LANDED NAIJA APPLICANT PLEASE SHARE YOUR EXPERINCE

[tinuadeadebola]

Hello all,
Please this thread is for all naijas that have landed to share their experience about every aspect of canada for the benefit of the would be PR holder. We would like to hear about how one can easily adapt to life over there as regards weather, education for children and self, child care, business, culture and any other thing that may interest us.

Also if you know any software/certification that we need to learn/obtain while we are still here please let us know. Rather than just waiting, we might be trying our hands on one thing or the other. For instance i am a chartered accountant in Nigeria and a landed senior told me to start writing ACCA that it would enable me get canadian CGA and now i would be writing the december ACCA diet and i plan to finish by June about the time Acrra should be answering me if all go as expected.

Tito, prof 456, Barsindo, Oloye, lukeke, right, awoderu, ig, seglad, and all naija on the forum please lets rub minds together and make our canada experience a wonderful one.
Cheers

[tinuadeadebola]

people,
we heard a great news at least from Ig and it was quite encouraging considering her long wait. Sometimes i want to forget about the whole of this immigration issue but i dont know if any other persons feel the same way or its just me. The fear/concern for the unknown sometimes makes me wonder if this is truly the way to go.

I feel its more difficult if you are 'relatively' comfortable in nigeria, good house, good job, good schools and some general level of comform around you i mean you can easilly afford a nanny for the kids, a steward if you want, a driver if you so wish and many other things (i dont mean to be proud please) that one can relatively afford here. I lived in UK for about a year for my MSc and i know it was not easy at all.

My question is what are we going to be doing there? (1)  working? i learnt professional job does not come easy and that we have to do some warehouse/security/sales assistant and all kinds of menial job before we can get a professional job and considering where we are coming from are we psychologically prepared for this?

(2) Schooling? what course and how easy is it to get admission? for instance i have been trying to apply an MBA having had over 12years working experience but am yet to be able to secure admission into any of the Ontario school why ? GMAT is compulsory and a high score is needed too a criteria i have not been able to meet, besides GMAT, most schools ask for a B+ or at least 75% upward in your last university degrees does it mean anybody with second class lower cannot study in a good school in canada? what about the fees not in anyway cheap

(3) Business? what kind of business can one do? what are the modalities of starting one? is there a market for nigeria goods there? is there enough profit to keep the business going? i need anwers to this and many more. maybe i need to start a new thread so we can all put our ideas on papers. emigrating is just the first step but settling down and being happy there is far important and we have to start thinking now. I know and met a lot of Nigerians who are frustrated in the UK and also cannot return home because of poor planning and poor feasibility studies hence my concern.

I hear its very difficult for doctors to get job in canada so if you are on this thread and you are a doctor please read the thread on 'Doctors how to succeed in canada 'before you continue with the process. Please brothers and sisters let no know mis understand me i am just concerned and i want us to rub minds sometimes we are too engrossed in wanting to leave naija that we dont even pause and ask ourselves if that is the best option for us

I hope to hear from you all 

[tinuadeadebola]

I got this from another thread and felt it will be useful to us

Hey folks, I've read posts on this forum for the past year -- I landed in Canada two months ago, and moved here permanently last week (Victoria).  I'm just writing to say that though there are many small irritations with things like opening a bank account, getting a driving license, getting a SIN number, waiting for the Permanent Resident card, and especially finding a place to live (I've chosen Victoria to try and set up my new life), none of them are really that bad, and having Permanent Resident status really does make things pretty simple.  I've found everyone here to be polite and helpful, and when it comes to opening up a bank account or getting a library card before you have a fixed address, people are quite accommodating (just keep your passport and your confirmation of permanent residence receipt) -- for me the most useful thing has been a vest that has zipped pockets on it, that is absolutely essential for stumping around town with documents that Must Not Be Lost.

The other thing is that you have to remember the difference between the immediate term, the short term, and the long term.  Things that are important in the long term -- like finding a good job -- will depress you if you let yourself worry about them in the short term.  For myself, I divided them up like this:

Immediate term (first week):  find a decent place to live for two weeks or a month, where I can relax, keep myself clean, and feel secure.  Youth hostels are NOT good for more than a night or two.  Also, find and apply for short-term survival jobs -- these are important to keep busy, and to limit how much one spends one's savings.

Short term (one week to three months):  have interviews at short-term survival jobs, and eventually begin one.  These aren't fun -- but their point is to let you keep the main part of your money in the bank.  Also, three months might be a little arbitrary, I guess that's the point where I will start to worry if I'm not having any luck at all finding something better.

Long term:  place to live that you want to stay in permanently, decent job.

Listen, it's easy to get very stressed, right away, if you think too much about the long term goals.  Tell yourself, over and over -- "I've been in Canada for three days.  I've been in Canada for three days.  Just get a bank account opened, that's enough right now.  Just find a place to live for the next three weeks.  Just send in the application."

And it's funny, how once you land here, all the worry and stress of applying vanishes from your mind, and is replaced by the worry and stress of fitting in to a new, foreign home.  Remind yourself once in a while how happy you are that you're not sitting around waiting for your visa -- it really is better, wearing out your shoes looking for work, and it's important to remember that.

So good luck, folks -- it's worth the wait.

[tinuadeadebola]

THIS IS TITO'S RESPONSE TO MY POST ON THE OTHER THREAD

Madam, how far na? Your questions would require a team of researchers to investigate and present!

Immigration is not a "peanut" issue and has to be weighted accordingly, if you know what I mean...it is a decision your family has to take with no influence from anybody. You only need resources to make some of the decisions...our race is not the same and what works for Taiye can boomerang if Kehinde should try it..
People are here for different reasons in accordance with their future plans...there is no one way to advice anybody but maybe you should slow down if you are asking these questions after you already submitted your application.

Like we have discussed somewhere else, your foreign certificates can hardly fly here except if you are the next thing to Bill Gate meaning you may have to retrain. You can learn a trade or start a business if you have the entrepreneurial spirit...unfortunately, you don't seem to like business otherwise you wont be asking what naija goods you can sell here. Don't mind me but it's true....why can't you sell their products to their people here? Business is about supply and demand of anything, it don't matter if the goods/services is packaged in Malaysia or Siberia. That's by the way..

You don't have to do MBA here, there are several other courses that can take you to your destination if you search carefully...

Having said all the above, often times people take the decision for the future of their kids. Afterall, some are already comfortably settled in naija like you rightly wrote. You can't have a gardener, steward or driver here, the nanny bill is killing so it's tougher here but the quality of life is miles ahead of naija if can find some productive work to do...
I think we spoke once when I was in naija...you should remember some of our discussions. I have also encouraged people not to pack up all their lives in naija for this place until a solid doable plan is in place...this venture is pretty expensive except if one chose to live the low, struggling life that others have ended up with.

My sister, pray for God's guidance. It is well but it's your call..

[jerry2121]

Nice thread my bros!! Keep up the good work..

[igbehinadara]

Nice one Tinu.


Ig

[toto1]

This is a good one

[dreamteam]

i am in Bc,been to many employment resource centres,but i think ur manners,the way u approach these guys matter a lot,i find in them,nice warm people.for me canada is a welfarist state of our time,they care so much about you and of course almost every one i have met here have an immigration story,either they or generations b4 them,so its just going to be another generation starting by the time you come.all da best

[Right]

Tinu,

Lovely thread....We shall keep an eye on it.

[barsindoo]

madam,

Nice thread! I think this will help everyone move in the right direction.

Good one.

[Right]

madam,

Nice thread! I think this will help everyone move in the right direction.

Good one.

Barsindoo,

We are awaiting your superb comments on this beautiful thread. Of course we are by extension telling other 9ijas to foolow suit.

Up Nigeria
Never say die and never say never again.

[ANigerian]

Tinu

God bless you mightyly for starting this thread.

I look forward to Barsindoo, Oloye and the rest contributing here and I am sure they will.

Peace!!

[tinuadeadebola]

i am in Bc,been to many employment resource centres,but i think ur manners,the way u approach these guys matter a lot,i find in them,nice warm people.for me canada is a welfarist state of our time,they care so much about you and of course almost every one i have met here have an immigration story,either they or generations b4 them,so its just going to be another generation starting by the time you come.all da best

Quite heartwarming to hear. people on other thread says canadians are generally nice and coming from you is an added advantage. We wish you best of luck in your job search.

We would however want to hear more as time progresses. we know you will have less time but please anytime you come across an information you know will benefit us please dont hesitate to share it.
 

[tinuadeadebola]

Hello all, Today i finally got aor from accra and they say my documents are now in queue for paper screening i must confess its a relief as i was beginning to doubt if they got the document. I believe the next thing is to keep fingers crossed and wait till it moves to in process.

[tinuadeadebola]

A Nigeria
How are you my brother? trust all is well with you? am positive that yours will soon move to in process because a guy on the other thread who submitted full documents in april said his status changed to in process this october so am sure those of you in May would soon get there.

In the meantime while we are waiting we must also wear our thinking cap and start doing a lot of research about canada and about how we can fit in successfully. It requires a lot of planning and we must not relegate that to the last minute.

all the best in our applications