If you’ve been living in Canada for a while, you’ve probably heard of the “flagpole” or “flagpoling”. Indeed, this is often an essential step for temporary immigrants wishing to validate their new visas. Having done the flagpole to activate my WHV, I’ll tell you how to flagpoling for activate your work permit.
What is flagpoling for work permit?
“Flagpole” is an expression used to describe the act of leaving Canada to travel briefly to a border country (the U.S.) to validate a visa. Indeed, if you’ve just obtained a new permit that you must validate when “arriving” in Canada (permanent residence or working holiday visa, for example) and you’re already in Canada, you’ll have to leave Canadian territory to re-enter it to activate this new visa.
There are two ways to do this:
- Go on vacation in another country, then fly back to Canada. When you arrive at the airport, you’ll go through immigration to validate your visa.
- Leave Canada by land for a few minutes to go to the United States, before returning to Canada to validate your visa. This is the flagpole.
For example, in my case, I arrived in Canada on a visitor’s visa. Once I’d received my letter of introduction for the WHV, I did the flagpole to activate it. I’ll explain how this happened in the following paragraphs.
Steps to flagpoling for activate your work permit in Canada
1. Find a border crossing
The first thing you need to do is find out which border site you’re going to use for your flagpoling. Make sure the border site has an immigration office. Otherwise, you won’t be able to activate your work permit. What’s more, some offices are open 24 hours a day, while others are only open at certain times. Finally, some border sites have a maximum quota of work permits they can issue during the day. So, if you arrive too late, immigration officers won’t be able to process your application.
For Montreal, the nearest border sites are :
From Toronto, you have three choices:
In my case, I opted for the Niagara Falls border site. It was also an opportunity to visit Niagara Falls.
Please note! Note that since July 2024, for Quebec border sites only, it is now mandatory to make an appointment by phone in order to be able to go around the site. You’ll need to call 514-240-5679. It takes at least a week to get an appointment. Be sure to anticipate this delay.
2. Prepare the necessary documents
Before you go to the border site and flagpoling, make sure you have all the documents you need to activate your work permit. In the case of a WHV, for example, you’ll need to present your insurance certificate valid for 2 years, your letter of introduction, your passport, and proof of funds.
As you have no intention of entering the United States, you won’t need an ESTA. Nevertheless, some feedback shows that it facilitates the process.
In my case, I didn’t apply for ESTA.
3. Clear U.S. customs
Now it’s off to your chosen border site. I advise you to go by car. Once you’re in front of the U.S. customs officer, he or she will ask you a few standard questions, including why you’ve come to the U.S. and whether you’re in possession of weapons or drugs. If the answer to the last two questions seems obvious, you’ll have to indicate that you want to flagpole. In our case, he handed us a piece of paper with this option printed on it.
Then, the agent made us park in a specific parking space and asked us to wait. For your information, I did the flagpoling in March 2022, a time when Covid was still around. So this information may no longer be current, even if the process remains the same. The agent then asked me to enter the station to take my fingerprints and a photo.
After several minutes, the agent returned and handed me a “refusal of entry to the United States”. Keep this document in a safe place, as you’ll be asked for it when you go through Canadian customs again.
Note that the next time you travel to the U.S., to actually visit the country this time, you’ll need to fill out the I-94W document, which will ask you if you’ve ever been refused entry to the U.S. You can indicate that you haven’t, as flagpoling isn’t considered a refusal by U.S. Customs. So don’t worry!
4. Turn around to re-enter Canada
Next, the person in charge will tell you how to get back to Canada. In Niagara Falls, for example, you’ll take the bridge you came over. When you arrive at the Canadian customs post, the officer will ask you why you’ve come. Once again, you’ll have to indicate that you’re flagpoling for activating your work permit. You may be asked about the refusal of entry by U.S. Customs. The officer will tell you where to park, and then you can proceed to the immigration station.
At this point, you’ll need to present the immigration officer with all the documents required to activate your visa (e.g. for the WHV: letter of introduction, insurance certificate, passport, and proof of funds). After a few minutes, the agent will hand you your precious sesame!
Before you leave, check that all the information on your visa is correct (surname, first name, duration of visa, etc.). Now you’re free to go! You can take advantage of the opportunity to visit the surrounding area, including Niagara-On-The-Lake!
Gwen’s advice
- Avoid flagpoling during the weekend. Indeed, choose a weekday and try to get there early to avoid the crowds. I went there on a Tuesday around 10am and there was nobody there.
- It’s obvious, but be smiling and polite with the customs officers. They clearly have your fate in their hands. (Ok, it is easy to be relaxed after that, thanks Gwen!) Answer the questions they ask you honestly and concisely. There’s no need to make them want to dig deeper.
- I mentioned it in the article, but be prepared. Have all the documents you need to activate your visa. However, only give the papers that the immigration officer will ask for.
- To avoid flagpoling alone, you can go with other people. However, make sure they have all the documents they need to re-enter Canada.
Usually, flagpoling for activating your work permit goes well. This was the case for me. However, depending on the customs officer you come across, it may be different in your case. But if you follow my advice, you’ll be putting yourself in the best possible position to make this flagpoling a success!
La Bise,
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