Landed four months ago - Experience so far

[umar32085]

True to an extent. Employers place a lot of stress on soft skills. Since majority of the time, your possible direct supervisor would be directly involved in the recruitment process, it becomes important to demonstrate likability. I for one would love to work with a person who's an instant hit with me, who I like, with whom I can strike a quality conversation with.

Thank you very much!

 

[kamy]

I carried $400 to Canada. I still have $380 out of that. For my bigger expenses, I got the rest of my funds through a wire transfer from my account back home.
The proof of funds at landing can be satisfied through bank statements and such. You don't actually have to carry the whole amount with you. They understand that you can always transfer it electronically.

Thanks, I see many posts where people have discouraged to use foreign bank statements. I think you would have a very small limit to take cash out of India if I get it converted to CAD

 

[kamy]

Wire transfer may be a safe option. ScotiaBank offers StartRight Program, by which you can open a Canadian Bank Account while you are still in your home country. But, wire transfer costs you a handsome amount of money, so, in that case, you could also take cash by declaring it at CSBA.

Thanks, any idea how much time it take? I have only one week before I start my travel next weekend, I doubt it may in transit before I leave for Canada. I know I delayed on this and kind of stuck.

 

[umar32085]

Thanks, any idea how much time it take? I have only one week before I start my travel next weekend, I doubt it may in transit before I leave for Canada. I know I delayed on this and kind of stuck.

Yes that might be an issue.
When you register at ScotiaBank, they will instantly give you your account number, so you can wire transfer immediately (I suggest that you call ScotiaBank and confirm whether the account opened is in your name for security reasons). International transfer may take up to 5 business days to reach them. Then they may take up to 5 more business days to notify you via email that your amount has been credited.
When you land in Canada, you set up an appointment at nearest ScotiaBank Branch and start banking!

 

[shazfa]

Yes that might be an issue.
When you register at ScotiaBank, they will instantly give you your account number, so you can wire transfer immediately (I suggest that you call ScotiaBank and confirm whether the account opened is in your name for security reasons). International transfer may take up to 5 business days to reach them. Then they may take up to 5 more business days to notify you via email that your amount has been credited.
When you land in Canada, you set up an appointment at nearest ScotiaBank Branch and start banking!

Umar,

Have you yourself tried this method ? because i can see that you have not landed yet. from the text, the process looks very simple, but do you think it is reliable to send big amount of money to the bank in Canada without activating the account? because without activating the account, you cannot withdraw the money.

 

[umar32085]

Umar,

Have you yourself tried this method ? because i can see that you have not landed yet. from the text, the process looks very simple, but do you think it is reliable to send big amount of money to the bank in Canada without activating the account? because without activating the account, you cannot withdraw the money.

Yes I opened my account. But I haven't wired my money. I respect your concerns regarding security of money. I have them too. That's why I will call Scotiabank in a couple of days and ask them about it. Only then, I will transfer my money. Inbox me your email id, I'll let you know

 

[DEEPCUR]

I believe it's better to discuss landing related queries in separate thread. This thread can be used for queries from settlement standpoint and job related queries.

 

[nokia3315]

True to an extent. Employers place a lot of stress on soft skills. Since majority of the time, your possible direct supervisor would be directly involved in the recruitment process, it becomes important to demonstrate likability. I for one would love to work with a person who's an instant hit with me, who I like, with whom I can strike a quality conversation with.
I carried $400 to Canada. I still have $380 out of that. For my bigger expenses, I got the rest of my funds through a wire transfer from my account back home.
[size=10pt]The proof of funds at landing can be satisfied through bank statements and such. [/size]You don't actually have to carry the whole amount with you. They understand that you can always transfer it electronically.
If you want to carry funds with you, carry cash and travelers cheques. They're relatively easy to get and use.
Yes. Majority of the jobs, you'll be engaging with active conversation with a variety of people. If you can hold a solid conversation, you are half way through.

So you used local indian bank statement. When you arrived in canada, you opened a canada account & did the forex transfer from INR to CAD. Correct ? greengoo5

 

[Femie]

Shari

I've been a long time lurker of this forum. I don't post often but do have a habit of checking out threads quietly. Figured I should contribute by sharing my experience in Canada.

Back Home
I'm from India. In mid 20s. Did well academically. MBA from a top 10 school. Amazing job right out of college that paid well. 15ish Lacs/annum if you're curious. Two years later, I'm working as a manager with a 50% bump in salary. Lived at home with parents so didn't even have to pay rent. To summarize it, I was doing well. Very well.

Express Entry and PR
I had been in the pool since Jan-15 when Express Entry started. Got my three years of experience and got an invite in early 2016. I started browsing the forums after almost four months of getting my AOR. I didn't really need help with respect to the application process as I followed all the rules by the letter and had a pretty clear cut case. My process closely followed the norms. BG change after a few months. PPR slightly before the onset of the seventh month in Oct-16. Sent passports to the High Commission and received it back within a week. Booked my tickets and landed in Canada in Nov-16. Had an address in hand at the airport so applied for PR Card then and there only. The process was slow due to Christmas. Received a mail in January asking for fresh photographs. Received the PR Card in early Feb.

Canada
I am fortunate enough to have a family in Canada. I have a brother and a close uncle living in Canada for quite some time now.
Landed in mid Nov-16. Having slogged for 3+ years at my previous corporate finance job, I decided to chill for a good period of time. There's little hiring in December anyways. Really enjoyed my time. It was cold, but it was fun. Everything clad in white is a sight for the eyes which haven't witnessed snow in their life. With good gear, it's much easier to tolerate. Snowball fights as a grown man are even more fun...you miss less shots. I explored the beauty of the country side, the tall buildings of downtown Toronto and the history that the small towns have to offer. My vacation was fun but hardly did I know that it'd get stretched longer than I had initially thought.

Come 2017 and I started looking for work. I have a commerce degree with an MBA. I have also passed all three levels of the CFA exam. A year or two ago, my brother had shown my resume to a few people and everyone was of the opinion that I'd get a job fairly easy. Boy oh boy. I took it easy at first. Applying to a few jobs, relaxing for the rest of the day and spending time with the family. Slowly it dawned on me that it'd require much more effort than what I was putting in. I went gungho and started applying to a LOT of jobs everyday. But I'd only apply to the ones which were as per my skill level and interested me. I got a few phone calls from the HR. I blew a few. I aced a few. An even fewer interviews. I blew a few. I aced an even fewer. The absence of Canadian experience or qualification definitely hurt my chances to say the least. An Indian name didn't really help much either. But I'm a hard worker. I don't give up easily.

Fast forward to today. I have a job. My work closely resembles to what I was doing in India. The pay is nice. The commute is okay. The work is good. I'm happy.

The Reality
How do I find Canada? Amazing.
Is it easy to come from a foreign country and settle down? Not as easy as you think.
But I just made it sound like it's not a lot of trouble? Yeah, but chances are, you're not as fortunate as me.

I have my family here which is very supportive. Not even once they pushed me for a job which I didn't like or pressured me to start work at any time. There were days during my job hunt when I would be at an all time low, having blown up my few opportunities and having nothing else in hand. There were extended periods of time when I would just keep applying and not get any other response except the "We picked some other candidate. Yo". But I'm a hard worker. I don't give up easily. I kept applying.

I've figured that it's a numbers game. I applied to more than 500 jobs. and mind you, only the jobs that interested me and were a good match for my skillset. I received a phone call from around ten employers. A face to face interview with five and a job offer from one. You can do the percentages.

The Journey
People asked me if I was crazy to leave an amazing job in my hometown to move to a totally new country. They'd ask me if I had weighed in everything correctly before taking the risk. I don't consider myself to be super smart but I know that I'm hard working. I knew what I was risking and was aware of the fact that I had a supporting family in Canada. There were a multitude of reasons why I wanted to leave India and I'm not going to dwell upon them. The reasons are different for everyone. But when I'm asked the reason why I moved to Canada? For a better future for my family.

Every country has it's own set of problems. You just have to see what is important for you and take a decision. You have all the resources and the time to take an informed decision. There are a lot of times in life when you know things are not going to be easy and that you'd have to work hard for them. Chances are, even after putting in your 100%, things don't work in your favor. But that doesn't mean you stop trying. You put in your 110% and you make them work. That's how we progress.

So what's the takeaway?

• The lack of Canadian credentials/ experience severely hurts your chances. Having passed CFA exams helped me a lot. I believe it was the only reason I received the 10 phone calls. It really helps to get Canadian credentials as soon as you put your foot here. Further explanation below.
  
• I scored an 8 on IELTS. I've watched English soaps and listened to Eminem all my life. And yet, there are times when I've to request people to repeat themselves. It's really important that you are proficient both in listening and speaking English. It's going to make and break everything for you. From your daily conversations to the interviews. Speak slow and speak clear. Also, accent training helps a lot. Youtube my friend.
  
• Be prepared to work hard once you get here. If you're financially strong, good for you. Don't worry too much about the money and invest the time in getting Canadian credentials and searching for a job. If you're not, you've got to grab whatever comes at you. The thing that I love about Canada, there's no big or small work. It's just work. You're respected and treated like a human being no matter what you do.
  
• The weather is bad. But it's not the end. 30 Mil people live here. You have to invest in the right gear. A good winter jacket costs a lot but think of it as an investment as it's going to last you a while. Also, snow boots, gloves and a hat. Heck, I used to put on winter gear and spend hours building snow-forts in -15 C.
  
• Be prepared to work hard. Very hard.

A few tips for the credentials
Chartered Accountants and people interested in accounting. -> http://www.cpaontario.ca
Lawyers -> http://flsc.ca/
Teachers -> https://www.oct.ca/
People interested in Banking -> https://www.ific.ca/en/ & https://www.csi.ca/student/en_ca/courses/csi/csc.xhtml
People interested in Insurance -> https://www.ifse.ca/courselist/life-license-qualification-program-llqp/

The above links have information about credentials required for certain jobs. I'd be best if you search for the profiles you like on https://www.indeed.ca/ and see the kind of credentials the employers require.
Having credentials helps in the sense that the employer at least knows that you are willing to put in work and learn about the culture, taxation and the systems of the new country.

I can go on and on about a lot of stuff but it'd just be adding to the length of this page. If you have any questions, let me know. I'd be happy to answer.

Sharing your experience has certainly rendered a great deal of help to me.I will be landing early June.
Thanks.

 

[greengoo5]

So you used local indian bank statement. When you arrived in canada, you opened a canada account & did the forex transfer from INR to CAD. Correct ? greengoo5

Yep

 

[soulseek]

I've been a long time lurker of this forum. I don't post often but do have a habit of checking out threads quietly. Figured I should contribute by sharing my experience in Canada.

Back Home
I'm from India. In mid 20s. Did well academically. MBA from a top 10 school. Amazing job right out of college that paid well. 15ish Lacs/annum if you're curious. Two years later, I'm working as a manager with a 50% bump in salary. Lived at home with parents so didn't even have to pay rent. To summarize it, I was doing well. Very well.

Express Entry and PR
I had been in the pool since Jan-15 when Express Entry started. Got my three years of experience and got an invite in early 2016. I started browsing the forums after almost four months of getting my AOR. I didn't really need help with respect to the application process as I followed all the rules by the letter and had a pretty clear cut case. My process closely followed the norms. BG change after a few months. PPR slightly before the onset of the seventh month in Oct-16. Sent passports to the High Commission and received it back within a week. Booked my tickets and landed in Canada in Nov-16. Had an address in hand at the airport so applied for PR Card then and there only. The process was slow due to Christmas. Received a mail in January asking for fresh photographs. Received the PR Card in early Feb.

Canada
I am fortunate enough to have a family in Canada. I have a brother and a close uncle living in Canada for quite some time now.
Landed in mid Nov-16. Having slogged for 3+ years at my previous corporate finance job, I decided to chill for a good period of time. There's little hiring in December anyways. Really enjoyed my time. It was cold, but it was fun. Everything clad in white is a sight for the eyes which haven't witnessed snow in their life. With good gear, it's much easier to tolerate. Snowball fights as a grown man are even more fun...you miss less shots. I explored the beauty of the country side, the tall buildings of downtown Toronto and the history that the small towns have to offer. My vacation was fun but hardly did I know that it'd get stretched longer than I had initially thought.

Come 2017 and I started looking for work. I have a commerce degree with an MBA. I have also passed all three levels of the CFA exam. A year or two ago, my brother had shown my resume to a few people and everyone was of the opinion that I'd get a job fairly easy. Boy oh boy. I took it easy at first. Applying to a few jobs, relaxing for the rest of the day and spending time with the family. Slowly it dawned on me that it'd require much more effort than what I was putting in. I went gungho and started applying to a LOT of jobs everyday. But I'd only apply to the ones which were as per my skill level and interested me. I got a few phone calls from the HR. I blew a few. I aced a few. An even fewer interviews. I blew a few. I aced an even fewer. The absence of Canadian experience or qualification definitely hurt my chances to say the least. An Indian name didn't really help much either. But I'm a hard worker. I don't give up easily.

Fast forward to today. I have a job. My work closely resembles to what I was doing in India. The pay is nice. The commute is okay. The work is good. I'm happy.

The Reality
How do I find Canada? Amazing.
Is it easy to come from a foreign country and settle down? Not as easy as you think.
But I just made it sound like it's not a lot of trouble? Yeah, but chances are, you're not as fortunate as me.

I have my family here which is very supportive. Not even once they pushed me for a job which I didn't like or pressured me to start work at any time. There were days during my job hunt when I would be at an all time low, having blown up my few opportunities and having nothing else in hand. There were extended periods of time when I would just keep applying and not get any other response except the "We picked some other candidate. Yo". But I'm a hard worker. I don't give up easily. I kept applying.

I've figured that it's a numbers game. I applied to more than 500 jobs. and mind you, only the jobs that interested me and were a good match for my skillset. I received a phone call from around ten employers. A face to face interview with five and a job offer from one. You can do the percentages.

The Journey
People asked me if I was crazy to leave an amazing job in my hometown to move to a totally new country. They'd ask me if I had weighed in everything correctly before taking the risk. I don't consider myself to be super smart but I know that I'm hard working. I knew what I was risking and was aware of the fact that I had a supporting family in Canada. There were a multitude of reasons why I wanted to leave India and I'm not going to dwell upon them. The reasons are different for everyone. But when I'm asked the reason why I moved to Canada? For a better future for my family.

Every country has it's own set of problems. You just have to see what is important for you and take a decision. You have all the resources and the time to take an informed decision. There are a lot of times in life when you know things are not going to be easy and that you'd have to work hard for them. Chances are, even after putting in your 100%, things don't work in your favor. But that doesn't mean you stop trying. You put in your 110% and you make them work. That's how we progress.

So what's the takeaway?

• The lack of Canadian credentials/ experience severely hurts your chances. Having passed CFA exams helped me a lot. I believe it was the only reason I received the 10 phone calls. It really helps to get Canadian credentials as soon as you put your foot here. Further explanation below.
  
• I scored an 8 on IELTS. I've watched English soaps and listened to Eminem all my life. And yet, there are times when I've to request people to repeat themselves. It's really important that you are proficient both in listening and speaking English. It's going to make and break everything for you. From your daily conversations to the interviews. Speak slow and speak clear. Also, accent training helps a lot. Youtube my friend.
  
• Be prepared to work hard once you get here. If you're financially strong, good for you. Don't worry too much about the money and invest the time in getting Canadian credentials and searching for a job. If you're not, you've got to grab whatever comes at you. The thing that I love about Canada, there's no big or small work. It's just work. You're respected and treated like a human being no matter what you do.
  
• The weather is bad. But it's not the end. 30 Mil people live here. You have to invest in the right gear. A good winter jacket costs a lot but think of it as an investment as it's going to last you a while. Also, snow boots, gloves and a hat. Heck, I used to put on winter gear and spend hours building snow-forts in -15 C.
  
• Be prepared to work hard. Very hard.

A few tips for the credentials
Chartered Accountants and people interested in accounting. -> http://www.cpaontario.ca
Lawyers -> http://flsc.ca/
Teachers -> https://www.oct.ca/
People interested in Banking -> https://www.ific.ca/en/ & https://www.csi.ca/student/en_ca/courses/csi/csc.xhtml
People interested in Insurance -> https://www.ifse.ca/courselist/life-license-qualification-program-llqp/

The above links have information about credentials required for certain jobs. I'd be best if you search for the profiles you like on https://www.indeed.ca/ and see the kind of credentials the employers require.
Having credentials helps in the sense that the employer at least knows that you are willing to put in work and learn about the culture, taxation and the systems of the new country.

I can go on and on about a lot of stuff but it'd just be adding to the length of this page. If you have any questions, let me know. I'd be happy to answer.

quick question - did the request for new photographs come in the post or by email? the reason i ask is that i will be landing this month, but i plan to come back to my home country after a few weeks and continue to work here for a while before moving to Canada permanently. I will be providing my cousins address so it wont be a problem either way, but still good to have an idea on the process. also, in that letter do they provide a date by which they need the photographs or is it just a case of send them in when you can? any info will be helpful. thanks

 

[greengoo5]

quick question - did the request for new photographs come in the post or by email? the reason i ask is that i will be landing this month, but i plan to come back to my home country after a few weeks and continue to work here for a while before moving to Canada permanently. I will be providing my cousins address so it wont be a problem either way, but still good to have an idea on the process. also, in that letter do they provide a date by which they need the photographs or is it just a case of send them in when you can? any info will be helpful. thanks

I received an e-mail. It has a date by which you have to submit the passport.

 

[anie25]

So what's the takeaway?

• The lack of Canadian credentials/ experience severely hurts your chances. Having passed CFA exams helped me a lot. I believe it was the only reason I received the 10 phone calls. It really helps to get Canadian credentials as soon as you put your foot here. Further explanation below.
  
• I scored an 8 on IELTS. I've watched English soaps and listened to Eminem all my life. And yet, there are times when I've to request people to repeat themselves. It's really important that you are proficient both in listening and speaking English. It's going to make and break everything for you. From your daily conversations to the interviews. Speak slow and speak clear. Also, accent training helps a lot. Youtube my friend.
  
• Be prepared to work hard once you get here. If you're financially strong, good for you. Don't worry too much about the money and invest the time in getting Canadian credentials and searching for a job. If you're not, you've got to grab whatever comes at you. The thing that I love about Canada, there's no big or small work. It's just work. You're respected and treated like a human being no matter what you do.
  
• The weather is bad. But it's not the end. 30 Mil people live here. You have to invest in the right gear. A good winter jacket costs a lot but think of it as an investment as it's going to last you a while. Also, snow boots, gloves and a hat. Heck, I used to put on winter gear and spend hours building snow-forts in -15 C.
  
• Be prepared to work hard. Very hard.

very nice post, i am also planning to apply for a PR for Canada, through some agency, but am still very apprehensive about the after fact. I am a civil engineer from Albania, Europe, but currently residing in india, married to an indian citizen. So we want to shift either in Australia or Canada, and am trying to figure out where it would be best to settle. The big concern is the job, i do have almost 5 years as a civil engineer but as you say if you don't have canadian experience they hardly consider your case. To your knowledge, do i have to give any exam for civil engineering. If you have any link with further information please let me know. I don't have any relatives in Canada, will just be me and my husband moving. Thanks for sharing.

 

[greengoo5]

very nice post, i am also planning to apply for a PR for Canada, through some agency, but am still very apprehensive about the after fact. I am a civil engineer from Albania, Europe, but currently residing in india, married to an indian citizen. So we want to shift either in Australia or Canada, and am trying to figure out where it would be best to settle. The big concern is the job, i do have almost 5 years as a civil engineer but as you say if you don't have canadian experience they hardly consider your case. To your knowledge, do i have to give any exam for civil engineering. If you have any link with further information please let me know. I don't have any relatives in Canada, will just be me and my husband moving. Thanks for sharing.

Engineers do have a a certification. This should help:
http://www.peo.on.ca/index.php?ci_id=2057&la_id=1#doineedalicence

 

[rsirish]

Booked my tickets and landed in Canada in Nov-16. Had an address in hand at the airport so applied for PR Card then and there only.

Very informative Post. We received our COPR today. I am in a similar position in India. Doing extremely good for myself. Money is not what's driving me to migrate but the quality of living. I understand that it will be difficult initially but it's best to try than just give up. I have one question regarding the PR card when you land for the first time. Can we apply for a PR card as soon as we land by providing an acquaintance address? They can then courier the cards to us at a later date. I do not have any family in Canada. Our plan is to land and get a feel of the province for few weeks and then return to india. We will migrate permanently mid next year.