Arriving at Vancouver International Airport (YVR) as a newcomer

Before you fly

Keep these in your carry-on bag:

• Passport and visa if needed
• Confirmation of Permanent Residence (COPR), or your port of entry letter of introduction for a work or study permit
• Proof of funds if your program requires it
• Two copies of your list of goods (items with you and items to follow)
• The address where you will stay
• Private health insurance details: B.C.’s Medical Services Plan (MSP) has a waiting period, so you need cover from the day you land

See our full before you land checklist.

Step 1: The border (CBSA)

After you leave the plane, follow the signs for Canada arrivals. YVR has Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) kiosks: scan your passport, take a photo, answer the customs questions and print a receipt. You can fill in the CBSA Advance Declaration before you land to save time. Then show your receipt to a border services officer.

You must declare:

• CAN$10,000 or more in cash and monetary instruments, in total. See declaring money at the border.
• Food, plants, animals and related products
• Medicines, firearms and weapons

Undeclared goods can be seized, and penalties apply.

Step 2: Confirm your PR or get your permit

Newcomers are directed to the immigration area.

• New permanent residents: an officer checks your COPR and passport and confirms your permanent residence. Give a Canadian mailing address for your PR card.
• Workers and students: the officer issues your permit. Read it before you leave: name, dates, employer or school, and conditions such as permission to work. Students need a permit that allows work to get a Social Insurance Number.

Give your list of goods to the CBSA officer if you are bringing household items as settlers’ effects.

Step 3: Baggage and arrivals

Collect your bags after the border. Luggage carts are available. Report missing bags to your airline before you leave the baggage hall. Once you exit, you are in the public arrivals area, where people meet friends and family.

Step 4: Get online

YVR has free Wi-Fi. Buying an eSIM before you fly is the simplest way to have a Canadian number when you land. Prepaid plans need no credit check. Compare the cheapest phone plans and plans for international students before you commit.

Step 5: YVR to downtown on the Canada Line

The Canada Line SkyTrain runs from YVR-Airport station, next to the terminal, to Waterfront station downtown, with a branch to Richmond. Trains are frequent through the day.

How to pay: tap a credit or debit card, or a phone with tap to pay, at the fare gate. You can also buy a Compass Card at the station machines ($6 refundable deposit) or a single-use ticket.

Fares from July 1, 2026 (adult):

The AddFare: TransLink adds $6.50 to eastbound trips that start at YVR-Airport, Sea Island Centre or Templeton stations and end at Bridgeport or beyond. It does not apply to monthly pass holders, U-Pass BC holders, DayPasses bought away from Sea Island, or trips to the airport. On evenings and weekends the whole system is 1 zone.

Other options: taxis and ride-hailing apps from the marked pickup areas. Taxis are the easiest choice with lots of luggage or small children. Heading to Surrey? Take the Canada Line to Waterfront and change to the Expo Line toward King George, or check TransLink’s trip planner for other routes.

If you are sent to secondary inspection

Sometimes the first officer sends you to a second area for more checks. This is common for newcomers and does not mean you did something wrong. An officer may look at your bags, ask about the goods and money you are bringing, or check your immigration documents again.

• Answer questions honestly and simply. If you do not understand, ask the officer to repeat or ask for an interpreter.
• Have your list of goods, receipts for expensive items and your proof of funds ready.
• If an item is seized, the officer gives you a written notice that explains how to ask for a review.

Money in your first days

You can use ATMs in the terminal, but your home bank and the ATM owner may both charge fees, and the exchange rate may be poor. Airport currency exchange counters also tend to give lower rates than banks. Bring a small amount of Canadian dollars or a card with low foreign fees for your first days, then open a Canadian account. If you are bringing savings, a transfer to your new account usually costs less than carrying cash. Use our bring money wizard to plan it, and see opening a bank account before you arrive.

Getting to other parts of Metro Vancouver

From YVR, most of Metro Vancouver is reachable by SkyTrain and bus. For Richmond, take the Canada Line branch to Richmond–Brighouse. For Burnaby, New Westminster and Surrey, ride the Canada Line downtown and change to the Expo Line. For the North Shore, ride to Waterfront and take the SeaBus across the harbour. Trips beyond one zone cost more on weekdays, and the AddFare is charged only once, when you leave Sea Island. If you will ride every day, a monthly Compass pass ($117.20 for 1 zone) also removes the AddFare on future trips from the airport. Compare passes with our pass or pay-per-ride calculator.

Step 6: Your first night and first week

Book a hotel or short-term rental for your first 2 to 4 weeks before you fly. Never pay a deposit for a long-term rental you have not seen; read our rental scams guide.

In your first week:

• Apply for MSP online right away. Coverage starts after the rest of your arrival month plus two months. See health card by province.
• Get your SIN and open a bank account.
• Find a free settlement agency with the support finder.
• Work out your costs with the newcomer budget calculator (Vancouver and Surrey included).

Common questions

Sources

• CBSA: Primary Inspection Kiosks and eGates
• Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA): What to declare
• CBSA: Travel documents for entering Canada
• TransLink: Pricing and fare zones (from July 1, 2026)
• TransLink: Transferring and YVR AddFare
• TransLink: Where to buy Compass
• B.C.: How to enrol in MSP
• Vancouver International Airport (YVR)

Checked against these sources on October 5, 2026. Spotted something out of date? Tell us.