The Vancouver Thread

Liam90

I booked my ticket on budgetair.ie to Vancouver with a 2 hour stop over in Toronto, the first flight is with aer lingus and the second with westjet. Do I have to check in with westjet? And I heard I have to collect my checked bag at Toronto but does that not mean I have to go through imigration?

Faith

Liam90 wrote: »

I booked my ticket on budgetair.ie to Vancouver with a 2 hour stop over in Toronto, the first flight is with aer lingus and the second with westjet. Do I have to check in with westjet? And I heard I have to collect my checked bag at Toronto but does that not mean I have to go through imigration?

Yes, you have to collect your bags, drop them off again and go through immigration there. It's generally not advised to stop in Toronto on your way to vancouver to begin your visa, because you'll be very caught for time with a 2-hour stopover.

This is all discussed just a few posts above.

circular flexing

In fact with Westjet there's a good chance you'll have to check in again to have your bags tagged to Vancouver, as Aer Lingus don't have a partnership agreement with Westjet

http://www.aerlingus.com/travelinformation/baggageinformation/checkedbaggage/partnerairlines/

Worth checking with the travel agent if this is the case though.

Please guys, just to reiterate.

Does not matter *where* in Canada you land first.

Land in CANADA after flight taking off from OUTSIDE CANADA

=

passing Customs and Immigration

=

Fetching ALL your bags and HAVING THEM WITH YOU when you speak to Customs.

Doesn't matter if Micheal D himself waves you into the plane with a "yer bags will be grand, a chara".

Canadian Customs = baggage on carts with you.

No ifs.

No ands.

No buts.

micayla

Vancouv wrote: »

Hi All,
Re: e-medical

I have an issue and hoping someone here can help. Myself and a friend arrived in Vancouver on Sat 13th Sept. My friends visa was processed and it stated on it that she can not work in childcare. ( We know she is allowed work in childcare once she has her e-medical done). She completed her medical in the Mater Private in Dublin and it was meant to be submitted electronically to Immigration in Canada but in the airport they said they never received it.

Mine went through fine. We rang the Mater this morning and they were not helpful at all. I have emailed someone within the visa centre in the Mater and have to wait to hear back. Not expecting much! As they told her she would have to come into the Mater and re-do it!! It cost E305 , not to mention we are in Canada!!

Has anyone else had an issue like this? Immigration told her that she will have to cross the border into America when the Mater resolve this at their end and then come back in with proof of the medical and they will give her a new visa.
Worrying!
She is completely stuck now as she is qualified in childcare and that was all she intended to work in. Any help much appreciated.

Hi, does she have the proof of the e-medical? They should have given her a printed document when she got the medical in the Mater and if she had that it might help.

Roddy23

Greetings - quick question and hope it's not too intrusive but looking for options on one way flights - how much did people pay and who is best to book with for flying to Vancouver? We'll be flying from Dublin.

Hoping to head over early next year as we have the visa's but trying to save as much cash to keep us above board for a couple of months if it takes that long to find some jobs.

Cheers Roddy.

ellenellen

Roddy23 wrote: »

Greetings - quick question and hope it's not too intrusive but looking for options on one way flights - how much did people pay and who is best to book with for flying to Vancouver? We'll be flying from Dublin.

Hoping to head over early next year as we have the visa's but trying to save as much cash to keep us above board for a couple of months if it takes that long to find some jobs.

Cheers Roddy.

I got a one way flight from Dublin with a stop over in London for 365. I booked it through Go4Less. I shopped around on Expedia, Skyscanner, etc and this was the cheapest I could find.

murdog!

Roddy23 wrote: »

Greetings - quick question and hope it's not too intrusive but looking for options on one way flights - how much did people pay and who is best to book with for flying to Vancouver? We'll be flying from Dublin.

Hoping to head over early next year as we have the visa's but trying to save as much cash to keep us above board for a couple of months if it takes that long to find some jobs.

Cheers Roddy.

Skyscanner.com

murdog!

I'm thinking of going around the end of march, there is a flight on skyscanner for 313 euro stopping in Toronto for 4 hours

kronsington

hey does anyone know a good place in Van to pick up video games? got a new laptop and looking to pick up a game or two for the rainy days ahead. thanks

Against

Not Vancouver-specific, but you could download Steam and buy games on that if you've broadband. Depends what kind of games you're into.

Scruffy19

kronsington wrote: »

hey does anyone know a good place in Van to pick up video games? got a new laptop and looking to pick up a game or two for the rainy days ahead. thanks

EB Games is the only store that i know off! Try Steam or download them through torrents

micayla

Has anyone in Vancouver found landlords to be particularly dickish? I'm looking at moving in to a place hopefully this weekend and the landlord rang my place of work and asked a lot of inappropriate questions and in some ways insulting ones e.g. why did you hire this person, she's only been here a week. Is this normal?

I want to get a place but I just wonder if I'm better off waiting or is the above stereotypical of landlords in Vancouver?

fergusb

I didn't have any issue, didn't even have a job and they never asked for references which I was expecting.

I guess like anywhere there are dickheads! If you don't get a good feeling from the landlord its probably a sign not to move into the place. That said, I don't think calling a work reference is necessarily a bad thing, and maybe he was just asking the questions out of curiosity since getting a job within a week is pretty impressive!

micayla

fergusb wrote: »

I didn't have any issue, didn't even have a job and they never asked for references which I was expecting.

I guess like anywhere there are dickheads! If you don't get a good feeling from the landlord its probably a sign not to move into the place. That said, I don't think calling a work reference is necessarily a bad thing, and maybe he was just asking the questions out of curiosity since getting a job within a week is pretty impressive!

I don't know, my boss said he was very accusatory, like we were both lying. He was a bit like that with me when I met him. He didn't understand how a person could get in to the country without a job. I explained the IEC to him but he was acting like I was making it all up or something, He clearly wasn't sastisfied with my explanation. I don't know, maybe I'm being sensitive about being considered a liar

ustari

Better off without that place unless it is unbelievable value. Sounds like the landlord from hell, can't imagine what he would be like if something in the place broke and you needed in replaced.

Faith

Yeah, no matter what, don't move into that place. If he's a dick now, imagine what he'll be like when something breaks!

Most landlords/building managers we met were very nice and friendly, so I'd say he's an exception to the norm. Although some other cultures tend to be much more blunt than we are, so it could be a cultural thing if he's not Canada-born himself.

micayla

Faith wrote: »

Yeah, no matter what, don't move into that place. If he's a dick now, imagine what he'll be like when something breaks!

Most landlords/building managers we met were very nice and friendly, so I'd say he's an exception to the norm. Although some other cultures tend to be much more blunt than we are, so it could be a cultural thing if he's not Canada-born himself.

He's not, but yea I'm just reticent about getting into something long term that might end up not being worth it/a situation from hell.

Faith

There's plenty of other places out there. Where are you looking, if you don't mind me asking?

micayla

Faith wrote: »

There's plenty of other places out there. Where are you looking, if you don't mind me asking?

Well that place was in Joyce, thought it'd be handy cause it's on the Skytrain. I'm working on Granville St. so now I'll probably try to find somewhere a bit closer, I know it's more expensive but I have to be at work before 7 some mornings (including some Sundays) so might be handier living closer. Plus I'll be paying an extra $90 for the skytrain a month anyway...

OK, things are a bit tight. Thought I had booked the hostel till next Thursday. Turns out it's till tomorrow.

Guys, if there's anyone in Vancouver with a couch I could sleep on till Tuesday, I would be very grateful.
PM me.

kronsington

Serious question: where are all the Irish? I've been here a good while now and I realy haven't seen a load around the place.. I'd like to meet some more.. Admittedly i haven't been out drinking much, so am probably bound to find a few in a few pubs

Anyone going to the VIBE vancouver Irish networking event on Friday in Mahoney's?

Also have a question related to driving.. Shamefully, I never got around to getting a full licence in ireland. I'm here now in vancouver and I'd like to start the process. I've done some brief reading on the subject and will do more and I'm just wondering if anyone knows how long he whole thing will take, best way Of approaching it and any other helpful comments or information?? Thanks

Faith

Deleted User wrote: »

OK, things are a bit tight. Thought I had booked the hostel till next Thursday. Turns out it's till tomorrow.

Guys, if there's anyone in Vancouver with a couch I could sleep on till Tuesday, I would be very grateful.
PM me.

Try couchsurfing.org?

kronsington wrote: »

Serious question: where are all the Irish? I've been here a good while now and I realy haven't seen a load around the place.. I'd like to meet some more.. Admittedly i haven't been out drinking much, so am probably bound to find a few in a few pubs

I hear them around the place! I've met a few, but they were people my fiancé vaguely knew before we moved.

mulbot

kronsington wrote: »

Serious question: where are all the Irish? I've been here a good while now and I realy haven't seen a load around the place.. I'd like to meet some more.. Admittedly i haven't been out drinking much, so am probably bound to find a few in a few pubs

Anyone going to the VIBE vancouver Irish networking event on Friday in Mahoney's?

Also have a question related to driving.. Shamefully, I never got around to getting a full licence in ireland. I'm here now in vancouver and I'd like to start the process. I've done some brief reading on the subject and will do more and I'm just wondering if anyone knows how long he whole thing will take, best way Of approaching it and any other helpful comments or information?? Thanks

not that many irish here as far as i can see,though i'm sure you can find them at Irish pubs-anyway,just goin through process of license, 1) The knowledge test costs around $30 through ICBC. You then surrender your foreign drivers license until you pass your road test.

2) You can book your road test online. It takes about 4-6 weeks to get an appointment. Alternatively, you can go to a test center on stand-by. Just arrive there before 8 a.m. and you may have to wait a few hours, usually no more than two, but you’ll get tested that day and if you pass you get your full license that day. The test will cost $50 whether you pass or not. Getting the license costs about $30 when you do pass (just a side note-if you transfer the irish license to uk first,you can just transfer to the bc without the hassle)

MarkJD

Hey my wife is looking to go home in Feb for a week and wondering for price wise is it better to book this much in advance or closer?

Vancouv

micayla wrote: »

Hi, does she have the proof of the e-medical? They should have given her a printed document when she got the medical in the Mater and if she had that it might help.

Yeah we both had the printed version but they both said 'incomplete' which we knew when leaving the Mater was all we needed.
She was still stopped from working in childcare. We have her version now stating 'complete'. The Mater emailed it to us to show Immigration.
But now were afraid to cross the border if it is not sufficient for some reason!

Are we allowed re-entry to Canada then?

mulbot

MarkJD wrote: »

Hey my wife is looking to go home in Feb for a week and wondering for price wise is it better to book this much in advance or closer?

NOW-you will be roasted leaving it late

micayla

Vancouv wrote: »

Yeah we both had the printed version but they both said 'incomplete' which we knew when leaving the Mater was all we needed.
She was still stopped from working in childcare. We have her version now stating 'complete'. The Mater emailed it to us to show Immigration.
But now were afraid to cross the border if it is not sufficient for some reason!

Are we allowed re-entry to Canada then?

Unforunately I don't know, I know the permit doesn't guarantee you re-entry but I also don't know if you can get any changes made to your permit after it's been issued, only someone in customs will be able to answer that question I guess. Or contact the guys on moving2canada.com they might have answers. Sorry

kronsington, have you tried Johnny Fox's pub, I hear that's where they all are, haven't been there myself but a few of the Irish lads in my hostel said it's alright. I've been in one Irish pub since I got here and I was one of the only two Irish people there! I've found the city to be more full of Aussies and Germans than Irish, don't know why people keep saying we're taking over the place :rolleyes:

Frank Bullitt

Currently have my parents over visiting, they love the city, so thats a bit of a relief to be honest!

mulbot

Hi,does anybody live out around Burnaby,was out there today looking around,apart from metrotown mall ,that area didn't really have much,lot of residential,are there any areas where there's a main shopping street,maybe,bars,pubs,shops,cafes,etc.