Traveling to Canada alone

Lollipops23

ROFY123 wrote: »

Ye from what I've seen online some of the accommodation looks rough! I hope to get somewhere close to downtown for about $650 per month, but that's probably not realistic.

Downtown is pretty expensive tbh, but if you venture out even slightly you'll get good deals. Look towards Eglinton, there's loads up that way and a good bit cheaper! With the subway nearby you're never too far away from everything

I'm out at College and Bathurst, in a large house with 7 other people (2 couples) and paying $430 + bills. That's a particularly good deal though, and only because of the amount of us in the place.

GrumPy

tinman09 wrote: »

Hi, they issued it in about 15 mins. I was staying in planet traveler hostel and went to the services Canada office on college street just a few blocks from the hostel. It was empty so took no time. I went with Virgin mobile seemed to offer a decent deal, I got 2gb of data a month, there's free wifi almost everywhere in Toronto so hopefully that will do me. I'm messaging ads of kijiji for rooms but getting no replies, which makes sense I suppose, only natural they'd want to meet a roommate in person. Toronto is fairly big and by all accounts the accomodation options are mixed from new apartments with gyms etc to complete kips. Just gotta keep trying I suppose, book a few days in a hostel when I land and see. Funnily enough from talking to people the last few days all are recommending me to go to Vancouver. But late in the day as I had planned on Toronto but I haven't ruled anything out yet and no flights booked.

Hi, Will they offer a SIN just like that if I show up, or do you have to prove you have a fixed address? I'll be staying in that hostel, but only for 2 nights...
I want to try get a SIN while I'm there, so it's one less thing to obtain when I eventually fly back to settle (But in Vancouver, not in Toronto, dunno if that matters)

Any advise would be great!

tinman09

GrumPy wrote: »

Hi, Will they offer a SIN just like that if I show up, or do you have to prove you have a fixed address? I'll be staying in that hostel, but only for 2 nights...
I want to try get a SIN while I'm there, so it's one less thing to obtain when I eventually fly back to settle (But in Vancouver, not in Toronto, dunno if that matters)

Any advise would be great!

I gave the hostel address, ??? College street, but I didn't mention it was a hostel, I just said very little and they gave me a sin. They didn't ask any questions really. Afaik it's valid for all over canada, well it better be, as I'm flying to Vancouver next week to give that a look. I'll decide on where to settle, Vancouver or Toronto, after I've had a look at Vancouver for a week or so.

As a general enquiry, how bad is the rain in Vancouver? I'm from the west so while well used to rain I'm sick of it.

guest124

GrumPy wrote: »

Hi, Will they offer a SIN just like that if I show up, or do you have to prove you have a fixed address? I'll be staying in that hostel, but only for 2 nights...
I want to try get a SIN while I'm there, so it's one less thing to obtain when I eventually fly back to settle (But in Vancouver, not in Toronto, dunno if that matters)

Any advise would be great!

I got my SIN at Toronto. Told both the visa officer and the sin administrator I was only staying at a friend's for a few days before I go to Vancouver. Wasn't an issue. Gave friend's address and was told it was valid in every province.

guest124

tinman09 wrote: »

As a general enquiry, how bad is the rain in Vancouver? I'm from the west so while well used to rain I'm sick of it.

There has been great weather here the past few weeks! But it does rain heavily! And generally when it rains, it does not stop all day. Ya know in Ireland when it rains you can 'wait for the shower to stop/die down'. Not here! My first weekend here at the end of January it rained for 3 days straight!! Was a bit nuts. Definitely need boots and an umbrella.

That said it was rainy yesterday but more like home.

Stinjy

guest124 wrote: »

There has been great weather here the past few weeks! But it does rain heavily! And generally when it rains, it does not stop all day. Ya know in Ireland when it rains you can 'wait for the shower to stop/die down'. Not here! My first weekend here at the end of January it rained for 3 days straight!! Was a bit nuts. Definitely need boots and an umbrella.

That said it was rainy yesterday but more like home.

I thought it was never going to end!

+1 to bringing boots/rain gear!

tinman09

guest124 wrote: »

There has been great weather here the past few weeks! But it does rain heavily! And generally when it rains, it does not stop all day. Ya know in Ireland when it rains you can 'wait for the shower to stop/die down'. Not here! My first weekend here at the end of January it rained for 3 days straight!! Was a bit nuts. Definitely need boots and an umbrella.

That said it was rainy yesterday but more like home.

Hmmmm

SupraSonic_26

Im flying over to toronto may 4th with my friend cant wait, gonna book into canadiana hostel and as soon get a job its hopefully find a place to live asap.

Flutterby33

Hey guys, arrived in Toronto on Saturday and since I'm staying with a friend instead of at a hostel I'm finding it hard to meet people. If anyone wants to meet up for a coffee or a drink I'd love to!!

stevief01

Flutterby33 wrote: »

Hey guys, arrived in Toronto on Saturday and since I'm staying with a friend instead of at a hostel I'm finding it hard to meet people. If anyone wants to meet up for a coffee or a drink I'd love to!!

Go to any irish bar today.. You'll met lots thereðŸ‘

GrumPy

Off to Toronto from Gatwick (the early Air-Transat flight) tomorrow morning, just staying for 2 nights to grab permit.
Pretty excited!

ciaran67

guest124 wrote: »

There has been great weather here the past few weeks! But it does rain heavily! And generally when it rains, it does not stop all day. Ya know in Ireland when it rains you can 'wait for the shower to stop/die down'. Not here! My first weekend here at the end of January it rained for 3 days straight!! Was a bit nuts. Definitely need boots and an umbrella.

That said it was rainy yesterday but more like home.

The winters are wet and the summers are fantastic. Forget the rain cos every year you'll get a cracking summer. The difference over this side of the Pacific is you get long periods of the same weather. In Ireland and Britain its a two/three day thing. Here you get two weeks without a cloud in the sky, a couple of cloudy days and then again another long long period of blue skies. Winter its the complete opposite. But usually that means the mountains are piling up with snow. This year was very strange.


Toronto is either too hot or too cold.

GrumPy

GrumPy wrote: »

Off to Toronto from Gatwick (the early Air-Transat flight) tomorrow morning, just staying for 2 nights to grab permit.
Pretty excited!

On route home from.London now. Didn't have valid bank statements or insurance, and still got permit. They only checked POE.

Saved me 350 euros on insurance.

SupraSonic_26

GrumPy wrote: »

On route home from.London now. Didn't have valid bank statements or insurance, and still got permit. They only checked POE.

Saved me 350 euros on insurance.

suppose its random or the person you get on the day really.

Faith

GrumPy wrote: »

I had a regular, valid Multi-trip policy document for my normal holiday travel with me, but I changed "Essential" to "Backpacker" and the price from €53, to €353 - just in case they asked, it looked legit.

As a general common-sense rule, I'd advise people not to give fraudulent documents to immigration officials.

Jesus wept...

Crann na Beatha

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