Jesusrules24:
Hello everyone, I landed Canada about 13 days ago, so about to end my quarantine.

I am in Toronto and would love to be added to a Nigerian WhatsApp group.

Please if you belong to any WhatsApp group for new students/immigrants in Canada, add me.

I am alone here and I need as much support (information) so I don't make mistakes. Please, how did u get ur first semester receipt from centennial college. I ve tried africa@centennialcollege.ca buh no reply.

Thank you.

SKEPTA:

hey,i need some naira but not much
pc me

egobetatoday:


We had the same challenge as you. We simply got the statement of account and I signed a letter to show that my spouse has free and unfettered access to the account for the purpose of immigration. This was in early 2019 and we've received ppr. I don't know if this method is still acceptable now.

sweetchi2411:
Congratulations Setf!!!

WinterDreary:
Traveling has become a lot harder in the light of the new Covid guidelines introduced by the Canadian government. Now, not only do you have to provide a negative Covid test before departure from your country of origin, you also have to plan to quarantine at a hotel at your point of entry in Canada. Presently, there are only four points of entry available: Calgary, Toronto, Montreal and Vancouver. In addition, you have to plan to take a Covid test at your point of entry and at the end of your planned 14 days quarantine, if you test negative. If you test positive, you go into the government’s isolation center.
These restrictions came into effect on 22 February and my original departure flight from Lagos was on the next day. Out of sheer curiosity, I decided to not move my flight and to experience how these new restrictions will be. There was a lot of uncertainty on things like exemptions or on testing, but I felt it would be quite nice to gain the experience and talk to others about it. It was quite an experience indeed!

Booking the stopover hotel
The plan was to book the stopover hotel at Toronto before leaving Lagos. I was working with an estimated cost of $2000 as announced by the PM. But then, the bigger issue with the booking turned out not to be the cost, but conducting the actual booking. They provided just one phone number which anyone could call to do the booking. Expectedly, thousands were calling and wait times ran into hours. I was on the phone for a total of more than 60 hours, 3 hours each time after which the call would drop, before securing a booking. Eventually, I was able to book a room at Sheraton Gateway for a total of $1300 for the required 3 days.
I had read on Twitter that people were denied boarding who didn’t have a hotel booked. This made it more urgent for me to book the hotel. It appears many were unsuccessful with booking a room at any of the listed hotels, and I believe allowing such passenger to board remained dependent on the airline. Whatever the case, passengers who got to their initial destination in Canada would still have to book a place anyways. So, this is an important step.
Another important thing is the specific instruction on the government website to book a stopover hotel only by calling the provided number. Because this was difficult to achieve for some, they ended up booking directly with the hotel. I met a few persons at the airport who did this, and it seemed to work fine for them as they were allowed to go into the city.

Doing the Covid Test
The government instruction is to have a result 72 hours prior to departure flight to Canada. My flight was on a Monday out of Lagos, so I took the test on a Sunday, allowing enough time for 72 hours. Here, it is important to ensure the test is indeed 72 hours before your flight to Canada takes off. This means if you have a connecting flight before your last leg to Canada, you have to make sure the 72 hours is well covered. Airlines are becoming strict with this requirement and may ultimately not allow boarding if the timing is a little off, say you took the test on Saturday at 0900hrs while your flight to Canada from some other destination (Dubai, for example) leaves on Tuesday at 1500hrs. That’s more than 72 hours.
I met someone at the airport who had this issue and was almost not allowed to fly. So, you need to take special care.
The lady who took my nose swab in Lagos stuck it pretty deep I felt she was twirling my brain. That’s one experience I can’t forget in a hurry. The amazing thing, however, was the speed with which the result came out. Took much less than 24 hours.

Boarding the flight
After all the initial checks where they looked through your negative test result and ensured you have a hotel book, boarding the flight itself was not stressful at all.

Arriving in Canada
I guess this was where the next phase of checks began. Right after exiting the plane, we met a couple of border services officers who made sure we had the ArriveCAN details filled out and also that you had legal reasons to enter Canada (i.e. you are a permanent resident who isn’t coming for the first time, or a Canadian citizen). Afterwards, you go through the normal checks which include declaring what you have come with (food, money, etc.) and how long you have spent outside of Canada. Before allowing you entry into your first point of entry, they checked (using the confirmation code) that you have a hotel booked already and that you have your ArriveCAN details. I’m not exactly sure you’ll be allowed into the country if you do not have a hotel booked. Perhaps they’ll sort this out with you privately.
Once in the country you meet a couple of health professionals from SwitchHealth, at least in Toronto, who walk you through the process of getting tested. The flight was barely full since I’m guessing everyone decided against flying in these early days. So, there was no queue. You fill an online form which includes providing your details, including the address where you will be quarantining. Then they take you to a cubicle where a nose swab is taken. Once done, you are led to an area where you wait for the shuttle to the hotel, if you hotel is outside of the airport. The whole process was incredibly smooth with no delays. The nose swab I got this time was also very gentle.

At the hotel
Things start to progress a little more normally here. The hotel checks you in and provides you the new set of Covid guidelines you should follow while staying at the hotel. The most restrictive is that you only get 15mins outside your room each day while you await your test result. The most financially impactful is that you do not get a refund even if you spend less than 1-2 days at the hotel. Perhaps some hotels are offering refunds, but the one I stayed at (Sheraton Gateway) offered no refund.
There’s little to do at the hotel besides making calls to friends, watching TV, movies, reading, or eating. For food, there’s an order website where you place orders at different times of the day for the food you want. Your food is then dropped at your door. Everything is included in the original bill paid for the hotel. I paid $1300 for the hotel I stayed in. This included meals, cleaning, the room, and all others. For meals, there is a $125 charge which if you exceed you have to pay for out of pocket.
I left the hotel the next day after receiving my negative Covid result. Apparently, one could stay for longer until one uses up all the 3 days, but I had really no time to waste.
After leaving the hotel, connecting to the next destination was pretty straightforward. Westjet was generous enough to not charge me any additional fee for rebooking my flight after I told them I was in government-ordered quarantine. This looks like something they already have a standing procedure for and it seems they aren’t willing to burden people with additional fees.

At the house
This is where the remainder 14-day quarantine starts. You report daily your situation on the ArriveCAN app, telling the government that all is well with you. You are also not supposed to leave the house or come in contact with anyone else. This is where I am at the moment. After 14 days, another test follows. On arrival at the airport, I was given a home-test kit with which I will conduct the Covid test after 14 days. I don’t know how this goes yet, but my guess is that I’ll take the swab myself and someone will probably come pick it up. I’m yet to get there or to open the kit. When I do, I’ll update this post.

In the end, I spent about $1300 for the hotel and nothing more.
One more thing: one of the Westjet attendants I spoke to at the airport told me some Canadians and PR's were not booking hotels or staying in the 3-day quarantine. Instead, they were opting for the fines, which, according to him, was only $850, much less than the cost of the hotel. I haven't really looked into this claim myself, but I know there's been some storm lately on Twitter regarding rejecting the government-imposed quarantine.

Remicynt:
Please check your mail. ����

nuelnuel:
Please does anyone have an answer to this question concerning the validity of covid-19 tests. For my flight from Lagos to Toronto, I will be transiting through Amsterdam. Must my test be within 72 hours before departure from Lagos or must it be within 72 hours before departure from Amsterdam?

mobisola22:
Please how can I get the link? I didn't receive a circular and my flight is tomorrow

Setf:
PPR AND LANDING GIST

To God be the glory, praise and adoration!!!

I have read so many PPR stories and landing gist’s and I promised myself, I will give mine as a way of giving back because the stories I read were so helpful and inspiring.

Timeline:
CRS: 469
ITA: 19th September 2019
AOR: 21st September 2019

2nd PPR: 8th January 2021
Profile Approved: 22nd January 2021
Passports /CORP received: 9th February 2021
Landed: 16th February 2021
VO: ACCRA

Queenmaker:

What info do you need?

Nekdr:
You can use the app but you have to try and read the book. At least the whole of it.

55emem55:
The silence in this room has been so loud. What's going on?

Setf:
PPR AND LANDING GIST

To God be the glory, praise and adoration!!!

I have read so many PPR stories and landing gist’s and I promised myself, I will give mine as a way of giving back because the stories I read were so helpful and inspiring.

Timeline:
CRS: 469
ITA: 19th September 2019
AOR: 21st September 2019
MED/BIL: 19th November 2019
BIL PASSED: 21st November 2019
VO Discovery: December 2019
1st GCMS: 3rd January 2020
2nd GCMS: June 2020
3rd GCMS: August 2020
Medical Extension: 30th October 2020
Request to add Newborn: 19th November 2020
1st PPR: 23rd November 2020
Newborn Added: 2nd December 2020
Passports Submitted: 7th December
Remed Request: 19th December 2020
Remed Submitted: 30th December 2020
Remed Passed: 1st January 2021
2nd PPR: 8th January 2021
Profile Approved: 22nd January 2021
Passports /CORP received: 9th February 2021
Landed: 16th February 2021
VO: ACCRA


WES
We evaluated our WES with no much hassle, applied to our (my husband and I) schools and it was sent and evaluated in less than two months. I must say the wait felt very long, I will read stories of those who got evaluated and within shorter periods and I will worry about ours, my husband’s report came before mine and it made me worry more but finally it all came in. We only evaluated our master’s degrees.

IELTS
While we were waiting for our evaluation report from WES, we wrote our IELTS, my hubby had a band 7 and I had a band 8, I was the primary applicant so it was fine.



PCC
Nigeria, Benin Republic, UK and Israel.

ITA
We received ITA on 19th September 2019, we already had all our documents ready, so immediately we received ITA we requested bank statement, filled the forms and submitted our documents on 21st September 2019 after rechecking several times. Left for me, I wanted us to submit our documents the next day, that’s how prepared we were but my husband insisted we go over the documents again.
The only document we did not submit was my Israeli Police Report because; the document is sent directly to IRCC from the Israeli Embassy, I did not get to see it but I included a letter of explanation stating the document was with the embassy and they should advice how I can send it over.

POST AOR
I was worried because my work history was a bit complicated but since I only used one work experience to garner points, I was praying that they wouldn’t have to look into the others. We joined several post AOR groups and watched everyone receive MEP/BIL request except us, I was worried (again), what was happening, I thought we didn’t pass R10 check, hian, I started researching (research is my second name). By the end of October, we asked my friend in Canada to call and find out how we could submit my Israeli Police Report because we suspected that maybe the delay and also inquire if there was any issue with the application. He said it was still under going review but we were still not comfortable so after some research online, we requested the Israeli Embassy to send it to IRCC and add my application number. As soon as I got confirmation of delivery, I sent the confirmation via webform and the next day we got an acknowledgement and MEP/BIL on 19th November 2020. Our joy knew no bound we were so excited, my husband had traveled but returned the next day and we did our biometrics on 21st November, 2020. We were so sure all was good now and we could get our PPR anytime soon (YIMU).
In December, we called and found out our VO was Accra, I was so devastated, I was weak, disappointed, sad, name it. In January we requested our first GCMS notes to find out why we were sent to Accra but there was nothing in particular. By February PPR no show, March nothing, timeline bar finished and nothing. COVID was already gaining wave and before we could say Jack Robinson everything was on halt and travel restrictions were put in place.

LONG SILENCE

By this time I was already pregnant and was hopeful that before its time for delivery we would get PPR and we can take any evacuation flight to Canada. We applied for our second GCMS notes, I think by June or July and we had redacted information and all then our third GCMS, it was received in August and after reading through thoroughly we noticed we had interview recommended and I gave up hope on getting PPR before I deliver. I delivered in October and by mid November we had almost everything needed but medical to add our baby to the application, I was not in a hurry because I assumed we would travel to Accra next year (2021) for the interview but my husband wanted everything done fast fast and the baby be added quickly. Mind you, by this time people were already receiving PPR. We submitted the baby’s documents via webform and email on 19th November 2020 and scheduled medical for 21st December 2020 because we were not leaving in Abuja or Lagos so we had to travel to Abuja for Medical. Somewhere along the line, I noticed our medical, which expired first week of September, was extended on 30th October 2020.

FIRST PPR
On 23rd November, 2020, I woke up as usual checked the group and saw people getting PPR, I was excited for them and congratulated them, then I proceeded to check my email (I always check my mails when I wake up just out of habit) to my greatest shock I saw the PPR email, I had a mixed reaction, I was excited because we had been approved but was sad my baby was not added yet. We immediately pushed her medical for 1st December 2020 and traveled to Abuja, we did medical as scheduled and on 2nd December 2020 her medical was passed and she was added to our application, a nice and helpful fellow from one of the groups we were part of, advised us to submit our Passport and documents for stamping since we were still within the 30 days of PPR which we did.
Passports were submitted via VFS Abuja on 7th December, we only received the first email that it was in transit to IRCC and after that nothing else.

SILENCE

SECOND PPR
On 19th December, we received remedical request, for hubby and I, we did it on 30th December 2020 after so much pleading for the earliest date because they initially gave us 18th January 2021 (this is another story). Our medical was passed on 1st January, we were happy and on 8th January 2021 we received second PPR, which was so confusing, we did not know what to do. Called IRCC, they were of no help, we raised a webform to Accra on 20th January and explained the whole situation we got a response same day saying the second PPR was sent in error and we should ignore it. On 22nd January my husband checked our profile and it was approved counterfoil issued. Our joy was great, we were just praising and thanking God.
Then VFS wahala, miscommunication and rubbish service, they kept saying our passports were still with IRCC and not with them but we finally got it on 9th February 2021.

LANDING GIST
We initially had plans to travel on 17th February through Abuja because we have family there and it would be less stressful but we were already reading stories of Ethiopian airlines not carrying POST MARCH in Abuja, so we decided to book Egypt Air Abuja for 14th February. After calling their office, they requested for our visa and said it was not valid for travel at that time, as we would have issues in Cairo. As God will have it, a lady from one of the groups advised us to book with Ethiopian airlines Lagos for 15th February, we were not sure about it but went ahead and booked our tickets at an exorbitant price because we booked on 13th February. Since we were not sure if ET would fly us we did not sell our properties, we just arranged what we could and left for Lagos on 14th February, got a hotel close to the airport and left for the airport the next day as early as 7am. Our flight was set to depart by 1.40pm, we checked in successfully and got our boarding pass no much stress, we did not have excess luggage our items were just according to our size.

We boarded and took off, some minutes after take off we were given a bassinet for our baby, which was helpful, she slept, all was good and we landed Addis Ababa. After a few hours we boarded and took off for Toronto. The flight was annoyingly long, 16hrs plus, I barely slept or watched a movie because of my baby. We arrived Toronto and officials asked those with connecting flights to disembark first, we proceeded to immigration, the lady was nice and fast and in less than 10mins we were done, she asked for our address for PR, we didn’t have one so she gave us a form to fill and that was it. I was still in disbelieve because I expected the process to be tedious and long. Our bags were not checked no questions asked, we got two WELCOME TO CANADA.

We collected our luggage and checked in at Air Canada to Edmonton, we still had some hours to spare so we had tea at Starbucks and later lunch. We arrived Edmonton in the evening, took an airport taxi to our Airbnb were we are currently under quarantine.

The whole journey was long, stressful, time and money consuming; there were times when I was like damn the whole thing and then boom something encouraging will happen. I am just grateful to God for everything. I know I missed out a lot of things; it was such a long time but you can ask questions and I will help as much as I can.

Someone7:


This is so encouraging. My best friend I grew, studied with and worked with, who we always talked of leaving for Canada just left. That's when it hit me I must stop procrastinating. Hopefully this month I and my wife start the WES process. I have a good job with an iNGO, with the the whole UK government cuts to foreign aid I'll be out of work soon. My wife however works with a very good government agency and we don't know how she will leave that job yet honestly. We'll just apply for the WES and see what happens after.
Icing on the cake for me would be having my children in Canada.

Richdee1:
Hi

Bro can I ask few questions

I'll tag you in another thread

uRobot:
Hello Guys, please is there any need to renew my driver's license that is to expire in May, I plan travelling early April. I have my driving history already.

irijuola:
Please pardon my question. I no know am na why I wan ask bikonu.
What's the meaning of serviced apartments in Canada. For instance, those with shared room, is the kitchen equipped with pots or should I bring pots from Nigeria as I get correct pots wet I fit bring.
Question 2
I dey come in may, is it compulsory I come with winter wears? Should I bring bedsheet or duvet?
Question 3
For the 14 days quarantine, must it be in only Airbnb? Also, can I do the 14 days quarantine with another person from Nigeria?
Abeg, no vex. Please answer my questions

55emem55:
The silence in this room has been so loud. What's going on?

Lagbaja88:
make una dey research these things online.
Bring your pot if you have space in your luggage.
Bring one jacket as its summer time
Its on ircc website, https://travel.gc.ca/travel-covid/travel-restrictions/isolation

irijuola:
Please pardon my question. I no know am na why I wan ask bikonu.
What's the meaning of serviced apartments in Canada. For instance, those with shared room, is the kitchen equipped with pots or should I bring pots from Nigeria as I get correct pots wet I fit bring.
Question 2
I dey come in may, is it compulsory I come with winter wears? Should I bring bedsheet or duvet?
Question 3
For the 14 days quarantine, must it be in only Airbnb? Also, can I do the 14 days quarantine with another person from Nigeria?
Abeg, no vex. Please answer my questions