My travel journey to Canada— Post 18 March — Post Hotel Quarantine— New Immigrant
I know a lot of people are struggling with this question, Shall I travel to Canada knowing the risks? OR shall I wait for the travel restrictions to be lifted? I was also in the same boat until last week and I want to share my journey with other aspirants so they know another side of this picture.
Note: I was very very anxious about making this move because of everything I had read on the internet. This article should not be read as a motivation for landing in Canada without an AL, because the consequences are as real as told on the internet. Maybe, I was just lucky, we will never know that for sure.
So, anyone traveling, please do that on their own responsibility knowing the risks.
Also, I was traveling to Canada permanently and not to validate my PR only.
COPR and Landing Experience
I received my COPR and passport stamped somewhere in November 2020. It was due to be expired in May 2021, so I decided to travel a bit earlier. I didn’t had an authorization letter from the govt, so it was a relatively risky move on my part.
Because of all the travel restrictions on CIC’s website, I was mentally prepared that anything could happen, I was ready to come back and/or face an admissibility hearing, but by the grace of Allah, everything went very very smoothly. I didn’t go through anything and my PR was validated within 30 minutes of landing.
Hotel Bookings and Govt approved hotels
Hotel booking is now mandatory for new travelers to Canada: https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/diseases/2019-novel-coronavirus-infection/latest-travel-health-advice/mandatory-hotel-stay-air-travellers.html
The hotel booking experience was very daunting. I spent hours, calling them from my local phone in Pakistan, and later explored the option of Skype credit. At first, I spent a complete day calling on their toll-free number, which kept on dropping after 20–30 minutes (Longest was a 58 mins call). But then, I called on their local number, and after a wait of 3 hours and 15 mins, I successfully reached them.
I asked for the cheapest option and got Comfort inn for 262 CAD per night. The rooms are good, not as good as the price I was charged, but good enough.
It’s a medium-sized room with a kettle, fridge, tv and any other necessaries. Also, the food is decent too, it has both halal and vegetarian options. I am satisfied with the hotel.
Quarantine Plan
I didn’t have many friends in Toronto, so I was particularly worried about my quarantine plan. I booked an Airbnb for 15 days and that worked like a charm. I have yet to go there, so don’t know how that experience would be. But, it’s a private room, private washroom, and a shared kitchen in Brampton.
Flight Details and immigration experience
I traveled using Qatar Airlines from Islamabad International airport. It was a 20 something hours flight — Islamabad to Doha (Qatar) and after a 3-hour stay, Doha to Toronto (Canada).
I saw a few people getting denied boarding due to hotel bookings and covid tests. But, didn’t saw anything related to the Authorization letter. Also, I traveled alone, with no dependents.
These were the documents checked at Canada:
- Passport
- COPR
- Hotel bookings
- Quarantine plan
- CBSA form (Will be handed out in airline — Goods declaration form)
- Covid tests
If you want to know more about my immigration experience, please refer to: https://medium.com/@umertahir114/how-i-earned-a-canadian-permanent-residence-from-pakistan-without-a-masters-and-canadian-job-offer-304896cb8e56
Also, If I have missed any essential detail, please let me know and I will update this article.
Or reach out to me at umer.tahir@hotmail.com
