New Immigrant in Canada from India

[kaps]

I will be going to Canada on a PR Visa soon (within a couple of months). I am in New Delhi, India, 32, Male, ITES. Please suggest/advice on what I can do in India right now which can be helpful for me as a New Immigrant in Canada. I have never travelled abroad till date.  I am going to be living in Toronto.

Share your experiences/lessons that you learned as a New Immigrant so that new people will not make those mistakes. Anything starting from booking a flight or collecting reference letters or driving license or anything... that new immigrant should do to avoid regrets.

Thanks in advance for your response.

[Leon]

You can find the drivers license information for Ontario at http://www.drivetest.ca/en/license/OutOfCountryDrivers.aspx

Before you leave India, make sure you get your drivers license translated if it's not in English or French and get a letter from the police or other authority verifying how long you have had your license.

When looking for an apartment where you don't know the neighbourhoods, ask at grocery stores or gas stations in the area if it is a safe neighbourhood or not.  The people who work there will know.

Be careful about signing contracts or even accepting something that is supposed to be free.  Always read the small print.

[kaps]

Thanks Leon! I have Driving License for two wheeler & light motor vehicle (like car etc.) which is in English and it is valid from 1997 - 2017 so the time duration is mentioned on the License. should I still get a letter from authority verifying how long I have had this license.

[Leon]

If you go to the link I gave you, you will see this:

To obtain recognition for more than 12 months driving experience, applicants are required to obtain written authentication of their foreign driving experience from the originating licensing agency, or from the Embassy, Consulate or High Commissioners' offices representing the jurisdiction. The authentication letter must be on official letterhead and be written in either English or French. It must be dated and cannot be more than 6 months old. If the Authentication Letter is in a language other than English or French, it must be accompanied by a Letter of Translation from a qualified translator.

Getting your driving experience noted makes the difference in being able to get a full drivers license or going into the Ontario graduated drivers license system where you will start out with a probationary license.

[kaps]

Yes you are right. Good Stuff. Anymore Important information like this. like carrying money, documents, care taken at airport while going through Immigration officers or anything else important.

Leon are you also from India.

[harupit200281]

Friend,
I am not able to understand what is ITES. Just in case if it is engineering profession, it is advisable to check if your profession is under the regulated professions in Canada or not... You will need Transcripts from your collage to register as professional in Canada. So get the transcripts from your collage before moving.

[kaps]

ITES = Information Technology Enabled Services.

[Leon]

Yes you are right. Good Stuff. Anymore Important information like this. like carrying money, documents, care taken at airport while going through Immigration officers or anything else important.

Leon are you also from India.

If you are carrying more than $10,000 you have to let customs know about it.  They will not take your money, they just want to know. 

[kaps]

Pplz please provide your valuable suggestion & advice

[shmuhahaha]

When I landed 12 years ago,
1)The first thing we did after landing to the airport, my sister drove me to the Service Canada(used to be called something else before ) office and me and my dad applied for SIN number(to make sure,we are job ready A.S.A.P)
2)My sister got us a Brampton city bus pass for the whole week and we spend about 3 hours every day just to know the city we live in.
3)We were ready to do any job(factory or desk job) and we applied to multiple job agencies.
4)Although we spoke good Indian English, It was very hard for us to understand Canadian English accent and we interacted with people for this sake asking time, bus route, talking to a mall shop persons, asking the driver for best route etc and we watched bunch of TV series to get familiar with accent.
5)After, we got our SIN number, I believe we applied for OHIP card, bank account, library account etc.
6) The Brampton library had great pamphlets with various information.

[kaps]

PPlz share your experiences...

[Siouxie]

I have found settlement.org's (for newcomers to Ontario) very useful.

http://www.settlement.org/site/FIRSTDAYS/home.asp downloadable booklet on your first 2 weeks in Ontario and what to do.

]http://www.settlement.org/sys/faqs_detail.asp?k=LAND_LAND&faq_id=4000602]  checklist of documents you will want to bring with you.

http://www.settlement.org/sys/faqs_detail.asp?k=LAND_LIVING&faq_id=4000108  settlement services

http://www.settlement.org/sys/faqs_detail.asp?k=LAND_LIVING&faq_id=4000522  Host program - linking you with a mentor to help through the early days.

...The Host Program is a "befriending" program. The goal of the program is to create friendships between newcomers and volunteers from the local community. If you join the program, you will be matched with a Canadian volunteer who will meet with you at least twice per month for conversation, friendship and to help you get to know your new community....

 

[kaps]

Thanks Siouxie.

Question to all: Should I consider buying health insurance from Indian for the time I am traveling and for the short period before I become eligible for Canada's medicare system Or I can buy it from some private insurance comp. after landing in Canada?

[Leon]

You should buy some travel insurance to cover you for emergencies.  It's often best to do that in your home country where you know the insurance companies than to come to Canada without insurance and have to start looking for one.

[kaps]

Forumites give your valuable suggestions. Thanks