Singaporean applicants under FSW
- Thread starter tran
- Start date
Canada2010Journey
Star Member
- Apr 2, 2010
- 3
- Category........
- Visa Office......
- Singapore
- NOC Code......
- 0213
- Job Offer........
- Pre-Assessed..
August/September is the end of summer, so people, especially students, who have been traveling overseas during the summer are all returning. The cheapest time to travel is April before the universities break and October before Canadian Thanksgiving. I got a return ticket back in Oct '08 for CA$950, and that's including fuel surcharge, tax, and airport tax.
jnathan
VIP Member
- Feb 3, 2009
- 142
- Category........
- Visa Office......
- Sheng Chiu
- Job Offer........
- Pre-Assessed..
- App. Filed.......
- 21st Jan 2010
- Doc's Request.
- 10th March 2010
- AOR Received.
- 10th June 2010
- IELTS Request
- provided
- File Transfer...
- IN PROCESS: 12th October, 2010
- Med's Request
- Withdrawal Request sent....Was waiting for files to return....instead of returning the files, VO sent the MR !!
- Med's Done....
- 28 May 2012
- Passport Req..
- 24 July 2012
media is absolutely right, I have been watching that mediajunkie has been giving us practical information and hes got a vast experience about Airlines traveling and stuffs.
Thanks mediajunk, keep it up.
btw, mjunk, which Airlines? ANA doesnt come to BD I suppose.
yesterday i was checking and Cathay has this Fare now.
New York 1120
Toronto 1382
I knew that these two cities are not much far by Air distance.
I meant, when youre going to these cities from the east of the US.
Thanks mediajunk, keep it up.
btw, mjunk, which Airlines? ANA doesnt come to BD I suppose.
yesterday i was checking and Cathay has this Fare now.
New York 1120
Toronto 1382
I knew that these two cities are not much far by Air distance.
I meant, when youre going to these cities from the east of the US.
What's BD?
If you fly from New York to Toronto, it's going to cost you minimum $300 for a domestic flight. Like I said, air tickets to Canada are higher because Canada airports charge way more airport tax than US airports. I have not seen a domestic flight in Canada go for less than $299, even for budget airlines and short distances. This is because about half of that ticket price is airport tax.
Personally I dislike transiting in the US because it's quite a hassle to have to clear US customs even though you are just transiting there. The waits at the airport are long and uncomfortable, especially during the summer. I had a 10-hour layover in New York JFK last July because I redeemed my SIA points and wanted to go by SIA. The airport was so hot and stuffy, there were no seats, so I just sat on my luggage cart until I was allowed to check in. I finally paid $80 to use the lounge so that I could take a shower because I didn't want to go through another 20+ hours of flying feeling all dirty. If you can get an airline (like Cathay) that bypasses US on your first landing it would be better.
If you want cheap just go for China Airlines, sometimes Korean Airlines or Asiana is cheap too. I remember finding a really cheap fair from Singapore to Toronto with a stop in Mumbai on Air India but I really didn't want to take it. It was $850 in November, so it was definitely really cheap.
If you fly from New York to Toronto, it's going to cost you minimum $300 for a domestic flight. Like I said, air tickets to Canada are higher because Canada airports charge way more airport tax than US airports. I have not seen a domestic flight in Canada go for less than $299, even for budget airlines and short distances. This is because about half of that ticket price is airport tax.
Personally I dislike transiting in the US because it's quite a hassle to have to clear US customs even though you are just transiting there. The waits at the airport are long and uncomfortable, especially during the summer. I had a 10-hour layover in New York JFK last July because I redeemed my SIA points and wanted to go by SIA. The airport was so hot and stuffy, there were no seats, so I just sat on my luggage cart until I was allowed to check in. I finally paid $80 to use the lounge so that I could take a shower because I didn't want to go through another 20+ hours of flying feeling all dirty. If you can get an airline (like Cathay) that bypasses US on your first landing it would be better.
If you want cheap just go for China Airlines, sometimes Korean Airlines or Asiana is cheap too. I remember finding a really cheap fair from Singapore to Toronto with a stop in Mumbai on Air India but I really didn't want to take it. It was $850 in November, so it was definitely really cheap.
Hello everybody,
I have been looking around the CIC website and somehow stumble upon this forum. It is very encouraging that there are quite a few Singaporeans who want or have migrated to Canada. I have always wanted to move from Singapore to a place that is cooler, has more space and generally has a better quality of life. And Canada naturally came to mind. I do have some questions about migration to Canada and was hoping that those who have migrated could help me out. Is it generally easy to find a 'survival' job in Canada? I know that being a new migrant/PR, one might have to lower our expectations when it comes to jobs. I am an accountant by profession (CPA Singapore and Australia) and would most probably hope to do similar work in Canada. But I also know that one has to lower certain expectations in a new place. Is Canada friendly towards accounting professionals? What are some of your reasons for wanting to migrate to Canada? I do not have any family or friends in Canada, would that put me at a disadvantage when making an application?
I noticed that there is a certain cash requirement but it does seem rather low (I was mentally calculating how much would one need if there is no job for a year). Any one has any suggestion on the actual minimum sum that is required to pay for rent, food, utilities, transport etc while still looking for a job for one year for one person?
For those who are in similar situation as me and have applied or have gotten residenc status, how long did the entire process take before they grant you the PR? Is Ottawa still the place with the most jobs? These seems like alot of questions but I do hope you can help me. Many thanks.
I have been looking around the CIC website and somehow stumble upon this forum. It is very encouraging that there are quite a few Singaporeans who want or have migrated to Canada. I have always wanted to move from Singapore to a place that is cooler, has more space and generally has a better quality of life. And Canada naturally came to mind. I do have some questions about migration to Canada and was hoping that those who have migrated could help me out. Is it generally easy to find a 'survival' job in Canada? I know that being a new migrant/PR, one might have to lower our expectations when it comes to jobs. I am an accountant by profession (CPA Singapore and Australia) and would most probably hope to do similar work in Canada. But I also know that one has to lower certain expectations in a new place. Is Canada friendly towards accounting professionals? What are some of your reasons for wanting to migrate to Canada? I do not have any family or friends in Canada, would that put me at a disadvantage when making an application?
I noticed that there is a certain cash requirement but it does seem rather low (I was mentally calculating how much would one need if there is no job for a year). Any one has any suggestion on the actual minimum sum that is required to pay for rent, food, utilities, transport etc while still looking for a job for one year for one person?
For those who are in similar situation as me and have applied or have gotten residenc status, how long did the entire process take before they grant you the PR? Is Ottawa still the place with the most jobs? These seems like alot of questions but I do hope you can help me. Many thanks.
Hi Susuansusechan said:
I guess u must be a Singaporean, yr profession is one that is quite highly valued in Canada. What u need to do to qualify yrself in Canada as an Accountant is to take either CA or CMA or CGA.
Write me at abelkwh@gmail.com should u have further queries and i will answer further queries and those questions above.
Hi Susechan, welcome to our own Singaporean thread. Just thought I'd start off by answering some of your questions:susechan said:
Is it generally easy to find a 'survival' job in Canada? I know that being a new migrant/PR, one might have to lower our expectations when it comes to jobs.
Depends on what you mean by survival jobs. Minimum wage jobs at Tim Horton's are easy to come by. Office jobs, not so much. But you are an accountant. I have seen dozens if not hundreds of ads advertising for contract accounts during tax time, which would be late Jan - late April. If you time your move properly and get your local credentials before the busy tax season, I am sure that you will be able to get one of these positions. At the very minimum, you can take jobs as an accounts payable clerk, which still pay a good $40-48k a year for a full time position.
What are some of your reasons for wanting to migrate to Canada?
I came here because my entire family (parents and siblings) migrated over here 5 years before me. Before that I was working as a professor in the US but was denied tenure due to lack of department funding/poor economy. Having spent half my life in Western countries (Australia, UK, US, and now Canada) I was very reluctant to go back to Singapore.
I do not have any family or friends in Canada, would that put me at a disadvantage when making an application?
If you apply through the skilled workers assessment test (http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/immigrate/skilled/assess/index.asp) they allocate points based on various credentials. They currently require you to have 67 points to qualify to apply as a skilled worker. Having a bachelors degree will give you 22 points (23 for Mastesr, 25 for Doctorate). Being proficient in English (you may have to take the IELTS) will give you 16 points. Having more than 4 years of work experience will give you 21 points. Being between age 21-49 will give you 10 points. Having family members (regardless of how many) in Canada will give you just a mere 5 points. The disadvantage is extremely slight.
Any one has any suggestion on the actual minimum sum that is required to pay for rent, food, utilities, transport etc while still looking for a job for one year for one person?
Rent: Depends on the city/province you live in and how far from the city center. The closer to the city center, the more the rent. Do you need lots of space? Do you want to rent a house or an apartment? Are you willing to live with a roommate? Studio apartments (about 400-450 sq ft) in downtown Toronto would go for $1200-$1500 a month. One bedroom's $1500 at least. If you go one suburb out to the Mississauga/Markham/York area you can probably find a 2 bedroom house for those prices. If you can afford it you could purchase a new one bedroom for about $220-280k instead of renting although do not expect property prices to double like they do in Singapore.
Food: Do you eat out or eat in? A set meal at McDonalds will cost you $10 including tax. If you eat at a restaurant you have to pay a 10-15% tip in addition to the tax. So a $20 meal could actually cost you $26. Most groceries are not taxed, so if you cook for yourself a lot, you could probably get by on a couple of hundred dollars a month.
Utilities: It's called "Hydro" here in Canada because electricity is mostly generated by Hydroelectric power. There are 3 types: Electricity, Gas, Water. Electricity is relatively cheap, between $35-50 at the very most unless you are the type who likes leaving every light and appliance in the house on 24/7. Gas is for heat and hot water. It will be almost negligible during the summer months and can run from $100-200 depending during the winter months, once again depending on how many hot showers you like to take and whether you like the heat turned on 24/7. Water is also a negligible expense, probably $20-30 a month. It is often property-based. So if you have a 10-acre piece of land it would probably cost more. A lot of condos provide Hydro at a flat rate along with their monthly service fee but if you own your own house you are responsible for it yourself.
Transport: Will you be buying a car or taking public transportation? If you are living in a big city perhaps a car isn't necessary, but in the 2nd largest country in the world a car is almost a necessity. Public transportation isn't highly subsidized like Singapore, and they charge by the trip, not by the stop. For example the Toronto and Vancouver metros would cost $3 irregardless of whether you are taking the train for 20 stops or 1 stop. Cars and petrol are about 1/2 the price of that in Singapore but car maintenance and insurance is 2-3 times more, especially for new drivers.
how long did the entire process take before they grant you the PR?
If you apply through Federal Skilled Worker - and I believe that accountant is part of the NOC 38 jobs - it can take you as little as 8 months if you get all your documents ready when they request it. I got mine in 13 months from start to finish, although I was extremely slow to submit my documents. I would say that on average it would take less than a year for most people applying under FSW. The Singapore office is exceptionally fast in processing and many people from all over the region travel to Singapore to submit their application there.
Ottawa still the place with the most jobs?
Ottawa is the 4th largest metro area in Canada after Toronto, Montreal and Vancouver. I would say the most jobs would be where the most people are although I would imagine an accountant would be in demand anywhere. One of the disadvantages of working in Ottawa I have found is that the large majority of jobs require you to be bilingual in English and French because it is right on the Ontario/Quebec border and there are many francophones (french speakers) living there. Montreal would be the same but anywhere else in Quebec you will need to be fluent in French.
I hope I have answered your questions. Feel free to e-mail me at mediajunkie@gmail.com if you have more queries. I was telling Abel that I was in search of an accountant for some free advice. Perhaps you could help out when the time comes.
Speaking of Ottawa, there was a mid-sized earthquake near Ottawa yesterday and I could feel it here in Toronto even though I'm about 450 miles away from it:
http://www.cbc.ca/canada/montreal/story/2010/06/23/tor-earthquake.html
My house just trembled for a few seconds, nothing serious, the earthquake was only 5.0 but it was fairly unexpected.
I was thinking about how protected from natural disasters I was growing up in Singapore, until I heard from my friends that all of Singapore is flooded today - again - for the 2nd time in about a week haha.
http://www.cbc.ca/canada/montreal/story/2010/06/23/tor-earthquake.html
My house just trembled for a few seconds, nothing serious, the earthquake was only 5.0 but it was fairly unexpected.
I was thinking about how protected from natural disasters I was growing up in Singapore, until I heard from my friends that all of Singapore is flooded today - again - for the 2nd time in about a week haha.
Calgary is 5th I think in terms of population but definitely the fastest growing - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_the_100_largest_metropolitan_areas_in_Canadatran said:
The whole of Singapore this time, not just Orchard road. My facebook is flooded (pun intended) with flood posts from all my friends. everyone is complaining about ankle to mid-knee deep water.