Singaporean applicants under FSW

[tran]

It’s Official: Vancouver, Toronto and Calgary Are The Best Places To Live In Canada

http://www.traveleverywhere.net/travel/its-official-vancouver-toronto-and-calgary-are-the-best-places-to-live-in-canada/

 

[abelkwh]

Hi Tran

Have u managed to get yr request for passport? I am waiting for u and seeing u in calgary!

 

[tran]

Hi Abel,

It will be a long wait for me. For accomodation, are you buying
or renting? I assume you have already submitted your passport by hand to CHC S'pore.

 

[maoist]

i was in toronto chinatown two years ago. very near toronto financial district and university of toronto. during the financial crisis last year, a townhouse (4 bed rooms) right in the middle of chinatown sold for about C$350,000 - not expensive by singapore standards. i thought of buying but didn't have enough dole at that time. now it's probably gone up at least 20%.

were u from Auspicium Meloris Aevi ?

@ Tran:
Any suburb in the GTA would be suitable. Many people live in the suburbs and commute to downtown Toronto for work. Obviously housing in downtown Toronto would be quite expensive, but if you have kids you might not want to be raising them in the city anyway. The further away you live from Toronto, the cheaper it gets. My parents know some reliable housing agents who were from Singapore that would know the areas in better detail if you need some referrals.

There are no "good" schools - the schools are not ranked like Singapore where they RGS is #1, RI #2, etc. Public school is public school.

 

[abelkwh]

Hi Abel,

It will be a long wait for me. For accomodation, are you buying
or renting? I assume you have already submitted your passport by hand to CHC S'pore.

I have not submitted yet cause i am out-stationed last 3 weeks, i will be submitting my passport next week when i get back Shanghai and have it courier to SG office.

I will be renting first then see how it goes later.

Will only buy when i settle down and get a permanent job to get a mortagage.

How about u?

When do u think u will land in Calgary?

 

[tran]

I am still waiting for my passport request. I did my medicals in
mid-Oct. 2009; hence it's valid until Oct. 2010.

I am trying to enrol my 6-year-old son for his elementary one
class for the September enrolment. I hope I can make it in time.

 

[abelkwh]

Hi Tran

I think u should be able to make it cause yr medicals is due by Oct, they will usually process it and have yr passport request done way before Medicals is due period.

My passport request has stated that passports must be valid before the medicals due date within the one yr period. So yrs should be on the way soon!

Hope u get it asap, i just got back shanghai and will send in my passports by courier tomorrow.

 

[tran]

Hi Abel,

You're back just in time for Shanghai Expo. It looks like
many, after getting their PRs, are going for retrainings.

Maybe, for myself, I will retrain to be a janitor or a
petrol pump attendant. Is this what the Canadian
dream is all about? ;D

 

[abelkwh]

Yes, indeed, i am planning to go back to school too, plan to go get a Diploma in some vocation that is highly demanded cause miss going to school as well and then hit a new career path since we need to re-start our career as what media junkie mentioned earlier that almost everyone have to re-start with a new career (like a new birth or new born) in a new land! haha

I have decided to set foot in calgary and go back to school in Sept, I will go in late July to look for an apt to rent then return again in early sept for good.

How about u? U set for calgary or toronto?

 

[abelkwh]

Got my PR stamp on my passport yesterday, sent in by courier last weds, 5th May and they stamped in on the 10th May and they courier it back to me in Shanghai, China as requested by me, received on the 12th May.

The office in Singapore seems really efficient caused i enclosed a letter requesting them to expediate the stamping cause i am not in Singapore and based elsewhere and needed my passport as and when required.

So those of u whom needs their passport stamped soon or urgently then i suggest u send a letter with the request for PP.


Hey, Tran, how is yr progressing? I am still waiting for u to land in Calgary with me, i have booked my tickets and will land in Calgary on 26 July and stay till 8 August to look for apts and process the SIN, drivers licence and health card.

Hope u get yrs soon as yr medicals is due soon, right?

 

[tran]

Hi Abel,

Congratulations! One week for your PR stamp - that was fast.
Did you pay for the courier back?

Mine is still in process. You're right as my medicals will
expire in Oct 2010.

Bon Voyage!

 

[abelkwh]

Hi Tran

Yeah, i had to pay for the courier service, around 288 rmb, DHL was what the Canadian Consulate used, much more expensive than Fedex which i used to courier to Singapore for only 128 rmb! and the damn DHL service sucks BIG time!

Actually the office took less than 1 week to stamp it cause i wrote a letter for them to expediate the passport return as i am not in SG.

So i suppose yours should be due soon and yr turn should be round the corner!

Hope yrs come fast and then we shall meet in Calgary!

 

[tran]

I sent in a case specific enquiry to CHC Singapore. Reply below:

"Dear Sir, Your file is pending final review. Please wait to hear from us."

I wonder what to make of it? Maybe I can start to plant a papaya tree.

 

[abelkwh]

Hi Tran

Your case is really taking forever! and as i can remember, yr medical checkup is coming due soon, so i suppose, they will have to issue yr PR visa soon! so no worries about that! or else they will have to foot for your new medical checkup! ;-)

 

[tran]

Hi Abel,

Yes, it's taking forever. That is why I want to plant a papaya tree;
at least I know when it will bear fruits.

Have you booked your airline ticket already? Air Canada?