Arriving in Canada

So guys, I know there’s hundreds of questions, and that you are a little nervous to leave home… But honestly there is nothing to be worried about. Canadians are the sweetest and most helpful people (probably in the world), or that is just how I find them. So I’m gonna tell you a little about what you’ll be needing when you are arriving to Calgary.

First of all, yes it is exciting, and I know you can’t help it, I was a bit anxious the first time I got over here, to Canada, as well.  But as long as you aren’t lying on the declaration form you have to fill out on the plane and you’ve got your working holiday form printed out and an updated passport you should be pretty good.

You’ll arrive to Calgary Airport, have the declaration form, passport and working holiday paper ready when you go through customs.

- Then they’ll probably ask you: “What you are going to do in Canada?”

- You’ll answer: “I’ve got a working holiday visa” (and then show the custom-guy)

- And then you’ll continue: “I’m here on a gap year program with Gap Year Canada, where I’ve pre paid my accommodation and already got a job with … bla bla … and so on…

- Then the custom guy will probably just say something like: “Alrighty, you sound like you are ready to go through immigrations, it’s that way…”

Okay, this is maybe a bit of a short version of what will happen when you go through customs, but they are normally really nice and helpful, and as long as you have got you passport, working holiday paper and declaration form with you, there shouldn’t be any problems at all. You all got everything set up prior to your arrival, and if you are one of those people, who gets super nervous take a little note with you with the address of your house and Gap Year Canada’s information.

Immigration are pretty much just a loooooong boooooring wait to get up to another counter where you’ll have to then repeat all that you just said to the guy in customs and then get your visa printed and stapled to your passport.

So honestly there’s nothing to really be worried about… It takes a bit of time getting through the first time… and it is boring… but other than that, you should not worry at all.

When you’re done with all the customs and immigration stuff, you go get your suitcase and then walk through the doors out to the rest of Calgary Airport, which is not at all that exciting or busy as airports could be. Then you just take a right turn, and walk up to the Brewster information desk, which is maybe a 50 meter walk…. And the people working there are super nice and helpful, they will help you with your airport transfer. And if you missed your transfer, they will just book you for the next one. So there is again no worries to be later or that you have to hurry or anything if you plane arrived a bit later than scheduled or immigration just took ages to get through.

There will always be a next bus that you can get on, so the worst that can actually happen is, that you will have to wait a couple of hours in Calgary airport for the next transfer… Which isn’t too bad.

When you are on the bus, you’ll have around one and a half hour drive out to Banff, and you’ll be dropped of outside the house you’re going to live for the next 8 months or so…

So really… It’s not that bad at all… Just take it easy, and don’t lie to the customs or immigration people… they probably won’t like that. And then you should be in Banff in no time! Can’t wait to have you all here in Banff!