US-based applicants, let's connect here

[Adrouault]

Really glad I created this thread, and got to meet you all! It's exciting. We're going to Canada!

 

[canada_eagle]

Really glad I created this thread, and got to meet you all! It's exciting. We're going to Canada!

Hopefully soon!.

Currently I am experiencing IRCC bureaucracy in all its gory detail. They sent me a PCC request letter for Singapore ( which I need to get the PCC). That had a error, my 5 year old son's name instead of mine. After contacting them via CSE + Email they sent me a corrected letter. That one has a error too!. It states I have 2 months to get the PCC. Then in the next paragraph it wants me to submit documents in 1 week ( which is impossible and a error).

Oh well. Hope my new CSE+Email prevents them from doing something silly with my application.

 

[trumprefugee]

I am experiencing a setback these days because I was ready to submit my OINP application on Tuesday, the day they decided to stop taking new applications for now. I was planning to submit my OINP application and order my FBI PCC, but all that will need to wait until the OINP opens up again. Meanwhile, I need to ramp up my job search while I continue waiting on the company that has been dragging out the process for months.

 

[canada_eagle]

I am experiencing a setback these days because I was ready to submit my OINP application on Tuesday, the day they decided to stop taking new applications for now. I was planning to submit my OINP application and order my FBI PCC, but all that will need to wait until the OINP opens up again. Meanwhile, I need to ramp up my job search while I continue waiting on the company that has been dragging out the process for months.

Too bad. Hope if opens up soon for you.

 

[oldenuf]

link to join whatsaap group https://chat.whatsapp.com/1nCqXZMNQgeBdfyYULKsJv

 

[Adrouault]

link to join whatsaap group https://chat.whatsapp.com/1nCqXZMNQgeBdfyYULKsJv

Thanks for sharing this. Come join us in the Whatsapp group! It's a great place to connect.

 

[sandeepnyc]

Hey Guys!!

I am filling up the PR Application after receiving the ITA. In that there is section for Travel History where they ask for travel outside his/her country of origin or of residence in the last ten years. I have been visiting the US since 2008 on business for couple of months every year and then finally immigrated in 2013 on L1. So should I skip my US visits after 2013 since it became my country of residence or I should put those visits as well?

Thanks in advance.

 

[JERiv]

I just found this thread! My family and I have been working on this process for most of the year. And if I'm being frank, the election was a strong deciding factor in determining that we'd like to live abroad and let our children experience cultures outside of the USA.

Then again, we live in Texas. And in here politics are as red as they can get. Just recently they passed bills to allow students to bring guns into Universities. Because #reasons. And it can get a bit crazy once you step out of the cities (... so many Confederate Flags!!!).

Not sure if we will see a statistical difference. Mostly because Canada is already a very popular destination and being a US citizen does not give any kind of CRS boost. So a bunch of US folks may want to move but CRS requirement and the sheer paper work and process involved would dissuade a whole bunch.

If you look at the 2016 report http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/resources/reports/ee-year-end-2016.asp, US was already the 5th most by nationality after India, Philippines, China. And also US and was the 3rd most by residence after Canada and India.

I have to agree with this. This process is time consuming, exhausting, and costly. Especially for a family with kids. And that's without even considering how hard the job search process is. We're working on getting jobs, but will likely really jump into full gear on job search after we get Permanent Residency, since most jobs kind of require it to begin with. If don't have large amounts of motivation and determination, the resources, and the support network to help you with it, most will likely get disillusioned and stop during the process.

 

[Mthornt]

I just found this thread! My family and I have been working on this process for most of the year. And if I'm being frank, the election was a strong deciding factor in determining that we'd like to live abroad and let our children experience cultures outside of the USA.

Then again, we live in Texas. And in here politics are as red as they can get. Just recently they passed bills to allow students to bring guns into Universities. Because #reasons. And it can get a bit crazy once you step out of the cities (... so many Confederate Flags!!!).



I have to agree with this. This process is time consuming, exhausting, and costly. Especially for a family with kids. And that's without even considering how hard the job search process is. We're working on getting jobs, but will likely really jump into full gear on job search after we get Permanent Residency, since most jobs kind of require it to begin with. If don't have large amounts of motivation and determination, the resources, and the support network to help you with it, most will likely get disillusioned and stop during the process.

We just landed last month in Sept., and we started the process a couple of years ago in 2015, so the election was still a long way off from happening. That being said, the climate in the US has gotten to be a bit old, and I guess the timing was perfect since we had no idea it would be this way when we began the process. Definitely time consuming, and costly even for two people, but we're looking forward to meeting people, starting jobs, and hopefully getting a chance to learn French as well. I haven't lived in snow for about 15 years, so this winter will certainly be interesting!

 

[BrittanyElaina]

We just landed last month in Sept., and we started the process a couple of years ago in 2015, so the election was still a long way off from happening. That being said, the climate in the US has gotten to be a bit old, and I guess the timing was perfect since we had no idea it would be this way when we began the process. Definitely time consuming, and costly even for two people, but we're looking forward to meeting people, starting jobs, and hopefully getting a chance to learn French as well. I haven't lived in snow for about 15 years, so this winter will certainly be interesting!

I had begun researching the process before the election as well but it was definitely an added push to get everything together and get my application in. Now that I have my COPR the only reason I haven't landed yet is the difficulty in securing a job. I've only been at it very seriously for about a month though, so I suppose I just need to have patience. I'm relocating alone and I just don't think I can take the risk of spending long unemployed.

 

[trumprefugee]

I had begun researching the process before the election as well but it was definitely an added push to get everything together and get my application in. Now that I have my COPR the only reason I haven't landed yet is the difficulty in securing a job. I've only been at it very seriously for about a month though, so I suppose I just need to have patience. I'm relocating alone and I just don't think I can take the risk of spending long unemployed.

Most people find it's much easier to find a job in Canada when you are a permanent resident who is already in Canada. You can begin the process from the US by posting your updated resume to the common Canadian job boards and networking in whatever way you can remotely, especially since first interviews are over the phone anyway, but it will be much easier when you're there.

 

[trumprefugee]

I just found this thread! My family and I have been working on this process for most of the year. And if I'm being frank, the election was a strong deciding factor in determining that we'd like to live abroad and let our children experience cultures outside of the USA.

Then again, we live in Texas. And in here politics are as red as they can get. Just recently they passed bills to allow students to bring guns into Universities. Because #reasons. And it can get a bit crazy once you step out of the cities (... so many Confederate Flags!!!).



I have to agree with this. This process is time consuming, exhausting, and costly. Especially for a family with kids. And that's without even considering how hard the job search process is. We're working on getting jobs, but will likely really jump into full gear on job search after we get Permanent Residency, since most jobs kind of require it to begin with. If don't have large amounts of motivation and determination, the resources, and the support network to help you with it, most will likely get disillusioned and stop during the process.

Welcome, @JERiv. It's nice to hear from another fellow American. As you might guess from my username, it was the election that gave me the idea of emigrating from the US, and I decided on Canada only in late March of this year. And yes, it is very difficult to find a job when you need visa sponsorship and are living outside of Canada. In general, only companies looking for very specialized skillsets or very senior level positions (C level executives) are willing to sponsor visas. So yes, it's best to wait until you are closer to getting permanent residence to look seriously for jobs. Where in the immigration process are you now?

 

[Mthornt]

Very true, I happen to get lucky, and found something at a distance but still had to travel to secure the job. I'd still like to find something a little closer to my location. Much easier to be in the area however.

Most people find it's much easier to find a job in Canada when you are a permanent resident who is already in Canada. You can begin the process from the US by posting your updated resume to the common Canadian job boards and networking in whatever way you can remotely, especially since first interviews are over the phone anyway, but it will be much easier when you're there.[/QUOTE

 

[trumprefugee]

Very true, I happen to get lucky, and found something at a distance but still had to travel to secure the job. I'd still like to find something a little closer to my location. Much easier to be in the area however.

Congrats! Where are you located now? Did you find your job before getting permanent residence and before you moved to Canada? What field are you working in?

 

[moose17]

Hi @JERiv! I'm also from a red state and my husband and I have a child. My story in short is I spent half my life thinking I'd be screwed out of insurance access by hereditary cancer (we've since found I didn't inherit the genetic defect) so we considered moving to Australia around 2012 but when my graduate degree fell through and the ACA helped some issues we left it alone. With the last election we saw that any permanent health care solution is far off and we don't want our daughter dealing with the crap (like job lock) and fears we have, and of course us not worrying about it is awesome too! Add in lower college costs and it's worth the higher cost-of-living to us. I'm sure you understand the aspect we have too, being in a red state, where we see mentalities that show that our representation and policies aren't likely to improve anytime soon ("I don't like these politicians but I could never vote for a *yuck* heathen corrupt Democrat!").

One issue we're facing now is telling family we're moving. Have you shared news on that yet? We're hoping support outweighs disappointment but it's a real crap shoot as to what reaction we get with a few people (some of whom supported Trump . . .). Having a young child they love makes it even more complicated

For jobs, my husband is planning to wait on applications until we have COPR papers and have our goods and goods to follow lists ready so he can go for interviews if he gets any. I won't apply until there because I won't be applying to jobs worth traveling for an interview (like I would even get one from here lol). And we have to figure out a day care before I can even think about working, which sounds like a whole other hassle.