A new PR planned to hand-carry jewellery plus CAD 10,000 in cash as part of proof of funds, and asked whether the 10k limit includes jewellery value. Members untangled two separate sets of rules:
- Canada doesn't cap what you bring — it caps what goes undeclared. Members corrected the premise: there is no limit on cash entering Canada as a PR. The CAD 10,000 figure is a declaration threshold, not a ceiling — carry more if you like, but declare it at the border.
- The binding limit is on the Indian side. The practical constraint members flagged: Indian rules restrict how much foreign currency cash a resident can carry out (a member cited roughly USD 4,000 in cash at the time). So even though Canada would accept CAD 10k+, you may not be allowed to export that much cash from India.
- Split cash and forex card. The suggested workaround: carry a modest amount of physical cash (members suggested CAD 2–3k) for immediate expenses and load the rest onto a forex card — safer and compliant on both ends. Bank drafts/wire transfers serve the same purpose for larger sums.
- Jewellery vs the threshold: the thread didn't fully settle how jewellery counts toward the Canadian declaration, but the safe practice implied by the answers is to declare valuables honestly on landing — declaration costs nothing; non-declaration risks seizure.
(Currency-export limits change — verify current RBI/Indian customs rules and CBSA declaration requirements before travelling.)