Feel so unhappy after moving to Canada

[smileyou1234]

Hi,

I already got my PR here. However, after I moved to this country, I feel so depressed! I rezlized it is very difficult to get a job here. I had a good job and made good money back home. It looks like that going back to do my profession I need to go back to school and take several exams. Now I am sitting home every day,and I have been sending out many resumes but no luck at all!!These days, I feel strongly to move back home becasue I am not happy with my lifestyle in Canada. I don't know what to do? The face is that I am married and my husband is nice to me, but I just don't feel happy at all, and this depressing feeling is getting worse. Is there anyone feeling the same way as me?

 

[scylla]

What city do you live in? Have you taken advantage of any government funded programs that assist newcomers in integrating into the Canadian workforce? Are you networking with people in you profession?

 

[draxz1289]

Hi,

I already got my PR here. However, after I moved to this country, I feel so depressed! I rezlized it is very difficult to get a job here. I had a good job and made good money back home. It looks like that going back to do my profession I need to go back to school and take several exams. Now I am sitting home every day,and I have been sending out many resumes but no luck at all!!These days, I feel strongly to move back home becasue I am not happy with my lifestyle in Canada. I don't know what to do? The face is that I am married and my husband is nice to me, but I just don't feel happy at all, and this depressing feeling is getting worse. Is there anyone feeling the same way as me?

Hey,

One of the key way or sure shot way (I would like to think of it) to get a job is through networking, though every profession is different but sending out resume wont always help so supplement it by networking and attending industry events. Don't know which city you are in but as scylla mentioned there are government funded programs to assist newcomers. Networking events also happen by professions so search for those.

One key thing which helped me was asking for informative meetings through LinkedIn and you wont imagine how people are friendly and want to help, I was able to meet different level of professionals in my field including a president of a big company all for a price of coffee and I got hired this way.

YMCA offer free job hunting, resume clinic etc
www.accesemployment.ca/ is another one
The job bank is also a good resource - www.jobbank.gc.ca/

Book - "What Color Is Your Parachute?" really helped me

Hope that helps.

 

[Snowisland]

Volunteer work can lead to good networking. In addition you will be helping your community and not be bored.
Starting to take those classes you mentioned might also help you to meet others who can give you employment leads.
I wish you the best.

 

[Aquakitty]

If it were me I'd be going back to school and jumping through the hoops needed to get employed in my profession asap. It sounds like that is the major issue here, you need to get back to doing something that gives you goals. Trust me, as someone on disability, it is very easy to get depressed if you sit at home doing nothing.

It sucks you have to go through more to become employed doing what you like, but nothing you can do about it but get it over with and continue with your life.

 

[keesio]

Hi,

I already got my PR here. However, after I moved to this country, I feel so depressed! I rezlized it is very difficult to get a job here. I had a good job and made good money back home. It looks like that going back to do my profession I need to go back to school and take several exams. Now I am sitting home every day,and I have been sending out many resumes but no luck at all!!These days, I feel strongly to move back home becasue I am not happy with my lifestyle in Canada. I don't know what to do? The face is that I am married and my husband is nice to me, but I just don't feel happy at all, and this depressing feeling is getting worse. Is there anyone feeling the same way as me?

My wife was depressed when she first moved here. She left her friends, family, job all behind to come here. Even though we were together, she was depressed because she was new to the country and she needed to get her education recognized and get licensed here to work (having to take multiple exams and courses). It was hard. But she stuck with it and now a year and half later she is licensed and working in a job that was better than the one she had before. She joined study groups for people in the same boat as her who need to take the same exams and now many of them are her good friends. She also became friends with my friends and also met new ones at her new job. In addition to studying, she passed the time volunteering at locations related to her job to build connections. One of the places she volunteered gave her a good reference. Hang in there, it will get better!

 

[harpreet470]

Hi smileyou1234

Trust me you are not alone who is feeling that way.... almost everyone who first moves to a new country goes through a same phase... it's called culture shock... you can also google it

Its just because you moved to a new place with new people, new culture, new lifestyle and moreover you left your family, friends and job behind and you miss everything

Just give it sometime and as everyone suggested try to network with people in your profession and it will help you alot..

Just stick with it and I hope you will start liking your new life soon... all the best

 

[Sarim]

your post made me worried :-\

 

[DanSlh]

You are not the only one.
You miss your job. I miss my freedom.
I love the fact that I finally am with my wife, but neither I nor her, likes the way people treats us here.
Just because we have lots of tattoos and piercings, and my hair is very long, we're seem like animals.
She have her job, I still working with the same company I used to work for the past five years, but still really sucks when the government takes 34% of my payiment.
Theses days I was walking and an old lady made a "cross sign" when she saw me and said "you need a priest".
Everyone here wants to know about what the couple next door is doing.
I don't know if this happens in all places in Canada, but here, in Montréal, it happens a lot.
We are seriously thinking about going back to our home country. The only problem is her family. We don't want them away from her. We will give a shot, a year or two and will see how things will develop. But now, I really hate this place.

 

[keesio]

I'm surprised you are experiencing such bad attitude in a large (and generally open minded) city like Montreal. That kind of behavior would be more common in smaller towns or suburb areas. I live right downtown in Toronto. Tattoos and piercings are not a big deal. And in some areas (like Kensington Market area or Queen ST W), it is common to see. But I will admit that if you head outside of the downtown core, it will become more uncommon and you would get some looks.

 

[Aquakitty]

You are not the only one.
You miss your job. I miss my freedom.
I love the fact that I finally am with my wife, but neither I nor her, likes the way people treats us here.
Just because we have lots of tattoos and piercings, and my hair is very long, we're seem like animals.
She have her job, I still working with the same company I used to work for the past five years, but still really sucks when the government takes 34% of my payiment.
Theses days I was walking and an old lady made a "cross sign" when she saw me and said "you need a priest".
Everyone here wants to know about what the couple next door is doing.
I don't know if this happens in all places in Canada, but here, in Montréal, it happens a lot.
We are seriously thinking about going back to our home country. The only problem is her family. We don't want them away from her. We will give a shot, a year or two and will see how things will develop. But now, I really hate this place.

Damn, I'm really sorry you are experiencing that. I live in a small town, and while we have rednecks, everyone I know is really open-minded. Around here there are many people who have tattoos and piercings. I had dreadlocks and piercings for a long time and never got a bad comment. Maybe BC has a different attitude, I don't know. I have never been farther east than Manitoba, but I always thought Montreal was a really culturally diverse city.

But I have to say, culture shock is a real thing. Even when I lived in Fresno CA for 6 months, it was so different from home I had some trouble feeling comfortable there. You haven't been here that long either, so some of it might be mental.

 

[DanSlh]

When I'm walking in downtown, as Keesio said, it's a bit better.
No one give a ... not even a small looking.
I tought it would be like "multi cultural open minded" just as you guys are saying, but I was wrong.
Maybe if we try in a different city things don't go this way.
I'm trying not to be negative and still trying to help members of this forum not sharing this experience.
But I'm really, really sad about people in real life here.

 

[DanSlh]

Btw, +1 for both of you.
Thanks for not throwning me stones about my impressions here

 

[hillaryh]

Hi,

I already got my PR here. However, after I moved to this country, I feel so depressed! I rezlized it is very difficult to get a job here. I had a good job and made good money back home. It looks like that going back to do my profession I need to go back to school and take several exams. Now I am sitting home every day,and I have been sending out many resumes but no luck at all!!These days, I feel strongly to move back home becasue I am not happy with my lifestyle in Canada. I don't know what to do? The face is that I am married and my husband is nice to me, but I just don't feel happy at all, and this depressing feeling is getting worse. Is there anyone feeling the same way as me?

You are not alone !! I'm also having a VERY hard time adjusting here from the US and I am also very unhappy here so far. My depression and anxiety has been at an all time high having to deal with this ridiculous application process. I absolutely hate not working and not being near my family. Luckily my husband wants to live in the US so we will eventually start the process for him.

 

[Panamai]

I understand completely! I am a Licensed Practical Nurse in the US, but Canada (Ontario) will not accept my education and allow me to work as a Registered Practical Nurse. My options are to go to school for practical nursing again, the entire program from scratch, which will take two years or I could just go to university and get my bachelor's in nursing and work as a Registered Nurse, which takes four years. It's really hard for me knowing that when I get my PR, I can't work as a nurse. I've been nursing for 13 years and it's all I know! I have no idea what kind of job I can get with all this experience, but no license. If I don't get my PR soon, I will have to wait until 2017 to start university. I'm hoping to get in for Fall 2016, but I have two high school courses I have to take to be up to Ontario standards and the deadline to apply is February 1st. Best case scenario, I can return to my career in 2020.. 7 years after moving to Canada. Yes, my anxiety and depression are at an all time high. I've got an appointment to see a psychologist next week. It's really getting to me. I never expected the standards to be so different between these two countries.

I hope you find work soon. Networking is for sure a good thing, if you're extroverted enough to do it. Look around for those newcomer help agencies. They will look over your qualifications and match you to a job that fits. I also highly suggest going back to school, if it's financially possible for you. I know it's a long road, but it will be worth it in the end. I keep telling myself that.

And for Dan, I have never been to Montreal, but my brother-in-law lived there for a few years. I've always gotten the impression that people there are more judgmental than in most large cities. He lives in Toronto now and we've visited him several times. People there are so very diverse and open-minded from what I've seen. Before you give up and move back home, see if you can give Toronto a chance. I think you'll find it a lot more accommodating and accepting. Good luck!