This is my story- immigrant landed Jan 2013

[lloydnina]

To All Forumers,
First of all, I would like to thank all of the experts in this forum that helped me a lot in getting my Canadian Visa. In return, I am writing this feedback of my experience. I hope these points will help you in some ways.
ArrivalVery smooth arrival at the Pearson International Airport. We've been accommodated nicely from point of entry to immigration to customs.
Points:
1. Make sure you have all your paperwork with you. ( Certificate of landing, Passports, 2 copies of your incoming items)
2. If you can carry you own things to the customs, do not let the airport porter to do it for you as it looks free but its not! Will cost you minimum $20 for the service. You can rent a trolley for a fraction of the price of the porter.
3. If there is no relatives picking you up from the airport, you can book online for a taxi. Just search Toronto Airport taxi on the net and it will come up. But be sure you have Canadian $ with you already. Roughly, it will cost you $65-$75 from airport anywhere in GTA IF PRE-BOOKED.
Housing1. It is crucial to be in a nice place when you first land here in Canada, as it won't be a good experience if you settle in a cheap but dangerous place. Sacrifice some more cash for the first 2 months for your apartment as this will be a very important stage of your immigration. You can search Kijiji for short term accom or in our case, we booked at AIRBNB.CA. It's a website where in private home owners lend their rooms/apartments for short term. It cost $200-$300 more than cheap ones but usually the owner can orient you to Canada and help you settle. And the most important is its safe! ( pls read the review on their page before you rent their place)
Transport
1. Try not to buy a car just as yet. When you land, what you have is time but not cash, so even commuting will cost you time its better than paying a car and insurance.
2. If you need a car for a day or 2, just rent. Its cheaper.
3. Insurance is SO HIGH here in Toronto. For new drivers, it will cost you $400-500/ month no matter what car you drive, so get a car if you can afford it.
Food
1. I can't say anything bad here. It is so cheap wherever you go. I have lived in Australia and New Zealand and Canada's food is cheaper.
2. If you rent a place, make sure it is near a supermarket. It will save you money to do your groceries.
JOB!
1. This is the hardest part. Take note, if your job is not regulated here ( meaning like nurses or doctors ) then you won't be able to get your dream job just as yet. You need to start from scratch. This means, start with a survival job for a few months but try to get a survival job atleast related to your field. It will be $10-$12/ hr and mostly part time jobs are available.
2. If your job is regulated, try to get registration before you land. In my case, I am a nurse, so I get my registration right after I landed and working as a nurse.
3. DON'T EXPECT! Canada will not give you your dream life right after you landed. I am telling you, it is HARD. I am not trying to scare you, but just be ready as like what I have mentioned- you will start from scratch. Give Canada a good 1-3 yrs to get you settle.
4. Job searching is a lot of time. You will spend 3-6 months to get your first job! I am not joking. You might get lucky and get a survival job in less than a month. So, try to bring lots of money to get thru this period.
5. In my case, I landed January 15, I reviewed until Feb 6 when I took the nursing exam. Feb 7, I started applying for whatever job even cleaners. Unfortunately, no work until March 15 when I worked as a caregiver. I did 4 nights in a week with a 12$/hr shift and this pays for our food and other miscellaneous. My wife ended up working in a department store just walking distance to us. Our landlord help her by being her reference- THIS IS THE REASON WHY I SAID FIND A NICE PLACE TO STAY. Nice home means nice people means help! Now, I will be starting as a Registered Nurse in one of the hospitals here. It took me 5 months to get the job and pay that I want. It might be different story for you if your profession is not regulated.
Honestly, Canada is a very nice place but very challenging. Again, if you have enough cash to spend even if you don't find work for 1 yr and if you have the courage to roll up your sleeves and trade your managerial position to a cleaner for some time then you can go here. Otherwise, you need to think twice as like what I have heard and experienced, it will take an Immigrant 1-3 years to get a stable job.
Again, this is not to discourage you from pursuing your Canadian dream, but for you to be ready before going here.

spike

 

[khoya_chanda]

Very honest and true...appreciate your feedback.

Chanda

 

[myluckyprincess]

thanks for sharing your story. some small details are really helpful. seems like luck is on your side. it took you just months to get the job that you want. you made me realize that PREPARATION is everything.

 

[lloydnina]

thanks for sharing your story. some small details are really helpful. seems like luck is on your side. it took you just months to get the job that you want. you made me realize that PREPARATION is everything.

Yes, preparation is the key. It took me around 18 months before they allowed me to be registered as a nurse and all of that 18 months is prior to our landing. One important thing that new immigrant should leave in their country is EXPECTATION. In my case, i did not. So, the first 3 months here is really a struggle and depression. I would lie if i say i did not think of going back, however, my effort paid off. If you don't expect then you won't get disappointed. Whatever happens, just do what you can do...and it will definitely get better.

 

[talwinder virk]

thanx buddy

this would be very beneficial for all os us..

 

[migrator]

Why did you choose to leave Australia??? Kindly comment as I have received my PR and am also in the process of apply for Australian PR.

 

[lloydnina]

Why did you choose to leave Australia??? Kindly comment as I have received my PR and am also in the process of apply for Australian PR.

Why did you choose to leave Australia??? Kindly comment as I have received my PR and am also in the process of apply for Australian PR.

That is a good question. If i just want money then i would stay in Australia. Australia pays more than Canada and opportunities are more too. Weather is perfect just like asian weather. Attitudes? well, they say there is racism in Australia but seriously i have not encountered even one incident. The main reason is Family. My wife's relatives are just across the boarder ( US ) so its very easy for us to visit them or vice versa. Secondly, since we were children, we dream of white christmas- so one dream ticked. Thirdly, Australia pays more but more living expenses ( apart from car insurance which is extremely high here ). In Canada, you can buy a house for 280k-350k but in Australia you will only get a one bedroom apartment in a province for such amount. Also, Car here is 30% cheaper. So, i would say if you are an average earner here, say $20-25$/ hr, then you would live a decent life but not down under. and i forgot to mention that Canada is more diverse culturally, i mean, there are a lot of ethnicity here so being an immigrant is just temporary.

If you want Money, Go to the land of the Wallabies! but if you want simple but decent life then go here, the land of the overflowing maple syrup!

 

[myluckyprincess]

your post is very enlightening. this is what i'm exactly waiting for. a comparison between the two that came from a heart's desire of an immigrant. good luck kabayan! sana magtuloy-tuloy na ang tagumpay mo. (hope your success continues).

That is a good question. If i just want money then i would stay in Australia. Australia pays more than Canada and opportunities are more too. Weather is perfect just like asian weather. Attitudes? well, they say there is racism in Australia but seriously i have not encountered even one incident. The main reason is Family. My wife's relatives are just across the boarder ( US ) so its very easy for us to visit them or vice versa. Secondly, since we were children, we dream of white christmas- so one dream ticked. Thirdly, Australia pays more but more living expenses ( apart from car insurance which is extremely high here ). In Canada, you can buy a house for 280k-350k but in Australia you will only get a one bedroom apartment in a province for such amount. Also, Car here is 30% cheaper. So, i would say if you are an average earner here, say $20-25$/ hr, then you would live a decent life but not down under. and i forgot to mention that Canada is more diverse culturally, i mean, there are a lot of ethnicity here so being an immigrant is just temporary.

If you want Money, Go to the land of the Wallabies! but if you want simple but decent life then go here, the land of the overflowing maple syrup!

 

[ItsBeenLongNow]

To All Forumers,
First of all, I would like to thank all of the experts in this forum that helped me a lot in getting my Canadian Visa. In return, I am writing this feedback of my experience. I hope these points will help you in some ways.
ArrivalVery smooth arrival at the Pearson International Airport. We've been accommodated nicely from point of entry to immigration to customs.
Points:
1. Make sure you have all your paperwork with you. ( Certificate of landing, Passports, 2 copies of your incoming items)
2. If you can carry you own things to the customs, do not let the airport porter to do it for you as it looks free but its not! Will cost you minimum $20 for the service. You can rent a trolley for a fraction of the price of the porter.
3. If there is no relatives picking you up from the airport, you can book online for a taxi. Just search Toronto Airport taxi on the net and it will come up. But be sure you have Canadian $ with you already. Roughly, it will cost you $65-$75 from airport anywhere in GTA IF PRE-BOOKED.
Housing1. It is crucial to be in a nice place when you first land here in Canada, as it won't be a good experience if you settle in a cheap but dangerous place. Sacrifice some more cash for the first 2 months for your apartment as this will be a very important stage of your immigration. You can search Kijiji for short term accom or in our case, we booked at AIRBNB.CA. It's a website where in private home owners lend their rooms/apartments for short term. It cost $200-$300 more than cheap ones but usually the owner can orient you to Canada and help you settle. And the most important is its safe! ( pls read the review on their page before you rent their place)
Transport
1. Try not to buy a car just as yet. When you land, what you have is time but not cash, so even commuting will cost you time its better than paying a car and insurance.
2. If you need a car for a day or 2, just rent. Its cheaper.
3. Insurance is SO HIGH here in Toronto. For new drivers, it will cost you $400-500/ month no matter what car you drive, so get a car if you can afford it.
Food
1. I can't say anything bad here. It is so cheap wherever you go. I have lived in Australia and New Zealand and Canada's food is cheaper.
2. If you rent a place, make sure it is near a supermarket. It will save you money to do your groceries.
JOB!
1. This is the hardest part. Take note, if your job is not regulated here ( meaning like nurses or doctors ) then you won't be able to get your dream job just as yet. You need to start from scratch. This means, start with a survival job for a few months but try to get a survival job atleast related to your field. It will be $10-$12/ hr and mostly part time jobs are available.
2. If your job is regulated, try to get registration before you land. In my case, I am a nurse, so I get my registration right after I landed and working as a nurse.
3. DON'T EXPECT! Canada will not give you your dream life right after you landed. I am telling you, it is HARD. I am not trying to scare you, but just be ready as like what I have mentioned- you will start from scratch. Give Canada a good 1-3 yrs to get you settle.
4. Job searching is a lot of time. You will spend 3-6 months to get your first job! I am not joking. You might get lucky and get a survival job in less than a month. So, try to bring lots of money to get thru this period.
5. In my case, I landed January 15, I reviewed until Feb 6 when I took the nursing exam. Feb 7, I started applying for whatever job even cleaners. Unfortunately, no work until March 15 when I worked as a caregiver. I did 4 nights in a week with a 12$/hr shift and this pays for our food and other miscellaneous. My wife ended up working in a department store just walking distance to us. Our landlord help her by being her reference- THIS IS THE REASON WHY I SAID FIND A NICE PLACE TO STAY. Nice home means nice people means help! Now, I will be starting as a Registered Nurse in one of the hospitals here. It took me 5 months to get the job and pay that I want. It might be different story for you if your profession is not regulated.
Honestly, Canada is a very nice place but very challenging. Again, if you have enough cash to spend even if you don't find work for 1 yr and if you have the courage to roll up your sleeves and trade your managerial position to a cleaner for some time then you can go here. Otherwise, you need to think twice as like what I have heard and experienced, it will take an Immigrant 1-3 years to get a stable job.
Again, this is not to discourage you from pursuing your Canadian dream, but for you to be ready before going here.

spike

Thanks lloydnina for this detailed experience, could you let me know, do we need to bring more money other than what CIC suggests?
if so, how much you would suggest

 

[coolguy2010]

+1 for lloydnina.....

 

[4can]

Thanx for sharing!!

To All Forumers,
First of all, I would like to thank all of the experts in this forum that helped me a lot in getting my Canadian Visa. In return, I am writing this feedback of my experience. I hope these points will help you in some ways.
ArrivalVery smooth arrival at the Pearson International Airport. We've been accommodated nicely from point of entry to immigration to customs.
Points:
1. Make sure you have all your paperwork with you. ( Certificate of landing, Passports, 2 copies of your incoming items)
2. If you can carry you own things to the customs, do not let the airport porter to do it for you as it looks free but its not! Will cost you minimum $20 for the service. You can rent a trolley for a fraction of the price of the porter.
3. If there is no relatives picking you up from the airport, you can book online for a taxi. Just search Toronto Airport taxi on the net and it will come up. But be sure you have Canadian $ with you already. Roughly, it will cost you $65-$75 from airport anywhere in GTA IF PRE-BOOKED.
Housing1. It is crucial to be in a nice place when you first land here in Canada, as it won't be a good experience if you settle in a cheap but dangerous place. Sacrifice some more cash for the first 2 months for your apartment as this will be a very important stage of your immigration. You can search Kijiji for short term accom or in our case, we booked at AIRBNB.CA. It's a website where in private home owners lend their rooms/apartments for short term. It cost $200-$300 more than cheap ones but usually the owner can orient you to Canada and help you settle. And the most important is its safe! ( pls read the review on their page before you rent their place)
Transport
1. Try not to buy a car just as yet. When you land, what you have is time but not cash, so even commuting will cost you time its better than paying a car and insurance.
2. If you need a car for a day or 2, just rent. Its cheaper.
3. Insurance is SO HIGH here in Toronto. For new drivers, it will cost you $400-500/ month no matter what car you drive, so get a car if you can afford it.
Food
1. I can't say anything bad here. It is so cheap wherever you go. I have lived in Australia and New Zealand and Canada's food is cheaper.
2. If you rent a place, make sure it is near a supermarket. It will save you money to do your groceries.
JOB!
1. This is the hardest part. Take note, if your job is not regulated here ( meaning like nurses or doctors ) then you won't be able to get your dream job just as yet. You need to start from scratch. This means, start with a survival job for a few months but try to get a survival job atleast related to your field. It will be $10-$12/ hr and mostly part time jobs are available.
2. If your job is regulated, try to get registration before you land. In my case, I am a nurse, so I get my registration right after I landed and working as a nurse.
3. DON'T EXPECT! Canada will not give you your dream life right after you landed. I am telling you, it is HARD. I am not trying to scare you, but just be ready as like what I have mentioned- you will start from scratch. Give Canada a good 1-3 yrs to get you settle.
4. Job searching is a lot of time. You will spend 3-6 months to get your first job! I am not joking. You might get lucky and get a survival job in less than a month. So, try to bring lots of money to get thru this period.
5. In my case, I landed January 15, I reviewed until Feb 6 when I took the nursing exam. Feb 7, I started applying for whatever job even cleaners. Unfortunately, no work until March 15 when I worked as a caregiver. I did 4 nights in a week with a 12$/hr shift and this pays for our food and other miscellaneous. My wife ended up working in a department store just walking distance to us. Our landlord help her by being her reference- THIS IS THE REASON WHY I SAID FIND A NICE PLACE TO STAY. Nice home means nice people means help! Now, I will be starting as a Registered Nurse in one of the hospitals here. It took me 5 months to get the job and pay that I want. It might be different story for you if your profession is not regulated.
Honestly, Canada is a very nice place but very challenging. Again, if you have enough cash to spend even if you don't find work for 1 yr and if you have the courage to roll up your sleeves and trade your managerial position to a cleaner for some time then you can go here. Otherwise, you need to think twice as like what I have heard and experienced, it will take an Immigrant 1-3 years to get a stable job.
Again, this is not to discourage you from pursuing your Canadian dream, but for you to be ready before going here.

spike

 

[lloydnina]

Thanks lloydnina for this detailed experience, could you let me know, do we need to bring more money other than what CIC suggests?
if so, how much you would suggest

Thanks lloydnina for this detailed experience, could you let me know, do we need to bring more money other than what CIC suggests?
if so, how much you would suggest

Yes, definitely. Why? its not advisable to signed a rental aggreement for 1 yr right after you landed as you won't really know if that is the right location for you. If you find job somewhere else then you need to transfer, and you can't do that if you are tied up for 1 yr. So, you need to negotiate with your landlord. Most of the land lords, because you don't have a job yet, will ask for the whole payment of the rent either 6 month or 1 yr. Take my expenses for example:

These are our expenses for the first few months.

Rent for 6 months + $1000 security deposit = 1,150 x 6 = 6,900 + 1000 = $7,900
Driving lesson ( important ) = $300
Phone mobile =100/month ( with data ) = $ 600
Food = $500 x 6 months =$ 3000
Transport =$300/ month =$1800
------------
$13, 600
These are just the super basic expenses for a couple for the first six months and does not include other payments like if you occasionally want to eat out just to have a bonding with your wife as to boost your morale and encourage each other when things aren't getting better yet. I have bought some appli kitchen appliances that cost around another $500. The CIC REQUIRED US TO CARRY 13,800 TO START WITH BUT THIS IS OK IF YOU FIND A JOB IN YOUR FIRST 3 MONTHS, otherwise you will be in trouble. I would suggest carry as much as you can, in our case, for a couple, i carried with me $20,000 and it was fine, considering i found a job after 3 months and will be starting with a good paying job in a month.

 

[ItsBeenLongNow]

Thanks lloydnina, very helpful

 

[SanRoque]

Interesting fact lloydnina. Just entered Canada recently a month ago and back here in NZ to finish some stuff here and will be back next year to finally settle in Toronto.

Great to hear you're in the track.

I agree, Canada is really diverse and a huge place to explore and lots of opportunities I guess though I haven't explored yet to look for a job when we entered but it seems the construction of high rise buildings are on going. Hope it is a good sign of still booming economy.

Whereabout are you in Toronto? Still thinking which place in GTA to settle, it depends where I can get a job and close to school. We stayed in Missassauga.

 

[RajeevPillai]

Excellent info lloydnina. As you rightly said, carry as much funds as possible if you plan to settle in Canada. For a couple, I would say carry at least $20,000 for the first year.