Riversides2003:
Why is it that 90% of Nairalanders go to Ontario, trust me Alberta comes top if you can have your feet on ground. People just rush to Toronto in particular just because it’s a big city. As a Nigerian if you not in Canada to look at skyscrapers, you may start considering Alberta. If you an engineer, Fort Mcmurray is your best bet.

My brotha/sista, I don talk am before. People even laughed at me earlier in the thread, saying I too dey talk about Alberta a lot. The province is unbelievable. Most people who land in the GTA like you said just want to see tall buildings, go chop suya/star with their friends on the weekend, then go to a owambe. Even these IT or other jobs they talk about, by the time to pay for transport, insane housing prices, etc how much does one have left living in the Toronto area ? How much ? My good friend, his sister, along with my cousin moved out of the rat race called the Toronto area as I pressured them to do so. Within 2 years they're all doing good and purchased new homes. Something they could never do in Toronto. Because you need a million dollars or more to get something decent in the GTA.

I have many more of these stories. But a lot of Nigerians are becoming wise as the Nigerian population/community has grown a lot over the years in Alberta. People are starting to come here first. The province leads the country in highest wages and immigrants are striving there. Even though the oil sector is struggling a bit, there are so many other decent jobs one can get. Lastly, taxes are much lower there, no PST.

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calgary/alberta-highest-wages-1.4722511

https://www.thestar.com/edmonton/2018/06/12/alberta-the-cool-new-spot-for-immigrants.html

jelmusboy:
Does oil price determine the prospect of other sectors in the province?

Just thinking that decline in oil price should affect oil and gas sector only. Sorry, I'm not good with economics if am wrong

It affects everything, and I mean everything in the province. The oil industry affects thousands of other industries like tradesmen, etc. If oil companies start laying off or not hiring as much, other sectors get affected. And as other sectors get affected, people won't spend as much money. But Alberta is still better than any province in Canada in my opinion.

Beauideal:

Please I need advise about living in Fort Mc Murray with hubby. Do you think it's a nice city to start a family and also being someone who has lived in Lagos all her life, how can one kill boredom, what business ideas also as I heard it's a small city.

1. Horrible city to start a family with. A lot of drugs and native Canadians on drugs.

2. Only way to kill boredom is to be working or leave the town for Edmonton or Calgary on your off days.

seunlara:
@blackbuddy,maternal ,vcole et al
I am a silent follower of this thread and I have read from 1-170�still reading tho. To the above thanks for informative and educative post.As you are touching lives the lord will elevate you guys too.
I am relocating with my 1year old daughter to Ottawa in January. I want to know about preschool/daycare for my daughter?how is fashion design business?Do Nigerians in canny really sew native dresses ?Is anyone in this line of business on this thread that can put me tru?is there bridging program for microbiologist ?

1. Wherever you go they'll be a preschool/daycare. And if you can't afford it, they'll be assistance.

2. All major cities has a shop (Nigeria/Ghanian) that sew native.

3. I can answer any other Ottawa questions.

howfar2:
Hello all,

Landed last week through YYC from Europe and the whole process was soo smooth. Did my documentations at the airport and no POF was asked. Rested the next day and went out to open an account with TD Bank and also sorted out social insurance the third day.

I have lived in over 12 countries(UK,USA,NIGERIA,FRANCE ETC) but coming here for the first time,I must say that the other countries rank below Canada.

My only observation so far, please beware of UBER drivers from Jubril's country as they dont end trips and iI have had to challenged them thrice, dont know if the extra dollar(s) will make them buy a mansion in Banana.

In all, it is a lovely environment.

cheers

Why didn't you stay in any of those countries ?

ansol:


Thanks Maternal there is also a special consideration which I believe may cover PR. But the "on or before clause" is not clear. Perhaps those who move there as PR can help it this ever was considered or applicable to them

Special Classes of Newcomers
If you are moving to Saskatchewan from outside of Canada, you may be eligible for Saskatchewan health coverage on, or before, the first day of the third month after arriving in Canada, if you are among one of the groups:

Permanent residents (landed immigrants)
People discharged from the Canadian Forces
Non-immigrants who are in Canada in connection with their trade or profession
International students
Returning spouses of Canadian Forces members
Returning Canadian citizens

There's a toll free number you can call. But usually military people and international students (they pay insurance) get it right away once they land. But don't quote me. Call or send them an email.

Sthill5:


I'm interested in this. We are planning to move to Regina once PPR lands.

Come on my people. Simple Google could answer the question. You'd need to wait 3 months.


https://www.ehealthsask.ca/residents/health-cards/Pages/Eligibility-for-Health-Benefits.aspx

Trizadove:


wow
thank you so much. but she is working as a student. doesnt that count?
please i would like to know the other requirements needed. does she needs the IELTS too? if yes, can she do it in Canada.
would she be needing her statement of account here in Nigeria again? she doesnt have any money there....lol
i appreciate the knowledge you have shared. please help me answer this if you can. thank you

Before I begin, I will say your sister needs to gather up money and go see an immigration lawyer who will give her the facts. People need to stop relying on nairaland. Her being in Canada is a big accomplishment, getting herself legalized won't be that hard if she follows the right process in a competent way. Canada is desperate for young educated professionals. My junior cousin is literally going through the process as we speak. He just graduated from University as an international student, got a temp work visa, then after proving he graduated and paid all his fees in full, they gave him a 3 year work visa. He's currently in the process of applying as a skilled worker. Yes you can apply from Canada, and yes he said he'll have to do the IELTS. But that 3 year work visa gives you enough time to legalize ones self.

The official Canadian gov't web sites explains to you how one can apply for a post graduate work permit, and later on permanent residency. You can even tell from the web site how desperate they want post graduates to stay and not leave the country. But again I can't stress this enough. Tell you sister to read the thread here and the federal gov't web site, and go to the EE thread just to get a general idea after doing your research. Then find a good immigration lawyer with all her documents and questions she may have. Let her pay 1-2 hour consulting fee so the lawyer can guide her. After that she should have all her answers. Do not rely on nairaland.


https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/study-canada/work/after-graduation.html

travelland:


The fact is some pips based here are better than you so I'll look pass the intended insult but for an average American how many countries do they travel to annually plus is the flight ticket & hotel accommodation free?

1. I don't care about money. Everything in life isn't about money.

2. You need to leave the village a bit more. Several countries per year. International travel is cheap nowadays including accomodations.

3. Business wise, that blue passport gives me an advantage as well.

travelland:



Niaja based.

I figured. No vex, it's not worth the explanation. But visa free travel is a good enough reason. That's the main perk I love.

travelland:



Yeah, I'll like to know these benefits.

Which country do you live in ?

travelland:


Lol, many Americans don't even have passports, they only get it when they need to travel. It's people like you, that carry their passport as life support How many places will you travel in your life time? spending dollars everywhere instead of investing for your children's future, is this wisdom? apart from visa free movements does having blue passport give you cheaper ticket or discount in the countries you visit? will you no longer work to eat because of the passport, will you not pay bills again? OK sir, give us some benefits of having that blue passport apart from what I mentioned.

Think he meant benefits within the country. Not being able to be deported is a big one.

LUCAS99:


Don’t mind him. We know their type...

Justwise is like your typically Nigeria Uncle in the United Kingdom...

Whenever you call him from Nigeria he will always complain: things are hard. things are hard.. things are hard...

But if you ask him to come back to Nigeria and settle down since the United Kingdom is not working for him, he will refuse to return to Nigeria...

Now tell me what reasonable person will refuse to leave a place that’s unfavorable for him...

That should let you know the kind of person you’re dealing with...

As for me & my family we’re enjoying the United States & appreciate the opportunities this country gives to the common man...

I might not be wealthy right now but I’m better off than I was seven years ago in Nigeria...

What gets me is the lack of facts. Lets forget Nigeria has:

Overtaken India in extreme poverty ranking

Has a low infant morality rate

has a low life expectancy

economy in shambles

one of the lowest healthcare ranking

high unemployment rate

one of the highest youth unemployment rate in the world

one of the worse ranked police force in the world

SARS killing/harassing innocent people

etc.

But he has an uncle who's doing well, which is the exception, so she's guaranteed to do good when returning. Of course this is the same person that didn't and wouldn't take his own advice whether today or 10 years ago. Classic UK uncle indeed. Nigerian patriot until it's time to pack up and go themselves.

LUCAS99:


Is having a foreign paper/passport is that big of an achievement? Yes, it’s.

We all know the privilege & perks accorded to anyone with either a Blue Passport or Red Passport.

If justwise believes it’s bloddy no big deal then he needs to set an example by renouncing his British Citizenship, Surrending his British Passport & Book a one way ticket back to Murtala Mohameed Airport Lagos and enjoy the change brought by the Buhari led APC Government in Nigeria but I guess what justwise will never do that...

He also has well off to do family making money. I'm also confused why he hasn't returned.

LUCAS99:


The same justwise that travelled to the United Kingdom about 10 years ago on a Student Visa...

During his interview he was able to convince the Visa Officer that he would leave the United Kingdom at the end of his studies.

That same justwise completed his studies in the United Kingdom but refused to return to Nigeria until he regularized his Stay in the United Kingdom.

That same justwise is advising the op to return to Nigeria without regularizing his stay in the United States.

The Big question is why didn’t justwise return to Nigeria immediately after his studies in the United Kingdom?

If you have done that, I would have personally taking you seriously but you choose the easy way out and got your papers but you now expect the op to come back to Nigeria without his Papers.

You’re not serious justwise...

Nigerian by convinence.

TheCongo2:


I completely disagree with the bolded.

I know a few people who got deported in Canada for X reason, tried to get visa in another develop country and it came up. That was the reason for their visa denial. Cpic info is shared by police agencies in Canada and US and immigration/customs board also use it.

TheCongo2:


Did she say she wasn't a refugee or you are assuming she isn't a refugee.
She hasn't been answering questions about the father of her kids. How do you know if he is the reason she had fled with the kids?
Don't you know that abused women can apply for refugee status in Canada?
Anyway, it is up to the refugee board in Canada to determine if op is a refugee

I've said this options several times. She may be scared, but this is honestly her best option. I know if few people in her situation get papers in Canada.

dustydee:

Please don't. There are many people, legal residents of advanced countries, that have moved back to Nigeria and loving it. People are different and react differently in certain situations. I also know many people in Nigeria with the skills and means to migrate to the west but have chosen to remain.

Nigerian citizens who have citizenship or permanent residency elsewhere in a developed country are simply Nigerian by convenience. Think of a Banky W for example. They'll claim or live in Nigeria ONLY if it benefits them. Ask them to renounce their foreign passports and be stuck with Nigeria for better or worse, watch how fast they'll hold on to their foreign passports. Those who choose to remain are the small minority, except when they need medical care of course. Lets stop forming.

justwise:
[/b]

That is not true

*most likely*. Elaborate.

Babyvet:


What point? I think there is a mis understanding , you may be confusing my posts with somebody else. I repeatedly suggested that the op not remain the US without her papers. I even at one point suggest Canada but that was shut down by other posters.

I must have. Some posts were deleted. My mistake.

Babyvet:


I was not born in the us, so I have been through the immigration system here and know the system very well. I have sat down and researched it myself. You are based in Canada, the Us is different when it comes to immigration. We have a serious immigration problem and its affecting everybody.

Where were you born ?

You're proving my point. With a tiny population in Canada (37 million), a pro immigration prime minister, sanctuary cities, different immigration programs she can apply for, etc, why she's wasting her time in a country (U.S) that has an immigration program, with a clearly racists and anti- immigration President/administration is beyond me.

Babyvet:


Now thats a very big lie. Every country has their own immigration laws.

Exactly. She wouldn't qualify for any immigration program unless she had a spouse in one of those countries, and they're ready to sponsor her and her kids. Where were you born ?

Itiswellblessed:


Moving to another country is not even in my dictionary should I move back to Nigeria, I'm done with relocation for good...lol

Within a month you'd be looking for a way out if you returned to naija. I can bet my life on it.

Babyvet:


The reason why I mentioned after is because people said the children would be able to survive after living here. I take care people who are in her shoes regularly , they go through much worse because now they're sick and don't have papers.

Where were you born? Just curious. I don't doubt you help people like her, so do I; but I can never say to someone "I understand" if I'm not currently in their shoes. In fact, I know someone worse off than her, and he just got his permanent residency. My advise to her is based on personal experience.

Babyvet:


She may have too. If wants to immigrate to another western country , she may have to do it from Nigeria since she has unlawful presence here.

Single mother with 2 kids and 3k USD under her name. She wouldn't qualify under any program to move to another develop country, talk less have the funds. Furthermore, these countries share information and her over-stay in the U.S would definitely be known. If she leaves America, she'll most likely never step foot in another developed nation again.

Babyvet:


I lived in Nigeria after being born abroad and lived abroad from some years and I came out just fine . In fact it helped shaped me for the better. I like America but in my opinion it’s not worth it to live here illegally.

Her reality and yours are completely different. You can't make such without being in her shoes.

AngelicBeing:
If I were in the woman's shoes, I will not bring my kids back to Nigeria, l have seen so many people who came back to Nigeria after living in the western world and they find it difficult to sort out themselves in Nigeria.

I shared a story here few months ago about my cousin from my mother's side, he left Denmark after securing his citizenship and after living in Denmark for several years and he told me that he was home sick bla, bla bla, he called me in the West as well about his move, l warned him not to rush back to Nigeria, that he can visit, access the situation and gradually relocate if he wants to, he said to me and I quote, why is it that anything Nigeria doesn’t appeal to me again and I always kick against people going back to settle in Nigeria. ,

I told him I left Nigeria years ago and I do visit from time to time and I have not seen any changes but rather the country is getting worse, I told him of most of my classmates from the University who went back to Nigeria after their studies in the West and most of them are suffering and regretting there decisions today, I see them in Nigeria, they chat with me all the time and I see there lamentations.

He stopped contacting and he moved back to settle in Lagos, to cut a long story short, After about 9 months in Nigeria, he called me and was lamenting over the phone, all the cash he took to Nigeria gone, he couldn't get a job, the series of businesses he established all grounded, robbers attacked him in his house and he was lucky enough to have jumped over his fence and escaped,he finally sold his house around Maryland and he vowed to me over the phone that he is not coming back to Nigeria again and that he prefers to die and be buried in Denmark, as I post, he is back to Denmark .

@Op, you must have sieve through all the advices on here, l don talk my own, you are free to disagree with my suggestions, I wish you good luck, over and out...

I've seen the same. Everyone I know who left the west for naija after school regrets it as well. And these people are/were well off with no kids. I can't imagine coming back with 2 kids and no job.

deepchocolate:



Don't get me wrong being a citizen give me numerous opportunities when it comes to get a job and pay the bills etc.... ( which is what 90% of people here do anyway. The system is set up that way . No escape from it ) .

America has its own realities and ramifications . You have to come , Feel it to truly understand . Forget about what people say and what you see on hollywood TV show..

The fact is , for the sake of showing that they have made it in life , many people in the diaspora don't tell the truth .
I am 36 . I spent 20 years here , study here . Have a great career . No complain on that front ...
I might not know it all , but I have seen it or experienced it .

1- here , You are strictly on your own . The system itself have no soul and only care about money .
Your family members have their own bills and wahala to worry about . This is how children here abandon their elderly parents in nursing home and move on with their own life.

2- here , nothing really belong to you . Whatever you think you have , you can lose it anytime.
30 years mortgage . You finish paying . The minute you owe property tax , The municipality will take that house from you and sell it.
Years ago I rented a room to a lady in her 70 who used to own 2 houses. Lost the first one through bankrupcy . Second one due to sickness and she couldn't pay .

If you have big ambitions , Africa is where the untapped opportunities are right now.
The way my brothers kill themselves here working 2 , 3 jobs just to survive and pay bills ,
If they could apply the same energy and a bit of creativity many would have been billionaire in Naija.


As for you friend who is saving $3500 a month , ask him to borrow you $1000 only for emergency. Or 100 even .
You will see his reaction and judge for yourself if he is truly saving that much.

Where do I begin with such ignorance.

1. One should be on there own here. The system here is designed so everyone controls their own destiny. What's wrong with that ? Nobody abandons their parents in nursing homes. Unlike in most African countries, the west has programs and infrastructure to take care of their senior citizens. Along with monthly pension payments which comes on time. This allows senior citizens to live a more independent life, while their kids can still continue to pursue their goals in life.Obviously both kid and parent would make time for each other.

2. Yes property tax helps pay for police presence, schools, garbage disposals, etc. Unlike in Nigeria, EVERYONE MUST PAY their fair share of taxes. If not, yes the government will/should punish you. Again what's wrong with that ?

3. How about the brothers who kill themselves and work 2/3 jobs yet haven't got paid in 6 moths ? I'm sure you're a U.S citizen. Why haven't you left to go make your billions in naija ?

4. If I made millions US per year, I wouldn't allow anyone (except my parents) to borrow 1k or 100 USD. Especially when there is billions which can be made easily in naija. lol. Go hustle your own. Whether one lends you money or not indicates their wealth ?

My sistah stop the foolishness already.

See pipe dream. Everything na business,business,business. Not everyone is business inclined. She already said she tried doing business and failed miserably. The truth is if you don't have a "business" in naija you're mostly likely screwed. And business is really a code word for "just find something to do instead of being idle". You have people talking about all this untapped African potential, how one can make millions, blah..blah.. yet they're there in America. Why not comeback and grab all these millions ? It takes years for a business to get off the ground and start being extremely profitable. The truth is most businesses fail.

And people think if she lands in naija today, the person hosting here will continue to give her free food, shelter, etc ? Watch how fast that 3k she saved up goes. Then on top of that, things she didn't have to pay for in America like her kids school fees, she'll now have to start paying out of pocket. Despite being a single mother of 2, the truth is she's living better than most average Nigerians in Nigeria. That job she's working now under the table pays her on time and in dollars. She enjoys good road, constant electricity, police, running water, etc. That's all gone once you enter naija. And people keep on saying she doesn't have access to benefits in America. And what government benefits will she have when she lands in naija ?

I still say try the Canada route. If not, stay in America until your caught. Just keep on stashing your dollars.

Godchangemylife:
https://m.huffpost.com/us/entry/us_9755476

The OP might just go through this. There's still kind of hope for her kids....

PS. I never left Nigeria got this while surfing the net on my own. So I don't really know how the system works yet

There has never been an administration this hostile towards immigrants. Different times.

armstead:


As a PR, Please can I show proof of employment outside Canada as I am currently working in Nigeria but would like to apply for my US visa in Canada. The reason is that my family is based in Canada and I would like us to apply together next month when I visit Canada. Albeit one of my children is a Canadian.

It'd be up to the agent. No situation is black or white. But they like the person to have strong ties to Canada. You're most likely in Nigeria more than Canada. It doesn't look good, personally.