Brutal Winter and a Jobless Immigrant family

[kh]

Get someone in Canada to post your pr card out. It's very common.

So it is possible, if I get accepted for PR, that all our family go to Canada, stay there for a week or so, and then everyone returns except me (to settle in).
This will be like a vacation for them.
Good.

...except that it will be quite expensive. :

 

[fkl]

So it is possible, if I get accepted for PR, that all our family go to Canada, stay there for a week or so, and then everyone returns except me (to settle in).
This will be like a vacation for them.
Good.

...except that it will be quite expensive. :

A few clarifications around above.

Once you become a PR, you are required to maintain minimum residency requirement. You can look at the details but it is basically total 2 years out of 5 that you have to be in Canada. So technically you can become PR, stay out of Canada for a few years and come back in time to complete your PR continuity requirements.

The PR card issued is for 5 years initially. Either you become a citizen before that (you need at least 4 out of 6 years for that currently though it might be reverted to old 3 out of 5 years required for citizenship).

Many people do quick landing (because once COPR is issued, it is at max valid for a year from the date of medicals) and its not easy for every one to permanently move with in a short time (Some times there is only a few months in between issuance of COPR and its expiry). So they visit here first, stay for a while (get health cards, credit cards, license etc. - go back and move permanently latter).

Please note that if you tell this to the officer upon landing (he would ask what is the purpose of your trip and you would say "landing as a PR", then he might ask how long do you plan to stay? If you say a couple weeks, he might not be happy and you need to convince them for your situation being genuine.

The above explanation i.e. not having much time to land and hence planned a short trip first and moving latter should be a reasonable answer. But be prepared that they might probe.

Please note that landing is the final step in becoming a PR and if CBSA officer is not satisfied with your intent they can still refuse / put questions whatever on that case.

Many people just don't say when they plan on going back. Some just dont get asked this separately.

So in the grand scheme of all above, planning an expensive vacation isn't the biggest of your concerns if you are serious about settling in Canada.

Often people get a PR, continue working in their existing jobs in home country to save more money and they move here latter so they have more room / time and money to settle.

Hope that helps

 

[Hansdza]

ALBERTA! Banff actually This is my picture taken walking to work one day:

Sweet lord.. I go to Banff every weekend during summer time just for an hour or two to enjoy the scenery. But to live and work there? hell no..

Kudos to you, the picture is spectacular there...

 

[kh]

A few clarifications around above.

Once you become a PR, you are required to maintain minimum residency requirement. You can look at the details but it is basically total 2 years out of 5 that you have to be in Canada. So technically you can become PR, stay out of Canada for a few years and come back in time to complete your PR continuity requirements.

The PR card issued is for 5 years initially. Either you become a citizen before that (you need at least 4 out of 6 years for that currently though it might be reverted to old 3 out of 5 years required for citizenship).

Many people do quick landing (because once COPR is issued, it is at max valid for a year from the date of medicals) and its not easy for every one to permanently move with in a short time (Some times there is only a few months in between issuance of COPR and its expiry). So they visit here first, stay for a while (get health cards, credit cards, license etc. - go back and move permanently latter).

Please note that if you tell this to the officer upon landing (he would ask what is the purpose of your trip and you would say "landing as a PR", then he might ask how long do you plan to stay? If you say a couple weeks, he might not be happy and you need to convince them for your situation being genuine.

The above explanation i.e. not having much time to land and hence planned a short trip first and moving latter should be a reasonable answer. But be prepared that they might probe.

Please note that landing is the final step in becoming a PR and if CBSA officer is not satisfied with your intent they can still refuse / put questions whatever on that case.

Many people just don't say when they plan on going back. Some just dont get asked this separately.

So in the grand scheme of all above, planning an expensive vacation isn't the biggest of your concerns if you are serious about settling in Canada.

Often people get a PR, continue working in their existing jobs in home country to save more money and they move here latter so they have more room / time and money to settle.

Hope that helps

Thanks for this response. Very helpful indeed. Didn't know that some people return to save money.

I was just joking about the vacations. I understand the risks and struggles of establishing one's self in a strange foreign land since I completed my education in the US, and then worked there too.

 

[zaynahdream]

I think the mistake we sometimes make in life is assume and rush in taking decision without having a master plan in place first. I am 35 years old with a lovely wife and a beautiful year old baby girl. We got our PR on March this year through express entry Saskatchewan nominated and had to land before January 2017. Am currently working and earning not too good but reasonable income monthly and so also is my wife. So after we got our PR, I decided not to rush in settling in Canada but focus on completing our landing before January 2017. We saved enough money to get us to Canada to complete our landing process and back to our country to prepare and have a plan in place before we finally move to settle.Thank God we did our landing on October 19 and return to our country after some few days. Of course you need to know someone in Canada in this case so that you can use his or her house address for your PR card process. Our card is ready as at yesterday and I have make arrangement with DHL to go and pick it up for me. Now that our PR process is fully complete, we have two years out of five years to stay in Canada to renew our PR card. So it means we have approximately three years to plan how we will move to settle permenantely in Canada. I will like to share with you our initial plan. Save enough money and after one year, I will first move to Canada without my wife and kid and then straight way enter colledge.I have done enough research about the course I want to pessue and if I manage to get the admission for the program, a company is ready to pay for my Tuition and other things for the two years program. Though the company is not promising work after completion but will most likely employ those who have completed that course. I have already apply for admission and the program start next year September and if by the grace of God I get the admission, I belief I will go for it. My wife and kid will finally join me after a year or two when I have familiarise myself with the Canadian environment. This is our first option, we are still looking at other options which will best help us integrate fast into the Canadian system and at the same time not regretting of the decision we have taken, after all we have three years to plan. As PR card holder we are open to so many opportunities and privileges we can take advantage of but it will all depend on how we have plan to approach it. My advice to you is that have a plan in place. Everybody story is different. Some people landed and within a month they got a job and others are not taking it easy at all in finding a job but you can let things go in your favour by drawing your own plan and working at it. My plan might be a little bit expensive and time involve and therefore might not be suitable for you but you can also draw your plan and work at it. Do not rush in taking such phsycological and emotional decision. Am 35 years and I don't want to enter Canada and go start from a work that ordinarily will not do in my country and be wasting more years all in the name of settling down. Am planing now to avoid that and I know we all can do a little better if we plan and not rush. Thank you.

good share, and im thinking of the same... will do the short landing by april 2017

 

[DEEPCUR]

For everyone who says they have three years to decide.. Will you continuously stay for the last two years without taking any vacation to home country ? God forbid, what if a situation arises where one gets some unavoidable reasons to visit home country for few weeks or so? Don't you feel entering when three years balance is a better idea?

 

[scylla]

For everyone who says they have three years to decide.. Will you continuously stay for the last two years without taking any vacation to home country ? God forbid, what if a situation arises where one gets some unavoidable reasons to visit home country for few weeks or so? Don't you feel entering when three years balance is a better idea?

Of course it's a bad idea to re-enter Canada after having been outside of Canada for three straight years. You're absolutely right, entering with three years to spare is a much wiser decision.

 

[nope]

Just want to get some understanding on these Settlement Agencies that are funded by the Government for Newcomers to Canada. They claim to provide free language lessons and help in newcomers landing employment. How true is that?

Personally, I think that the settlement agencies are of very minimal help. If you are qualified for a job, but don't know how to go about finding one, they will give you some obvious suggestions. They can help you develop your resume. They can give you a computer terminal to use to look for a job, but so will the local library. They can connect you with some real language courses, but you can find these yourself by going to local colleges. On the whole, though, their help is stuff that most people can do themselves. They are very good at encouraging you to find a survival job, but the people who work in them don't know enough about specific industries to help very much.

 

[viveks]

wondering after reading this thread if the original poster had some change in his luck. Earnestly hope so.

 

[baykus]

Personally, I think that the settlement agencies are of very minimal help. If you are qualified for a job, but don't know how to go about finding one, they will give you some obvious suggestions. They can help you develop your resume. They can give you a computer terminal to use to look for a job, but so will the local library. They can connect you with some real language courses, but you can find these yourself by going to local colleges. On the whole, though, their help is stuff that most people can do themselves. They are very good at encouraging you to find a survival job, but the people who work in them don't know enough about specific industries to help very much.

I have an objection here: settlement agencies might be very useful. First of all, resume is very very important! get professional help. Listen them, they know what they are doing.

Let me tell you about my personal experience. I registered an agency and they assigned me an advisor. She helped me on my initial resume and registered me for a professional connection program. it is a program where they teach a class of newcomers of similar professions how to prepare resume, how to interview, how to search jobs, how to cope with stress etc. it is a complete package. more important this classmates can be your first professional connections and also your first friends in Canada.

Then this agency found me a professional mentor. I cant explain how useful the mentorship program: volunteer professionals, they are in the business and they want to help you. what do you want more???. Then this agency provided me some free professional courses with free course materials and help me getting some critical certificates. Then I attended other courses, conversation circles with native speakers to improve my english / understand Canadian culture, there are some other group activities where you can socialize and learn about your city.

I am in Canada more than 1 year with a permanent job in my profession, and I am sure I can not manage this without help of my settlement/ immigration agency. Period.

 

[Aal_]

I have an objection here: settlement agencies might be very useful. First of all, resume is very very important! get professional help. Listen them, they know what they are doing.

Let me tell you about my personal experience. I registered an agency and they assigned me an advisor. She helped me on my initial resume and registered me for a professional connection program. it is a program where they teach a class of newcomers of similar professions how to prepare resume, how to interview, how to search jobs, how to cope with stress etc. it is a complete package. more important this classmates can be your first professional connections and also your first friends in Canada.

Then this agency found me a professional mentor. I cant explain how useful the mentorship program: volunteer professionals, they are in the business and they want to help you. what do you want more???. Then this agency provided me some free professional courses with free course materials and help me getting some critical certificates. Then I attended other courses, conversation circles with native speakers to improve my english / understand Canadian culture, there are some other group activities where you can socialize and learn about your city.

I am in Canada more than 1 year with a permanent job in my profession, and I am sure I can not manage this without help of my settlement/ immigration agency. Period.

How much money do u pay for such agencies?

 

[baykus]

How much money do u pay for such agencies?

These are government funded organizations. It is free.

 

[kryt0n]

But if your English is good enough to immigrate and you have the minimum funds needed, as well as being skilled in your noc... Do you really need that much help to settle?

 

[baykus]

But if your English is good enough to immigrate and you have the minimum funds needed, as well as being skilled in your noc... Do you really need that much help to settle?

I believe that everybody can settle without help. So you don't need. But professional help shortens the settlement period and increases the chance of landing a better job. There are some problems you may experience. Your english level might be very high but do you know canadian work environment? how to talk to your boss in Canada? How to call your superiors or how to write an email to your colleague? How to make small talks with people? If somebody tells you "it is a very unique approach!" about your work. Do you think it is a compliment?
What is your strategy when you are presenting yourself in front of recruiters and employes? Do Canadians look for deep and specific experience on one subject or wide and comprehensive experience on more subjects? Do you know your value in Canadian market? What is your sallary expectations? Do you know your rights and obligations in front of your employer? What will be your position if they ask you about your Canadian experience during an interview, what you can tell them? What is your weakness? If your answer is "being newcomer" or lack of canadian experience, do you believe you can get a job? Is it a good idea showing a survival job on your resume? Is it decrease your chance of getting a job in your profession? Million of questions. You can find answers by yourself or you can get a professiobal help.

 

[Alexios07]

I believe that everybody can settle without help. So you don't need. But professional help shortens the settlement period and increases the chance of landing a better job. There are some problems you may experience. Your english level might be very high but do you know canadian work environment? how to talk to your boss in Canada? How to call your superiors or how to write an email to your colleague? How to make small talks with people? If somebody tells you "it is a very unique approach!" about your work. Do you think it is a compliment?

What is your strategy when you are presenting yourself in front of recruiters and employes? Do Canadians look for deep and specific experience on one subject or wide and comprehensive experience on more subjects? Do you know your value in Canadian market? What is your sallary expectations? Do you know your rights and obligations in front of your employer? What will be your position if they ask you about your Canadian experience during an interview, what you can tell them? What is your weakness? If your answer is "being newcomer" or lack of canadian experience, do you believe you can get a job? Is it a good idea showing a survival job on your resume? Is it decrease your chance of getting a job in your profession? Million of questions. You can find answers by yourself or you can get a professiobal help.

Do settlement agencies really know how to perfectly answer all the above questions and is one of the main factors to help a newcomer landing a job? I mean most of them can be answered very easily with common sense. Like do you seriously don't know how to call your superior and write a business email?? If you had been working before coming to Canada, I bet you must know those basic job hunting skills. I, myself, found that most job hunting workshop in my university and other places are pretty useless as the majority of those info are freely available on the Internet, except for the Resume and Cover letter writing services.

You cannot land any job if you don't have the necessary skills for the job you apply to, no matter how many professional helps you get. I think this is the main reason why many new comers cannot land a job.



IMO, to land a job, the most important thing is, obviously, your skills. Yo