notice spelling), and import and and re-plate our 2 older cars.
Car insurance costs twice what it is in the states. This was confirmed by the Ontario drivers licence person I spoke with over the phone, as I verified what we have to do to re-licence.
We also have to get our home state´s (Illinois) DMV "drivers abstacts" or drivers records for Canadian auto insurance and Ontario Ministry of Transportation. Without that, we´d get a class G license with only 12 months of driving experience on our records, causing the auto insurance rates to be even higher. With the abstact, they´ll issue a 24+ month experience class G licence, the best possible licence and record and no need for a re-exam in 12 months. Found out (in Ontario at least) one must exchange for an Ontario drivers licence within 60 days after landing and becoming a resident.
Whew, all these bureaucratic details to work out in moving there, but well worth it. Stay in touch with us Bob as you progress. Interested in hearing your experiences and others here as reference to help us all in our moves.
[16-10-2006,22:32]
[**.53.231.75]
Richard |
Landing in Nova Scotia (in reply to: Landing in Nova Scotia)
Thanks, Richard, and thanks for all of the valuable information about licencing. I hadn´t even considered that aspect and I´m glad you bought it up. I think you had mentioned this in another entry, but it´s apparently the case at least in Ontario that you don´t have to actually live in the province for three months to receive health care. I wonder if that´s the case in other provinces. Anyway, you had asked earlier where we intend to live. We purchased a home on beautiful Vancouver Island last Summer (supposed to be the warmest area in Canada), and because of the great distance from Ohio, and the fact that we have accumulated lots of antique furniture and other "stuff" over the years (Yes, we´re guilty of buying "things" - it´s endemic in the USA)we´re hiring a professional mover to move it in one fell swoop next June or so. We also have a couple of birds and dogs that are also emmigrating to Canada, so it´s going to be a small nightmere. You´re fortunate that you´re close enough to your new home that you can gradually move your "stuff" up there. We intend to put the house up for sale in January and hopefully sell it in the Spring. The market is slow in Ohio, probably weaker than in Chicago. When do you plan to actually settle in Ontario? You have to watch out for the heavy snow season in terms of moving. I´ll keep you informed and e-mail you.
[16-10-2006,23:58]
[***.123.98.203]
Bob |
(in reply to: Landing in Nova Scotia)
It sounds like we are all in a similar position. We are hoping to land by the end of this month, likely in Niagara or Windsor (we´re in Ohio, too), but won´t REALLY land until next spring (unless dh finds a job before then). So very glad to hear that it´s totally legal to send PR cards via FexEx (by a friend); this has been a major stress for me while trying to figure out all the landing details. Since our likely destination is Ontario, I really appreciate all the info about drivers licences, Richard (I´m practicing spelling as well!), as well as health card information. It would be a huge relief to have insurance as soon as we officially move, rather than rely on individual insurance to cover the 3 month gap while establishing residency. Looking forward to hearing updates from both of you.
[17-10-2006,11:22]
[**.24.116.116]
wannabecanadian |
(in reply to: Landing in Nova Scotia)
Here is the information on Exchanging Ontario driving license.
http://www.mto.gov.on.ca/english/dandv/driver/exchange.htm
[17-10-2006,12:36]
[***.255.152.227]
sam |
Landing in Nova Scotia (in reply to: Landing in Nova Scotia)
Thanks, sam.
wannabecanadian - We almost drove to Windsdor via Toledo before we got the idea of going to Maine to land. If you do go through Toledo I think it´s worth to stay over a bit. There´s a nice museum, antiques and other sites to see and some good stuff they publish about all that (we got that through AAA). Do you ache to leave Ohio? Just kidding -- we can´t wait for the day of liberation. You can take either the Bridge or the Tunnel into Windsdor. I think the Bridge might be easier, but mapquest does a good job of routing you from Ohio. Good luck in your landing and keep us posted as we will.
[17-10-2006,14:27]
[**.213.114.164]
Bob |
(in reply to: Landing in Nova Scotia)
Thanks Bob! Hmmm...to be honest, I´d never actually considered VISITING Toledo; we tend to zip through it as quickly as possible! :) We´ll probably go through Niagara because our little one loves to see the falls; it´s a bit longer, but a less crazy drive than to Windsor (we´re in Columbus). That Toledo-Detroit corridor always seems so hectic to me.
Do I long to leave Ohio? Of course! Though I´ll give one more effort to vote the bad guys out (although, up to this point, my vote never seems to count for much!). Yep, here´s to liberation--I hear ya! :)
[17-10-2006,15:28]
[**.24.116.116]
wannabecanadian |
(in reply to: Landing in Nova Scotia)
Bob, Wannabe, and maybe Brian,
Altho through our mutual conversations here I know some of our plans and efforts for moving up north, I´m very curious as to your deep down reasons and motivations. Like me, both of you are leaving the U.S. You guys Ohio and and me Illinois. Brian I believe New York.
I´ve been asked this same question from friends and colleagues, and many if not most just don´t understands my thinking and rationale. It may be somewhat of a personal thing to say here, and if so perhaps we can possibly share offline sometime.
Out of curiosity, I took a look at CIC immigration statistics for the most recent year of tracking, 2005. In that year, out of a total of 156,310 economic immigrants (skilled workers) accepting by Canada from around the world, only 3,804 came from the U.S. And of those 3,804 who were between the ages of 45-64 (such as me in this case), only 1,368. So I´d say we´re a rare breed, with most coming from other parts of the world.
I suppose many would say this is because the U.S. has just as high standard of living as Canada, if not more so. This may explain these low numbers from the U.S. So there must be other underlying, but still overiding reasons in our decisions, which is why I´m curious. Many times reuniting with family in Canada is a reason, but this is not mine.
Anyway, just musing on this.
[17-10-2006,20:01]
[**.53.231.75]
Richard |
(in reply to: Landing in Nova Scotia)
Hi Richard: I´m glad I´ve found a few folks here who share, I think, similar motivations for moving north. In our case, we simply love Canada and feel more at home there than we do here. We first visited Toronto some 15 years ago and immediately felt a strong attraction to the area. Since then, we´ve taken nearly every holiday somewhere in Canada, from backpacking in Riding Mountain National Park in Manitoba to cottaging on PEI. When I cross the border, I feel at home, no matter where I am in that vast country, and it´s a difficult thing to explain to someone who hasn´t experienced a similar feeling.
I could easily say that the decision is political, but that isn´t entirely true. Certainly, the general political scene in the US isn´t to my liking (okay, I´m being very very kind with my words here), but we are definitely not Bush refugees. Our desire to move to Canada has been with us far longer than this administration has been in power, and will outlast any future administrations which I may share more values with.
Of course I do agree with the general political climate of Canada more, as well as the general culture. I like that national healthcare is a priority, that it is a VALUE; I like that gay couples can marry and share in truely equal rights and that it is generally understood that they are not a "threat" to my own lifestyle; I like that pretty much no matter where I am, cars stop for pedestrians and folks say hello on the street. I like the wide open spaces, that you can drive for miles and miles and not see a soul. I like that just 30 minutes outside of downtown Ottawa you can hear loons calling and wolves howling and follow moose footprints in a muddy swamp. I like that in remote Cape Breton, you can have intellectual conversations about world events--try that in rural Ohio! I like the pride in the people, a people who know they have something special and are proud to call themselves Canadian, not because it´s politically correct, but because they know in their hearts that they, as a nation, stand for what is right and good in this world. It is a nation in which my own values aren´t dismissed, and above all, it is a place I know in my heart to be my true home.
That´s the short answer--I´d love to hear from both of you as well. I suspect we have much in common.
[17-10-2006,21:26]
[**.24.116.116]
wannabecanadian |
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