My experience in Canada!

[windoski]

Its good to read positive stories about immigrants who managed to settle well in Canada...there are many sad stories in this forum and the good ones will make a balance. I would encourage you to your story in a new post - if you have the time ofcourse..and to share how you managed to succeed - for the benefit of all new immigrants

Let's make way for encouraging additions, it'll help emotionally & phsycologically too

 

[windoski]

thought of sharing my experience after i had completed my landing in Oct 2010. We were in US and in 2012 mid, suddenly we had decided to venture in Canada with 3 years left in PR.

Finding a apartment for rent was different if you doesn't have a job in Canada. Luckily my US employer helped me with all the relevant letters and signed a lease for 12 months with the plan of settling my family in Canada and later try to find a job and relocate myself.

In the mean time I switched job in US because of my workpermit nearing expiry and found the job location close to Toronto (500 miles one way)

After came to this place, started commuting every weekend (driving 500 miles oneway with one day remote working - employer agreed for it and started accumulating canada STAY days for myself)

This setup had gone for 5 months nearly and meantime, i was taking interviews in Canada and on.

Finally, my day has come and found a job in Missisauga, joined 3 weeks before and commuting from home to work daily.

So from my experience, i see there is always some kind of fortune with us to navigate us in all these years.

I always keep it very simple, try a shot and do not depend on outcome

May be positve to others...

- sujamana

Nice ...thanx for sharing

 

[windoski]

Here is my story:

When I first came to Canada, I must say life was not easy. I was on a study permit and started off by staying with relatives in order to save money on residence as I was going to study Engineering at UofT. A few weeks in after landing, they told me that I couldn't continue to stay there and I suddenly found myself homeless. At that time I could only work for the University so I made friends with students who were in student government and they gave me menial jobs like putting up posters in the dead of winter. I also worked a few cash jobs tutoring high school students and thus ended up spending less time studying myself. I ended up flunking in my second year. I didn't give up, I enrolled into college and took Business Administration specializing in Financial planning. The reason I chose this career was because of the Co-Op program and I was determined to get the best job available there.

I was able to get out of being homeless by staying with roommates from my country. This was a good idea at first, until they started to brainwash me and were verbally and physically abusive to me. Eventually I gathered the courage to move out after 3 years. I was able to secure 3 jobs all while going to school (I worked at a fish and juice distribution co. as an offloader, a piping factory as a labourer and at a retail clothing store downtown). I was passing my courses and was able to secure the best co-op position as a processor in the back office of a brokerage firm. Once I got this position, I quit the other jobs except for the retail clothing store. I graduated with high honors and in a few weeks I was able to go back and work with the brokerage firm. A few months in, thanks to the recession, my contract got rescinded, even though I was a top perfomer and had achieved various awards, the rule was LIFO, last in first out. I chose to apply for entry level positions all over Canada while most of my school colleagues were happy to sit around at home or work at McD's and Starbucks. The front office brokerage firm in Winnipeg called me on a Tuesday, and by the time Saturday rolled in I was on a plane heading there.

The first year was hard. I had to make new friends and literally start over. I had taken a temp contract for one year, and by the time the year was up, I was given a permanent position (and promotions) in the firm. That's when I applied for Permanent residency. All in all, my journey started in 2002 and I got my permanent residency in 2013. I feel lucky and blessed, but at the same time I know I earned it by working hard, making the right connections and impressions and having a lot of patience, perseverance and resilience

Thanx for sharing ur experience...

 

[donwin4real]

I was wondering how much of the negatives would apply if you are a temp worker with already a pretty good job offered, not in 20's, bringing a family (wife and kids) along. Coming from under developed world and leaving a pretty good and settled job back home too.

The reasons my original decision was based upon

1. Good schooling for kids with little cost.
2. Breadth of exposure, having already worked with several companies in the US - still living in another country and working for global customers is a different thing.
3. Cost of living seems STABLE in Canada. Yes - no? I am pretty highly paid in my home country, but end up saving nothing since inflation rate is very high and it keeps souring on a quarterly basis, although we maintain a very good quality of life.
4. Any long term savings in Canada would sum up to bigger amounts in my home country after the conversion.

Seems we kinda think alike...

 

[donwin4real]

I agree, looking back home Pakistan where all my relatives are living - made me sad that I left them but looking ahead for future of myself and Kids motivate me a lot. I didn't able to find job here for first five months but I never gave up as I landed well prepared understanding the job market situation. I can understand people coming from developed countries and not getting job here are far more frustrated than those coming from undeveloped countries like India, Pakistan, Philippine, Vietnam, Nepal, Bangladesh, Syria, Egypt, Fuji etc.

I landed as Engineer with working numbers of years of experience of International Oil & Gas companies, my first job was working in a fast food restaurant, courier dispatch then so on, on and on. Now after almost three years of landing I am working for a Multinational Oil company at a reasonable position and pay. For most us nothing came back within first few months, it always takes time to settle once you immigrate - no matter where and Canada is no exception. Naturally, If you are coming here with huge saving you may settle faster at good standard from beginning but coming here with just hand to mouth would extend your period of struggle for settling.

Hmmmn...nice, that's a plain fact! I agree ...

 

[donwin4real]

Here is my story:

When I first came to Canada, I must say life was not easy. I was on a study permit and started off by staying with relatives in order to save money on residence as I was going to study Engineering at UofT. A few weeks in after landing, they told me that I couldn't continue to stay there and I suddenly found myself homeless. At that time I could only work for the University so I made friends with students who were in student government and they gave me menial jobs like putting up posters in the dead of winter. I also worked a few cash jobs tutoring high school students and thus ended up spending less time studying myself. I ended up flunking in my second year. I didn't give up, I enrolled into college and took Business Administration specializing in Financial planning. The reason I chose this career was because of the Co-Op program and I was determined to get the best job available there.

I was able to get out of being homeless by staying with roommates from my country. This was a good idea at first, until they started to brainwash me and were verbally and physically abusive to me. Eventually I gathered the courage to move out after 3 years. I was able to secure 3 jobs all while going to school (I worked at a fish and juice distribution co. as an offloader, a piping factory as a labourer and at a retail clothing store downtown). I was passing my courses and was able to secure the best co-op position as a processor in the back office of a brokerage firm. Once I got this position, I quit the other jobs except for the retail clothing store. I graduated with high honors and in a few weeks I was able to go back and work with the brokerage firm. A few months in, thanks to the recession, my contract got rescinded, even though I was a top perfomer and had achieved various awards, the rule was LIFO, last in first out. I chose to apply for entry level positions all over Canada while most of my school colleagues were happy to sit around at home or work at McD's and Starbucks. The front office brokerage firm in Winnipeg called me on a Tuesday, and by the time Saturday rolled in I was on a plane heading there.

The first year was hard. I had to make new friends and literally start over. I had taken a temp contract for one year, and by the time the year was up, I was given a permanent position (and promotions) in the firm. That's when I applied for Permanent residency. All in all, my journey started in 2002 and I got my permanent residency in 2013. I feel lucky and blessed, but at the same time I know I earned it by working hard, making the right connections and impressions and having a lot of patience, perseverance and resilience

Very encouraging story! ....thanx for sharing, learned a lot from this

 

[s.gupta1487]

I have also shared my PR experience. Hope it helps!!

http://shrutispointofview.blogspot.ca/2014/03/my-permanent-residency-experience.html

 

[windoski]

I have also shared my PR experience. Hope it helps!!

http://shrutispointofview.blogspot.ca/2014/03/my-permanent-residency-experience.html

Ok thanx

 

[anthcott@yahoo.com]

I have also shared my PR experience. Hope it helps!!

http://shrutispointofview.blogspot.ca/2014/03/my-permanent-residency-experience.html

Hello Shruti, I saw in your landing experience the CBSA asked you why you did not take appointment. I was not aware that we can take appointment for landing in Canada. How to go about taking an appointment?

 

[s.gupta1487]

Hello Shruti, I saw in your landing experience the CBSA asked you why you did not take appointment. I was not aware that we can take appointment for landing in Canada. How to go about taking an appointment?

You can contact CIC to book an appointment. They will book one for you near the area you live in. It usually takes about 2 months, unless you are really lucky...