Historical note: the 28-day guidance below was pandemic-era advice from IRCC/CBSA (around 2021–22). Always check the current IRCC travel guidance before booking.A student asked how early they could land before their course start date. The group converged on:
- The rule of thumb was four weeks (28 days) before your program starts. One member quoted the IRCC/CBSA guidance of the time: students issued a visa or eTA 'should not travel earlier than four weeks (28 days) prior' to the program start. Another had heard three weeks — which is exactly why you should verify the current figure on the official site rather than rely on group memory.
- Use the LOA start date, not your personal timetable. One student's LOA said May 2 but their electives only began in June; the LOA date is what appears in your file, so plan arrival relative to it.
- Never arrive after your class start date. The upper bound was uncontested: land before classes begin, not after.
- When members disagree on a number, go to the source. The thread itself demonstrated the failure mode — '4 weeks', 'maybe 3 weeks now' — resolved only when someone pasted the official text. Ask for the link.