Landing dilemma - To bring along child or not

[GargiS]

Hi all,

I got my PPR few days back. Have submitted my passport and awaiting COPR now. If all goes well, I am planning to land in late March 2018 or early April 2018.

I have a decent job in my home country and I currently donot have a job offer in Canada. I am a single mother.

My dilemma is to choose among the following options that I can think of in terms of landing:
a) Option 1: I donot leave my current job in my home country and I do a quick landing with my child , complete the paperwork , stay for a fortnight/month and come back to my home country. Once back, I start searching for a job from my home country and then go back to Canada once I have a job offer.
b) Option 2: Since there is no guarantee when I will have a job in Canada, I quit the job in my home country, I land along with my child in Canada, I stay back in Canada while my child comes back to my home country. I keep hunting job in Canada till i find one. Once I have a job and I am settled in Canada , I call my child to stay with me permanently.
c) Option 3: I leave my job in my home country and I land in Canada for good along with my child. This option though I would prefer but makes me very nervous since I donot want my child to suffer with me during my struggle period, more so when she is pretty comfortable in her current environment.

I would really appreciate any advice from anyone who would have gone through a similar dilemma and share their experiences with me.

Also, wrt Option 3, would appreciate if anyone can suggest me links to the benefits that are available to my child in Canada as a dependent on me - me a PR of Canada.

Thanks.
Regards,
G

 

[vensak]

Option 1- you have close to 0 chance to get any job while applying abroad. Yes it is possible but chances are very slim.
Option 2 - I would say the best for you. You can start in Airbnb and get first survival job and then rent something for you and after that your child will join you.
Option 3 - it can be more difficult to selttle down. More stress for your child to move from room to room until you find long term accomodation. Also as you will try to hit better job.
I would say, you go ahead and give it April to August to settle down and your child will join you in August for the next school year. By that time you shall be able to stabilise enough.
Be aware, that it is harder for single mother with child to get long term renting.
There is also option 4 there.
Same as option 1 go to make quick landing and then stay in home country another 1 to 2 years and focus on saving and preparation. And once that is done move to Canada.

Sorry not much info about child benefit from me. But check forum and other threads.

 

[GargiS]

Option 1- you have close to 0 chance to get any job while applying abroad. Yes it is possible but chances are very slim.
Option 2 - I would say the best for you. You can start in Airbnb and get first survival job and then rent something for you and after that your child will join you.
Option 3 - it can be more difficult to selttle down. More stress for your child to move from room to room until you find long term accomodation. Also as you will try to hit better job.
I would say, you go ahead and give it April to August to settle down and your child will join you in August for the next school year. By that time you shall be able to stabilise enough.
Be aware, that it is harder for single mother with child to get long term renting.
There is also option 4 there.
Same as option 1 go to make quick landing and then stay in home country another 1 to 2 years and focus on saving and preparation. And once that is done move to Canada.

Sorry not much info about child benefit from me. But check forum and other threads.

Thanks for your reply. Option 2 seems the best to me as well.
April to Aug seems a good idea. Do you know any links /websites I can check for schooling etc for my child?

"harder for single mother with child to get long term renting" - Not very encouraging ..lets see how it goes.

Option 4 that you suggested of saving some money etc - I think i have some savings to manage without job for some time so thats ok. Dont want to delay the settling down process...its like pushing things under the carpet ...sometime in the future will have to face this situation - might as well face it earlier than later... Moreover, I feel - savings - one can never have enough. So, keeping fingers crossed and hoping for the best.

Many thanks for sharing your thoughts.

 

[canuck78]

School registration depends on where you live so it would be best to be in a longterm rental before September but registration actually starts in Feb/March. I would disagree about any bias renting to a single mother. I think it will be a bit difficult without being employed or having access to a credit check so you'll have to show a decent amount of funds in your accounts. Every landlord has different requirements. The rental market is quite tight in Toronto and Vancouver unless you have a very flexible budget.

 

[vensak]

General renting requirements are to pay 1 month as a safety. Then they want to see how you will pay your rent. Hence they want to see, that you are employed and that you have good credit history. That is ok for renting companies.
But for private renting it is a different story. Some just do not want certain profiles. For example males, families with small children, single mothers with small children, or elderly people, some profile out newcomers.
It is discrimination, but you cannot do much about it (usually you are just told that they would prefer somebody - girls, older couple, students, working couple; but they do not send you away and later on you will be informed that you did not get it).

 

[canuck78]

There is no security deposit in Canada. You will be asked to pay first and last month before moving in. Most leases are for one year but convert to a month to month lease after one year (not sure about all of the provinces). Unless otherwise stated you must give 60 days "two months" notice if you plan on moving or you will be responsible for still paying the rent.

 

[vensak]

Thank you for explanation. That is what I mean. The purpose of it is a partial security for the landlord should tenant decide not to pay. It takes 4 months at least to get rid of such tenant.

 

[spyfy]

Regarding childcare benefits: Please note that most of the benefits you can only claim if you are a resident of Canada for tax purposes. So if you chose option 1 you would not be entitled to any benefits. You must be actually residing in Canada to get those. This is completely independent of the question if you are a permanent resident or not. If you have PR status but leave abroad: no benefits. If you don't have PR status but live in Canada: benefits. If you have PR status and live in Canada: benefits.

As a general rule, you must be in Canada 183 days a year (more than half a year) to be considered a resident of Canada for tax purposes. You will pay Canadian taxes on all your income but also be entitled to benefits.

Do not try to pretend you are a resident to get those benefits. Not that I think you would do that. I'm just adding that because there regularly are people in this forum who have to pay back benefits because they pretended to live in Canada and the CRA found out.

To understand what benefits are available to you, this is a good start:
https://www.canada.ca/en/revenue-agency/services/child-family-benefits.html

 

[canuck78]

You will entitled to child care benefit when your child is permanently living in Canada. You will have to sign up and it will be based on your global from income from 2015 or 2016 can't remember it's late. You can sign up for healthcare when you settle in the province (not for quick landing). In some provinces there is of up to 90 processing time where you are not covered. Some provinces start there health care coverage immediately so yo might want to consider travel insurance for those 3 months especially with a little one which will cover emergencies.

 

[GargiS]

School registration depends on where you live so it would be best to be in a longterm rental before September but registration actually starts in Feb/March. I would disagree about any bias renting to a single mother. I think it will be a bit difficult without being employed or having access to a credit check so you'll have to show a decent amount of funds in your accounts. Every landlord has different requirements. The rental market is quite tight in Toronto and Vancouver unless you have a very flexible budget.

Thanks. Understood. One question - what is meant by "a decent amount" in your sentence "so you'll have to show a decent amount of funds in your accounts".

 

[GargiS]

General renting requirements are to pay 1 month as a safety. Then they want to see how you will pay your rent. Hence they want to see, that you are employed and that you have good credit history. That is ok for renting companies.
But for private renting it is a different story. Some just do not want certain profiles. For example males, families with small children, single mothers with small children, or elderly people, some profile out newcomers.
It is discrimination, but you cannot do much about it (usually you are just told that they would prefer somebody - girls, older couple, students, working couple; but they do not send you away and later on you will be informed that you did not get it).

I got what you are trying to say about discrimination. It is good to be mentally prepared for the worst.
Could you pls clarify the difference between general renting and private renting as mentioned by you.

 

[GargiS]

There is no security deposit in Canada. You will be asked to pay first and last month before moving in. Most leases are for one year but convert to a month to month lease after one year (not sure about all of the provinces). Unless otherwise stated you must give 60 days "two months" notice if you plan on moving or you will be responsible for still paying the rent.

Got it..it is not really a security deposit but kinda security for the landlord. Basically pay two month's rent upfront. First rent just gets paid up as you spend first one month and the last one remains as a security. So, this means if I decide to leave the place, then for last month I donot need to pay my landlord anything coz he has that already as the upfront I paid earlier.

 

[GargiS]

Regarding childcare benefits: Please note that most of the benefits you can only claim if you are a resident of Canada for tax purposes. So if you chose option 1 you would not be entitled to any benefits. You must be actually residing in Canada to get those. This is completely independent of the question if you are a permanent resident or not. If you have PR status but leave abroad: no benefits. If you don't have PR status but live in Canada: benefits. If you have PR status and live in Canada: benefits.

As a general rule, you must be in Canada 183 days a year (more than half a year) to be considered a resident of Canada for tax purposes. You will pay Canadian taxes on all your income but also be entitled to benefits.

Do not try to pretend you are a resident to get those benefits. Not that I think you would do that. I'm just adding that because there regularly are people in this forum who have to pay back benefits because they pretended to live in Canada and the CRA found out.

To understand what benefits are available to you, this is a good start:
https://www.canada.ca/en/revenue-agency/services/child-family-benefits.html

Hi, Thanks. I understand the 183 days requirement to be considered a tax resident of Canada. This is the same across most of the globe.
My query is wrt benefits like free/subsidized schooling, free/subsidized medical for my child, any fixed allowance for minors - assuming ofcourse that my child is living with me in Canada and I am a PR.

Thanks for the link

 

[GargiS]

You will entitled to child care benefit when your child is permanently living in Canada. You will have to sign up and it will be based on your global from income from 2015 or 2016 can't remember it's late. You can sign up for healthcare when you settle in the province (not for quick landing). In some provinces there is of up to 90 processing time where you are not covered. Some provinces start there health care coverage immediately so yo might want to consider travel insurance for those 3 months especially with a little one which will cover emergencies.

By settling in a province, you mean I should have a job/employment over there or just that I am living there ( may/may not be employed) ?
I am a bit confused about this healthcare stuff. How does it work? Do you mean once I am living in Canada with my daughter - I will be entitled to a free healthcare ( free as in really free - even if unemployed??) ? except for the first three months which goes in processing.

So for first three months, I should get myself a health insurance separately ? If yes, is it better to buy this in my home country before I land in Canada or is it good to buy it in Canada itself post landing ? Or perhaps my travel insurance can be extended to three months?? Also, is this health insurance mandatory?

If my child returns back to my home country and I stay back in Canada. Then, I only need to buy it for myself. My child can be covered through travel insurance only I think.

Sorry ...so confused

 

[canuck78]

By settling in a province, you mean I should have a job/employment over there or just that I am living there ( may/may not be employed) ?
I am a bit confused about this healthcare stuff. How does it work? Do you mean once I am living in Canada with my daughter - I will be entitled to a free healthcare ( free as in really free - even if unemployed??) ? except for the first three months which goes in processing.

So for first three months, I should get myself a health insurance separately ? If yes, is it better to buy this in my home country before I land in Canada or is it good to buy it in Canada itself post landing ? Or perhaps my travel insurance can be extended to three months?? Also, is this health insurance mandatory?

If my child returns back to my home country and I stay back in Canada. Then, I only need to buy it for myself. My child can be covered through travel insurance only I think.

Sorry ...so confused

Do you know what province you plan on settling in because there are difference between provinces.

I'm terms of school. Yes you have access to free education in either a secular system in English or French immersion or a Catholic education system in English or French immersion. You will habe to cover the cost of supplies, uniforms if they have one, school outings but no tuition. You also have the option of private school to pay where you have to pay tuition or other private faith-based schools where you will also have to pay tuition.

There some rentals that are run by large companies or there are private rental where a person has bought an property to rent out as an investment.

How much money should you have. It is really up to the landlord. Some will be lenient some will want to see at least 6 months of rent in your account or more. Given you don't have a job and it is really long process to evict someone they wan to make sure you will be able to pay the rent while you look for a job.

Child benefit. The government has in the past year and half decided to give up to $500/month to the parent of each child to help with expenses. The amount of money is related to the age of your child and the amount of money you made in the the last taxable year. You can only apply if your child is living with you. Wait until your child is with you permanently. It is not something you should start and stop of your child is only in Canada for a month. You have to notify the Canadian revenue agency if your child is no longer living in Canada or it is fraud.