# Query on first visit after receiving the VISA



## RedDevil_Bah (Feb 26, 2015)

Hi !


I received an email on 8th April to submit my passport to the consulate to get the visa stamped, which I will be doing in 2 days.

I have certain questions regarding entry:

1. Within how much time (months) I need to enter Canada?

2. What are the activities that I must complete during my first visit to get myself the PR card.

3. I am currently working in Dubai, looking at the global economy I don't intend to leave my job currently. So what is the minimum time I need to stay in canada to get the PR card. 

TIA


----------



## Auld Yin (Mar 10, 2009)

You obviously do not understand the Canadian Immigration process. I believe the visa which is to be stamped into your passport permits only you to enter Canada, but does not allow you to work in the country. The obtaining of PR status is based on a number of factors and often takes years. It is much based on having employment. You should carefully read:- Immigrate to Canada


----------



## EVHB (Feb 11, 2008)

What visa are you talking about? A tourist visa, or to get Permanent Residency? (what class did you apply for?)

I remember that we had 1 year from the date of our medical to land and stay in Canada.
You can land sooner, stay for a couple of weeks until you receive your PR card, return to Dubai and come back definitely at a later date. 
Read this, in case you are talking about permanent resident status:
Understand permanent resident status


----------



## RedDevil_Bah (Feb 26, 2015)

Auld Yin said:


> You obviously do not understand the Canadian Immigration process. I believe the visa which is to be stamped into your passport permits only you to enter Canada, but does not allow you to work in the country. The obtaining of PR status is based on a number of factors and often takes years. It is much based on having employment. You should carefully read:- Immigrate to Canada


Hi Auld Yin,

Yes its the visa which is to be stamped into my passport. So this will let me enter into Canada. However, to get the PR status I must spend min. of 730 days (which also means I need to be employed there). Is my understanding correct?


----------



## RedDevil_Bah (Feb 26, 2015)

EVHB said:


> What visa are you talking about? A tourist visa, or to get Permanent Residency? (what class did you apply for?)
> 
> I remember that we had 1 year from the date of our medical to land and stay in Canada.
> You can land sooner, stay for a couple of weeks until you receive your PR card, return to Dubai and come back definitely at a later date.
> ...


Thanks for the reply EVBH,

I went through the link you suggested. Its a permanent residency visa I had applied under EE program.

It would be great if could advice me on the below questions, which will help me plan my travel.

1. If I get my visa stamped by end of april'16 , by when I will have to enter into Canada.

2. How long should I plan my first visit for (min. the better)?

3. What all formalities have to be completed before I can leave for Dubai.

Many Thanks


----------



## EVHB (Feb 11, 2008)

Isn't this information in the info that you got from the government? At least, that was the case when we got our visa in 2010. At that time, most people had to land in Canada to activate their visa within 12 months after their medical.
Don't remember how long it took to get our PR cards, think it was about 6 weeks. Our intention was to stay, so I never paid attention to such details. We started networking with people in our line of business from the moment we applied for a visa, so from week 1 after landing, my husband had meetings lined up every day of the week. He landed several job offers within 2.5 months.
Being here is the best way to land a job. Finding a job from overseas is harder. Lots of 'would-be's' who eventually never get here, so employers and recruiters can be hesitant as long as you are not here. At least, that was what we were told by them.

You don't need a job to stay here, if you have Permanent Residency.


----------



## RedDevil_Bah (Feb 26, 2015)

EVHB said:


> Isn't this information in the info that you got from the government? At least, that was the case when we got our visa in 2010. At that time, most people had to land in Canada to activate their visa within 12 months after their medical.
> Don't remember how long it took to get our PR cards, think it was about 6 weeks. Our intention was to stay, so I never paid attention to such details. We started networking with people in our line of business from the moment we applied for a visa, so from week 1 after landing, my husband had meetings lined up every day of the week. He landed several job offers within 2.5 months.
> Being here is the best way to land a job. Finding a job from overseas is harder. Lots of 'would-be's' who eventually never get here, so employers and recruiters can be hesitant as long as you are not here. At least, that was what we were told by them.
> 
> You don't need a job to stay here, if you have Permanent Residency.


Hi

Till now I didn't get any such information. Also, my medical is done ,as it was a pre-requisite for applying (don't know if any additional medical is required).

For networking, apart from Linkedin, any other means that you could suggest, so that I can cover that base as well.


----------



## EVHB (Feb 11, 2008)

No 2nd medical is needed. It was 12 months from the day of our one and only medical.

You can make connections through Linkedin, but ACTIVE connections. Not just the "I want to add you" thing. Talk to people. Have information interviews (google!). Make sure you construct a Canadian resume. Ask your connections for any leads or introductions to other people. Research possible employers. Analyse the job postings for jobs you are interested in. Learn how to answer interview questions. Learn what are illegal questions so that you don't start disclosing that information during interviews.

The 'problem' is that LinkedIn contacts will be cold contracts. Those are much harder, as you want something from them, and they don't know you. Make sure to participate in an active way in the groups that relate to your profession.

Where are you going to live? Why did you pick that place?


----------



## WestCoastCanadianGirl (Mar 17, 2012)

EVHB said:


> No 2nd medical is needed. It was 12 months from the day of our one and only medical.
> 
> You can make connections through Linkedin, but ACTIVE connections. Not just the "I want to add you" thing. Talk to people. Have information interviews (google!). Make sure you construct a Canadian resume. Ask your connections for any leads or introductions to other people. Research possible employers. Analyse the job postings for jobs you are interested in. Learn how to answer interview questions. Learn what are illegal questions so that you don't start disclosing that information during interviews.
> 
> ...


That begs the question _why_ did OP bother to apply to come to Canada if he has no real intention of coming over and staying on? 

There are hundreds, if not thousands of people who would love to come to Canada to live and work and would give anything to be in the position of having to wrap up their lives where they are so that they could make the move over. 

After all, it seems like a waste of time and money to come for a few months to get the very basics established before leaving without much of a plan (if any) to return beyond meeting the absolute minimum requirement to keep one's status here (airfare _isn't_ cheap within Canada and it certainly wouldn't be cheap between Canada and the Middle East).

If you needed to return to whence you came to tie up the last of your responsibilities where you're coming from, that's one thing and is totally understandable - some things just aren't "sort-able" at the drop of a hat and take time to wind up. 

To return to whence you came to resume your life there rather defeats the point of having any status in Canada.... the government didn't go through the whole process of processing your application and granting you your visa with the intention of you accepting it and then turning around and just using it as a back up plan in case things don't pan out for you where you are - your visa is a _privilege and *not a right*_ and that privilege really shouldn't be abused in this way... it's not fair to Canadians (whose tax money funds the government and makes it possible for new immigrants to come over in the first place) and its not fair to those who truly _want to_ come to Canada but, for whatever reason, aren't able to come over to fulfill their dream of living here.


----------



## RedDevil_Bah (Feb 26, 2015)

EVHB said:


> No 2nd medical is needed. It was 12 months from the day of our one and only medical.
> 
> You can make connections through Linkedin, but ACTIVE connections. Not just the "I want to add you" thing. Talk to people. Have information interviews (google!). Make sure you construct a Canadian resume. Ask your connections for any leads or introductions to other people. Research possible employers. Analyse the job postings for jobs you are interested in. Learn how to answer interview questions. Learn what are illegal questions so that you don't start disclosing that information during interviews.
> 
> ...


Thanks EVBH.

I haven't finalised yet, I am not constrained to any province, however, target would be Toronto, Montreal as job opportunities will be higher in these cities.


----------



## RedDevil_Bah (Feb 26, 2015)

WestCoastCanadianGirl said:


> That begs the question _why_ did OP bother to apply to come to Canada if he has no real intention of coming over and staying on?
> 
> There are hundreds, if not thousands of people who would love to come to Canada to live and work and would give anything to be in the position of having to wrap up their lives where they are so that they could make the move over.
> 
> ...


Hi!

Just trying to get views and understand it better. Obviously I want to work and live in Canada 

But as you said some things cannot be done at the drop of a hat, Due to some circumstances I may not be able to leave my current job and live in Canada immediately. Like everything else it has some constraints.


----------



## colchar (Oct 25, 2011)

WestCoastCanadianGirl said:


> That begs the question _why_ did OP bother to apply to come to Canada if he has no real intention of coming over and staying on?
> 
> There are hundreds, if not thousands of people who would love to come to Canada to live and work and would give anything to be in the position of having to wrap up their lives where they are so that they could make the move over.
> 
> ...




:thumb:


----------

