US-based applicants, let's connect here

[Lovely_Wings]

Hi all - glad this thread exists

I JUST submitted my application for permanent residency today. The only thing missing was the FBI police clearance. I wrote a letter explaining why. No idea why the FBI needs 3-3.5 months.

My situation seems a bit different from others in that I am not a US citizen or permanent resident. I am a foreign national who has been on study and work visas in the U.S. since 2001. I just wasn't able to convert to a green card, and didn't find anyone I was willing to marry for L.O.V.E. who also happened to have green card/citizenship. An employer tried to file for me, and it was a fairly traumatic experience, and I still didn't get it. I have had to deal with "job lock" for several years - staying in jobs and companies that are toxic because my legal status was tied to that particular job. Trump's election was the final straw, but I already considered trying for express entry months before, but the cut off mark seemed really high. Once I realized it had dropped this summer, I was ecstatic and started working on my application. I am really hoping I get accepted by early summer next year. Because in the meanwhile I applied to and was accepted to a top Canadian MBA program . I won't share which one to protect my identity, but its in the top 3. If I get residency early enough, I may be eligible for the permanent residency tuition. That would be incredible.

I'm really hoping this works out for me.

 

[tjsecondtry]

@tjsecondtry , what sites and facebook groups are you using for housing? I found a realtor who's promising but their listings seem to be pricier than some other places I've seen (but they include more so ? but it's intimidating possibly/probably not having jobs initially).

I'm mostly in a research phase. Because I only need a week in early January, I'd like to start renting Feb 1. That's too soon for most listings I've seen.

Craigslist, Kijii, Padmapper, View it. Responding to three or four to understand about parking.

I figured I'd see how responsive people were before talking to a realtor.

 

[tjsecondtry]

I have heard that many Canadians use kijiji a lot, as well as craigslist and viewit. I have also heard that it is easier to find a sublet situation in the beginning when we don't have jobs or credit. I also recently joined a Toronto housing facebook group. You can PM me for the link. It would be nice to have some house hunting discussions.

I have also been looking at craigslist sublets, but there isn't much there where I want to be.

 

[trumprefugee]

I'm mostly in a research phase. Because I only need a week in early January, I'd like to start renting Feb 1. That's too soon for most listings I've seen.

Craigslist, Kijii, Padmapper, View it. Responding to three or four to understand about parking.

I figured I'd see how responsive people were before talking to a realtor.

Hmm, what start dates are most listings asking for? Over here in New York it's common to start looking a month or less in advance, especially for the better sublet deals, so it would be good to know how far in advance one needs to look in the Toronto market.

 

[tjsecondtry]

Hmm, what start dates are most listings asking for? Over here in New York it's common to start looking a month or less in advance, especially for the better sublet deals, so it would be good to know how far in advance one needs to look in the Toronto market.

Most is 1 month or less. A few Jan 1. No Feb 1 yet.

BTW, I requested to join the facebook housing group.

 

[tjsecondtry]

I'm mostly in a research phase. Because I only need a week in early January, I'd like to start renting Feb 1. That's too soon for most listings I've seen.

Craigslist, Kijii, Padmapper, View it. Responding to three or four to understand about parking.

I figured I'd see how responsive people were before talking to a realtor.

Padmapper has been useless, because if you ask about a place, you get a response from a realtor saying it's already taken but give me your budget and requirements...

 

[moose17]

FYI TD Bank is now offering a $200 bonus on its Cash Rewards credit card, better than the $150 I got last year:
https://www.tdbank.com/personalcreditcard/cashrewardscard.html?cm_sp=b000-00-3241-TNT

Not sure how long it will take to find and get approved for a Canadian credit card or get a bonus offer on one, but at least this one and a couple other US ones I got (with bonus offers) don't have foreign transaction fees. I'm thinking it's best to use a US credit card with no foreign transaction fee until I get a good Canadian credit card.

We already get no foreign transaction fees through an account I keep at a credit union just for when we travel out of the country and I don't have the bandwidth for adding another credit card right now. Plus, if I can find a place that takes my Discover Card, they don't do foreign transaction fees either. Once in Canada we're probably going to do the TD newcomer package which if I remember right comes with a credit card (I'm going to miss those Discover rewards . . . why isn't there a broken heart emoji here?).

Good luck, @Lovely_Wings ! It sounds like you've gone through hell trying to stay here - I hope this gives you the chance to finally settle down without worry!

@tjsecondtry , calling is my next tack but I was hoping to get a sense of the situation first. I'm also worried I'll shoot myself in the foot somehow talking to them.

We're just overall in a pinch of sorts since we'll be moving a whole household and would strongly prefer just getting right into our own place and not having to put things into storage before moving into a longer-term rental. But the need many places seem to have for proof of income makes that messy, but then if we get a job prior to moving we'll have that but little time to look!

 

[trumprefugee]

Most is 1 month or less. A few Jan 1. No Feb 1 yet.

BTW, I requested to join the facebook housing group.

Ah, that's similar to New York and other big cities (posting a month or less in advance of having a place available for rent). At the beginning we all had admin privileges in the facebook group to approve people, but apparently mine has been taken away and only 2 Indians now are admins. So they should approve you after they wake up in their morning

 

[tjsecondtry]

Hmm, what start dates are most listings asking for? Over here in New York it's common to start looking a month or less in advance, especially for the better sublet deals, so it would be good to know how far in advance one needs to look in the Toronto market.

I wouldn't mind finding a classmate with a budget similar to mine to share a 2 bed 2 bath. However., school has not provided us with class lists yet. I'm being pretty picky location wise. Safety is a prime concern as classes run until 9:30 pm, and study groups may even be later.

 

[trumprefugee]

Padmapper has been useless, because if you ask about a place, you get a response from a realtor saying it's already taken but give me your budget and requirements...

That sounds like a bait and switch!

Someone in the whatsapp group also mentioned roomster which also seems to be useless. I have seen it spammed for years and signed up a few years ago and never got anything.

 

[trumprefugee]

I wouldn't mind finding a classmate with a budget similar to mine to share a 2 bed 2 bath. However., school has not provided us with class lists yet. I'm being pretty picky location wise. Safety is a prime concern as classes run until 9:30 pm, and study groups may even be later.

From what I've heard, there aren't any ghettos the way there are in the US, so theoretically you should be safe. But I would also like confirmation and details, given that I am a night owl who always ends up coming home late (like midnight or later).

 

[tjsecondtry]

We already get no foreign transaction fees through an account I keep at a credit union just for when we travel out of the country and I don't have the bandwidth for adding another credit card right now. Plus, if I can find a place that takes my Discover Card, they don't do foreign transaction fees either. Once in Canada we're probably going to do the TD newcomer package which if I remember right comes with a credit card (I'm going to miss those Discover rewards . . . why isn't there a broken heart emoji here?).

Good luck, @Lovely_Wings ! It sounds like you've gone through hell trying to stay here - I hope this gives you the chance to finally settle down without worry!

@tjsecondtry , calling is my next tack but I was hoping to get a sense of the situation first. I'm also worried I'll shoot myself in the foot somehow talking to them.

We're just overall in a pinch of sorts since we'll be moving a whole household and would strongly prefer just getting right into our own place and not having to put things into storage before moving into a longer-term rental. But the need many places seem to have for proof of income makes that messy, but then if we get a job prior to moving we'll have that but little time to look!

For long term we were considering pods, where you can get 1 to move stuff for a smaller temporary space and the other goes to storage.

 

[tjsecondtry]

From what I've heard, there aren't any ghettos the way there are in the US, so theoretically you should be safe. But I would also like confirmation and details, given that I am a night owl who always ends up coming home late (like midnight or later).

I would like to keep my walking to a minimum at night. TTC proximity is a must if I can't get walking distance to classes.

 

[trumprefugee]

I would like to keep my walking to a minimum at night. TTC proximity is a must if I can't get walking distance to classes.

Yeah, TTC proximity is a must for me long term as well, as I hate to drive and don't plan on having a car.

 

[tjsecondtry]

Yeah, TTC proximity is a must for me long term as well, as I hate to drive and don't plan on having a car.

It's too bad you aren't ready to move, lol.