US-based applicants, let's connect here

[shalij12]

It takes a bit. But I would think you got though. Have you checked your online application status? If I remember correctly, our online application status updated hours before we got the e-mail.

@JERiv Thanks for your reply, I did check my online account it was not updated. I posted to make sure if there were any reason I might have submitted application incorrectly. I have been told it takes upto 24 hours before I receive notification so I shall wait.

 

[northern sunshine]

Hi All,

I have a CRS of 473 submitted my profile on March 16th, I dint receive any information if my application was picked or not on March 26th Draw. the cut off is 446 so My assumption is I should have. how long does it take for me to know if my application was picked?

Regards
Shalini

Always give them 24 hours-- invitations are issued throughout the day. "Invitations may be issued under these Ministerial Instructions during the period beginning on March 26, 2018, and ending on March 27, 2018."

 

[Arminder_1985]

Did anyone from US went to Canada for their medical tests? The price difference is huge, so wasn't sure if anyone has tried it or not.

 

[shalij12]

Always give them 24 hours-- invitations are issued throughout the day. "Invitations may be issued under these Ministerial Instructions during the period beginning on March 26, 2018, and ending on March 27, 2018."

I recieved my invite Thank you.

 

[JERiv]

Did anyone from US went to Canada for their medical tests? The price difference is huge, so wasn't sure if anyone has tried it or not.

We did ours in Canada during a road trip summer vacation.

PRO: It was totally worth it financially, since they're so much cheaper (family of 4).
CON: Per the doctor there, the risk is that if they have any issues with the test results they might want you to go back. (NOTE: If you're near the border I would think this wouldn't be a problem for you.)

Just make sure the place you're doing the tests has appointments available. The good/reputable places in Vancouver were booked while we were there. There was one doctor still available, but we found he had some very creepy reviews online. We ended up booking and doing all of our tests for the following week in Calgary on the way back to the USA.

 

[Arminder_1985]

We did ours in Canada during a road trip summer vacation.

PRO: It was totally worth it financially, since they're so much cheaper (family of 4).
CON: Per the doctor there, the risk is that if they have any issues with the test results they might want you to go back. (NOTE: If you're near the border I would think this wouldn't be a problem for you.)

Just make sure the place you're doing the tests has appointments available. The good/reputable places in Vancouver were booked while we were there. There was one doctor still available, but we found he had some very creepy reviews online. We ended up booking and doing all of our tests for the following week in Calgary on the way back to the USA.

I am in Seattle so travelling is not a problem, the only thing is to find a good doctor

Thanks for the confirmation.

 

[shalij12]

Hi I have few questions on PCC,

I see an option to apply online for FBI to receive PCC in US and the FInger prints suppose to be sent on Mail.

And For Indian Chicago, I am allowed to send documents through mail rather in person.

Has anyone done this process? or do you suggest going in person to Indian Embassy?

Regards
Shalini

 

[gotodxb]

Sooo.... adding to what @moose17 and @trumprefugee said...

1) I know Indians in particular think the USA is the Land of Opportunity. You've been sold this fallacy that just making it here you'll own a house, cars, be middle-class, make tons of money, and your kids will all become doctors and lawyers. Very, very few Americans actually ever get to achieve this. Much less immigrants that have to fight to even get some modicum of stability due to lack of permanent residency. It's a fantasy in this day and age. In the 1950s, an American (White only) straight out of high school could get a job without a college degree that would pay for his house, his stay-at-home wife, his kids' (heavily subsidized) education, his own (heavily subsidized) education if he later wanted to have it, and save up enough money for retirement. Nowadays, those very old folk think a kid graduating college with $100-200K in debt working at Starbucks, McDonalds, and Walmart because he/she can't get a job is a lazy person who just isn't working hard enough. It never crosses their mind that 2018 is NOT 1950, where the government subsidized almost everything, there was a much stronger social safety net, and White Americans didn't have to compete against anyone else because those undesirables (women or minorities) wouldn't be hired.

2) The social safety net of today in the USA is absolute garbage. About the only way you could think otherwise is if you came from a country where there is an even worse social safety net. In which case, you're comparing a rotten apple with a rotten banana. They're still both rotten and you wouldn't eat either of them unless they're your only choices and you're desperate.

3) As an immigrant in the USA, you won't even be able to really partake in the "American Dream" until you become a resident. And the USA immigration system is absolute hell. My wife has an uncle who is a PhD in Chemistry, has decades of work in the petrochemical industry, but it still took 20 years for him to get his green card. Twenty years. I've worked with a lot of Infosys and Cognizant folks (I worked in IT). If you tried to go the Green Card route and come here with an H1B visa while working it, you will likely be treated badly, worked like a slave, disliked by a lot of your peers (especially those who don't know you) because they'll think you're taking their jobs for lower pay, and you'd have to put up with it for a decade or two to even get a chance to become a permanent resident.

4) The minute something goes wrong (i.e. medical emergency, immigration snafu, job loss, you get accused of god knows what), you'll either go into a downwards spiral of debt and bankruptcy, or potentially be thrown out of the Country. Because there is no social safety net, and you're not a permanent resident. Plus you're at the mercy of the Federal Government, which routinely goes Republican and then treats immigrants (non-White ones in particular, somehow they're never worried about European immigrants) like some sort of parasite they need to expunge, even if only to keep their base of rabid ignorant bigots, who love to blame others who don't look like them, happy.

5) Depending on where you live, if your skin is dark (like mine, I'm Latino US born), you will feel the prejudice and racism. You could ignore it. But sometimes it gets weird. I've gone into restaurants and felt a hairs-in-the-back-of-your-neck-rising feeling of "you are not welcome". Interestingly enough, that was both in Connecticut and in Virginia, not here in Texas. In both cases, I was with my wife and asked her if she noticed anything weird in there, and in both cases, she said "I thought it was just me!" In some places, it's worse. I've driven though Texas, and there are Confederate Flags flying in cars, or plastered in windows in some places. For most minorities here in the USA, seeing a Confederate Flag is equivalent to a Jew seeing a Nazi flag. So although you might feel welcome in many places, you will also run into many others where you will be treated like a literal invader.

6) It's hard to explain to non-Americans just how horrifying the USA's morbid obsession with owning guns is. It's both horrifying and shocking. Unless you really love guns, until you're in a room with random folk who are openly carrying weapons, you won't really understand just how bad it can be. And anyone can get a gun here. Anyone. Heck, you can buy them at Walmart. Oh, but if you're a minority and openly carry a gun, be prepared to potentially be shot down by either police or a gun wielding "patriot" who thinks you're a shooter. Even if it's a toy gun (it's happened multiple times now). And both of them would walk free, because our justice system is heavily prejudiced. Look up "stand your ground" laws. Avoid any states that have them.

7) Racism, bigotry, and sexism are all alive and well here in the USA. Unless you're White and Male, you will likely have at least a somewhat hard time making it here. Not that racism, bigotry, sexism, and prejudice don't exist in other parts of the World. But if anyone thinks they don't exit here, they're sadly mistaken.

8) You'll also be running into some very weird, freaky religions here. Think "Children of the Corn"/"Stepford Wives"/flat-out brainwashed/prosperity gospel type stuff, or even weirder.

9) And lastly, things here change slooooowly. The USA government is structured in such a way that it encourages gridlock. I truly have no faith that things will change for the better in the next decade or two (or 4).

10) I just realized. I didn't even add, the thing that finally drove us over the edge is Trump. The man's a lunatic, and his supporters are worse. Even with all of the above, it's only when reality truly slaps you in the face that you realize that you've been sunk into a stupor for the past several decades, and you either need to act to get out of it or accept the status quo. For us, the path was of action, and that's why we're now proudly Canadian PRs.

... ok, got that out of my system.

Ok. The USA is not really that horrible a place to live. There are much worse places to live in. And once you make it in, it's not that bad a place. But there are better choices out there. And be aware that unless you make ungodly amounts of money in your lifetime, you will likely have a very hard time later in life trying to pay for your children's education, trying to retire, and trying to afford your elderly healthcare expenses. My wife and I joke that currently, we're part of what some folk call "White Socialism" (link to article on that below). As long as you belong, you may be ok, at least for now. The moment you fall off, heaven help you.

White Socialism explained: https://www.forbes.com/sites/chrisladd/2017/03/13/unspeakable-realities-block-universal-health-coverage-in-the-us

Summary: At least for us, that's why even though we're US citizens, we got our Canadian PR. We think the best thing we can do for our children is try to get them to Canadian Citizenship. Plus in Canada, we might actually be able to afford their college education, our own retirement, and our future medical expenses.

Thats right, if you don't like the country move out.. whats the point of staying in the country and complain on everything, bad for the mind and body..

 

[northern sunshine]

Thats right, if you don't like the country move out.. whats the point of staying in the country and complain on everything, bad for the mind and body..

Let's be fair-- many people do not have the resources or luxury to just leave their country and start life in a new one. Low-income individuals, people without a skilled trade or post-secondary education, and people who have medical problems will have a much more difficult time emigrating from their country than those who are better off. The concept of "if you don't like it, leave!" comes from a place of privilege, and people are allowed to be dissatisfied with their country or government. That's how we get people advocating for change, which is important to the development of a society. Imagine if everyone just left!

 

[JERiv]

Let's be fair-- many people do not have the resources or luxury to just leave their country and start life in a new one. Low-income individuals, people without a skilled trade or post-secondary education, and people who have medical problems will have a much more difficult time emigrating from their country than those who are better off. The concept of "if you don't like it, leave!" comes from a place of privilege, and people are allowed to be dissatisfied with their country or government. That's how we get people advocating for change, which is important to the development of a society. Imagine if everyone just left!

Exactly. We moved from one state to another about a decade ago. Our quality of life and finances improved drastically! I tried to convince others (friends, family, and colleagues) to also move to places they themselves liked that have a much better quality of life and usually much lower cost of living. That's when I learned why most people don't actually ever move out of the place they're born in. They don't want to leave their family, friends, job, kid's school, etc. That plus fear of actually making the jump. It's a pretty huge upheaval in folk's lives to relocate.

There really are a plethora of (sometimes) good reason why someone would stay put, even when considering just moving from one state to another. And emigrating to another Country is ridiculously harder than that.

 

[jannie.shaylah]

What should I add to travel history section if I am Indian citizen and currently residing and working in USA

 

[NewEraHorizon]

I am planning to do a short landing to Canada from US. For proof of funds would carrying US bank statements and credit, debit cards suffice ? Or do I need to carry cash.

Also is landing by boat (plan to land in Victoria) allowed ?

 

[mm062]

Hey guys.. quick help .. in personal activities section, if you were waiting for a job to start for a small period (a month), do you fill the activity type as unemployed?

 

[haniya.carielle]

Hey guys.. quick help .. in personal activities section, if you were waiting for a job to start for a small period (a month), do you fill the activity type as unemployed?

Yes system will not allow you to submit without it

 

[mm062]

Yes system will not allow you to submit without it

Thanks.. Appreciate the help!