# Landing before visa starts



## margaretchow2 (Sep 20, 2008)

Hi - could anyone advise if it is possible to land in Canada (Vancouver) before our temporary work visa is granted/issued. My husband and I have job contracts but we would like to arrive about 1 month before our visa is likely to be active/be issued so that we can get ourselves settled and find our feet before we start work.

Our employer is applying for our temp. work visas but we don't know as yet when they will be issued.

Thanks

Margaret


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## Auld Yin (Mar 10, 2009)

margaretchow2 said:


> Hi - could anyone advise if it is possible to land in Canada (Vancouver) before our temporary work visa is granted/issued. My husband and I have job contracts but we would like to arrive about 1 month before our visa is likely to be active/be issued so that we can get ourselves settled and find our feet before we start work.
> 
> Our employer is applying for our temp. work visas but we don't know as yet when they will be issued.
> 
> ...


You can come (land) as on vacation but you cannot officially "land" without a visa. You cannot get a SIN or register for medicare without the visa but you can certainly look for a place to live and get to know the area in which you choose to live. Once the visas are in your hands you'll have to go "round the flagpole" to get the visas stamped and make yourselves legal residents.


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## margaretchow2 (Sep 20, 2008)

Thanks for the above - thought that may be the case but just nice to confirm things before we get there. Can't wait we are flying out on 27 October with two dogs and two cats. Just need to sort out a place to stay.


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## EVHB (Feb 11, 2008)

Do you need to send your pasports to the visa office to get the temporary work permit in your pasport? Because, if that is the case, you need to be aware that you would need to send your pasports by mail to the visa office, and that it can become very difficult (impossible?) to leave the country as long as you do not have your pasports back...


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