₦airaland Forum

sirabbey:
I am pleased that you, along with many others, understood the intent behind my post. My objective was to inspire, encourage, and motivate others while providing an honest and unfiltered account of an immigrant experience in Canada. I believe it is important to share both the challenges and the successes so that those coming behind us can be better informed, prepared, and encouraged.

Thank you as well for your prayers and kind wishes. Over time, I have learned not to be distracted by naysayers. Life has taught me that there are generally two kinds of people: those who think their blessings do not count and those who intentionally count them. As for me and my household, we have chosen the latter. We remain committed to counting our blessings with gratitude, celebrating how far we have come, and being a source of hope, encouragement, and light to others who may still be navigating their own journeys.

I am grateful for God's faithfulness and look forward to the opportunities and challenges that lie ahead with optimism and purpose.

Let us be honest: your post was mainly written to comfort immigrants who are struggling financially by presenting a Canadian passport as the ultimate evidence of success.

There is nothing wrong with celebrating citizenship, but nice words do not remove money problems, job stress, debt, or daily struggles.
You can count your blessings without pretending that every struggle automatically becomes a success story simply because a Canadian passport was added at the end. Sometimes suffering is still suffering, whether the passport is blue or red !!

walenden:
Let us be honest: your post was mainly written to comfort immigrants who are struggling financially by presenting a Canadian passport as the ultimate evidence of success.

There is nothing wrong with celebrating citizenship, but nice words do not remove money problems, job stress, debt, or daily struggles.
You can count your blessings without pretending that every struggle automatically becomes a success story simply because a Canadian passport was added at the end. Sometimes suffering is still suffering, whether the passport is blue or red !!

I think this misses the point of the original message.

Celebrating Canadian citizenship isn't about claiming that a passport magically solve all person financial problems. No reasonable person believes debt, unemployment, or stress disappear the day they receive citizenship.

citizenship comes with different things like security, stability. For many immigrants, those things are significant achievements because they provide opportunities and protections that weren't always available before.

Getting the blue pali does not mean bank account no go red, dm no dy use am take cashout but fact is getting blue passport calls for celebration.

walenden:
Financial freedom was never presented as everyone’s final goal. It was simply used to separate genuine stability from survival disguised as success.

Memories and contentment are important, but they do not pay mortgages, clear debts, or protect a family during unemployment. Calling financial security “shallow” is simply a convenient excuse for avoiding an uncomfortable reality.
The problem is that many Nigerian immigrants treat a passport as the ultimate proof that they have made it, even while living under serious financial pressure and unable to afford something as basic as visiting home or taking a modest holiday. That is not financial freedom; it is struggle wrapped in self-congratulation.

You're running around in circles and practically arguing with yourself. The espouse by @ednut1 into your strory does give insight into the underlying reason driving your statements and says much more than you're trying to convey.

walenden:
Little man, you had better start researching the Canadian job market, employment requirements, resume standards, and other relevant information because the job situation is critical right now. You seem to be jumping all over the internet celebrating your PR story via TEF without preparing for the reality ahead. Life in Canada is not as rosy as people make it seem, so prepare yourself for the serious challenges ahead.

'Little man' indeed... and you're the big man right? You should have alot of time to dig thru peoples posts. The thing with folks like you is that it only take a little scratch for the emptyniess to show itself.

@PrettyRX's.. welcome to Canada. Hope you share your testimony comes soon

Thank you so much🙏
Silence is the best answer for such people, let their negativity eat them up

jedisco:
You're running around in circles and practically arguing with yourself. The espouse by @ednut1 into your strory does give insight into the underlying reason driving your statements and says much more than you're trying to convey.





'Little man' indeed... and you're the big man right? You should have alot of time to dig thru peoples posts. The thing with folks like you is that it only take a little scratch for the emptyniess to show itself.

@PrettyRX's.. welcome to Canada. Hope you share your testimony comes soon

PrettyRX:
Thank you so much🙏
Silence is the best answer for such people, let their negativity eat them up

Little man, let them continue deceiving you. I already warned you to sit down and start researching the Canadian job market before you arrive, but since you received your PR visa, you have suddenly become the lord of the internet and a self-appointed immigration expert. Relax. First, enter Canada, join the unemployment and poverty queue, and let reality deal with you properly. Then, after four years, we will celebrate your Canadian passport as compensation for everything you endured=)

walenden:
Financial Freedom

Wale,

1. Sincerely sorry about your brother's experience. It really is not easy to see a close relative go through hardship. It has probably influenced your view of Canada and that's absolutely fair.

2. The Canada of today is very different from the Canada or ten years ago or the early COVID era when jobs were in abundance. Now only the prepared will prevail. Again you are right on that point.

3. There are few certainties in this world except death and taxes, as they say. So we work with probabilities in most things. You will agree with this.

4. There is poverty and economic hardship all over the world. However, the probability of a graduate level individual falling into that subset is less than the probability for an uneducated fellow (remember high school maths and venn diagram?). In terms of Financial Freedom (by which I assume you mean no debts and plenty assets...financial and physical in short rich abi?), I dare say less than 10% of the entire world population have achieved this so condemning the celebration of the citizenship even when there is no Financial Freedom is a non-starter. In maths and in the real world we always take a sample from the entire population. Do you know that Canadians have the highest household debt of the G7. You cannot be harrassing migrants about Financial Freedom when it's a world wide and specifically Canadian issue. Besides, the OP explained how things have gotten progressively better. Even if he is now paying property taxes etc because he is a home owner does that mean he would be better off as a tenant? As Jedisco said homes are a large part of the net assets of most Canadians, equity is a thing. People even take out of their home equity for investments or to buy a second home for those who believe in that asset class. The bank of mum and dad of today may well have groaned in the early days of their mortgage. In addition, one thing I have realized is that we all want different things in this life o. Sirabbey has chosen his own and it cannot be taken from him. No comment can take it away. Even if we assume he never blows, becoming an Elon Musk. The sky will be the limit for his children. Confirmed! I hope you know that this is the motivation of the majority of migrant parents. For their kids, not for Financial Freedom, that's why it's called a sacrifice, bro.

5. If you consider point 4 and the maths of the Express Entry program, the migrants on this thread are on good footing, probability wise. I assume you know how the CRS is calculated and that these people are not refugees or overstaying students. They already have the odds in their favour but need to come prepared with POF, which Sirabbey explained kept them afloat.

6. Of course there will always be outliers, the Danogotes of Nigeria that make up less than 0.01% of the population and the migrants who do very poorly and regret the move, looking back 5 or 10 years. The vast majority of migrants are better off compared to where they were 5 or 10 years previous and are better off than if they had stayed in their Country of Origin/Birth. Better off, in terms of their kids education and future projects and even financially. Emotionally...it can be argued that that's another kettle of fish, which is why the OPs apparent solid marriage and admiration for his wife are to be envied. I salute you again Sirabbey.
He has not been here for 10 years yet, he let us see a glimpse of his journey, he is still on his way and it's not complete. People are and should be proud of milestones on they way to a destination. The journey is just as important. Like a road trip.......Grit and positivity are valuable qualities allowing us to celebrate how far weve come and equipping us for the road ahead.

7. One of the things that leads to better financial propects/outcomes is work and immigration stability. Jedisco already tried to explain it. There is a confidence with which you do your job, excel and florish compared to the guy with only one leg in. What happens with international work trips/courses and always being able to make it because US banned your country from B1/B2 when the only passport you have is a green one? Are these not the stepping stones to professional sucess and "Financial Freedom". Your brother would probably have been better off if he landed in Canada as a PR rather than as a temporary resident. Even people who go to schools with DLI often do not realize that the PGWP is a max of 3 years and is not renewable. Many end up without PR and need to go back home or study again if they have the cash to pay for school. What Sirabbey went through is child's play compared to the shege pro max these guys are experiencing.

8. For the past 5 years, most intending migrants planning to come to Canada are better off staying in Nigeria, learning French like PrettyRx did and landing as PRs. They spend less in Naira/USD terms, enter as PRs because of the crazy bonus points from the second language and have a skill that is invaluable in the workplace.
I did TEF several times before I passed and I know how that skill has helped me in the workplace here. But Naija nor dey hear word...they believe student route is the way! Against this backdrop, you have to give PrettyRx his/her flowers. PrettyRx, well done, enough respect!

I hope with these few points of mine I have been able to convince you that the passport we are chasing is not for nothing and is worth celebrating, it is a pathway to something better compared to the control group!
Sometimes, as you yourself acknowledge, contentment is the goal, a happy home, well adjusted kids with free education till grade 12, a roof over your head even if mortgaged, free healthcare, emergency services that are a phone call away, a high probability (if not certainty) that "anyhow" behaviour will be punished. Ebenezer Obey, said that the boy that said his father is not truly successful, that his father doesn't have money, sebi he will grow up to be a father too. Contentment by definition means we have enough to be ok, to pay the bills. And that's alright. I hope you know that the desire for flash in the pan wealth is one of the leading causes of corruption and the destruction of the moral fabric of our home country but that's another conversation. The terrorists issue is another one for discussion but let's park it for now. Enu e naa wa yen....

Even if we said Financial Freedom was the goal of everyone on earth. Probablity wise, many would choose a Canadian Passport without Financial Freedom versus a Nigerian without Financial Freedom! Why? It's the maths thing again...probablity of success be it Financial or otherwise. After all that's why we migrated....for opportunities that the passport brings.

I won't ask if you have achieved Financial Freedom as you say this is irrelevant and I agree. I was going to ask what exactly this Financial Freedom is by your definition and how those that are interested can achieve it. But again, that's almost irrelevant. In the final analysis, we all want different things, celebrate different things and that's ok...one man's trash is another man's treasure.

I've been off NL for ages, but I came back....just for you!

IRE O!

sirabbey:
I am pleased that you, along with many others, understood the intent behind my post. My objective was to inspire, encourage, and motivate others while providing an honest and unfiltered account of an immigrant experience in Canada. I believe it is important to share both the challenges and the successes so that those coming behind us can be better informed, prepared, and encouraged.

Thank you as well for your prayers and kind wishes. Over time, I have learned not to be distracted by naysayers. Life has taught me that there are generally two kinds of people: those who think their blessings do not count and those who intentionally count them. As for me and my household, we have chosen the latter. We remain committed to counting our blessings with gratitude, celebrating how far we have come, and being a source of hope, encouragement, and light to others who may still be navigating their own journeys.

I am grateful for God's faithfulness and look forward to the opportunities and challenges that lie ahead with optimism and purpose.

I congrate and salute you sir!

Onward and Upward!!!

GraciousWords2:
Wale,

1. Sincerely sorry about your brother's experience. It really is not easy to see a close relative go through hardship. It has probably influenced your view of Canada and that's absolutely fair.

2. The Canada of today is very different from the Canada or ten years ago or the early COVID era when jobs were in abundance. Now only the prepared will prevail. Again you are right on that point.

3. There are few certainties in this world except death and taxes, as they say. So we work with probabilities in most things. You will agree with this.

4. There is poverty and economic hardship all over the world. However, the probability of a graduate level individual falling into that subset is less than the probability for an uneducated fellow (remember high school maths and venn diagram?). In terms of Financial Freedom (by which I assume you mean no debts and plenty assets...financial and physical), I dare say less than 20% of the entire world population have achieved this so condemning the celebration of the citizenship even when there is no Financial Freedom is a non-starter. In maths and in the real world we always take a sample from the entire population. Do you know that Canadians have the highest household debt of the G7. You cannot be harrassing migrants about Financial Freedom when it's a world wide and specifically Canadian issue. Besides, the OP explained how things have gotten progressively better. Even if he is now paying property taxes etc because he is a home owner does that mean he would be better off as a tenant? As Jedisco said homes are a large part of the net assets of most Canadians, equity is a thing. People even take out of their home equity for investments or to buy a second home. The bank of mum and dad of today may well have groaned in the early days of their mortgage. In addition, one thing I have realized is that we all want different things in this life o. Sirabbey has chosen his own and it cannot be taken from him. No comment can take it away. Even if we assume he never blows, becoming an Elon Musk. The sky will be the limit for his children. Confirmed! I hope you know that this is the motivation of the majority of migrant parents. For their kids, not for Financial Freedom, that's why it's called a sacrifice, bro. Are you a parent yet?

5. If you consider point 4 and the maths of the Express Entry program, the migrants on this thread are on good footing, probability wise. I assume you know how the CRS is calculated and that these people are not refugees or overstaying students. They already have the odds in their favour but need to come prepared with POF, which Sirabbey explained kept them afloat.

6. Of course there will always be outliers, the Danogotes of Nigeria that make up less than 0.01% of the population and the migrants who do very poorly and regret the move, looking back 5 or 10 years. The vast majority of migrants are better off compared to where they were 5 or 10 years previous and are better off than if they had stayed in their Country of Origin/Birth. Better off, in terms of their kids education and future projects and even financially. Emotionally...it can be argued that that's another kettle of fish, which is why the OPs apparent solid marriage and admiration for his wife are to be envied. I salute you again Sirabbey.
He has not been here for 10 years yet, he let us see a glimpse of his journey, he is still on his way and it's not complete. People are and should be proud of milestones on they way to a destination. The journey is just as important. Like a road trip.......

7. One of the things that leads to better financial propects/outcomes is work and immigration stability. I'm struggling to understand how this is not crystal clear. Jedisco already tried to explain it. There is a confidence with which you do your job, excel and florish compared to the guy with only one leg in. Your brother would probably have been better off if he landed in Canada as a PR rather than as a temporary resident, as we call them. Going to a school without DLI is an error and even people who go to schools with DLI do not realize that the PGWP is a max of 3 years is not renewable! He may still have struggled but probability wise.......not as severely. Many end up without PR and need to go back home or study again if they have the cash to pay for school. What Sirabbey went through is child's play compared to the shege pro max these guys are experiencing.

8. For the past 5 years, most intending migrants planning to come to Canada are better off staying in Nigeria, learning French like PrettyRx did and landing as PRs. They spend less in Naira/USD terms, enter as PRs because of the crazy bonus points from the second language and have a skill that is invaluable in the work place.
I did TEF 5 times before I passed and I know how that skill has helped me in the workplace here. But Naija nor dey hear word...they believe student route is the way! Against this backdrop, you have to give PrettyRx his/her flowers, bro. PrettyRx, well done, enough respect!

I hope with these few points of mine I have been able to convince you that the passport we are chasing is not for nothing and is worth celebrating, it is a pathway to some level of Financial Freedom compared to the control group!
Sometimes, as you yourself acknowledge, contentment is the goal, a happy home, well adjusted kids with free education till garde 12, a roof over your head even if mortgaged, free healthcare, emergency services that are a phone call away, a high probability (if not certainty) that "anyhow" behaviour will be punished. Ebenezer Obey, said that the boy that said his father is not truly successful, he doesn't have money, sebi he will grow up to be a father too. Contentment by definition means we have enough to be ok, to pay the bills. And that's alright. I hope you know that the desire for flash in the pan wealth is one of the leading causes of corruption and the destruction of the moral fabric of our home country but that's another conversation. The terrorists issue is another one for discussion but let's park it for now. Enu e le wa yen....

Even if we said Financial Freedom was the goal of everyone on earth. Probablity wise, many would choose financial hardship and a Canadian Passport versus financial hardship with a Nigerian one! After all that's why we migrated....for opportunities that the passport brings.

Out of curiosity, I won't ask if you have achieved Financial Freedom as you say this is irrelevant and I agree. But, pray tell, what exactly is this Financial Freedom by your definition and how do those that are interested achieve it (because personally I am without ambition and have always jejely chosen contentment instead and no one can take that one away from me - my bills are paid thanks very much )..and please don't say it's by being an entrepreneur....again probability wise.....what percentage of us can be business owners?

I've been off NL for ages, but I came back....just for you!

IRE O!

We can now conclude that the Canadian passport has become a consolation prize for years of financial hardship, joblessness, debt, and silent suffering. But when old age and retirement finally arrive, will the passport pay the bills, provide a home, or replace the wealth and opportunities lost along the way?

walenden:
We can now conclude that the Canadian passport has become a consolation prize for years of financial hardship, joblessness, debt, and silent suffering. But when old age and retirement finally arrive, will the passport pay the bills, provide a home, or replace the wealth and opportunities lost along the way?

So after this my epistle this is your summary? Chai!

I give up...you win!

The passport is a prize we're happy to live with.

In retirement in 20 to 40 years depending on age, we're hoping that we've have paid off our mortgages and built equity, downscale and buy a smaller place and have money left over. If that doesn't work, our kids will pick up the bill of looking after us and if that fails, CPP, OAS and work pension, bro.

GraciousWords2:
So after this my epistle this is your summary? Chai!

I give up...you win!

The passport is a prize we're happy to live with.

In retirement in 20 to 40 years depending on age, we're hoping that we've have paid off our mortgages and built equity, downscale and buy a smaller place and have money left over. If that doesn't work, our kids will pick up the bill of looking after us and if that fails, CPP, OAS and work pension, bro.

Your retirement plan is basically to hope the mortgage is paid off, hope the house still has enough equity, hope downsizing works, hope your children can carry the burden, and if everything fails, depend on CPP, OAS and a pension.

That is not a solid retirement plan; it is a chain of assumptions dressed up as cheap confidence. But congratulations,the passport will still be there to console you when reality finally sends you back to Lagos at retirement age =)

Uncle, your epistle will not convince such a person. It's best to leave them alone. We can all agree that he wins. It's only left for Nairaland to present him with his gold trophy. I'm so happy that @sirabbey is not responding to him.

GraciousWords2:
So after this my epistle this is your summary? Chai!

I give up...you win!

The passport is a prize we're happy to live with.

In retirement in 20 to 40 years depending on age, we're hoping that we've have paid off our mortgages and built equity, downscale and buy a smaller place and have money left over. If that doesn't work, our kids will pick up the bill of looking after us and if that fails, CPP, OAS and work pension, bro.

GraciousWords2:
I congrate and salute you sir!

Onward and Upward!!!

Thank you Gracious Words, your words indeed are very gracious, They remind me of a favourite scripture: " Let your words be always with grace seasoned with salt, that you may know how to answer every man. Col 4: 6"

I commend you for your emotional intelligence and patience in writing that epistle and trying to educate the naysayer, but in life I have come to realise that even when you walk on water, some people will refuse to see the miracle in what you have done but still castigate and mock you, saying that it is because you can not swim, that is why you are walking on waters. For such people, you just ignore them, lest they infect you with their negativity and cynicism. An apt scripture for that is Prov 26:4

sirabbey:
Thank you Gracious Words, your words indeed are very gracious, They remind me of a favourite scripture: " Let your words be always with grace seasoned with salt, that you may know how to answer every man. Col 4: 6"

I commend you for your emotional intelligence and patience in writing that epistle and trying to educate the naysayer, but in life I have come to realise that even when you walk on water, some people will refuse to see the miracle in what you have done but still castigate and mock you, saying that it is because you can not swim, that is why you are walking on waters. For such people, you just ignore them, lest they infect you with their negativity and cynicism. An apt scripture for that is Prov 26:4

I am not surprised. When some people cannot defend their position with facts or logical reasoning, they hide behind religion and quote irrelevant Bible verses to excuse irresponsibility and celebrate mediocrity.
With all your financial struggles, debt, and uncertain retirement plan, you still describe getting a Canadian passport as the “final milestone.” That alone proves my point: the passport has become a consolation prize for everything you have endured.

walenden:
You are arguing against a point I did not make. I never said citizenship or homeownership should not be celebrated.
My point is simply that legal stability and property ownership are not the same as financial freedom. A passport provides security, and a house can build wealth, but a person can still be heavily indebted, unemployed, or under serious financial pressure despite being a citizen.
His story is clearly one of resilience and progress. However, he also admitted that expenses increased sharply and that his family faced intense financial strain. Acknowledging that does not diminish his achievements; it simply prevents progress from being confused with complete financial independence.

I bet someone like you said home ownership is not the way to financial freedom to someone who got a house of less than 500,000 in 2011 in Toronto and sold 1.2 million in 2021 to move to Calgary with enough money to buy a house fully paid.

Time and chance happen to us all. Let that sink in.

walenden:
Honestly, after reading this long story, it feels like the main achievement being celebrated is the Canadian passport rather than genuine financial freedom.

Yes, becoming a Canadian citizen is a good achievement, but a passport alone does not mean someone has succeeded financially. The story also describes years of unemployment, depleted savings, EI, survival jobs, mortgage pressure, property taxes, and constant financial stress.

Buying a house and obtaining citizenship may look impressive from the outside, but the real question is whether the family is financially secure, has manageable debt, stable income, savings, and peace of mind.

Many immigrants are too focused on passports, houses, and appearances while struggling seriously behind closed doors. Citizenship is valuable, but it should not be confused with financial independence. A passport cannot pay bills, clear a mortgage, or guarantee a stable future.

Your story shows resilience, but it also exposes the reality that many immigrants glorify suffering and celebrate appearances while remaining financially insecure. After nearly five years, the real achievement should be stable income, manageable debt, strong savings, investments, and financial peace not merely a passport and a mortgaged house.

His family might have a million and one goals which includes the financial freedom you mentioned. If at the moment they've only achieved two or three, it is okay to celebrate those while working towards the remaining. He is not in a competition with anyone else, everyone's pace is different. He mentioned his struggles, allow him celebrate and be happy with his wins too.

Please what's this debate all about? Is coming to Canada not the goal again or what

But why are you so pained

walenden:
I am not surprised. When some people cannot defend their position with facts or logical reasoning, they hide behind religion and quote irrelevant Bible verses to excuse irresponsibility and celebrate mediocrity.
With all your financial struggles, debt, and uncertain retirement plan, you still describe getting a Canadian passport as the “final milestone.” That alone proves my point: the passport has become a consolation prize for everything you have endured.

smartkester:
Please what's this debate all about? Is coming to Canada not the goal again or what

Coming to Canada is not the goal per se. It might be the end of one phase, but the start of another.

jedisco:
Coming to Canada is not the goal per se. It might be the end of one phase, but the start of another.

Sharp. I love this

sirabbey:
Caution: Long read

From PPR to Citizenship: The Traumas, the Triumphs, and the Testimony

The first time I heard the phrase, “May your road be rough,” was in the late 1990s. Our Chemistry teacher said it to us as graduating students while we celebrated the completion of our WAEC examinations and the end of secondary school. At the time, it sounded almost like a curse. Why would anyone wish a rough road on another person? Life, however, has taught me otherwise.
What appeared to be a curse was, in fact, an unconventional blessing. A rough road develops resilience. It builds character, strengthens resolve, and teaches lessons that smooth paths never can. Looking back on our journey from Permanent Residence (PPR) to Canadian Citizenship, I can confidently say that our road was indeed rough, but it was also transformative.

A New Beginning
After completing our landing formalities in December 2021, I spent the next 4 weeks helping my family settle into our new life in Canada. We moved out of our Airbnb, rented and modestly furnished an apartment, and began adapting to our new environment.
By the last week of January 2022, I returned to Nigeria to tie up unfinished business. I formally resigned from my job, disposed of some of our belongings, and arranged for someone else to take over our apartment. While there, I also attempted to renew my Nigerian passport, which was due to expire later that year.

Unfortunately, I encountered the frustrating realities of Nigerian bureaucracy again. Despite paying ₦70,000 for the renewal process on Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) portal, I was unable to obtain a new passport because I was informed at the point of capturing that my National Identification Number (NIN), which I had obtained more than three years earlier, had not yet appeared on the NIS system. The money was lost, the renewal failed, and I eventually returned to Canada in April 2022 without a renewed passport.

Living on Hope....and Proof of Funds
Upon returning to Canada, my wife and I embarked on what would become a long and exhausting search for employment.
At that point, we were surviving primarily on the Proof of Funds (POF) we had brought from Nigeria, and our savings were steadily shrinking. Although the government had begun paying us Canada Child Care Benefits, we made a deliberate decision not to spend the money. Instead, we invested it in Registered Education Savings Plans (RESP) for our children's education.

The decision proved to be one of the wisest financial choices we made. Not only did it help secure our children's educational future, but it also allowed us to benefit from the accompanying government grants. Today, that RESP portfolio has grown into a substantial education fund.
Meanwhile, we attended newcomer programs, career workshops, and government-sponsored integration initiatives. We applied for countless jobs, but neither of us received an offer.

Then, in June 2022, I was awarded a provincial government scholarship for an Information Technology training program valued at $20,000. The training would have opened the door to a career as a junior Network Administrator. Just as I was preparing to begin the program, one of the many engineering applications I had submitted resulted in an interview invitation.
By God's grace, I passed the interview and received an offer the very next day to work as a Project Engineer on a renewable energy project.

The Importance of Professional Credentials
Let me backtrack a little: earlier in the Japa journey, immediately after receiving my PPR, I had begun the process of obtaining professional engineering recognition in Canada.

As a COREN-registered engineer in Nigeria, I used my portfolios and experience to apply for Professional licensure but was only granted Engineer-in-Training (EIT) status by the regulators. They remarked that I lacked Canadian engineering experience. I was advised to reapply after gaining one year of local experience.
At the time, I viewed the EIT designation as a disappointment. Later, I discovered that it played a significant role in helping me secure my first engineering position in Canada.

A Season of Stability
Although the project site was located two hours away from my city of residence, I gladly accepted the opportunity.
After completing the required drug and alcohol screening, the company provided accommodation near the project site as well as a company-maintained truck for my use. For the first time since arriving in Canada, life felt stable. Income exceeded expenses. We began saving. Hope returned.
Eventually, my wife suggested we explore homeownership. We met with one of Canada's major banks to determine our mortgage eligibility based on my employment and our credit profile. The advisors crunch out the numbers and gave us the amount we qualified for based on our circumstances.
The following week, we visited several builders' show homes. It did not take long to realize that while my job was good, that single income would not qualify us for the type of home we envisioned for our family.
The realization weighed heavily on my wife. She felt frustrated that her inability to secure employment might be holding back our family's aspirations. I encouraged her to remain hopeful and continue applying.

The Breaking Point
By December 2022, after nearly a year in Canada without any employment, my wife had reached her limit.
She told me she was tired of submitting applications without success and wanted to return to Nigeria with the children. The prospect of family separation devastated me, but I understood the emotional and psychological toll she had endured.
I asked her for one final extension, 3 more months. If nothing changed by the end of March 2023, I promised I would support whatever decision she made. Unwilling to remain idle while waiting, she got her Class 4 driving license and began driving for UBER using our family vehicle.
Then, on March 16, 2023, 2 weeks before the deadline, everything changed. She received a job offer.
What could have become a family separated by circumstances instead became a family strengthened by perseverance.

Chasing the Canadian Dream
Two weeks after she started work, we returned to the bank for a mortgage reassessment. This time, with two incomes, the numbers worked.
We obtained a 12-month mortgage pre-approval and proceeded to sign a pre-construction home purchase agreement. The plan was straightforward: make an initial 10% down payment from savings, accumulate another 10% during construction, and finance the remaining 80% with a mortgage while avoiding mortgage insurance costs.
By April 2023, the dream was in motion, but life had other plans.

Employment Earthquake: When the Ground Shifted Beneath Us
House construction began in June 2023 and was expected to be completed by April 2024.
As we diligently saved toward the second portion of the down payment, a major policy shift occurred.
In October 2023, the provincial government suspended approvals for new renewable energy projects. The impact on the renewable industry was immediate and severe. By December 2023, after the company's project I was on got completed, my employer laid off approximately 80% of project personnel, including me.
In an instant, the foundation of our carefully crafted plan disappeared. The future of our home purchase suddenly seemed impossible, but God’s Mercy says no!

Grace in Difficult Seasons
In the midst of this uncertainty, once again, God showed up and made a way.
My wife secured an even better job, while Employment Insurance (EI) payments kicked in for me and helped bridged the gap. Although the EI payments represented only a small fraction of my previous income, it was enough to keep us afloat.
Together, we pushed through. By April 2024, we successfully completed the home purchase and moved into our new house. The victory, however, came with new realities.
Our expenses exploded. Mortgage payments, property taxes, utilities, homeowners' fees, garbage collection charges, and allied costs quickly replaced the simplicity of apartment living.
The financial pressure was intense; still, I continued applying for engineering roles.

The Wilderness Long Wait
September 2024 arrived, and my EI benefits expired; still, no job was in sight. I remained unemployed.
To prevent financial hardship from overwhelming our family, I accepted a survival job. It helped pay bills, but the physical demands eventually became too strenuous and difficult to sustain.
Seeking an alternative, I enrolled in security training, passed the examinations, and qualified as a licensed security guard.
Then, just as I was preparing to pivot and begin a new chapter by seeking job roles as a security guard, another engineering opportunity emerged.
One of the many applications I had submitted months earlier resulted in an interview invitation. I attended the interview, and I got the job.
The offer came almost 18 months after being laid off from my first engineering position and 9 months after my EI benefits had ended.
The journey had been emotionally draining, financially exhausting, and mentally challenging, but it ended in testimony.

Lessons from the Storm
The hardships taught me lessons I could never have learned from success alone.
They deepened my appreciation for my wife and her unwavering support. They showed me the importance of partnership during adversity and helped me understand why many marriages struggle, and some crumble under the pressures of immigration and resettlement.
Challenges do not destroy relationships; often, they reveal whether two people are willing to carry life's burdens together. When vicissitudes of life come, couples can either grow together or fall apart.
I count myself very fortunate to be married to a good woman who chose perseverance over surrender.

The Final Milestone
In December 2024, my wife and children became eligible to apply for Canadian citizenship.
They submitted their applications and became Canadian citizens in May 2025.
I became eligible in March 2025, submitted my own application, and proudly became a Canadian citizen in October 2025.
The journey from PPR to Citizenship was anything but easy.
The road was rough, but that rough road built resilience. It strengthened our family. It deepened our faith. It taught us patience, perseverance, and gratitude.

Today, we are not yet where we ultimately hope to be. However, we are far ahead of where we stood when we arrived in Canada nearly five years ago. There are still dreams to pursue, goals to accomplish, and mountains yet to climb, but when I look back at where we started in December 2021, I am overwhelmed by gratitude.

If you're somewhere on your own rough road today, don't give up. The chapter you're in is not the whole story. Sometimes, the roughest roads lead to the most beautiful destinations.

The journey continues…………..Aluta Continua, Victoria Ascerta.

Thank you so much for sharing your story. It has encouraged me greatly.

Please house, is anybody experiencing glitches with Africhange. I have not been able to access my dashboard to carry out a payment and the customer support have been telling me they are working on it for the past 3 days. Is the company in some kind of trouble and can't deliver services to its customers?

I have a question everyone
@ednut1 @megastu @geekybabe and every other person, especially people who have been in Canada for years or have moved across provinces.

A friend is considering moving from Ontario to Edmonton, Alberta. He’s into healthcare and would easily get a job on arrival; also, his wife is currently a CSR and hasn’t really built a substantial stake in her prospective finance career here. The bottom line is that he pays so much in Ontario and earns slightly less than what’s obtainable in Alberta, where he believes he can better maximize his earning and purchasing power. We compared the prices of houses (detached and townhomes) in Edmonton to Burlington, where he currently stays, and it was astonishingly and unbelievably wide (WTF is Southern Ontario so much expensive for I’m so pissed really).

Honestly, I started seeing value and sense in his decision, which I’ll say is looking incredibly appealing to me too. However, I believe Ontario has more population and job opportunities than Alberta for a reason, although that makes competition fiercer and stiffer in the former. People talk about leaving behind your social capital but I believe you can always meet new people and make new friends wherever you go to.

I’d like to glean insights from everyone. Is it worth it? Did you regret it? What culture or environmental shock should you prepare for? If you’ve personally made the move or know someone who have. What are the upsides and downsides? Also, is Edmonton a viable place to pursue a career; how abundant are the opportunities there?
Thanks

JIREN01:
I have a question everyone
@ednut1 @megastu @geekybabe and every other person, especially people who have been in Canada for years or have moved across provinces.

A friend is considering moving from Ontario to Edmonton, Alberta. He’s into healthcare and would easily get a job on arrival; also, his wife is currently a CSR and hasn’t really built a substantial stake in her prospective finance career here. The bottom line is that he pays so much in Ontario and earns slightly less than what’s obtainable in Alberta, where he believes he can better maximize his earning and purchasing power. We compared the prices of houses (detached and townhomes) in Edmonton to Burlington, where he currently stays, and it was astonishingly and unbelievably wide (WTF is Southern Ontario so much expensive for I’m so pissed really).

Honestly, I started seeing value and sense in his decision, which I’ll say is looking incredibly appealing to me too. However, I believe Ontario has more population and job opportunities than Alberta for a reason, although that makes competition fiercer and stiffer in the former. People talk about leaving behind your social capital but I believe you can always meet new people and make new friends wherever you go to.

I’d like to glean insights from everyone. Is it worth it? Did you regret it? What culture or environmental shock should you prepare for? If you’ve personally made the move or know someone who have. What are the upsides and downsides? Also, is Edmonton a viable place to pursue a career; how abundant are the opportunities there?
Thanks

As he is in healthcare, he is fairly protected. The consideration between job opportunities in each province doesn't count much here. As you said, because he's likely going to get a job in Alberta. The issue now would be: how do those jobs compare? There could be thousands of jobs in Ontario, but if those jobs are not suitable for him, then it doesn't mean much to him. He's in an area where he should focus on his niche.

Edmonton is a large city, but obviously not Ontario, and activities and connections are not as good. Calgary is a bit better and modern, but also not Ontario or BC. It's like comparing job opportunities in Lagos and Abuja. For someone who has a regulated job with a graduated pay, the amount of jobs in Lagos does not mean that people cannot eck out a better living environment for them in other cities. Same would apply here.

For his wife, it might be more of an issue, as she is not in healthcare. In their case, it might be worth applying for jobs first, getting those, and now comparing. Yes, the cost of living in Edmonton is much less, but also be aware that insurance rates in Alberta are quite high. Overall, your money will go further, more so without the provincial sales tax.

Hi

Hi, anyone with info on Emergency Travel Certificate? I would like to travel in 2 months but I misplaced my passport. I have the older one and I travelled with that the last time before renewing it in Nigeria. I would renew again in Nigeria but just need to get there lol.

I want to know the airlines/routes that would accept ETC

Please I want referrals for Airbnb in Ontario, any suggestions please?? Brampton specifically

Good evening guys

Has anyone know why the Canada refusal letter could mention debt to the crown when you haven't been to Canada before and never receive any benefit from their government before.

salarkh:
Good evening guys

Has anyone know why the Canada refusal letter could mention debt to the crown when you haven't been to Canada before and never receive any benefit from their government before.

Lived in the UK before or any other country connected to the Royal House?

Did the person owe HMRC?

Hi.

Pls is Qatar Airways cool with wrapped Ghana must go bags?

Is there a way to get a house ready before landing? I'm traveling with children the school year starts on 2nd Sep, I don't want them to miss much school.

Has anyone used Adrois to secure an apartment, Are they legit?

What is the best way to move settlement funds, the best I've found is Africhange, pls are they issue free?


I am truly grateful and thankful in advance for the help.

Anyone here that has done the so called smith's maneuver or cash damming?
Mainly about investing in a way that the interest on the loan is tax deductible

Stumbled across this a few times and still trying to practically understand it moreso if it can be used for investments overseas.

No , infact I kept wondering

AirBay:
Lived in the UK before or any other country connected to the Royal House?

Did the person owe HMRC?