Landed four months ago - Experience so far

[nimesh1486]

@greengoo5 Hi, I have gone through your posts and they are really inspiring. I have a few queries before I plan my travel from India. I intend to land in Dec 2017/ Jan 2018.
1. Which is a better private insurance plan for the first 3 months?
2. Since I do not have any relatives in Canada, it would be great if you could suggest some place for accommodation in my initial days. I plan to find some place in Toronto and have started searching on Airbnb, can you suggest some specific areas.

Thanks in advance.

 

[canuck78]

I would initially try to find somewhere close to the subway line so you can get around the city efficiently and without it being too expensive.

 

[GargiS]

I've been a long time lurker of this forum. I don't post often but do have a habit of checking out threads quietly. Figured I should contribute by sharing my experience in Canada.

Back Home
I'm from India. In mid 20s. Did well academically. MBA from a top 10 school. Amazing job right out of college that paid well. 15ish Lacs/annum if you're curious. Two years later, I'm working as a manager with a 50% bump in salary. Lived at home with parents so didn't even have to pay rent. To summarize it, I was doing well. Very well.

Express Entry and PR
I had been in the pool since Jan-15 when Express Entry started. Got my three years of experience and got an invite in early 2016. I started browsing the forums after almost four months of getting my AOR. I didn't really need help with respect to the application process as I followed all the rules by the letter and had a pretty clear cut case. My process closely followed the norms. BG change after a few months. PPR slightly before the onset of the seventh month in Oct-16. Sent passports to the High Commission and received it back within a week. Booked my tickets and landed in Canada in Nov-16. Had an address in hand at the airport so applied for PR Card then and there only. The process was slow due to Christmas. Received a mail in January asking for fresh photographs. Received the PR Card in early Feb.

Canada
I am fortunate enough to have a family in Canada. I have a brother and a close uncle living in Canada for quite some time now.
Landed in mid Nov-16. Having slogged for 3+ years at my previous corporate finance job, I decided to chill for a good period of time. There's little hiring in December anyways. Really enjoyed my time. It was cold, but it was fun. Everything clad in white is a sight for the eyes which haven't witnessed snow in their life. With good gear, it's much easier to tolerate. Snowball fights as a grown man are even more fun...you miss less shots. I explored the beauty of the country side, the tall buildings of downtown Toronto and the history that the small towns have to offer. My vacation was fun but hardly did I know that it'd get stretched longer than I had initially thought.

Come 2017 and I started looking for work. I have a commerce degree with an MBA. I have also passed all three levels of the CFA exam. A year or two ago, my brother had shown my resume to a few people and everyone was of the opinion that I'd get a job fairly easy. Boy oh boy. I took it easy at first. Applying to a few jobs, relaxing for the rest of the day and spending time with the family. Slowly it dawned on me that it'd require much more effort than what I was putting in. I went gungho and started applying to a LOT of jobs everyday. But I'd only apply to the ones which were as per my skill level and interested me. I got a few phone calls from the HR. I blew a few. I aced a few. An even fewer interviews. I blew a few. I aced an even fewer. The absence of Canadian experience or qualification definitely hurt my chances to say the least. An Indian name didn't really help much either. But I'm a hard worker. I don't give up easily.

Fast forward to today. I have a job. My work closely resembles to what I was doing in India. The pay is nice. The commute is okay. The work is good. I'm happy.

The Reality
How do I find Canada? Amazing.
Is it easy to come from a foreign country and settle down? Not as easy as you think.
But I just made it sound like it's not a lot of trouble? Yeah, but chances are, you're not as fortunate as me.

I have my family here which is very supportive. Not even once they pushed me for a job which I didn't like or pressured me to start work at any time. There were days during my job hunt when I would be at an all time low, having blown up my few opportunities and having nothing else in hand. There were extended periods of time when I would just keep applying and not get any other response except the "We picked some other candidate. Yo". But I'm a hard worker. I don't give up easily. I kept applying.

I've figured that it's a numbers game. I applied to more than 500 jobs. and mind you, only the jobs that interested me and were a good match for my skillset. I received a phone call from around ten employers. A face to face interview with five and a job offer from one. You can do the percentages.

The Journey
People asked me if I was crazy to leave an amazing job in my hometown to move to a totally new country. They'd ask me if I had weighed in everything correctly before taking the risk. I don't consider myself to be super smart but I know that I'm hard working. I knew what I was risking and was aware of the fact that I had a supporting family in Canada. There were a multitude of reasons why I wanted to leave India and I'm not going to dwell upon them. The reasons are different for everyone. But when I'm asked the reason why I moved to Canada? For a better future for my family.

Every country has it's own set of problems. You just have to see what is important for you and take a decision. You have all the resources and the time to take an informed decision. There are a lot of times in life when you know things are not going to be easy and that you'd have to work hard for them. Chances are, even after putting in your 100%, things don't work in your favor. But that doesn't mean you stop trying. You put in your 110% and you make them work. That's how we progress.

So what's the takeaway?

• The lack of Canadian credentials/ experience severely hurts your chances. Having passed CFA exams helped me a lot. I believe it was the only reason I received the 10 phone calls. It really helps to get Canadian credentials as soon as you put your foot here. Further explanation below.
  
• I scored an 8 on IELTS. I've watched English soaps and listened to Eminem all my life. And yet, there are times when I've to request people to repeat themselves. It's really important that you are proficient both in listening and speaking English. It's going to make and break everything for you. From your daily conversations to the interviews. Speak slow and speak clear. Also, accent training helps a lot. Youtube my friend.
  
• Be prepared to work hard once you get here. If you're financially strong, good for you. Don't worry too much about the money and invest the time in getting Canadian credentials and searching for a job. If you're not, you've got to grab whatever comes at you. The thing that I love about Canada, there's no big or small work. It's just work. You're respected and treated like a human being no matter what you do.
  
• The weather is bad. But it's not the end. 30 Mil people live here. You have to invest in the right gear. A good winter jacket costs a lot but think of it as an investment as it's going to last you a while. Also, snow boots, gloves and a hat. Heck, I used to put on winter gear and spend hours building snow-forts in -15 C.
  
• Be prepared to work hard. Very hard.

A few tips for the credentials
Chartered Accountants and people interested in accounting. -> http://www.cpaontario.ca
Lawyers -> http://flsc.ca/
Teachers -> https://www.oct.ca/
People interested in Banking -> https://www.ific.ca/en/ & https://www.csi.ca/student/en_ca/courses/csi/csc.xhtml
People interested in Insurance -> https://www.ifse.ca/courselist/life-license-qualification-program-llqp/

The above links have information about credentials required for certain jobs. I'd be best if you search for the profiles you like on https://www.indeed.ca/ and see the kind of credentials the employers require.
Having credentials helps in the sense that the employer at least knows that you are willing to put in work and learn about the culture, taxation and the systems of the new country.

I can go on and on about a lot of stuff but it'd just be adding to the length of this page. If you have any questions, let me know. I'd be happy to answer.

Thank u @greengoo5 for sharing ur experience. Really insightful. I am from India too, have MBA degree ( from an Indian institute recognised as masters in canada) and am from finance field. I am in my mid/late thirties. I have around 9 years of work experience in corporate finance as finance manager/senior finance manager in well known pharmaceutical companies/brands. During these work exps, I have handled variety of roles eg FP&A, managing M&A activities, Compliance and risk mitigation, Budgeting & Strategic planning and so on - for various international markets.

I received Ppr few days back. I have submitted my passport and awaiting the COPR now. If all goes well, I am planning to land in last week of March 2018 or early April 2018.

Like you, I have a decent job here in India and my motivation to move to Canada is not really money. It is about a better life. So leaving a good job here and staying unemployed for some time gives me cold feet. Just wanted to know, what are the chances of a person like me finding a job in Canada and how long does it take to find a job? Also, are there any courses I can do from here or once I land in canada, that can increase my chances of getting a job.

I am pretty much open to changing my field ( ie outside finance) or sector ( ie outside pharma) for getting a job. Also, what are the kind of small jobs available for a person like me before I find a good one.

Also, I am quiet interested in doing a masters or another MBA (international MBA as my current one is from an Indian institute) - part time if I get a job and full time if I don't get a job.

Will appreciate any guidance on this.
Thanks!
Regards,
G

 

[greengoo5]

Thank u @greengoo5 for sharing ur experience. Really insightful. I am from India too, have MBA degree ( from an Indian institute recognised as masters in canada) and am from finance field. I am in my mid/late thirties. I have around 9 years of work experience in corporate finance as finance manager/senior finance manager in well known pharmaceutical companies/brands. During these work exps, I have handled variety of roles eg FP&A, managing M&A activities, Compliance and risk mitigation, Budgeting & Strategic planning and so on - for various international markets.

I received Ppr few days back. I have submitted my passport and awaiting the COPR now. If all goes well, I am planning to land in last week of March 2018 or early April 2018.

Like you, I have a decent job here in India and my motivation to move to Canada is not really money. It is about a better life. So leaving a good job here and staying unemployed for some time gives me cold feet. Just wanted to know, what are the chances of a person like me finding a job in Canada and how long does it take to find a job? Also, are there any courses I can do from here or once I land in canada, that can increase my chances of getting a job.

I am pretty much open to changing my field ( ie outside finance) or sector ( ie outside pharma) for getting a job. Also, what are the kind of small jobs available for a person like me before I find a good one.

Also, I am quiet interested in doing a masters or another MBA (international MBA as my current one is from an Indian institute) - part time if I get a job and full time if I don't get a job.

Will appreciate any guidance on this.
Thanks!
Regards,
G

Hey,

Considering your experience, you shouldn't have a lot of trouble finding good roles in finance. Landing in March/April 2018 is a good decision. You wouldn't wanna come here in winters.

You don't have to change fields. Although there aren't many pharma companies I've heard of, you'll only need one.

Masters is a long shot. A good masters will set you back by 2 years and a $100k. If you have that kind of time and moolah, it's really good. You'd easily score a senior manager/ manager position with an MBA and 9 years of experience. Needs to be one of the better B-Schools here though. Do factor in the time to prepare for GMAT and the application processes for the schools. At one point, I was planning to give another masters a shot but I'm glad I didn't.

I'd suggest start looking for a job aggressively as soon as you land. Once you get a good job here, you're set.

On the topic of small jobs, I'd suggest you budget for 3-6 months and spend this time solely for searching for a good job. Get a condo in downtown Toronto. Network with people. Meet staffing agencies. It gets much easier when you know a bunch of people around here.

Let me know if you have more questions.

 

[greengoo5]

@greengoo5, glad to note that you are still in the forum and guiding prospective immigrants. I will be doing my first landing in the 2nd week of April 2018 and would like to understand the weather there during the said period. Understandably it is COLD and for the same, I intend to pick up The North Face Parka, The North Face Chillkat 400 snowboots before I land in. Gloves & hat / beanie will come in too once i decide on the brand / model. I am no brand ambassador of TNF nor do i work there. Decided based on my research. Hopefully should be in Toronto though an ICT with my existing employer.

So many queries. I'm sorry I've been not so active on this forum anymore.

Like mentioned by the people in here, April's not too cold. You don't need to splurge on the winter gear. Forget the boots, a warm pair of socks is good enough. Try to get the winter jacket in clearance or boxing day sales. You can get one for half the price. Don't get fancy by going for Canada Goose and the expensive brands. They're no doubt better, but not worth the price. Test the waters first.

A good pair of gloves and a hat would be really good though. Coupled with a few layers and warm socks, you're set.

canuck78 has basically nailed it.

 

[greengoo5]

@greengoo5 Hi, I have gone through your posts and they are really inspiring. I have a few queries before I plan my travel from India. I intend to land in Dec 2017/ Jan 2018.
1. Which is a better private insurance plan for the first 3 months?
2. Since I do not have any relatives in Canada, it would be great if you could suggest some place for accommodation in my initial days. I plan to find some place in Toronto and have started searching on Airbnb, can you suggest some specific areas.

Thanks in advance.

I went with Manulife. Get insurance from Canada and get it from the big players. No point chasing people for claims later on. It's too much of a hassle. The premium would be a bit high, but it's for the better.

Airbnb in Toronto that has decent public transit access would be a good start. The apartment hunting is going to be painful. You don't have a track record in Canada and landlords don't give out apartments easily to new tenants. It'd be much easier to get a basement in Mississauga or Brampton. But the better place is always Toronto downtown. Going to interviews, networking, meeting people is always easier.

 

[GargiS]

Hey,

Considering your experience, you shouldn't have a lot of trouble finding good roles in finance. Landing in March/April 2018 is a good decision. You wouldn't wanna come here in winters.

You don't have to change fields. Although there aren't many pharma companies I've heard of, you'll only need one.

Masters is a long shot. A good masters will set you back by 2 years and a $100k. If you have that kind of time and moolah, it's really good. You'd easily score a senior manager/ manager position with an MBA and 9 years of experience. Needs to be one of the better B-Schools here though. Do factor in the time to prepare for GMAT and the application processes for the schools. At one point, I was planning to give another masters a shot but I'm glad I didn't.

I'd suggest start looking for a job aggressively as soon as you land. Once you get a good job here, you're set.

On the topic of small jobs, I'd suggest you budget for 3-6 months and spend this time solely for searching for a good job. Get a condo in downtown Toronto. Network with people. Meet staffing agencies. It gets much easier when you know a bunch of people around here.

Let me know if you have more questions.

Thanks @greengoo5 for your reply !
Indeed I have more questions

When you say "you'd easily score a senior manager/ manager position with an MBA and 9 years of experience" - you mean once I do a Masters from a Canadian Institute or with my current qualifications ?

Which areas/cities do you think have better job prospects for finance professionals like me?

If I may ask , you mentioned that "At one point, I was planning to give another masters a shot but I'm glad I didn't." what is the reason for this ? Is it the loss of income for 2 years or something else ? If thats the case, is doing a part-time MBA/Post Grad a good idea or even something like an Executive MBA ?? - would really appreciate some insights on this. My interest in doing a second MBA is also because apart from adding new qualifications , it also gives one a network ! And hopefully, the kind of network that one would prefer to have - & especially so in a new country where one hardly knows anyone !

I asked for small jobs just in case i need them since I donot know when I will end up with a good one. Do you have any recommendations to the kind of small jobs that are available and where I can find them (any websites/link/contacts etc).

Also, for this "Get a condo in downtown Toronto. Network with people. Meet staffing agencies" - can you suggest some websites/links/forums etc

Thank you for all your inputs.
Keep writing

Regards,
G

 

[greengoo5]

Thanks @greengoo5 for your reply !
Indeed I have more questions

When you say "you'd easily score a senior manager/ manager position with an MBA and 9 years of experience" - you mean once I do a Masters from a Canadian Institute or with my current qualifications ?

If you're lucky, with the current qualifications. Need to know the right people. With a masters from a reputed business school, definitely.

Which areas/cities do you think have better job prospects for finance professionals like me?

Down Toronto baby.

If I may ask , you mentioned that "At one point, I was planning to give another masters a shot but I'm glad I didn't." what is the reason for this ? Is it the loss of income for 2 years or something else ?

Time. I landed in November. Sessions start in September. I didn't want to wait 10 months for another 1 year wait. I've been through an MBA program. I sincerely believe that you learn a lot more on the job than behind a desk. I was really interested in a Risk Management course at Rotman. I could have easily made it in with some effort. I just didn't believe it was worth the time. Maybe if I didn't have my current job, I could've been thinking about it. But I'm glad I didn't have to tread that path.

If thats the case, is doing a part-time MBA/Post Grad a good idea or even something like an Executive MBA ?? - would really appreciate some insights on this. My interest in doing a second MBA is also because apart from adding new qualifications , it also gives one a network ! And hopefully, the kind of network that one would prefer to have - & especially so in a new country where one hardly knows anyone !

Executive is not a good idea unless you already have a decent job. A lot of people go for a second MBA and it really helps with the job prospects. But remember, you're putting in the two years as well. Try to figure out if you can try your hand at the job market for a few months before going for the masters route. If things work out fine, good. If not, you have the masters to fall back to. Word of caution. Needs to be from a reputed school. If you try to cheap out on fees and go to any school, you'll be way worse.

I asked for small jobs just in case i need them since I donot know when I will end up with a good one. Do you have any recommendations to the kind of small jobs that are available and where I can find them (any websites/link/contacts etc).

Gas station. Warehouse. Delivery guy. Uber driver. Fast food. Construction. Security. There's plenty. There's usually contractors who can help you find these jobs, it's not hard.

Also, for this "Get a condo in downtown Toronto. Network with people. Meet staffing agencies" - can you suggest some websites/links/forums etc

https://www.tenthousandcoffees.com/ | Linkedin
Then there's recruiters and staffing agencies. There's plenty of them. Interview with them, get to know the agents. If they think they can sell you, they'll try their best. They're the salesmen and you're the product. They make commissions by getting you the highest offer. It's in their best interests to get you a job...if they believe in you.

 

[GargiS]

If you're lucky, with the current qualifications. Need to know the right people. With a masters from a reputed business school, definitely.

Down Toronto baby.


Time. I landed in November. Sessions start in September. I didn't want to wait 10 months for another 1 year wait. I've been through an MBA program. I sincerely believe that you learn a lot more on the job than behind a desk. I was really interested in a Risk Management course at Rotman. I could have easily made it in with some effort. I just didn't believe it was worth the time. Maybe if I didn't have my current job, I could've been thinking about it. But I'm glad I didn't have to tread that path.


Executive is not a good idea unless you already have a decent job. A lot of people go for a second MBA and it really helps with the job prospects. But remember, you're putting in the two years as well. Try to figure out if you can try your hand at the job market for a few months before going for the masters route. If things work out fine, good. If not, you have the masters to fall back to. Word of caution. Needs to be from a reputed school. If you try to cheap out on fees and go to any school, you'll be way worse.


Gas station. Warehouse. Delivery guy. Uber driver. Fast food. Construction. Security. There's plenty. There's usually contractors who can help you find these jobs, it's not hard.


https://www.tenthousandcoffees.com/ | Linkedin
Then there's recruiters and staffing agencies. There's plenty of them. Interview with them, get to know the agents. If they think they can sell you, they'll try their best. They're the salesmen and you're the product. They make commissions by getting you the highest offer. It's in their best interests to get you a job...if they believe in you.

Thanks @greengoo5 for your detailed reply !!
One more - how about a part time MBA from a good B School while one is searching a job? I think that should be a good option?? And even once you get a job , this part time course can still be pursued & completed ..I saw some good courses in various places that I got interested in...just dont know how to check what worth they are !! Any thoughts on this ?

 

[greengoo5]

Thanks @greengoo5 for your detailed reply !!
One more - how about a part time MBA from a good B School while one is searching a job? I think that should be a good option?? And even once you get a job , this part time course can still be pursued & completed ..I saw some good courses in various places that I got interested in...just dont know how to check what worth they are !! Any thoughts on this ?

To be honest, I don't see a lot of people going for part time courses. Usually, people go for full time courses which still allow them to work part time jobs. For e.g. a lot of tellers at the banks are actually students at universities who work either early morning or weekend shifts to accommodate the study schedule.

 

[GargiS]

To be honest, I don't see a lot of people going for part time courses. Usually, people go for full time courses which still allow them to work part time jobs. For e.g. a lot of tellers at the banks are actually students at universities who work either early morning or weekend shifts to accommodate the study schedule.

Thanks @greengoo5 !

On a different note - what counts as "Canadian experience" - is it any such survival job or a proper job in my area of expertise ?

 

[greengoo5]

Thanks @greengoo5 !

On a different note - what counts as "Canadian experience" - is it any such survival job or a proper job in my area of expertise ?

Labour jobs - No.
Customer Service Job - Somewhat

 

[Dave2017]

Hi guys,

I got my COPR on 07 September 2017 and my visa is valid till 10 May 2018. I worked as an import export banker for 7 years and into technology since last 2 years. I am in a fix whether to move to Toronto in last week January or in March? Unable to decide. Can anyone please suggest in which month the job opportunities for my profile is generally more? As I heard that in general, the job market opens in January and gets quite stagnant in March.

Also, I will be going with my family. So, which month will be appropriate to move considering the weather conditions?

Thanks a ton for your suggestions. Awaiting your response.

 

[Dave2017]

@greengoo5 Hi, I have gone through your posts and they are really inspiring. I have a few queries before I plan my travel from India. I intend to land in Dec 2017/ Jan 2018.
1. Which is a better private insurance plan for the first 3 months?
2. Since I do not have any relatives in Canada, it would be great if you could suggest some place for accommodation in my initial days. I plan to find some place in Toronto and have started searching on Airbnb, can you suggest some specific areas.

Thanks in advance.

Hello nimesh1486, even I am planning to move to Toronto in early 2018. But in fix whether to move in Jan or March considering the job market and weather conditions .

 

[Dave2017]

Hi friends, I am a new member & have been reading lot of posts off lately on this forum, thank you for all the insights.
From what I have read & understood so far, it is not going to be easy to settle & start from zero. But what i understand is the time of your entry is also a critical factor in your settling down process. My take away from all the online blogs - Hard work, perseverance & networking are the key factors which help you settle in Canada.
Post receiving ITA in Feb 2017, we (Me & my spouse) have submitted our docs along with PCC/Medical in March 2017. As per the lawyer tentative revert is expected by end of June or early July. We were planning to land in October so it gives us time to settle, before the winters. However due to some personal & work commitment it is not possible to land in October. Our plan was to explore (for a month or so) & meet people & know the place before starting to look for any job.

So would it be advisable to enter in December? From what i read - Mid December until January end its really freezing cold & most of the places are kind of shut. so the next best window is Feb & March, so not really able to make up my mind on this. Any suggest & advise guys

P.S>Planning to move to Toronto, as per the Jobs we are into. I am working as HR for MNC Bank & spouse is working for FMCG MNC in Market Research.

Hi,

We both are in the same boat I guess. Even we are reconsidering our plan to move to Toronto in Jan as the weather is really harsh at that time. So, more inclined towards moving in the last week of March. But also need suggestions from our friends from the forum.