Coming to Canada on your PR for the first time, know what to expect at the airport.

Congratulations on getting your Confirmation of Permanent Residency (COPR) from Government of Canada! You are one step closer to complete one of the best choices you have ever made. Did you review the required documents checklist before arriving in Canada?

Knowing few things in advance can help relieve off some mental pressure when you are moving to a new country. Here is the sequence I experience at the Toronto Pearson Internation Airport when I first arrived in Canada from the US.

The whole process should be same for others arriving from other countries or landing at a different airport in other provinces.

Customs form

You will be given a Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) Customs Declaration Card in the flight taking you to the first port of entry in Canada. Eat up all the fruits you brought along to eat during travel as they will not be allowed after the Customs Declaration. Answer the simple yes or no questions truthfully and declare if you have more than $10,000 CAD in cash. Hold on to the form till you have been asked for it by a Border Services Officer (BSO) after arriving.

Have all your important documents handy within reach to speed up the process and not act confused when asked for.

First Checkpoint

You will be guided by airport personnel to or look for Arrival and Customs/Immigration lines that point to "non-Canadian citizens/Other countries Passports" and wait for a BSO to call you up to the counter. Greet the officer, you will be asked for the purpose of visit, your Passport and Customs form. Appropriate answer would be "Landing as a Permanent Resident for the first time". The officer will check your one time entry visa stamped on your passport, place an arrival stamp, strike through the visa, write a code on the customs form and give you further instructions where to go next with a WELCOME TO CANADA greeting. :)

Second Checkpoint

If you heard the instructions from the first officer, you should have lined up for the second checkpoint correctly. When called upon the counter, Greet the officer and inform its your first time landing as a Permanent Resident and you will be asked for Passport, both copies of COPR. After initial verification, you will be asked for an address to mail your PR Card and a phone number. Give the phone number and address of a friend or family you trust to receive your PR Card after 50-60 days the day you landed. If you do not have an address that you can provide, you will be given a form and instructions on how to add your address after you get one; This will probably take more than 60 days for the card to be processed. Then the officer will ask for how much money you have at the moment and how much in bank account, this should be equal to or more than the required Proof of Funds based on how many dependents you have. If the officer deems it necessary, additional documents will be requested for verification. Then you will be given your copy of COPR to initial at three (3) places, sign and date at the bottom and a WELCOME TO CANADA greeting. If you landed on a weekday, you will be instructed to proceed to the Service Canada counter next to get your Social Insurance Number (SIN). If you plan to land on a weekend, do not worry there are many Service Canada and Service Ontario offices which you will have to visit for more required paperwork, instead jump to Customs Checkpoint below.

Service Canada Checkpoint

This is an advantage you get if you arrive on a weekday between 8 AM to 7 PM (Not sure of the closing time), usually when all the international flights arrive. Getting a Social Insurance Number (SIN) is as important as you get your PR card. It is a unique identity number for employment and tax purpose. Greet the associate when called upon the counter and you will be greeted WELCOME TO CANADA. The associate will provide you a form to fill which can be downloaded and prefilled, not required though. Download SIN form here. With the form filled, present your passport and COPR. You will be asked for an address and phone number just like at the Second Checkpoint, give the same address and phone number but here the address is just for formality and no communication will be sent to that address and you don't have to change it later. In 2 minutes, you will be handed a paper with your SIN and pay close attention to the instructions given. Government of Canada stopped issuing SIN Cards, so that paper is your proof. DO NOT SHARE YOUR SIN WITH ANYONE, except your employer and bank.

Customs Checkpoint

The next step is to pick your check-in luggage in the baggage claim area and proceed to the Customs Declarations. You will be asked to go in a different direction than others after showing the code on your Customs form by airport personnel. Here you will meet another BSO who will check your Passport, COPR, Customs form and ask for BSF186 and BSF186a form. Read about BSF186 and BSF186a forms. Have the approximate total value in CAD for the goods to follow as the officer will ask for it. If the officer feels the need to check your luggage for any dangerous items or non-permitted items, they might ask you to open them. If not, you will be given a signed and stamped BSF186a customs duty tax paid receipt which is very important for shipping your goods to follow. Keep it safe along with COPR, SIN and other documents. And you are good to go.

WELCOME TO CANADA!

Hope you have a pleasant experience as everyone did coming to Canada for the first time on their Permanent Residency. Check what's next after you enter Canada for the first time.