A first-time international student asked how much cash to carry when travelling, and what questions to expect from the immigration officer on arrival.
What the group suggested (assuming your GIC is already paid, e.g. under the SDS stream):- Keep total cash under roughly CAD 10,000 — anything below that threshold avoids extra currency-declaration requirements. Carry the receipt for how you obtained it.
- A practical split that was suggested: around CAD 1,000 in cash, CAD 500 loaded on a forex card, and CAD 500 as traveller's cheques — rather than carrying all your funds as loose cash.
Practical takeaway:- Don't carry large sums of undocumented cash — keep proof of where the money came from.
- Spread funds across cash, a forex card, and traveller's cheques instead of one lump sum, both for safety and to make border questions easier to answer.
- Be ready to explain your GIC status and how you're funding your first months in Canada, since border officers commonly ask about proof of funds for new students.