₦airaland Forum

Tojued:
Have you tried dingtone?

WoodcrestMayor:
Hey guys!!!
I’ve been away for a very long long time. Landing gist is stale considering the fact that I touched down in May 2018…8months ago. I won’t bore
May God's favour rest upon us as we continue the journey here.
To our brothers and sisters expecting Accra package, you all shall not be disappointed

Selah!!!

MissEmmy:
Thanks a bunch for suggesting this app. I've been able to get a valid Canada number. Getting credits is a bit cumbersome, but hey, I can't complain coz it works. Cheers

smslive2:
I welcome myself officially to this thread!
PPR - Jan 3rd
COPR Issued - Jan 4th
Application Approved - Jan 5th
COPR Delivered - Jan 8th

Landing - LOADING

Threemg:
Wait o, Are you resident in Ghana?

ozzy2:
Please can anyone help me with the process for getting a police clearance certificate from sweden. The one i initially got was rejected. Please is urgent. Thank

Threemg:
Wait o, Are you resident in Ghana?

smslive2:
UK Resident...

smslive2:
I welcome myself officially to this thread!
PPR - Jan 3rd
COPR Issued - Jan 4th
Application Approved - Jan 5th
COPR Delivered - Jan 8th

Landing - LOADING

WoodcrestMayor:
Hey guys!!!
I’ve been away for a very long long time. Landing gist is stale considering the fact that I touched down in May 2018…8months ago. I won’t bore you guys with details so I will just summarize as well as I can.
I departed naija at about 1pm and landed in Toronto at about 8am the following day…Addis Ababa through Dublin to Toronto it was. I wouldn’t be exaggerating if I said I stood for a combined 7hrs (approximately) in the plane stretching my leg and I also got tired of the food . Toronto was a long queue and POF check was smooth…officer only asked what I came in with. I was about to show him and he said I shouldn’t bother showing him. Ethiopian airline guys advised me to change my flight to one that had long connecting time for Toronto/Edmonton. I heeded their advice and I was just in time for my flight to Edmonton after immigration stress. In fact, I had to run as the flight was about leaving. I would have been put on another flight without any extra charge but my people in Edmonton had cleared their itinerary for my arrival so it wouldn’t have been fair.
I boarded Air Canada and I balance well well for plane…hostess make sense and all…I said to myself…”another 4hrs of flight”…sigh. Hostess moved round to serve drinks and snacks and I went in for one without questions. I thought it was covered by the air fare and then she brought out the POS . Thank God say I respect myself no carry wetin expensive. I had my dollar MasterCard on me and I still had some change on it. I paid and moved on to buy Wi-Fi access for the duration of my flight. I started messaging friends and family to give present location and all.
I touched down in Edmonton at about 4pm and was welcomed by my cousins…got a light hoodie as temperature was about 17 degrees on that beautiful day. We took a few pictures and headed home. We got home and I got a surprise cake (it was my birthday and I planned the landing for my birthday but I wasn’t expecting any cake) *please pass me the tissue roll*.
I landed on a Thursday and a new reality set in. I was a banker back home and even though I was tired of banking, I figured it was the easiest way to get something mainstream. I needed to get into the system and then plot my move from there. I am not a young guy in my 20’s so I knew I didn’t have much time on my hands. I knew about the Canadian experience thing but I said to myself…”you don’t time to experiment much with menial jobs for Canadian experience. The earlier you got into the mainstream, the better for you”. My cousin has a few banker friends and they told me something that could get me into the system quick enough. I went to church with him and he introduced me to a wealth manager who also started in the bank as a sales person. He further reiterated what other bankers I spoke to said-get a mutual fund certification. I got to Canada on a Thursday and started reading on Monday…I didn’t plan to start that early For two months, I read and did nothing else; not even job applications. After about 800pages and some practice, I took the exam in July and I’m still grateful I passed at first attempt.
I started applying for jobs and indeed.com became my homepage My cousin also told me to check out Bredin;thank God I did. Resume writing, cover letter and interview skills are non-negotiable here. I went through the classes and I immersed myself in the theory and practical. I began to practice for interviews like they were examinations. All these under my belt but the jobs were not forthcoming. The food industry had a lot of openings but I was adamant; I was not going to serve food .I even did safety certifications which cost me money but I just needed to start something. I made a different resume for menial jobs and I focused on warehouse worker category but I kept getting rejections. I kid you not when I tell you that I lost count of the number of applications I submitted. I even got a scam one but can you scam the scammer?
The final week of August brought an interview which I attended. It was advertised as a sales position for Telus but I turned out to be for one of the companies selling for Telus. I took the job nonetheless even though it was pure commission. It was a door-to-door sales job and did it for about a month. There was a day It snowed a little and I could not unzip my trouser because I was losing control of my fingers…I called an Uber and closed for the day. I thought I wasn’t going to return there but I thought about everything and the next morning I was in the office. I finally quit after 3 weeks and I was ready to look for a cashier position anywhere when RBC sent out invites for a networking event; a networking event which had the mutual funds certification as a pre-requisite for registration. I went to Hudson Bay, bought a suit and I already bought shoes from Aldo during summer sales so I was ready to go. The networking event was quickly followed by a proper interview a week later and in the second week of October, I got an offer for an Intern position. I resumed 3rd week of November and I will be in training till summer. It’s a very intensive one but I’m glad I got it.
Pay attention guys because I’m going to connect some dots here for people who need this. The value of time anywhere especially here can not be overemphasized. Even though I didn’t stay long at the sales job, it undoubtedly played its part in securing the RBC job. I was able to tick the Canadian experience box and I also made a couple of sales and the pay cheques came in handy during background checks. It was one of the items used to verify that I indeedworked for the company I stated in my resume. Also, the timing of the exam was impeccable because I registered for the RBC networking event in August and if I hadn't passed it at first attempt, the next available date would have been in August and I would have missed out on this opportunity. I’m not where I want yet but I’m super grateful to God and the people around me who gave me OT.
I took my class 7 test in September so I’ll be ready to cruise in my car come next winter (their deddies). I’ve been driving here though(my cousin’s wife’s car ) because I learnt that in naija but I never had my car so I’ll be ready for my road test come September.
Those fake CRA guys called me too but again, can you scam the scammer?
What did I miss out? Oh! I did a bit of summer shopping. I bought off-season items like a winter jacket(I only just realized it’s simply decent) and two winter boots. The winter boots I bought for $35 in summer now cost about $135 in winter . Bredin also gave me a lot of information on packages the government have in place to help new comers integrate into the system. For example, I get to use Edmonton city public sites (gym,library, zoo etc) for free and I also buy the bus pass for $35 as against the regular $97. The subsidized bus pass wasn’t in effect when I came in. It was only just included 3 months ago.
Winter has been good to me and I think it’s just a gift from God…a way of helping me settle in before the next one which I predict will be brutal.
I remember the “disgust” on my face when summer came and these guys couldn’t stay at home. Everyone found one excuse or the other to go outside and all. I was naïve then; i now know better. I will be one of the first person to run out on the first day of summer 2019

Summarily, research is key and there’s really no midway here. One has to be really deliberate about everything here and I tell you one thing-it is easier to chart ones course here. I wouldn’t deny the fact that it’s easier with age on your side though. People get depressed here too; especially the guys who earned big bucks in naija only to get here to crumbs. Mental strength is key and it is your strongest ally when trying to integrate into the system because everything will try to beat you down and you’ll almost question your competence.
I don’t think we have any under-18 on this thread so nightlife and fine buildings shouldn’t be a reason to choose a province. I met a Nigerian at the Millwoods gym and he told me he has been in Canada for 10yrs. He landed in Quebec because many of his friends chose there but he and many of them had find their levels after 3 years-he’s doing fine now. Another one I heard of in church came from Toronto and got a job in her 2nd week in Edmonton. I met a Somali girl who left Toronto for Edmonton because she wasn’t cut out for the petty jobs that were available to her there. She said some of her friends are still there doing call centre jobs because they like the big city feel.
Last last, na where opportunity dey for your profession pass suppose inform decision to move o!
Also, I will never advice anyone to land here in winter. Friends and family will easily volunteer to take you to places to get things done the first few weeks if you land in summer but you’re more likely to get excuses if you ask them for the same favour in winter.

May God's favour rest upon us as we continue the journey here.
To our brothers and sisters expecting Accra package, you all shall not be disappointed

Selah!!!

MMOV:
Is there a WhatsApp Group for Accra Visa Office?
My AOR is July 5th and still no movement whatsoever on my profile. Is this an isolated case?

Obtay:
Hello people,please any similar part or known knowledge about this?kindly help give your input.it will be really appreciated

smslive2:
I welcome myself officially to this thread!
PPR - Jan 3rd
COPR Issued - Jan 4th
Application Approved - Jan 5th
COPR Delivered - Jan 8th

Landing - LOADING

vcole:
Nice post @woodcrestmayor

CanadianNaija:
Thank you for the update and insight.
I wish you the best.

MissEmmy:
Very concise and on point. Thanks for sharing your story. May the land continue to favour you.

MummyJaygirls:
In other words Edmonton is the city flowing with milk and honey

slydog:
Thanks for your great advice.
I'm a banker in Nigeria looking to move to Canada.... I'm just preparing for the exams and the whole process. The exam you spoke about, is it a major requirement for clinching a banking job? Can I have the site for the exam pls..... So from your advise one needs to look for the province that promises more jobs in your professional line to migrate to? Not just provinces where entry seem much easier than others

WoodcrestMayor:
I honestly don't feel like stepping out today.

philip3:
Lol

Newmum0615:
My neighbor. Glad to know that the temperature is friendlier in our zone.

philip3:
Lol

philip3:
You don land yet? Destination Milton?

A friend that has been scaring us about Canadian winter has been shocked so far. The temperatures have been unseasonal anyway.

We like am like that.

Abiodunnn:
Good day all,
Please is there an Architect here that can help with info on Architecture opportunities in canada? What province(s) one should target and all, especially for an Architect that does more of project management on site....
cc: theCongo, Salford, vcole and other landed seniors.
Gracias

philip3:
You don land yet? Destination Milton?

A friend that has been scaring us about Canadian winter has been shocked so far. The temperatures have been unseasonal anyway.

We like am like that.