Folafikemi:


Do it in Canada. I got good deal over there. Hold ur USD till u get there

Hi where did you change it in Canada was it a bank? And what was the exchange rate?

stevesegkay:
Dear Family,

What do you think about landing in Montreal. I found flights with Royal Air Maroc going to Montreal, quite cheap. Meanwhile, I final destination is Saskatoon, SK.

Hope there would be no issue with landing in Montreal, especially language and also ease of connecting to a flight to Saskatoon.

Thank you.

You can land in montreal, but you will need to pick up your bags and have an onward flight to Saskatoon. so if your inbound flight is cheap, check www.expedia.ca and purchase a domestic flight to Saskatoon. Westjet is usually cheaper than Air Canada. And once you pick up your bags past customs, you have to check them in again with your preferred airline. 1st bag is $35, 2nd Bag is $50 and 3rd bag $100. so depending on your family size, you'd have to spread the luggage. But if you purchase a ticket from Nigeria directly to SK, your bags would be tagged to the final destination. You may or may not miss your connecting flight from Montreal due to clearing customs and all the New immigrant wahala. and if that happens locate the customer service desk of the domestic airline you are flying with. Either ways, whatever your port of entry is into Canada, make sure to check your bags on the carousels to make sure it was or was not transferred. But in most cases you transfer the bags yourself. Good luck and Welcome to Canada.
I hope this helps

Please who has done any of these courses and which of them do you think pays more in Canada? And does it make sense for PR holders to get student loans to pursue full time courses or diploma courses as the case may be. Thanks

Done

Akingsqueen:
Oh thanks for reaching out. I can't seem to connect with you. Can you please send your email or contact number to me on melankev17@yahoo.com

Thank you much.

Vesment:
please will it be easier to convert dollar to canadian dollar in canada or should i do it in Nigeria? please i need help, i have it in my domicilary account.

Best bet would be to convert to CAD in Canada at a forex booth. We use Califorex. Their rates are far better than banks. But you might want to monitor the CAD/USD performance and change when best value is in the offing.

jesusbaby01:


1. I drink coffee at Timmies but i've never gotten to $500 before.
2. Get a coffee maker or if you have coffee maker at work just buy the pods
3. Drink a cup of tea or coffee before leaving the house
4. Learn to buy just coffee no timbits
5. Limit your timmies to 1 or 2 a week and pay with cash (coming from someone that Timmies has always been at all her 3 places of employment)
6. Fast on some days of the week
7. If all these persists, please go for deliverance

Lol at go for deliverance, thanks for your suggestions.

Torkwase1:


Lol I'm a Tim Hortons fan too. But what keeps me in check is looking at the calories they display on them snacks and drinks. I don't want to add weight while losing money!!!

Thank you.

salford1:

I had this addiction too until lower back problems surfaced.

Think of Health and financial reasons. Those two should help in breaking the habit.

Thank you so much for sharing, your story is more than enough reason for me to stop. God bless you.

Also big thanks to Tominiola and Hotstepper for your suggestions.

Canny19:
Please who has done any of these courses and which of them do you think pays more in Canada? And does it make sense for PR holders to get student loans to pursue full time courses or diploma courses as the case may be. Thanks

Well I think CDI college is very expensive cos it is a private university and it is not fully recognized by industries . You can take out time to read their reviews online. Schools like bow valley, SAIT and university of Calgary for me should be better considered.

Hi Livy2018

Please we need to discuss how to be fine in this situation o. Permission to PM you please?

Livy2018:
You will be fine, dont worry too much. I have 3 kids also, all below 6 years and I am here alone without hubby. I repeat again, you will be fine

GirlieNtosh:
Anybody interested in a brand new furnished 1 bedroom basement in NW Calgary?

N.B Short-term only

Hi, I need one from March next year when I land.

Is this available right now or can we discuss for March?

P.S. Anyone who would like to share a place in Calgary from March or know anyone who may have a place should let me know. thanks

Livy2018:
You will be fine, dont worry too much. I have 3 kids also, all below 6 years and I am here alone without hubby. I repeat again, you will be fine

Wow.. Please give us practical ways you have been doing it

You're strong o.. Do you have family or friends in Canada ?

thank you. that means i should go with cash and not in DOM account

Jbelieve:

Hi where did you change it in Canada was it a bank? And what was the exchange rate?

thank you.
can i go with DOM debit card or should i do cash because of the security of handling cash

Khalesi:

Best bet would be to convert to CAD in Canada at a forex booth. We use Califorex. Their rates are far better than banks. But you might want to monitor the CAD/USD performance and change when best value is in the offing.

Hello all,

Does anyone here live in Edmonton? Is there a WhatsApp group for Nigerians in Edmonton?

Planning to land in February 2020

Please help a sister.

I need some information.

mldtemi:
Hello all,

Does anyone here live in Edmonton? Is there a WhatsApp group for Nigerians in Edmonton?

Planning to land in February 2020

Please help a sister.

I need some information.

Please I'm interested too o. Planning to land in December

Palominopeaches:

Please I'm interested too o. Planning to land in December

Telegram group exist

By Golbon

I do not regret moving away from home and experiencing a new life.

But I do regret choosing Canada over Europe (I did have the choice).

Here are a few things I am sure the responses, especially the ones from those who have ‘just’ moved here and likely wrote the comments in their ‘high’ of traveling do not cover.

1 - The cold is deadly - and no one wants to admit it.

2 - It is cold not only outside, Canadians like to burn extra fuel on airconditioning and to freeze their indoor areas too, both in summer and winter (and yes there are only two seasons in Canada). There is not one day all year around when you can do your errands without having to carry a jacket or, ever thinking of wearing a skirt like I like to do - because the moment you step inside buildings it’s FREEZING (unless you are exercising). Although, I must say people do not dress to the weather, and if you have an issue with the cold, you will be always objectified ‘omg! your wearing too much! are you cold?’

Look, winters are 8 months long here (Edit: when I say winter, I mean so long I need to wear knits, jackets, tooks and boots, if you go out with shorts in 10 degrees good for you, anything below 12 is winter to me and most people from mild climates). for at least 3 months, it’s below -15 (Edit: if anyone doubts this, they can track the weather and average temperature in various provinces, make sure you look at the ‘real feel’ value too. Unless you are in Windsor Ontario or BC, this is what it is, if not worse). You need a car. You need a really good home with proper heating, and still your social life is brought to minimum during those months. Now, let’s see what happens when you are a broke student who lives in the burbs and cannot even dream of having a car. I live downtown and it’s 15 min walk to my school (nice eh?) when it’s -40, I do mind having to walk 15 mins.

3 - It is super expensive. Rent goes up ridiculously every year. You could look it up if you wished, but I am half-certain hat Canadians pay the highest price for phone and internet services in the developed world. Other expenses are high too, compared to many countries - and it’s not like you get a top quality life for the expensive things you spend money on. I am talking about a single person who cooks their own meals, does not even drink and, does not spare money on anything other than necessities.

4 - Public transportation SUCKS BALLS. I know most people around the world like to talk about how punctual buses are in Canada because if they do not pick people up in a timely manner people could freeze. That’s an utter lie. And on top of that, the reach each of each city’s transportation system is very weak. Unless you live in the downtown area (which makes it easier just to walk or bike rather than having to wait for irregular buses for unknown periods of time) chances are you will have to spend 2+ hrs on transportation every day just to get to where you work or you go to school. Most of the cities do not have metro (subway) and again when they do, the beauty of it is only when you are in close distances to the core downtown. Otherwise metro will never get you to the inner cities, and you will have to switch to subsidiary buses that…again will get you to wait…and wait…and wait. Intercity transport is also awful, a monopoly and, expensive. I do not know if there are any countries left around the world wish such disconnected transport system - especially given how far apart everything is in North America.

Never mind internal flight prices. I don’t want to even start writing about Air Canada.

5 - Relationships are overrated, and talking about the ‘physiological need for sex’ is the centerpiece of reasoning for inquiring one. The dating scene is an absolute bogus mess, which comes down to women chasing men, hopes of sharing the rent, or otherwise being pointed at as ‘not getting enough sex’ and ‘not having a man’ ( sometimes I wonder if it is the 1800s and the age of getting wedded is 16). People move-in in a matter of days of knowing each other and move-out in a matter of a couple of months. By late 20s, anyone you meet has been through divorce(s) or separation(s), likely has kids, usually still ‘hangs out’ with their exes (you are likely to learn about the grisly truth only after you have invested yourself emotionally in an unworthy narcissist too hard). Every one you meet is bitter and cunning, only looking for another partner to suit their economic imbalances. People put up with cheating partners very often, and internalizing these standards, at least when you are super lonely, comes next. You’ll be surprised.

(I generally would not suggest a single person who is interested in dating to come here. If I ever do recommend Canada it’s to couples. If you have kids you will get to raise them in safe, ugly neighborhoods where they never play on the streets - I don’t know why? It’s safe, it’s super flat and begs for two gates and a soccer ball or hockey puck- and you will have to dump thousands and thousands of dollars on their daycare). I will not get into the cost of primary education. Not here.



Please could these be true at seniors in the house

mldtemi:
Hello all,

Does anyone here live in Edmonton? Is there a WhatsApp group for Nigerians in Edmonton?

Planning to land in February 2020

Please help a sister.

I need some information.

Pm me

6 - Unless you are an engineer or have an MBA or, if you are a real estate or car sales agent (or wish to become) forget about doing anything ambitious. You could have all the qualification in the world and work in Walmart and enjoy your 4 K salary with benefits (many people are happy with that and do put aside their goals and settle with having enough pay to get by as an ultimate). And if you refuse to work for years on years in job for which you are overqualified, you are pointed at as a sloth who doesn’t want to work. Your success is measured by salary, pension, and mortgage, not if you are happy with your job (it's actually the norm to hate your work). Ironically no one wants to talk about numbers when it comes to money. There is a presumption everyone's wellbeing and financial condition is safeguarded by some godly ransom that they digged up from the graves of their ancestors.

7 - Dishonesty. The way [most] people do not tell you what they mean and confuse you with their actions and words is astonishing here. Barely anyone is straightforward, and humor is the lost word in Canadian English. Everyone seems to have a stick up their arse (and you will become like that too). People only open up after getting absurdly drunk - mainly for a few seconds before they lose the ability to collect their conscious.
(Edit: there is a general assumption that people in countries with Arctic climate and low-density populations have bigger bubbles around their selves, are more difficult to connect and are easily out of touch with their emotions. I cannot speak for Scandinavia for example, but, have heard foreigners from dense societies feel the same about them. Take this tho; emotional has negative connotations in Canadian English. So you know who you are).

8 - It’s boring (save for the hardcore advocates of outdoors sports - even though the temperatures are usually below standard for those too, I have heard skiiers from Scandinavia come here and are shocked how locals go out on days they would absolutely refuse to exercise outdoors). Other than the few main cities I’m sure you know which ones are and, their downtown areas only, the rest of the towns and the burbs and the cities are a copy and pasted version of one another - ugly 70s style cement buildings, from an era where architects stopped being creative and erecting venues, was likely left to road builders! City structure is inaccessible without a car and, is alienating.

Having fun comes down to bar hopping with teens (or grown-ups who like to act like they are still teens; super excited about being able to drink), in un-fashionable clothing, hearing some off-tune country music and watching girls throw up and drop like flies - because alcohol is the holy grail no one wants to be left behind in consuming it as much as possible (and guess what? it is also more expensive than anywhere I have been, U.S. Europe, South America). You cannot enjoy your drink, or socialize all without it if you wished - it always seems to me that there is a race in ‘how much’ you can drink, so to say, you have a place in the society!!!

I am an artist, and I have studied human sciences. This type of environment does not cultivate creativity. The level of artwork, presentation and access to creative means is bare minimum because people care too much about having a routine and a salary - because back to the point, prices are no joke here, nor are your bills, your credit card neither the mortgage etc. And the best way to secure those is being as predictable and average as possible. Art is regulated by the government which is great in the sense that artists can have access to massive fundings; so long that they follow the government’s agenda which changes at every turn of the parliament.

9 - The food including fresh produce, snacks, prepared meals and pub/restaurant dishes is bland and tasteless (I do not really know what it is, the way the American groceries that are exported to Canada are grown? GMOs? The amount of sugar and salt that is used in food versus all the other spices that should be but are NEVER used?)

Edit: I accidentally came upon a source about proteins that indicated in North America some animal proteins (that are not naturally found in the structure of plants) are used for the growth of fruits and vegetables. I have also heard that many standards in agriculture and farming are way different from elsewhere in the world, whether these contribute to the tastelessness of food is for debate but surely modifications that are done to our food remain largely a mystery.

‘Affordable ethnic’ cuisines are limited to Thai and Chinese food. For the rest you will often have to pay 3 times as much.

10 - Get ready for wrecking accommodation, roaches, bedbugs, and mice. There are many many old residential buildings made of wood. Naturally, susceptible to all kinds of vermin. The hygiene level is also below my standards (and I am not fussy whatsoever). People, very often do not seem to clean enough. Not all, of course. But it does not surprise me anymore that 50% of the times when I walk into a new place and I notice the clump of dust in the corners and uncleaned kitchen and bathrooms.

Also, bad landlords, awful landlords and absolutely psychopathic ones who own houses and rent it out for extra income and make the life of the tenant hell, are plenty. Unless you are living in a condo building which is at least 1.5 times rentals and twice as expensive as shared houses, situations can rise easily.

Nature is great tho. Again if you have the luxury of accessing natural sites by car. Freezing your ass camping, or, would like to go hiking and skiing - mainly in inhuman temperatures. This is all given the fact that you do find the time off to ever do something extracurricular.

11 -Universal Health Care: it’s there, it’s good, so long that you are not actually sick or require an emergency. I cannot count the number of times I have heard people they were kept in the ER for hours with no rimary care, no drugs nor testing because there were no specialized doctors available to look t them (this goes from food poisoning to having a broken bone to anything else). I am not talking about medical mistakes. I am talking about a sever shortage in doctors.

Doctors, I mean specialists, literally flock to this country in the hopes of practicing their medicine away from their home country where they have to compete with several others. It is almost impossible for them to get back on the track with new qualifications they require to work in Canada as it takes a decade to get through the tests and everything… and guess what? life costs money and they end up being taxi drivers - or whatever, not doctors no more!!! (The taxi driver doctor is such a stereotype you cannot even keep a blind eye). Now, those doctors CAN, in fact, make a good living driving taxis or working in Walmart or wherever, but what do you think happens to people in need of special care?

Well if they are rich they go to the States, Europe or the Middle East, in emergency situations sometimes the correct diagnosis does not take place on time and they end up being slaves to the pharmaceutical industry for their lifetime.

Plus note that the Universal Health Care does not cover the costs of most of the highly specialized medical treatments - unless you have extra coverage with your work.

So, despite as a relatively healthy person you can enjoy regular checks with your family doctor, anything beyond that if you are not employed at the right place and do not have a ton of money to pay for treatment in the U.S. can be scary.

Hmmm…what’s the cancer rate in Canada again?

12 - Unemployment Benefits; I am not going to say it is awful to have help when you become unemployed (but I guess most governments in the world have something along those lines). It is relatively easy to get the few hundred dollar checks and it can cover some basic costs. But the thing is, those who actually rely on this money either torn apart native people, and you know that their conditions go back generations (again I am not going to elaborate on what has happened to the indigenous peoples of Canada, you do your research) and their unemployment in a colonial system that is not compatible with their lost traditions, is not something that can be fixed with a few hundreds of dollars per month, but needs a historical healing. The other benefactors are lazy entitled [often local white] people who do not look for work, do not accept low wage work, and do choose to beg on the streets (because they can collect some more from kind people who help them) while they reside in social housing or dirty cheap team houses. Often drunken bad-mouthed homeless people who are plenty in the richest cities of the country - you only need to take a 5 minute walk n downtown Ottawa or Toronto, for example, to realize poverty is not something specific to ‘the developing countries’. But interestingly, there are no videos or pictures showing this type of thing to the enthusiastic immigrants as ‘Canada’. No, Canada is not only its homeless people. Neither it is its national hockey team. But there are these issues here, like anywhere else in the world and the spotless imagery many people have of this country is simply laughable.

A middle-class worker who does pay some rent for a decent place and happens to have become unemployed cannot really manage monthly expenses with this check the government sends. It is just a little help. It does not hold one’s life together unless one decided to move in a basement with 4+ roommates during the time he or she is unemployed - which can mean months. I do not propose the provincial governments should raise this pay, I am just saying those who move to Canada to get these benefits are very much like those buggers who soak up the money sitting on the streets acting like they need help while the real trouble of unemployment (however small in percentage) is draining students and real workers.

And last but not least International Higher Education: There is a humongous number of people who come to Canada as international students every year (I wrote my Ph.D. thesis about this, so this only a glimpse of the facts I have come upon while writing. Rest assured, I have presented my research to the department of immigration and citizenship and they approved I had my facts right_so there). All around the world, studying abroad is encouraged and celebrated, especially is one gets into a highly accredited institution in the top universities that are mainly located in anglophone countries. Many of those who come to Canada are essentially pursuing this as a pathway for accessing immigration to Canada. Little they know the number of foreign students is so overwhelmingly high, and the information regarding their success in getting permanent residency is very scattered; the reality is the government of Canada recognizes international education as one of its most important economic assets[1] (immediate expenditure of incoming international students earned about 12 billion dollars for Canada in 2016[2] ) but despite the available programs for immigration of students, the ultimate goal has never been to settle all of them[3] .
Each international student pays up to 3 times the tuition fee[4] to the domestic student (depending on the province) and funding (especially for foreign students) is becoming more scarce every year. Now while you might be experiencing all of the social aspects of life including the above-mentioned, before deciding to study in Canada you might want to check the job market from within - meaning people who have been through your field of study. Do not rely on the advertising university partners provide or the pretty pictures on university websites. Studying here is no joke and one is better to consider everything and more (including finding a good adviser who is not planning on being a dick to you for the entire course of your graduate degree) before committing to a program that requires great attention.

Also please note that an international student can not enjoy any of the government programs such as immigration services, health care, unemployment benefits etc. These only come to immigrants and citizens. Especially after an international student graduates, he or she is literally relying on a single paper called Post Graduate Work Permit. There is barely any budget dedicated to guiding this young and sophisticated bunch through the Canadian system.

EDIT: Now, don’t get me wrong. I do not absolutely hate my life (so please, be kind and save the philanthropic positivist advice, I’d prefer a proper mural or DJ gig lol - you see no matter how great I feel about myself, if I do not enjoy the social scene and do not wish to live the rest of my life HAPPILY in an isolated enclave, there is no way around it). This is not my diary or resume. And I have not included anything close to my day to day negative experience with matters such as underemployment, higher education fees, the art scene etc. These are my reasons that convince me, as per speaking to the general public, why I would have possibly chosen another destination - somewhere warmer with better urban architecture and a dense population - if I went back and decided to go abroad and explore the world at 24 (again, if you are here to represent Canadian patriarchy by hateful comments, you are simply on a wrong post, go read something that fulfills your agenda). Also, this is in the 2010s, Canada screens in almost only highly skilled technical work force and, I am in the arts and humanities. My experience would be incomparable to numerous people who moved here 30 years ago as general labour.

Canadians are very nice. They are welcoming and do not discriminate (often, as I have seen) against race or culture. There are very decent, respectable people I have met here. There are friendships I do cherish. But I do not think that I would have moved here for the sake of meeting these people. Especially for a person without their 1st degree family, life is very machine-like, disconnected here. You might not mind the prices if you are rich, and would likely be able to skip atrocious housing conditions. It doesn’t negate the fact that the industrial nature of everything resonates everywhere no matter what you do. People will not ever, never get actually close to you and at some point you give up trying to break the ice. And you will learn to do the same as them, and limit your relationships to thinking of them as professional networks which you will have to employ for career purposes. You will create your own bubble around yourself and you will either learn to enjoy it, or you will keep regretting your life choices.

P.S. These are my reasons for ‘regretting moving to Canada’. Things I have listed here have affected me personally. It is always easier to see things from a critical perspective once one has lived in different places. Nonetheless, these are my viewpoints as a foreigner; most of the times people who have lived all of their lives in their country of birth think their country is either the worst of the best. Yet, everything is relative.


Please could these be true @ seniors in the house??

Palominopeaches:

Please I'm interested too o. Planning to land in December

Pm me

By Singh Ran

Money

Prior to moving to Canada, I worked for top global banks globally for around 10 years so hopefully I can make a fair comparison. If you are a high flyer in your own country possibly you would be making more money at home than Canada as the wages are quite low in Canada. Super-high paying jobs even for niche skills are quite unheard of in Canada. If you make more than 100K CAD in Canada, you will possibly fall into top 1% earners in the country.

One of other hand if you are a blue collared worker in your home country and belong to a lower strata of society then Canada definitely open doors for you to economic mobility. Per hour minimum wage in Canada is around 14 CAD and you probably would be making much more than what you make back in India or your home country.

Money-wise, Canada is relatively beneficial only if you are a semi-skilled worker. For a skilled worker, the demand and pay is much higher in other parts of the developed world.

Hiring

Hiring can be pretty frustrating for new immigrants. I went through the illogical and bureaucratic hiring process followed in Canada, which at first came as a shock. Hiring in India generally is more meritocratic, quick and less frustrating. Consultants will be chasing you in India if you an IIT/IIM grad but in Canada you will need to call/meet people and job consultants. Your non-Canadian experience and education matter least, what matters is who knows you. It becomes really easy if you know someone at a key position very well. So you might need to network a lot before landing the first job.

“Canadian Experience” generally is a way of discrimination (at times subtle form of racism as well). The hiring managers are aware that you a recent migrant hence they use it for their own advantage. They will try to hire you for much lesser, or at a junior position and locals do get a preference. But sometime “lack of Canadian experience” is also a genuine requirement when it is used as a polite way of filtering out candidates who don’t possess the necessary soft skills required to to the job. I personally have noticed many Indian immigrants possessing the required hard skills but they lack the soft skills or have a general apathy regarding the local culture. I know this situation is natural for a new immigrant but that’s how things work.

The tech job market especially the analytics/data science is pretty hot in Toronto but if you are from core banking (say asset management, investment banking or wealth management), marketing, consulting or operations, then you will most likely face a much harder time finding the right job here.

Long period of unemployment also means you need to have substantial savings in order to support yourself and the family.

Family Life

I feel the next generation reaps the maximum benefits of immigration here as they will have a Canadian passport, free access to basic health, education and a safe environment. Born and bred in Canada, they wont face the same trauma integrating with a foreign society that you might face.

The work life balance is pretty amazing in Canada with most of the jobs not requiring more than 8 hours per day of your time. A lot of companies also offer the flexibility to work from home for few days in a month. So, you can have time to spend with your family. However, commutes in Toronto area can be long if you live in suburbs like Brampton and work in downtown.

There also a lot of places to explore around in summer .

Quality of life

This was one of the most important criterion for me to make an informed move to Canada. Canadian economy is a capitalistic-socialistic economy which is a mix somewhere between Europe and USA. Canada offer free school education, basic health, clean environment and is reasonably secure compared to USA and other developing countries.

Given my job profile, my option in India were NCR, Mumbai and Bengaluru. Each of them suffers from their own basic problems, be it pollution, traffic, high rents, long commute or lack of clean water. Moreover, these over-crowded cities have swelled beyond imaginations so I don’t think you can enjoy a good quality of life here, no matter how much you earn.

Cost of living

The cost of living is increasing getting higher in Canada due to rising real estate costs and oligopolistic economy. With thousands of immigrants pouring in every week, the cost will be getting higher only. If you earn 100k CAD per year in GTA, you can have a decent living, can live in a good house in suburbs, afford couple of holidays each year, maintain a good car but you wont be able to save a lot. So, there is a big trade-off here between quality of life vs savings.

As I mentioned before, 100K is on a higher side of salaries so more likely both partners have to be work to achieve it.

Access to USA

With H1b becoming a pain-point, the option of working on a TN visa in US comes as an additional perk after receiving a Canadian passport. Although Canadian economy is fully linked with US economy but mostly you get paid much higher (especially true for techies) if you move south of the border.

Winters

Canadian winters are s a drag for someone moving here from warmer climates. Usually first winters are the hardest but you quickly get used to it. Initially, you need to invest a good amount of money into warm clothing, winter shoes and tyres, and it makes life much easier. Interiors and cars are generally well heated and warm but your outdoor activities will be severely limited.

To summarize, CIC definitely has done a great job in over-selling the Canadian immigration but Canada being a small economy doesn't have adequate and appropriate jobs for skilled immigrants. However, there are a lot of worker and trade jobs. Immigrating here requires a lot of sacrifice and fruit would be mostly enjoyed by the future generations.

So, don’t get blown away by the rosy picture painted everywhere. Talk to as many people as you can and based on your personal priorities, make a very informed decision.

By Lyn Caine Staffing Manager

Don't come to Canada with super high expectations or you will be disappointed quickly. If you have a great job with good benefits where you are, pls. stay there. A lot of high skilled immigrants I've met as an employment counsellor who helps to find jobs in Canada are demoralized as they can not find equal level jobs they left back home. Know this, your skills are not considered comparable. Period. You will start from the BOTTOM! Discrimination exist covertly. Your accent, communication skills,your ability to convey knowledge/ experience in the Canadian context might differ from what You are accustomed to. You will have to be on top of your game. It might be about who you Know. Networking is sometimes key. Know your job description well. Interviews are not about knowing your skills. It's also about that and more. Chance are you don't don't have appropriate answers. What they need, want to hear. Chances are you did not know what they want because you did not read, research and learn about the company and industry and job duties, you did not research the Canadian context of the job. It's cumbersome if not prepared. Another idea per my experience, remove countries you've gained experience or worked in from resume to gain attention clear and void of what's deemed foreign experience, not canadian experience. I came here in 2007. I speak well. Even with a good amount of good American accent in Canada, unless nervous then it shows. I know my shit! In fact my name could never tell that I am black, African. I get the interviews but once they are my black face, all else changed. So beware folks! Unless your life is threatened in your country. If you have respect in your profession and a good job where you are, stay put. North America, Canada is no joke for those educated people, secure in your knowledge, you will have to start from the begining even with Phds. Medical doctors. Master's from abroad… think carefully before you come! Consult an employment counsellor and even they can not predict your future. I have been there. Just saying!

Hard Truths coming out this morning

Collintos:




Please could these be true at seniors in the house

Well alot of her experiences are true apart from points 5,6,7, and 8. which are subject to debate. Point 8, our definition of boredome is different. Point 6 is also subject to debate - I don't think Engineers or MBA grads find it any easier in Canada like like she has painted. There is also an European national MBA grad on Quora who had a bad experiene in Canada and has since returned to Europe. Real estate on the other hand actually pays extremely well if you can flip houses. An experienced IT person would also find the job market different from say an Accountant or a Dentist. Point 5 is true as per daycare fees but the rest of point 5 are meh.).

She is from West Europe not a backward 3rd world country like many of us. I believe I have read her posts on Quora a couple of times. I had a little of that feeling too when I moved here from England - like Canada once in a while seems like a developing country when compared to countries in Western Europe, but it is what it is.

Are reasons are genuine, but it's also kind of unfair to compare Canada to say an European country like France or Belgium. Canada is cold, so some of the fancy municipal or city electronic infrastructures (Intelligent Transport Systems) in Western Europe would fail here. The country is very wide apart, so fast bullet trains like virgins etc would be too expensive to operate. About airline, banks, telecoms and other stuffs being expensive, we do not have a large population, and these companies have to spend lots of money to make services available in alot of nooks and crannies, therefore they pass on the costs to customers.

She is privileged being an European unlike most of us that come from India, Africa and some Asian or Eastern European countries.

vcole:
Just popping in to say hello. It's been forever. I hope everyone is doing good.

sister Dr. Vcole...Longtime no show. Still in Calgary? like yorubans will say. Eku UCP ooo . Regards.

Folafikemi:



Pls show us picture of wetin u dey talk o. I really need to know what snacks an drink to stick to to avoid issues o... �

I don't even think there is any confectionery in Tim Hortons that is not glazed with an incredible amount of sugar. You don't need pics nah. just enter any of their stores and you are welcomed with a glass of donuts and other sugar sugar stuffs staring at you . Their hot foods and salads are most times okay though.

Collintos:
By Golbon

I do not regret moving away from home and experiencing a new life.

But I do regret choosing Canada over Europe (I did have the choice).

Here are a few things I am sure the responses, especially the ones from those who have ‘just’ moved here and likely wrote the comments in their ‘high’ of traveling do not cover.

1 - The cold is deadly - and no one wants to admit it.

2 - It is cold not only outside, Canadians like to burn extra fuel on airconditioning and to freeze their indoor areas too, both in summer and winter (and yes there are only two seasons in Canada). There is not one day all year around when you can do your errands without having to carry a jacket or, ever thinking of wearing a skirt like I like to do - because the moment you step inside buildings it’s FREEZING (unless you are exercising). Although, I must say people do not dress to the weather, and if you have an issue with the cold, you will be always objectified ‘omg! your wearing too much! are you cold?’

Look, winters are 8 months long here (Edit: when I say winter, I mean so long I need to wear knits, jackets, tooks and boots, if you go out with shorts in 10 degrees good for you, anything below 12 is winter to me and most people from mild climates). for at least 3 months, it’s below -15 (Edit: if anyone doubts this, they can track the weather and average temperature in various provinces, make sure you look at the ‘real feel’ value too. Unless you are in Windsor Ontario or BC, this is what it is, if not worse). You need a car. You need a really good home with proper heating, and still your social life is brought to minimum during those months. Now, let’s see what happens when you are a broke student who lives in the burbs and cannot even dream of having a car. I live downtown and it’s 15 min walk to my school (nice eh?) when it’s -40, I do mind having to walk 15 mins.

3 - It is super expensive. Rent goes up ridiculously every year. You could look it up if you wished, but I am half-certain hat Canadians pay the highest price for phone and internet services in the developed world. Other expenses are high too, compared to many countries - and it’s not like you get a top quality life for the expensive things you spend money on. I am talking about a single person who cooks their own meals, does not even drink and, does not spare money on anything other than necessities.

4 - Public transportation SUCKS BALLS. I know most people around the world like to talk about how punctual buses are in Canada because if they do not pick people up in a timely manner people could freeze. That’s an utter lie. And on top of that, the reach each of each city’s transportation system is very weak. Unless you live in the downtown area (which makes it easier just to walk or bike rather than having to wait for irregular buses for unknown periods of time) chances are you will have to spend 2+ hrs on transportation every day just to get to where you work or you go to school. Most of the cities do not have metro (subway) and again when they do, the beauty of it is only when you are in close distances to the core downtown. Otherwise metro will never get you to the inner cities, and you will have to switch to subsidiary buses that…again will get you to wait…and wait…and wait. Intercity transport is also awful, a monopoly and, expensive. I do not know if there are any countries left around the world wish such disconnected transport system - especially given how far apart everything is in North America.

Never mind internal flight prices. I don’t want to even start writing about Air Canada.

5 - Relationships are overrated, and talking about the ‘physiological need for sex’ is the centerpiece of reasoning for inquiring one. The dating scene is an absolute bogus mess, which comes down to women chasing men, hopes of sharing the rent, or otherwise being pointed at as ‘not getting enough sex’ and ‘not having a man’ ( sometimes I wonder if it is the 1800s and the age of getting wedded is 16). People move-in in a matter of days of knowing each other and move-out in a matter of a couple of months. By late 20s, anyone you meet has been through divorce(s) or separation(s), likely has kids, usually still ‘hangs out’ with their exes (you are likely to learn about the grisly truth only after you have invested yourself emotionally in an unworthy narcissist too hard). Every one you meet is bitter and cunning, only looking for another partner to suit their economic imbalances. People put up with cheating partners very often, and internalizing these standards, at least when you are super lonely, comes next. You’ll be surprised.

(I generally would not suggest a single person who is interested in dating to come here. If I ever do recommend Canada it’s to couples. If you have kids you will get to raise them in safe, ugly neighborhoods where they never play on the streets - I don’t know why? It’s safe, it’s super flat and begs for two gates and a soccer ball or hockey puck- and you will have to dump thousands and thousands of dollars on their daycare). I will not get into the cost of primary education. Not here.



Please could these be true at seniors in the house

Read it on Quora

The comments on that thread was eye opening

People have different experiences, with the few months I have spent here I can agree with the 2nd and 3rd post but I do not totally agree with everything in the 1st post. Let me share my little experience with job search. I came in July this year and after staying with my host for about 3 weeks plus I got an apartment of my own which means paying rent and other bills. I had to eat humble pie to take up an accounts clerk role of 3months just for the so called “Canadian experience” and to pay my bills, no savings. I was working with a multinational company, though as a contract staff and earning average of 400k per month depending on days worked.

I got an interview invite for a government job in September after passing a 2 hour long test and I told myself this one “we die there”. The interview went pretty well and I was able to answer their questions excellently, I suppose. Note that this interview lasted for over 1 hour, yes over an hour. After the interview, I was told to submit my references and they told me what I was to earn for the 9 months period, its not even a full time job. One of the interviewers asked of the location of the multinational I worked with and I told her Nigeria, I could see the look on her face. Long story short, I didn’t get a call back from them for several weeks and I had to call them to find out. I was told they have offered the job to a more qualified person. Few days after, there was another opening for the same role, same JD, the only difference was that it was a full time position. I applied and I was not called for test or interview and when I sent an email to them to inquire, I was told I didn’t pass the eligibility test. Isn’t that laughable, same opening that I passed the eligibility test few weeks ago. Its really sad but we keep pushing.

My contract with the company I work for will end next week as its just a backfill for someone on maternity leave so no hope of a contract extension. I have been interviewed by different employment counsellors and as usual they give their advise, check your resume out and advise you to keep applying. Has it been rosy and sweet so far, no. Will I do it again if given the opportunity, BIG FAT YES. If you compare the extreme poor conditions we live in Nigeria you would have a rethink, the rich is not even left out. I’m not there yet but I know I will get there soon enough.

For those coming into Canada, you really need that POF trust me and God help you if you’re coming during winter. Do not let any bad experience some people had in the past to deter you from gunning for your dreams. So many people have also made it big here. In as much as Canada’s gates is still wide open you can come if you want to.

I’m a single guy, regarding the loneliness part it’s a story for another day, let me get back to work and keep applying for my dream job.

People have different experiences so it would be wrong to assume that the lady's post is right or wrong but my experiences are totally different from that.

In light of all these posts I’ll share some of my own experiences :

1. Job Hunting : The truth is if you want a good job , you gotta be prepared to work your ass off. Now theres a God factor (or luck factor for non religious folks) but truth of the matter is people often don’t put in the required effort. The required effort is :
- Spend plenty of time on your resume , pay professionals if you have to . This is the first impression potential employers have
- Apply to A LOT of jobs . When I was searching for my full time job , I applied to well over 100 positions and keep in mind I do have canadian experience from internships
- Study hard for the interview ( this applies more to highly skilled jobs e.g tech , wealth management) .. I’m in the tech field and I spent a couple hours every day for 1-2months studying for interviews. I went through dozens of past interviews on Glassdoor , Reddit, anywhere tha could help .. Studied on the bus even (How many people have done this and still find a hard time getting interviews/ job offers ?)
Also, let’s not use racism as a crutch.. As someone who now is on the other side of the interview table ,I can tell you companies work extremely hard to eliminate bias and employment decisions are point / merit based . Imagine not getting a job and thinking “It must have been cos they were racist” only to realize that the person who got the job was another immigrant, same nationality as you .. Rather than get into negative thinking , ask yourself “how can i be so good that it will be impossible for any employer to pass up on me”

Summary : Take looking for a job as a job on its own

2. Relationships : Ive seen many people complain here about how hard it is meeting girls or guys bla bla .. If you live in a decent sized city especially in Ontario , BC It should be super easy . From my personal experience: looks will get you in the door i.e initial interest but the thing with girls here is they have to be able to vibe with you for things to go further . I struggled with this initially, go on dates but the girl loses interest and I realized it’s because I’m not being exciting enough . Small talk does not cut it , you gotta be good with puns, jokes e.t.c .. How did I get better at this ? By constantly putting myself out there .. I started going for events people invite me to or sometimes even “self invite” and I stopped restricting myself to a Nigerian only circle (believe me when I say this is one of the best decisions I’ve made) .. People move here from Nigeria , India etc and choose to only eat food from where they are from or talk to only people from where they’re from or do the same things they used to do when back home and then complain about feeling isolated or bored ... Worse, some of them will even laugh at you for trying new things .. I remember trying to learn golf this summer and some Nigerian guy was laughing at me for being “white”.. Not knowing your ability to play Golf could be the reason you get closer to your boss who also plays golf and partly the reason you get a life changing promotion ..

Summary : Step outside your comfort zone

Wow! Good to see the movement has kept on. ����

I just did.

Thank you

Canny19:



Pm me

Hello bro. I trust all is well. Please, I need your assistant urgently and I hope you respond to my emails.

Naijaforeigner:


Thank you so much for sharing, your story is more than enough reason for me to stop. God bless you.

Also big thanks to Tominiola and Hotstepper for your suggestions.