Preparation for Landing Tips...based on my experience, mistakes and perceptions so readers beware!
***make your own independent research and take your own decisions***
NB: a. Someone asked me if she could bring in palm oil (expensive here too) and I said yes but you will have Nigerian customs and others to deal with at the International Airport. We did not bring in from Nigeria anyway But remember you also need to be careful cos they may spill in transit. What would happen if someone spilled palm oil on your baggage? How would you feel? So please be careful.
b. I did have to pay for two extra bags at the airport cos I felt that was cheaper than paying for excess luggage and I PLANNED for it in advance of our departure date. So I simply asked for where to pay at the airport. I don't recollect how much I paid again.
c. I don't equally remember making a list of things I had with me for the journey but I think we were asked to value our luggage. I really don't remember the details again but please check the current requirements and follow them religiously.
d. If you do have a lot of luggage, you may ship them through DHL/Narco/other companies to your destination in Canada. They will likely be cheaper but please confirm this independently before your departure. Note though that if you do, you will have to let the customs officials know at the airport and through the form you will be provided at the airport. Otherwise, you will pay duties on them later.
In no particular order, please do the following:
1. Pray and allow God to guide you in casting a vision for your life, your family, career etc as they relate to your relocation in Canada...even if you don't believe in God just pray! 8)
I highly recommend this because decision determines destiny and where you have access to lots of good options - and bad ones too, you need a higher level of reasoning and access to superior wisdom to take the right steps. Canada is a land of great opportunities and I say this not because some immigration lawyers or the government emphasize this but because I have experienced this in my little time here. If you at least have a fair idea of where you are headed, when you meet with the opportunities, you will know which ones align with your direction in life and know how and when to take advantage of them (please read this last sentence with care). All roads don't lead to our various destinations. At the very least, when you meet people who are ready to help you, the typical question like it is in the bible will likely be, "What would you have me to do for you?" Please take this advise seriously but you choose.
2. Dig into your network (this forum is a great one) and see who could assist you with settling down well here and faster. Contact such a person or preferably people in advance of your landing. Generate a good list of possible people and let God lead you on those to contact. You will settle down faster having access to well meaning people for various things here. It could be housing, pick up at the airport, feeding, information or whatever but take advantage of it IF you have it. If I were CIC, I would increase points for those having families here to 15 and also issue points to those who have reliable friends (those who would make a commitment to offering good assistance to newcomers). Its not mandatory to have good help here but if you do, its a definite leverage. Fact. But be warned, you may be bruised in the process...its only normal but don't attach unnecessary emotions to transient events. Move on and be grateful. And by extension, once you are settled here too, help others...anyway you can.
3. Land as fast as you can especially if you are the principal applicant with spouse or spouse and kids. God forbid that anything bad happens to the principal applicant. The efforts of years gone by would go down the drain as the family's PR visa would be immediately invalidated. That would not be our portion in Jesus name. You can take the risk by staying in Nigeria for as long as you can but be led and be wise. Even if you don't want to stay back in Canada, land first and you can stay back even on planet Pluto if you wish. This advise affects more of the married folks (with kids). God will continue to protect us and guide us all the days of our lives.
4. Drivers License - If you have been driving in Nigeria, please take note. The Canadian Drivers License is a deal breaker for a couple of job and housing related opportunities. If you don't have at least the FULL Class 5 drivers license, you are essentially limited especially if your profession will often involve driving...like the Engineers, IT guys, Sales and marketing people, Geologists etc. Often times, you will not hear from employers again after you have indicated you are still "working on obtaining your Canadian drivers license". What if you don't currently drive and you are at the beginning or middle of your immigration process? Go and learn how to drive and secure your Nigerian drivers license (takes minimum of 2-3mths to have it)! Be sure you truly know how to drive - no fakes please.
So how do you access the Canadian driver's license? Ensure you arrive Canada with your GENUINE Nigerian drivers license of at least 3years driving history - determined by the date of first issue on your license. Visit a nearby licensing registry, pick up instructions for exemption from Class 7 and GDL and follow it. Principally, that would involve you sending your Nigerian license to Nigerian High Commission in Ottawa for validation along with a $20 money order. The commission would reply with an official letter and your license validating your Nigerian license. You would then sit for a computer based driving exam where the exam automatically terminates once you miss up to 6 questions out of 30. If you pass, the registry will then collect your license and validation letter, send them in for exemption for you. Once your approval arrives, you will be called to go for driving test. AT this stage, please go for advance class 5 where the road test is 1 full hour of driving round town with an examiner sitting by your side and marking your errors down. Once you make some errors up to the allowed maximum or make a single error carrying so much weight, the driving test ends immediately. Thats the summary. If you choose to start learning how to drive here by starting with class 7, it will take you a minimum of 3years to secure your full class 5 drivers license. :
My wife and I applied for renewal of our Nigerian drivers licenses well in time but could not bring them with us since they were still not ready. So I asked a good friend and brother to help pick them up for us and send to us via Fedex and gratefully, he did. Thank God the licenses arrived Calgary safely but unfortunately, they did not arrive at our residence here safely...at least initially! They were seized by Calgary customs officials. Reason? I really don't know but they attach so much importance to it here as a government issued ID and apparently thought...whatever...! Fedex contacted me to explain the situation and I offered to go meet the officials at the airport if they would give me a reference ID for the case. Afterall, I don get case file there before. lol. Remember my talking drum with spider? ;D Fedex would not on the premise that the officials did not request to see me so the waiting game started. During this period, Nigerian High Commission was contacted to validate the licenses for my wife and I, our stay permit was validated to be sure we had correct permits, background search was also conducted on our hosts as their home was the delivery address. Eventually, Fedex delivered the licenses about 7 business days after it arrived in Calgary...but we were glad they were not destroyed as that was the usual consequence some seniors here told us after I contacted them on the case. You should have seen the way they ripped the courier envelope and stuck several red stickers on them ranging from SEIZED to CLEARED. Even the small envelope containing the licenses had handwritten comments from the officials.
Morale of the story? Have your licenses on hand while coming and if you do have to send them here, send them through friends travelling here...at your own risk. If it gets lost in transit, don't blame them. Gba fo lorun and start afresh.
Using a combination of your Nigerian drivers License and International drivers license, you will be able to drive here for 3 months from your date of landing. After that it becomes an offence. Your car insurance premium even goes up after the legal deadline. I know a Nigerian here who drove with those two for 1year but at her own risk so you decide. Please note that I speak of what I know happens in Calgary not another city or province so you will do well to research your intended destination for the proper information.
5. Decide whether to stay in Nigeria or Canada in advance. This may not be an issue for some people who already have their minds made up. All I will say is that whatever your decision is, do it quickly. But remember that even if you decide to stay back in Nigeria for some time till you are able to "save enough money" or land a good job in Canada while still in Nigeria, you will eventually leave Nigeria and whether you like it or not, you will have to start your life afresh here. You may be lucky to start at the same level you left off in Nigeria or even better but majority of people start from the "scratch". Reality. I will define this later and talk more on it in another post.
A very important part of this decision that I will like to comment about it is the impact of living away from the children at a young age. This mostly applies to our men. In my opinion, I would rather stay with my family to ensure I bring up my kids in the way of God while they are young than stay away and leave them to their mothers and the society. The greatest investment we can give to our children is the time we spend with them instilling the right attitudes, training and values in them. Its not the money you make available to them. I see a lot of things here with grave consequences that I thought to bring this up here in the forum. Fathers, bite the bullet and stay with your family! Don't run to Nigeria or Saudi while you leave your young families here thinking that talking with them on phone is enough. What makes you think you cannot get the same job or better here? Even if later than you expect? Well groomed children plus happy family or money or both? You decide. Remember that what you are willing to walk away from will determine what God will bring to you. But if you choose, you can relocate anywhere with the entire family, in my opinion that is better.
There is a perfect disclaimer on this - let every man do his own believing and his own dying. Decision is yours.
6. Documents and credentials - Make sure you buy yourself a very strong bag like a laptop back pack. Use this to package ALL vital documents and credentials for you and your family. Let this be a hand luggage for you. The fathers or husbands, please be the ONLY custodian of this on your journey and watch with an eagle eye till you arrive at your Canadian address and even after that.
I have to go now...will be back in the coming days.
Best!
GoldenApple
