I want to share my experience for all that are planning to come to canada so they may be well prepared.we are now citizens after living in canada for three years, so it is time for me to write about my time here.
My husband and I with 2 children came to canada august 2010. My husband was the primary applicant and we applied for the federal skilled worker program under financial manager category. We were residing in London at the time as my husband was doing a masters even though he worked for the central bank of our original country as a manager for over 10 years. After completing his masters we stayed in the uk under post study work visa with the intention of switching to a highly skilled immigrant visa.
We decided to apply for the canadian FSW program because we thought that canada offered us a shorter period of becoming a citizen than the uk. I also wanted to add that after my husband had finished his masters in the uk he had a short term job with the Scottish government as an analyst, before he went back to our home country to resume work at the central bank.
Our FSW application only took 6 months to be approved and issued. We were very excited as we believed that the standard of living was higher in canada and that there were more opportunities work wise than offered in the uk. We believed all the job advertisement we saw on the internet and also believed that there were jobs all over canada, and that we would not have any problems getting employment and settling in fast, even if it wasn't a job at the level that we left behind, but something reasonable to start with even if it was a banking clerk position that was in the sector my husband worked in....we honestly believed that this would not be a problem.
In preparation to move over here fully, I started visiting this forum and saw lots of post of people that were settling into canada and others that were not doing so well and were trying to explain that canada did not live up to their expectations but they were always attacked by other members and I wondered why it was such a bad thing to say if your experience was not a rosey one as expected. Anyway I told my husband of these both the good and bad experiences and he refused to listen and believed that he will not have a bad experience in canada.
I was a little anxious and didn't really want to leave the uk but went ahead with my husband anyway.
We didn't know anyone here in canada. But a friend put us in contact witha lady that had recently landed and we spoke on phone. She was very secretive with information and only told my husband that he should not resign from his work but did not say why. My husband did not listen but choose to resign from his well paying job that he had done for over ten years sell our house and move to canada.
Immediately we landed at Pearson in Toronto , I must say i was expecting a more modern airport. We did the landing and went straight to a hotel where we stayed for a week in mississauga as that was the city we decided on.
It was hard finding somewhere to stay as everyplace we went to they told us that we don't have a job and no credit history. We eventually found a place but it was difficult experience.
Tips to have in mind before coming to canada,I share this because we did not have a single soul in canada and had to find our way by ourselves. We went through a lot of hard ship and lost all our money so please read this post and take notes.
When coming please look for a basement apartment to rent first to conserve money.
Please if you come as a professional DO NOT TAKE SURVIVAL JOBS!!!!!!!!!!!! You will be demoralized and may never come out of it!!!!!!!! It is VERY VERY VERY hard work especially if you are coming for an office background. It is hard emotionally and physically. You will develop health problems you never had before and will lack the will to leave it ounce your money has finished and it seems as there is no hope.
Prepare your mind before you leave that you will have to return to school once in canada. If possible get transcripts and apply for schools before you even land in canada if you get admission then go and land were your school is. If coming with wife then both of you go to school. As a pr you are entitled to take student asistance loans to pay...it is an investment that will pay off. To me it is better to go to school than work survival jobs and lose your confidence or applying for thousands of jobs and not getting any reply or few replys. You will also save the money you bring to canada because the student loans will be enough to live on.
If possible apply for a program that has coop or internship. During school breaks you could work if you can find something or volunteer in your field this way you build experience and still maintain your self confidence.
Also if possible take a leave at your place of work, do not resign immediately.
After canadian education it will definelty be a little easier to get a better job than working survival jobs immediately you land.
I will add more tips later. Hope this helps
My husband and I with 2 children came to canada august 2010. My husband was the primary applicant and we applied for the federal skilled worker program under financial manager category. We were residing in London at the time as my husband was doing a masters even though he worked for the central bank of our original country as a manager for over 10 years. After completing his masters we stayed in the uk under post study work visa with the intention of switching to a highly skilled immigrant visa.
We decided to apply for the canadian FSW program because we thought that canada offered us a shorter period of becoming a citizen than the uk. I also wanted to add that after my husband had finished his masters in the uk he had a short term job with the Scottish government as an analyst, before he went back to our home country to resume work at the central bank.
Our FSW application only took 6 months to be approved and issued. We were very excited as we believed that the standard of living was higher in canada and that there were more opportunities work wise than offered in the uk. We believed all the job advertisement we saw on the internet and also believed that there were jobs all over canada, and that we would not have any problems getting employment and settling in fast, even if it wasn't a job at the level that we left behind, but something reasonable to start with even if it was a banking clerk position that was in the sector my husband worked in....we honestly believed that this would not be a problem.
In preparation to move over here fully, I started visiting this forum and saw lots of post of people that were settling into canada and others that were not doing so well and were trying to explain that canada did not live up to their expectations but they were always attacked by other members and I wondered why it was such a bad thing to say if your experience was not a rosey one as expected. Anyway I told my husband of these both the good and bad experiences and he refused to listen and believed that he will not have a bad experience in canada.
I was a little anxious and didn't really want to leave the uk but went ahead with my husband anyway.
We didn't know anyone here in canada. But a friend put us in contact witha lady that had recently landed and we spoke on phone. She was very secretive with information and only told my husband that he should not resign from his work but did not say why. My husband did not listen but choose to resign from his well paying job that he had done for over ten years sell our house and move to canada.
Immediately we landed at Pearson in Toronto , I must say i was expecting a more modern airport. We did the landing and went straight to a hotel where we stayed for a week in mississauga as that was the city we decided on.
It was hard finding somewhere to stay as everyplace we went to they told us that we don't have a job and no credit history. We eventually found a place but it was difficult experience.
Tips to have in mind before coming to canada,I share this because we did not have a single soul in canada and had to find our way by ourselves. We went through a lot of hard ship and lost all our money so please read this post and take notes.
When coming please look for a basement apartment to rent first to conserve money.
Please if you come as a professional DO NOT TAKE SURVIVAL JOBS!!!!!!!!!!!! You will be demoralized and may never come out of it!!!!!!!! It is VERY VERY VERY hard work especially if you are coming for an office background. It is hard emotionally and physically. You will develop health problems you never had before and will lack the will to leave it ounce your money has finished and it seems as there is no hope.
Prepare your mind before you leave that you will have to return to school once in canada. If possible get transcripts and apply for schools before you even land in canada if you get admission then go and land were your school is. If coming with wife then both of you go to school. As a pr you are entitled to take student asistance loans to pay...it is an investment that will pay off. To me it is better to go to school than work survival jobs and lose your confidence or applying for thousands of jobs and not getting any reply or few replys. You will also save the money you bring to canada because the student loans will be enough to live on.
If possible apply for a program that has coop or internship. During school breaks you could work if you can find something or volunteer in your field this way you build experience and still maintain your self confidence.
Also if possible take a leave at your place of work, do not resign immediately.
After canadian education it will definelty be a little easier to get a better job than working survival jobs immediately you land.
I will add more tips later. Hope this helps
Design and carpets from the early 80's.
