DEAR FORUM MEMBERS,
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR ALL THE NICE WISHES & COMMENTS.
OUR FLIGHT WENT WELL AND WE ARRIVED IN TORONTO ON THE 31ST JAN AT ABOUT 3:30 PM (SO ABOUT 8.5 HOURS FLIGHT FROM LONDON). FOR THOSE WHO WILL DEPART FROM UK CHECK OUT AIR TRANSAT FOR TICKETS. ONCE THERE WE HAD TO PASS PASSPORT CONTROL FIRST, THEN GO TO THE IMMIGRATION BIT WHERE THEY CHECKED OUR PASSPORTS FOR VISA AND COPR (GOT FILLED, SIGNED & STAMPED) THEN TO THE NEW IMMIGRANTS DESK FOR SOME BITS OF INFORMATION, LEAFLETS & PAPERWORK ONE WILL HAVE TO FILL IN LATER (DON'T FORGET TO MENTION YOU'LL DOING YOUR LANDING ONCE YOU ARRIVE TO THE CONTROL BIT) THEN WE WERE OF TO COLLECT OUR LUGGAGE. THE WHOLE THING LASTET ABOUT 30 MIN FOR ALL 5 OF US SO NOT BAD AT ALL (WE WERE NOT ASKED FOR POF). ONCE OUT IN THE LUGGAGE RECLAIM AREA WE FOUND OUR SUITCASES WERE ALREADY WAITING FOR US NEXT TO THE CAROUSEL BIT. THEN OUT TO THE AIRPORT AREA TO WAIT FOR OUR TRANSPORT.
FOR THOSE LANDING IN TORONTO EITHER ALONE OR WITH YOUR FAMILY, CHECK OUT PETRYLA ESTATES (www.petrylaestates.ca). WE RENTED A 2BR APARTMENT WITH THEM. $2400 CAN FOR A FURNISHED 2BR APARTMENT FOR THE MONTH NOT BAD COMPARING THE $650 + TAX THAT WILL COST TO RENT A MOTEL / HOTEL ROOM FOR A WEEK (IF YOU RENT 30 DAYS OR MORE ONE DOES NOT HAVE TO PAY TAX). APARTMENT IS NOTHING LUXURIOUS BUT IT'S SPACIOUS AND COMPLETE WITH EVERYTHING WE NEED (LIKE A HOME). RENT INCLUDES THE UTILITIES, CABLE TV, INTERNET). IT'S LOCATED IN ETOBICOKE NEAR THE HUMBER LOOP BUT IT'S CLOSE TO SHOPS, TRANSPORT & NOT FAR FROM DOWNTOWN. THE GENTLEMAN WHO RENTS IT IT'S QUITE NICE (HE OWNS THE BUILDING) AND ALSO HAS ANOTHER ONE NEAR THE LAKEFRONT WITH 1BR FOR THE SINGLES AND COUPLES. HE'LL COLLECT YOU FROM THE AIRPORT FOR AN EXTRA $55 (WHICH HE WILL DEDUCT FROM YOUR DEPOSIT, $500 TO SECURE THE LEASE FOR THE APARTMENT). THERE WILL BE A CLEAN OUT FEE OF $125 ONCE YOU MOVE OUT BUT IT WILL ALSO COME OUT OF THE DEPOSIT. HE ALSO TOOK US FOR A LITTLE TOUR TO GET TO KNOW THE AREA AND WE HAD OUR FIRST LOOK OF THE CITY FROM THE LAKEFRONT WITH IT'S LIGHTS ON (PRETTY MUCH A POSTCARD VIEW), THEN OFF TO THE APARTMENT TO QUICKLY UNPACKED AND THEN HE DROVE US TO DO A BIT OF SHOPPING & GET TOKENS FOR THE TRANSPORT.
FOR THOSE WITH A BUDGET PLS STAY CLEAR OF SOBBEYS UNLESS YOU STICK TO THE OFFERS. SUPERMARKETS LIKE NO FRILLS, FOOD BASICS, METRO ARE A MUCH CHEAPER CHOICE. FOOD IS OF GOOD QUALITY IN GENERAL THOUGH. DOLLARAMA, ONE OF MY FAVORITE STORES ALREADY.
FOR THOSE WHO WILL COME FROM THE UK, IT WILL SEEM FOOD IS MUCH MORE EXPENSIVE (ESPECIALLY IF USED TO SHOP AT TESCO & ASDA AND GET THE £1 OR HALF PRICE BARGAINS) BUT IT IS REALLY NOT MUCH MORE. ALTHOUGH MILK & BREAD ARE. ALSO, THERE IS NO SQUASH!!!! CAN YOU BELIEVE IT....PLS KEEP IN MIND PRICES ARE SHOWN WITHOUT TAX (WHICH IS 13%) AND WILL BE ADDED AT THE END. ALTHOUGH THERE IS NO TAX FOR FOOD ITEM, THERE WILL BE FOR DELI & CONFETIONARY (I THINK), EXAMPLE: $9.99 + TAX FOR A COOKED CHICKEN AT SOBBEYS (REALLY MISSING MY £4.99 COOKED ONE FROM TESCO LOL).
REGARDING TRANSPORT IT CAN GET A BIT CONFUSING SO PLS CHECK THE TTC WEBSITE TO FAMILIARIZE WITH THE TRANSPORT HERE (www.ttc.ca). DON'T FORGET THAT HERE ONE CAN CLAIM FOR THE COST OF TRANSPORT USED FOR WORK WHEN YOU FILL YOUR TAX RETURN BUT ONLY ON WEEKLY & MONTHLY PASSES & TRANSFERS SO KEEP YOUR TICKETS AS WELL AS YOU RECEIPTS FOR GENERAL PURCHASES IN CASES ONE QUALIFIES FOR TAX CREDITS FOR HST (HARMONIZED SALES TAX)
REGARDING THE WEATHER, IT'S NOT TOO BAD FOR BEING IN THE WINTER BUT DON'T FORGET YOUR THERMALS AND HAT, SCARF & GLOVES (FLEECE ONES PREFERABLY) ESPECIALLY IF YOU'LL BE GOING TO A CITY MORE UP NORTH.
ABOUT PAPERWOK, WE HAVEN'T DONE ANY YET AS WE ARRIVE AT THE END OF THE WEEK. WE WILL START THAT TOMORROW (I'LL UPDATE WITH MY FINDINGS). BANKS HAVE A FEW GOOD OFFERS FOR NEW IMMIGRANTS, RBC, BMO, SCOTISBANK & DES JARDINS AHVE THE BEST DEALS ON MY VIEW AND YOU'LL JUST NEED YOUR PASSPORT AND LANDING PAPERS (WE STILL HAVEN'T GONE IN PERSON BUT THAT'S WHAT THEIR WEBSITES MENTIONED TO TAKE TO THE BRANCH). ON A GOOD NOTE SOME BANKS OR TRUSTS OPEN ON SUNDAYS.
ABOUT WORK, I HAVEN'T PERSONALLY LOOKED FOR ONE YET AS NEED TO SETTLE THE KIDS IN SCHOOL FIRST BUT MY HUBBY HAS ALREADY HAD HIS FIRST JOB INTERVIEW AND BEEN OFFERED A POSITION FOR A MONTH'S TRIAL, SO NOT BAD A NEW COMER.
PLS RESEARCH ABOUT HEALTH INSURANCE BEFORE YOU ARRIVE AS WE DISCOVERED THAT MOST OF THE TRAVEL INSURANCE (IN THE UK) WILL ONLY COVER YOU IF YOU HAVE A RETURN TICKET AND NOT ONE WAY ONLY. THE HEALTH INSURANCE HERE WON'T START UNTIL 3 MONTH AFTER YOU APPLY SO YOU WILL NEED A PRIVATE ONE FOR THAT TIME. THERE IS SOME KIND OF INSURANCE ONE CAN GET HERE FOR THAT TIME BUT CAN'T FIND THE INFO AGAIN. I'M PRETTY SURE IT WAS FROM THE WWW.SETTLEMENT.ORG WEBSITE SO HAVE A LOOK THERE.
I HOPE THE INFO WILL HELP MOST OF YOU AND REMEMBER FOR ANY QUESTION PLS CONTACT ME ON FACEBOOK (yolex01@hotmail.com). OF COURSE, I WILL UPDATE THE THREAD WITH MORE INFO ONCE WE'VE DONE THE SIN & OTHER BITS THESE WEEK. NOW, I'M OFF TO BED BECAUSE IT'S 2:00 AM.
GOOD LUCK TO EVERYONE & WISH YOU SPEEDY PROCESSING, SAFE A QUICK LANDING & HEALTHY MRS!!!!