Prepare for your arrival – Skilled immigrants (Express Entry)

If you are already in Canada

If you are granted permanent residence, we will contact you and let you know what to do next.

You may either contact us to make an appointment or go to a Canadian “port of entry” (border crossing), and present:

your Confirmation of Permanent Residence (COPR) and/or your permanent resident visa. The officer will make sure all your documents are valid, and,
proof that you have the funds to support yourself and your family.

The officer will ask you a few questions to make sure you still meet the terms to immigrate to Canada. They will be similar to the ones you answered when you applied. This should only take a few minutes.

The officer will also confirm your Canadian mailing address. We will mail you your permanent resident card at this address.

If you change your address within 180 days of getting your status, you must notify us using the change your address tool.

If you are outside Canada

When you arrive in Canada, an officer from the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) will greet you.

The officer will ask to see your passport and other travel documents. Do not pack these documents in your luggage. Keep them with you at all times. This will help speed up your entry to Canada.

When you arrive, you must have:

your valid passport and/or travel documents. Your passport must be a regular, private citizen passport. You cannot immigrate to Canada with a diplomatic, government service or public affairs passport.
your Confirmation of Permanent Residence (COPR) and/or your permanent resident visa. The officer will make sure you are entering Canada before or on the expiry date shown on your COPR. Please note that we cannot extend this document, so you should make sure to use it before it expires.
proof that you have the funds to support yourself and your family after you arrive in Canada.

You will not be allowed into Canada if you:

give false or incomplete information, or
do not convince the officer that you meet the conditions to enter Canada.

If you are admissible and there are no problems when you arrive, the officer will allow you to enter Canada as a permanent resident. The officer will also confirm your Canadian mailing address. We will mail you your permanent resident card at this address.

If you change your address within 180 days of arriving in Canada, you must notify us using this online tool.

Disclosure of funds

If you arrive in Canada with more than CAN$10,000, you must tell this to the CBSA officer. If you do not, you could be fined, and your funds could be seized. These funds could be in the form of:

cash,
securities that belong to you (for example, stocks, bonds, debentures, treasury bills), or
bankers’ drafts, cheques, travellers’ cheques or money orders.