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sonir

Champion Member
Apr 17, 2011
1,486
72
Job Offer........
Pre-Assessed..
LANDED..........
Yes
“The Canadian Dream” ( A nice read ...take it with a pinch of salt) ;)

We moved to Canada, our family of four, in July 2008. It is almost one year since we left Chennai airport and flew into Toronto with our PR cards in hand and looking for the end of the rainbow. Well, we haven’t found it yet.

Why have I titled this article, "The Canadian Dream"? Because if you are planning on moving to Canada, from India or the Middle East or wherever you live now, thinking that your life is going to be like what you see in foreign magazines or English movies . . . wake up . . . you are dreaming!!

We live in a relatively mixed neighbourhood. Indians, Canadians, Philippino’s and Pakistanis. We have met many Indians who have moved both from India and from other countries, especially the Middle East. One thing in common with nearly everybody you meet? Their opinion of having moved to Canada quickly becomes apparent. Conversations normally begin with, ‘So, have you found a job yet?’, or, ‘Are you still living in a basement?’

Let me set the picture straight: When you went for your PR card interview and the person behind the counter nodded and said the magic words, ‘Here is your visa’, like all of us, you must have breathed a huge sigh of relief. Glad that the stress of filling in all those forms, taking those endless Xerox copies and making all those pocket pinching money transfers is finally over! Now you can start booking your tickets and packing your bags!

You sell your assets, throw or give away your household goods, get your children’s transfer certificates from school and travel across the ocean to reach your dream destination.

Standing outside the airport, you get the first of many shocks. First - the weather. If you have landed anytime between the end of September and the beginning of April, the cold will hit you like a ton of bricks. Be prepared! The second shock? The taxi ride (unless you are lucky and know someone who is picking you up) to any place is going to cost you at least $60 CAN. Plus tip. If you have come with a ton of luggage….lucky you, you get to take two taxis, because most of them don’t have the space for our world famous, Indian luggage capacity! Remember, if you have also come with ten members of your extended family, each and every one of them is going to need a seat belt. So, forget the days of traveling in crammed up Ambassadors or cheap autos.

Once you get to where you are staying, jet lag will hit you. This is a good thing. This means that you will have your only good nights sleep in the near future, as you will be too tired to even think about the fact that you now have no job, no home and no income. Sweet dreams.

Day two of reality checks: The family member that you are staying with, who is still giving you that welcoming smile while handing you the mornings cup of coffee, is actually thinking, ‘When is this guy going to get a job, find a house and leave our house?’. So don’t get fooled by the smiles. Unless, that guy too happens to be an immigrant who moved just before you did, and is still staying in the same Uncles’ house that sponsored you plus the other four families.

You take the newspaper to read the ‘jobs wanted’ section. You circle the ones you think are interesting, the ones that require your skill and knowledge. The ones that will earn you the dollars you had been dreaming about.

You send out your resumes and give them your Uncles address and phone number. Then you wait. One week, two weeks and three weeks later . . . you think, ‘Okay, maybe the post office lost my letters. How come no one has called me for an interview??’.

Your name happens to be Dharminder Singh. Your Uncle suggests you change the name on your resume to, ‘Danny S’. The first week you get three calls.

The first interview morning, you are riding the bus with forty other people to get to the other side of the City. Remember, you don’t have a license to drive, or a car yet. If it is winter, you will be layered in two or three sets of clothing, boots, gloves and hat.

Let’s skip over to the interview. You shake hands; you sit down and then stand up again. You have been asked only one question, ‘Do you have any work experience in Canada?’ The second you say, ‘no’, the interview is over. You get back on the bus and head home. Oops. Your Uncle’s home.

Three interviews and rejections later, it slowly sinks in that maybe all your experience and qualification in India . . . are worthless here in Canada.

You quickly find out that all your neighbors are immigrants too, and the guy next door knows of an opening where he works. He can get you in. You don’t even have to know English or have any previous experience in Canada. Sounds good!

Your new place of work is huge! You get your own id badge and employee number. Maybe even a uniform! Then someone hands you a broom and asks you to start sweeping the floor before the customers come in. ‘What?’ you start to say, ‘But I have a PhD in physics and I worked for a car company in India for thirteen years’. But no one is listening, especially the lady with the Medical degree who is cleaning the table next to you.

When you first come to Canada, be mentally prepared to slide down the corporate ladder. From working at McDonalds or working at the airport as a security guard . . . you may just end up doing something like this for the first couple of years. It pays ok. Enough to put food on the table and . . . well that is it. If your spouse works too, now you are talking. Two incomes here can quickly get you out of your Uncle’s home and into a basement of your own. Then you work your way up, literally, to the upstairs of a home. Then someday, the entire home. By this time you would have gone through the process of failing a few driving tests, (no you cannot pay the guy Rs.200/- like you did back in India) and finally getting your license (another cause of great celebration here).

Then buying your first second hand car, putting your kids in the school that falls in the same housing district (and finding out that you live too close to the school and therefore are not eligible for the free bus service) and installing an un-authorized satellite dish.

Then the real Canadian dream starts – clearing your very own driveway of snow in winter, (clearing the same driveway of leaves in the fall), mowing the lawn, doing all the laundry, cooking and house cleaning by yourself. Because guess what? Your maid, driver and ironing guy are back in India, enjoying a cricket match on TV and telling their family about what a nice time you must be having in Canada!

And while you are doing all of the above, plus trying to fix that leaky kitchen pipe (a plumber will charge $100 just to have a look), telling your kid who gets no homework to go study something, and wondering what kind of cereal you want for breakfast . . . keep telling yourself that you are happy because you are now living the Canadian Dream . . . . . .

by Nalini Raj

Authors note: This article is a tongue in cheek story about what many Asians go through in Canada as new immigrants. Don’t despair. There are many nice things about Canada too, and you can check out what some of them are in my blog: www.chennai2canada.blogspot.com
 

mandiebraxton

VIP Member
Mar 7, 2011
3,653
439
sonir said:
“The Canadian Dream” ( A nice read ...take it with a pinch of salt) ;)

We moved to Canada, our family of four, in July 2008. It is almost one year since we left Chennai airport and flew into Toronto with our PR cards in hand and looking for the end of the rainbow. Well, we haven't found it yet.

Why have I titled this article, "The Canadian Dream"? Because if you are planning on moving to Canada, from India or the Middle East or wherever you live now, thinking that your life is going to be like what you see in foreign magazines or English movies . . . wake up . . . you are dreaming!!

We live in a relatively mixed neighbourhood. Indians, Canadians, Philippino's and Pakistanis. We have met many Indians who have moved both from India and from other countries, especially the Middle East. One thing in common with nearly everybody you meet? Their opinion of having moved to Canada quickly becomes apparent. Conversations normally begin with, ‘So, have you found a job yet?', or, ‘Are you still living in a basement?'

Let me set the picture straight: When you went for your PR card interview and the person behind the counter nodded and said the magic words, ‘Here is your visa', like all of us, you must have breathed a huge sigh of relief. Glad that the stress of filling in all those forms, taking those endless Xerox copies and making all those pocket pinching money transfers is finally over! Now you can start booking your tickets and packing your bags!

You sell your assets, throw or give away your household goods, get your children's transfer certificates from school and travel across the ocean to reach your dream destination.

Standing outside the airport, you get the first of many shocks. First - the weather. If you have landed anytime between the end of September and the beginning of April, the cold will hit you like a ton of bricks. Be prepared! The second shock? The taxi ride (unless you are lucky and know someone who is picking you up) to any place is going to cost you at least $60 CAN. Plus tip. If you have come with a ton of luggage....lucky you, you get to take two taxis, because most of them don't have the space for our world famous, Indian luggage capacity! Remember, if you have also come with ten members of your extended family, each and every one of them is going to need a seat belt. So, forget the days of traveling in crammed up Ambassadors or cheap autos.

Once you get to where you are staying, jet lag will hit you. This is a good thing. This means that you will have your only good nights sleep in the near future, as you will be too tired to even think about the fact that you now have no job, no home and no income. Sweet dreams.

Day two of reality checks: The family member that you are staying with, who is still giving you that welcoming smile while handing you the mornings cup of coffee, is actually thinking, ‘When is this guy going to get a job, find a house and leave our house?'. So don't get fooled by the smiles. Unless, that guy too happens to be an immigrant who moved just before you did, and is still staying in the same Uncles' house that sponsored you plus the other four families.

You take the newspaper to read the ‘jobs wanted' section. You circle the ones you think are interesting, the ones that require your skill and knowledge. The ones that will earn you the dollars you had been dreaming about.

You send out your resumes and give them your Uncles address and phone number. Then you wait. One week, two weeks and three weeks later . . . you think, ‘Okay, maybe the post office lost my letters. How come no one has called me for an interview??'.

Your name happens to be Dharminder Singh. Your Uncle suggests you change the name on your resume to, ‘Danny S'. The first week you get three calls.

The first interview morning, you are riding the bus with forty other people to get to the other side of the City. Remember, you don't have a license to drive, or a car yet. If it is winter, you will be layered in two or three sets of clothing, boots, gloves and hat.

Let's skip over to the interview. You shake hands; you sit down and then stand up again. You have been asked only one question, ‘Do you have any work experience in Canada?' The second you say, ‘no', the interview is over. You get back on the bus and head home. Oops. Your Uncle's home.

Three interviews and rejections later, it slowly sinks in that maybe all your experience and qualification in India . . . are worthless here in Canada.

You quickly find out that all your neighbors are immigrants too, and the guy next door knows of an opening where he works. He can get you in. You don't even have to know English or have any previous experience in Canada. Sounds good!

Your new place of work is huge! You get your own id badge and employee number. Maybe even a uniform! Then someone hands you a broom and asks you to start sweeping the floor before the customers come in. ‘What?' you start to say, ‘But I have a PhD in physics and I worked for a car company in India for thirteen years'. But no one is listening, especially the lady with the Medical degree who is cleaning the table next to you.

When you first come to Canada, be mentally prepared to slide down the corporate ladder. From working at McDonalds or working at the airport as a security guard . . . you may just end up doing something like this for the first couple of years. It pays ok. Enough to put food on the table and . . . well that is it. If your spouse works too, now you are talking. Two incomes here can quickly get you out of your Uncle's home and into a basement of your own. Then you work your way up, literally, to the upstairs of a home. Then someday, the entire home. By this time you would have gone through the process of failing a few driving tests, (no you cannot pay the guy Rs.200/- like you did back in India) and finally getting your license (another cause of great celebration here).

Then buying your first second hand car, putting your kids in the school that falls in the same housing district (and finding out that you live too close to the school and therefore are not eligible for the free bus service) and installing an un-authorized satellite dish.

Then the real Canadian dream starts – clearing your very own driveway of snow in winter, (clearing the same driveway of leaves in the fall), mowing the lawn, doing all the laundry, cooking and house cleaning by yourself. Because guess what? Your maid, driver and ironing guy are back in India, enjoying a cricket match on TV and telling their family about what a nice time you must be having in Canada!

And while you are doing all of the above, plus trying to fix that leaky kitchen pipe (a plumber will charge $100 just to have a look), telling your kid who gets no homework to go study something, and wondering what kind of cereal you want for breakfast . . . keep telling yourself that you are happy because you are now living the Canadian Dream . . . . . .

by Nalini Raj

Authors note: This article is a tongue in cheek story about what many Asians go through in Canada as new immigrants. Don't despair. There are many nice things about Canada too, and you can check out what some of them are in my blog: www.chennai2canada.blogspot.com
WOW....the best immigration article I have read by far....everything in there is true...so real but it is nice to know it is always the end which matters. None of us are under the illusion that it is going to be rosy in Canada, especially those who have had the opportunity to live abroad before emigrating to Canada. I wish everyone a successful 'Canadian Dream'....I intend to, by God's Grace.
Mandie
 

harry_aussie

Hero Member
Jun 16, 2011
889
46
Category........
Visa Office......
SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA
NOC Code......
6242
Job Offer........
Pre-Assessed..
App. Filed.......
27/05/2011
AOR Received.
25/07/2011
File Transfer...
15/08/2011
Med's Request
15/12/2011
Med's Done....
19/12/2011
Interview........
WAIVED !!!!!/ Casual interview with visa officer on 5/3/2012
Passport Req..
21/2/2012, submitted on 27/2/2012
VISA ISSUED...
1/3/2012, valid till 20/12/2012, collected on 5/3/2012
LANDED..........
Landed,16 September 2012
Very impressive article and very true. Good work Sonir +1 to put this up.
 

Louise-01

Hero Member
May 26, 2010
627
28
Job Offer........
Pre-Assessed..
Sachin Abraham said:

By his grace alone...

I recieved my MR/RPRF/PPR request yesterday by email.....

ahhh long last !!!

Kindly update the indian and international trackers...
Thanks
Congrats!

Kind regards,
Louise!
 

Louise-01

Hero Member
May 26, 2010
627
28
Job Offer........
Pre-Assessed..
sonu_rp said:
Finally today Passport/RPRF/PCC received by NDVO.

Please update in spreadsheet.


Regards,

Sonu
Great, hopefully you'll get PP with Visa back before Christmas!!!

Kind regards,
Louise!
 

BhaktiUjjwal

Hero Member
Mar 10, 2011
852
39
Toronto, Canada
Visa Office......
New Delhi
NOC Code......
4152 Social Workers
App. Filed.......
01/10/10
AOR Received.
08/03/11 (PER - from CIC)
IELTS Request
Sent with Application, Score 8 bands
File Transfer...
07/04/11 (AOR - from VO), RBVO 04/04/11; IP 02/12/11
Med's Request
06/02/12 (MR, RPRF, PCC & PPR)
Med's Done....
10/02/12
VISA ISSUED...
2/4/12
LANDED..........
16/5/12
MR?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? :mad: :-\ :'( :'( :'(
 

MowSow

Star Member
Jun 20, 2011
78
2
Los Angeles, CA
Category........
Visa Office......
Buffalo
NOC Code......
2121+3131
Job Offer........
Pre-Assessed..
App. Filed.......
20-04-2011
Doc's Request.
NONE
AOR Received.
PER 01-06-2011
IELTS Request
SENT W/APP
File Transfer...
RBVO 20-06-2011
Med's Request
WAITING
Med's Done....
DONE
Interview........
WAVED
Passport Req..
DONE
VISA ISSUED...
DONE
LANDED..........
FEBRUARY 2015
Re: Address disappeared today from ECAS

Cam1234 said:
Hi MowSow:

Thank you for your analysis, however, as I mentioned earlier, no one past "application received by" Sept of 2010 has ever gone "in process" at Buffalo VO in this forum. There is only the name of one applicant on the tracker, "Desiguy79" application submitted on 22nd of Oct 2010, who is colored as though he/she is in process. That is a mistake, Desiguy79 last posted on Canadavisa on March 16, 2010, and believe me he was not in process then... You can search his id and read his posts yourself.

I don't know where you get the other three candidates from Oct, Nov, and Dec, whom you say have gone "in process," the tracker does not show anyone else... I can tell you this, I have been here since the beginning of this forum and have read almost every post, and there are other applicants here from Buffalo VO who have done the same. If anyone had gone "in process" after Sept 2010 from Buffalo VO, we would know it... no one has.

As for the spread sheet analysis, yes I agree with you, the time to wait in every stage is reduced for applicants who applied in early 2011, as opposed to those who applied in mid to late 2010, as your analysis indicates. But unfortunately a spreadsheet can no longer be of relevance, because the process is not ongoing anymore, processing froze at Buffalo at the end of July 2011 and we have no idea when they will start processing again.

So here is my conclusion, while we have no idea when Buffalo will start processing applications again, it is certain in my opinion that you will not be waiting as long as I have, and your application will be processed faster. By how many months? The answer will only be a guess...

Thanks for bringing your ideas to the forum, it beats watching the paint dry :)
Cam
Here are the names from Nov/Dec 10 that has gone in process, directly from the file:
I am not sure why you keep saying no one past "application received by" Sept of 2010 has ever gone "in process" at Buffalo VO in this forum !!!?
Name NOC Visa Office Application received by CIO PER Issued (CIO) eCAS Status eCAS Status Date Last Updated
leodr 3112 Buffalo 18-Nov-10 25-Feb-11 IN PROCESS 11-Mar-11
Derekjeeter FSW2 Buffalo 7-Dec-10 3-Mar-11 IN PROCESS 8-Mar-11
justtheme FSW2 Buffalo 13-Dec-10 9-Mar-11 IN PROCESS 12-Aug-11

Am I missing something here ?
 

sonir

Champion Member
Apr 17, 2011
1,486
72
Job Offer........
Pre-Assessed..
LANDED..........
Yes
harry_aussie said:
Very impressive article and very true. Good work Sonir +1 to put this up.
thanks harry !!
thanks mandie !!( just felt like sharing this article with you guys ) :)
 

new_2_canada

Hero Member
Apr 25, 2011
247
6
123
New Delhi
Job Offer........
Pre-Assessed..
I had sent my application in July last week which reached there in first week of Aug. I had been trying to get the information about the application but was not able to get to the person on Phone. I received my application back 2-3 days ago and was marked as incomplete, the reason given was the Pictures are not included, but I had stapled the pictures (Put in a clear Plastic pouch) to the checklist I had included but the have sent me a fresh checklist marking the missing picture. The strange part is they have also sent my old checklist in the package and the pictures were still stapled to it.

Any advice if we can do anything about it. My category is 0631 and the cap has reached for the same.

Is there a chance for this category to come in list next year?

The application I received has a UCI number written on it by a pencil is the same updated in their records and do I need to mention the same when I apply again? Does CIC keeps the records of the documents I had sent, I ask this because if they keep a record then I may be able to send the Open transcript from my university and experience letters, without getting the same again from them.

I hope to get the response so I can prepare my application again.
 

spicysank

Hero Member
Apr 2, 2011
903
144
Toronto, ON
Category........
Other
GUYS GUYS GUYS !!!!!!
GOT THE VISA :D :D :D :D

Very Happy today. And thanks to all people from the forum who have by my side....... and kept me informed...

Love You guys .... :-* :-* :-* :-*

Spicysank
 

new_2_canada

Hero Member
Apr 25, 2011
247
6
123
New Delhi
Job Offer........
Pre-Assessed..
spicysank said:
GUYS GUYS GUYS !!!!!!
GOT THE VISA :D :D :D :D

Very Happy today. And thanks to all people from the forum who have by my side....... and kept me informed...

Love You guys .... :-* :-* :-* :-*

Spicysank
Congratulations on getting the Visa