A single mom with 2 kids... survival issue!!

[mepak]

I have two kids, one school going and other one year old who cant be left alone at home . I , by profession, am a doctor working in Pakistan . I will be landing in harsh weather of Canada in November. I have few queries that are requested to be answered.

1. If I bring expenses for initial three months, is it possible for me to survive on the kids benefits if I get them. without any additional funds?

2. Is it possible for me to do any sort of a job where I can keep my one year kid in adjacent free daycare? Like I wont mind working as a helper, or anything, only if they provide me a place to keep my child , as my major issue is of survival.

3. In Torronto, are libraries or some place keep the kids when their mothers are away?...for free I mean. I have no relative to whom I can leave my kids with.


I would be waiting anxiously for some kind answer

 

[scylla]

1. Are you asking if the child/kid benefits you receive monthly will be enough to cover all of your family's expenses in Canada? If so, the answer is no, they definitely won't be - not even close. You will need additional funds.

2. The only job I can think of that matches your description is if you yourself work at a day care and have your child attend the same day care. It is sometimes possible to find a job where there is a day care located in the same building or very close by. However the day care won't be free.

3. No - not for free.

 

[mepak]

I appreciate the brief yet clear response.

Do I need some special training or a formal course to get a job in some daycare ?

 

[luqi]

if you are a RMP in pakistan. you should try for canadian nurse license in this way you can easily get a good job in a hospital (just an advise for your quick job). but i believe your first year in canada will be a tough one for the rest of the time you'll easily get a job. i've seen many doctors who migrated and get a job in hospitals in canada.

 

[amikety]

Just to add - some nanny jobs will allow you to bring your own child. You must be clear with an potential employer you are only seeking jobs where your child can come as well. You may want to look for jobs with children around the age of your child. The parents seem to think more positively when there's a playmate around their child's age. Their biggest question to you - will you treat my child the same as yours. The answer - I will treat your child like my favorite niece/nephew.

Job titles - Live-out nanny, nanny, mother's helper.

Pay for these jobs is not very high. If you're also bringing your own child, you can expect minimum wage or near minimum wage (but you save the costs of daycare).

ALSO, you can probably apply for childcare subsidy. It varies by province, but in Alberta, you are allowed to use childcare subsidy for work, university, and job interviews/hunting. They base it off your income. There is usually a small co-pay regardless of how little you make. They may also require you to list amount in savings, which you should do honestly. Failure to report income/funds to the province can result in them pulling any and all benefits and not giving them back (we know someone this happened to - she lied and got caught). So I would suggest being as honest as possible.

 

[on-hold]

If she has a medical degree, she can't work as a registered nurse -- they are different professions. If she wants to work as a health aid or an LPN, this will require extensive retraining (which varies by province), and often the pay is not very much above minimum wage. Different provinces have different degrees of subsidy for retraining, and not all of them are immediately available. As for child benefits, these are going to depend on her income over the past year in Pakistan; if she is a doctor, it is entirely possible that she is not going to qualify for the more extensive benefits.

As for working in day care, different provinces regulate this differently. The kind of informal arrangement you mention is possible, I've seen it here, but it probably depends on having contacts -- this is, however, something that you can look into from Pakistan. Find a list of registered day cares, and start getting in touch with them.

Immigrating with young children is extremely challenging -- I strongly recommend that she review every aspect of her plans: season, where she's landing, day care, etc. Different provinces subsidize day care to different degrees (for example, in Alberta the province will pay a maximum of ~$540 out of a monthly bill of $720. Quebec is perhaps more generous, I don't know about Ontario. The original poster should analyze rents, day care expenses, and the different pathways to a medical degree by province, and figure out what makes sense. Of course, if she has relatives in Toronto that will probably trump everything else. I admire your courage! Good luck.

 

[mepak]

Thanks for the suggestions and giving me a true overview.

I think it would be better for me to land there for a month or so , so that I fulfil the basic requirement and then come back and go there again when the little one grows up enough to be left alone. With an empty pocket , moving around in an expensive country sounds a bit unrealistic, keeping the challenges of weathers, and acquiring a job with a kid on my shoulder.

Still thanks for the guidance. I appreciate the ease by which you clear up your queries, just by sitting in front of a table.....which kept teasing me for months.

God bless ya all

 

[amikety]

If you have someone reliable and trustworthy to leave your kids with for a few months, that may be a good idea. Of course, it will be heartbreaking. You and the kids will miss each other terribly, but it may be better in the long run. Only you can decide what's best here.

Just keep in mind, you cannot apply for any type of childcare benefits/subsidies until the children are physically living with you.

on-hold makes a good point. Doctor training and nursing training are very different. Not nearly the same thing. They are even taught to make a diagnosis differently. As far as wages go, for example, in Alberta, min wage is $9.91. Healthcare Aide makes about $14/hour. LPN pay is $18/hour. Average wages for all jobs in Alberta is $25/hour. Can a mother with two kids make it on $14/hour? Sure.... but will it be fun? No, not at all.

Of course, that's my opinion. I know of people who makes $12/hour, love their jobs, and are very happy - but that's not for me.

 

[InfoSeeker12]

And one more thing. Guys correct me if im wrong, but I believe that you are given a period of 1 year to land in Canada, from the date your Resident Visa is issued.


So MEPAK, if your resident visa has been issued recently, you have 12 months to choose. Can you land earlier or later? In Alberta, i guess you would be ok if you land in end April or May. Spring is already there.

Or land a bit early, Perhaps in September/October. Its still not that bad as in November/December. Cuz yes, in Calgary it does get harsh. Edmonton is more harsh than Calgary.

 

[banrad]

The validity of immigration visa is usually 1 year calculated from the date of medical checks, not visa issuance.
To be sure, one should check the expiry date stated in the visa.

 

[mepak]

Thanks. I really appreciate it for making me more clear about very important decisions.

 

[Pippin]

I see a huge problem here. You have to be IN Canada for two years out of every rolling five years in order to maintain your PR. You say you may decide to leave and come back when your baby is old enough to be left alone. There is NO WAY you can do this. Children must be in the care of a responsible adult/babysitter at all times. You could be charged with neglect and your children removed to foster care. You would also need to factor in additional care if your school-aged child is under 12 (and that is not a legal age, but if a 12 year old is mature enough and responsible, it is an accepted age for child minding or staying alone for reasonable periods of time.) It does sound like a solo trip would be a good decision.

 

[donutbox]

.....It does sound like a solo trip would be a good decision.

Actually, given the situation, it sounds like the best decision.

 

[Vats]

There are many PG houses available in different locations. If you can find some family suits to your family whom you can trust and stay there as PG, you can leave your child there with them (mostly in that type PG house husband does job and wife not doing and they need PG to have some income to componsent that)
you may think this option
btw none childcare are free, rather much costly

 

[steaky]

Can't you invite someone in Pakistan to come to Canada to look after your children while you are at work?

BTW, IKEA stores does have a controlled-access supervised playroom facility for shoppers to leave their toddlers in a safe area for free while they do their shopping for a short period of time. There is a IKEA store in the intersection of Provost and Sheppard Avenue East in North York. Perhaps the above posters who replied are not aware of this service offer by IKEA!