Hello @Mstravelindiva,

Your travel diary brings back memories of my 4-month stay in Malta as an exchange student in late winter/spring of 2021.

Unfortunately, your assertion that it is a friendly country to migrants and refugees is wrong and I just thought to point that out. During my stay, I also volunteered with two organisations working with refugees and the experience wasn't pleasant. In fact, I don't like to relive my experience, particularly of my visit to the detention center, as well as to Hal Far open center. Besides, a week stay in any country as a tourist cannot help anyone reach such a conclusion. These are realities that tourists don't know. My experience on a 10-day visit to Paris was definitely different from my 3-month experience working with refugees in Calais and Dunkerque in Northern France.

I hope you get what I mean. Nonetheless, Malta is a beautiful country to visit! Nice to know that you enjoyed your trip.

Mstravelindiva:


If you happen to get a multi entry Schengen visa, definitely visit since there isn’t an embassy in Nigeria. They are friendly to foreigners and immigrants.

What is your definition of decent please? Neighbourhood, the building itself, amenities?

Most times, we forget how difficult it is for people to find themselves in a good income bracket in Nigeria. For you to earn a good income in Nigeria, a lot must have been invested in terms of your background or you must be part of the 0.1% who were just plain lucky.

So do you consider that such a person with a certain background would want to leave in a neighbourhood where 'a decent flat' costs 400k?

Wages in Nigeria are simply not commensurate with expenses! The higher you earn, the more 'decent' life you would want like living close to your workplace in a good neighbourhood, and the more the income-expense disparity!

WoundedLamb:


Ok... I don't think 1 and 2 requires me to say anything since they could be considered not within the current context anymore. But I took note..

3) My submission would still be the same nevertheless.

4) I said outside Lagos downtown (Victoria?). That was me asking if Victoria is what Lagos downtown is called. I wasn't suggesting you should use Victoria Island for the comparison. Maybe I should have been clearer or even remove Victoria from the sentence.

5) I know. But a 500k earner in Lagos can afford a 2 bedroom flat and those amenities and still save very well. A [b]decent flat of 400k/year [/b]will cost just about 33k per month thus creating room for other expenses and a good saving. Whereas a $3,500 earner who pays $2,500 per month is already cornered when you consider other monthly expenses.

I agree with some of the points, but...

einsteino:
[url="https://www.quora.com/What-are-some-darker-sides-of-living-in-Canada"]What are some darker sides of living in Canada?[/url]

Answered by
Sam Boulos, Lived in Canada for 13 years.
Updated Mar 15, 2017

I am glad you asked that question because while Canada presents itself to the World and to prospective immigrants as the perfect place to live, the best country in the World with the best life standards, very little if any is mentioned about the disadvantages. People go with very high expectations and after a while a lot feel disappointed and/or misinformed. I agree...All immigrants should set realistic expectations regardless of the destination country

-I agree with the person who said that Canadians are polite but politeness is not equal to friendliness. Saying sorry when they step on your toe is one thing and being approachable is another thing. Canadians are private. Waaay too private. Especially in big cities, people approaching each other and talking to each other in a public place is so freakin’ unusual. For someone to strike a conversation with you in the bus or subway they must be abnormal or mentally sick. You would probably feel more scared than entertained when and if it happens. I used to live in an apartment building where people would not even say hi or smile at each other in the elevator, and they weren’t total strangers. They were neighbours! This is a common way of life in the West and is strange to those of us who were raised in collectivistic societies, where everyone is in everyone's business. I remember traveling alone to several EU countries on vacation in 2014 and I found that I was able to relate more with other tourists than the locals. It is a situation that most immigrants from Africa for example, will need to mentally adjust to. To interact with people from similar culture/origin societies, it is safe to say that an immigrant will have to be part of social/religious organisations to meet such people.

-The country is too big for its population which makes everything costly. Shipping, transportation, building roads, telecommunication networks, transmission lines..etc. If Canada were this size of France it would have worked a lot better. This is just basic arithmetic really; the more people I am able to provide my services to within a smaller geographical area, the lesser the cost.

-I think Canadians are not united or harmonious enough as I would expect people from the same country to be. People from outside Toronto hate Toronto dearly. Quebeckers don’t like the rest of Canada and don’t feel belonging. They have a special mutual hatred with Albertans though. These two are always bickering and calling each other names, and generally speaking provinces are always fighting over money, over their share of the federal budget or aid, over conflicting interests. You will find a province that is pro-oil, another is totally anti-oil and wishes to shut down the whole industry, and this pattern repeats…. Add to that the language wars between Anglophones and Francophones and you will start to see a darker side This has a lot to do with the history of Canada. This is a problem common to Federal states and is not peculiar to Canada alone. Like the USA, canada is a federal union of different regions (with different beliefs and cultures). I remember a friend from North Carolina telling me that it is a taboo for someone from that state to marry someone from a certain state within the US. Like the Kurds in the Middle East, the Catalans in Spain, the Basque region in France and the Ibos in Nigeria, the Quebec region continues to pursue its autonomy (and to a lesser extent, independence) from the rest of Canada. What makes Canada's case unique is the Anglophone and Francophone dichotomy (Trust me, the differences in the beliefs and cultures are huge). This is why such states/regions enjoy substantial autonomy to keep the separatists at bay!

-The economy is small. Job creation is weak and jobs are hard to find except for a couple of places that are booming, and those places change over time. When a city or a province is going through a boom phase lots of people will flock to it from the rest of Canada to find work. At one point Calgary was one of these centers. The influx of people from other areas was crazy. The housing and infrastructure could not keep up with all the newcomers. Now with the oil prices so low Calgary is losing population so fast. Canadians seem to be in a perpetual state of moving for work. It is very normal to have to move to another city or province to find a job, any job. I am not talking about a big promotion or a fantastic offer. Some people move hoping to find an entry level job or even a job in retail or fast food. Some places are worse than others. Montreal is probably one of the worst job markets on Earth. It is not uncommon in Montreal to be jobless and searching for work for a year or two. I know many people who kept looking for that long. Personally, Canada needs to seek FDI to bolster the economy at the same time as skilled immigrants. They are already doing that though (with the trade agreement signed with the EU a while back) but there is room for improvement.
What adds salt to injury is the infamous lie that new immigrants are told, that they cannot find a job mainly because they lack the ”Canadian Experience”. The poor fellows actually believe it and think there is something wrong with them just because they acquired their skills outside Canada and then a decade or so later they get to realize that this is just an excuse, a cover up for the slow job market. Been there, done that. In reality though, when there is a strong demand for a certain field everyone gets hired, and the first person through the door gets a job offer, having the so called Canadian Experience or not. I believe there are huge misconceptions about the issue of Canadian experience which has been tackled from subjective standpoints on different online forums like Quora. I think all prospective and newly landed immigrants should continue to avail themselves of the available information

-Canadians find their identity in their diversity and multiculturalism and they are happy and proud about it but for me it sounds like an oxymoron. It is like saying “what we all have in common is that we are all different” I think that the country does not have a special flavor or distinct culture. It feels to me more like a shelter where people come from all over the world seeking to escape poverty, conflict or improve their lives in a way or another and they just live together and co-exist but nothing really unites them other than, like I said, diversity. There isn’t really that much sense of nationalism or patriotism, there isn’t really such thing as a national food unless you consider Poutine to be one, or a national costume unless you expect a Hockey Jersey to be one This is a subjective opinion, someone else might disagree

-The country is not so ambitious. They don’t seek the first place economically, technologically, in the military, in politics, arts, education or anything, and it isn’t known or famous for anything. Not even for something as small as Cheese like France, Chocolate like Belgium or Flowers like the Netherlands. They are perfectly happy with 10 medals or so in the Olympics while a country like Australia with less population usually reaps more than double that number. They are perfectly happy and proud that University of Toronto is ranked #32 in the world but will never seek to be in the top 10 or God forbid top 3. Most of the ambitious and excellent Dentists, Doctors, Lawyers and Engineers end up moving to the states or somewhere else not only because of the money but because they cannot keep up with the mediocrity. Ambition is relative; what I consider ambitious may be perceived as inconsequential by another

-The weather is not made for human beings but for polar bears. Well, this is one of the issues I have with Canada. The available opportunities should be commensurate with the sacrifice required to adjust to the weather. Most immigrants migrate from tropical climes and it is natural for them to feel discouraged if the available opportunities are few and far between.

Footnote:

I think I have to remind some commentators on my answer that the original question was not about evaluating life in Canada in general (the good Vs the bad) or comparing Canada to other countries. If you ask what is a negative thing about a Mercedes Benz I would definitely say “The price”. That does not make Mercedes an inferior car. Fact!

In my opinion, for those from 'Third World' countries in sub-Saharan Africa like Nigeria and South Asia, there really is no room for comparison. Canada is a developed country, if your intention is to migrate for a 'better life', by all means, do.

Also, please tell your friend not to mention the bolded in his/her correspondence with potential supervisors...it will raise a red flag that he/she could also quit, if granted admission, when things get rough (it usually does at some point during a doctoral program). Apart from that, I think they'll be fine. In addition to @Salford1's contribution above, they only need to look through the websites of schools they are interested in (Canada doesn't have a lot, so that reduces the volume of work), and contact potential supervisors with their draft proposal (approx 3000-4000 words, max 5000words should be sufficient at this point as they might have to still revise it when they find an interested supervisor). In my experience, I believe the proposal is the real work (Literature review and methodology in particular)...most professors wouldn't reject a well-written proposal on a good topic, if they think the student has great potential.

@maziude would also be able to shed more light as it relates to Canada specifically. I think he's a doctoral student in Ottawa.

czaratwork:


Thanks a lot. I think no 3 is the problem. Getting a supervisor for the research proposal. How do you get to know the superrvisor's area of interest. Do they have to visit the school and discuss with the supervisor before writing their proposals?

One is already pursuing her doctorate degree at UNILAG but wants to relocate. Both did thesis based masters.

I wasn't speaking to the lady...my post was directed at the person who made a reference to India. Thanks.

DadR:
I think we should just let this argument die down as those speaking for and against have only commented based on their perception of the poster's situation. The poster didn't give full details/holistic view of the situation she's facing with her husband and I don't expect her to put up such here, hence, we cannot categorically say what the fear of the husband is. We all look same way but see differently. Let the poster seek God's wisdom in solving immigration issues with her hubby. Ultimately, irrespective of where we all are, HAPPINESS IS KEY!

Cheers!

I disagree with the bolded, or perhaps, I don't understand what you were trying to say. I doubt that I'll find India poorer than Nigeria if I were to conduct a thorough research...maybe it's an assumption you reached based on the country's population.

In the scheme of things and the comity of nations generally, Nigeria cannot be compared to India in anyway. In fact, coming back to the purpose of the thread, can you compare the success of Indians in Canada to that of Nigerians? Do Nigerians qualify or receive as many Highly skilled immigrant visas (e.g Tier 2 for the UK and H1B for the US) as Indians? Is it in terms of their infrastructure and Nigeria's lack thereof? I'll like to understand the basis of your argument as I'm currently working on a life course research paper focused on India, Vietnam and Nigeria...and the findings seem to point in the direction that Nigeria is the 'poorest'.

I think Nigerians need to realise that we are not that great, even in Africa (have you seen the new international airport in Togo being constructed by the Chinese). Only when you admit to having a problem can you begin to proffer or accept suggestions for suitable solutions. If we continue to deceive ourselves that our intent on immigration is solely based on the future of our kids, and not on some deep rooted socioeconomic issues that we currently face or fear may become a problem in the near future, then we may not be planning for an all-round success on the migration journey! That's the difference with Indians; they admit that their country can do little to nothing to help them achieve their goals, and they go abroad to succeed, often moving into the middle class in these developed countries.

Moreover, if anyone who claims to be doing well financially in Nigeria was that concerned about the education of their kids, excellent private education is available in Nigeria (British International School, American international school if you can afford more than $20000 per annum, and so many others). Also, there are many well-to-do Nigerians resident in Nigeria, who send their kids to great private schools (boarding schools at both primary and secondary school level) all over the world.

Apologies for any typos, I was in a hurry!

TEECANN:


Don't mind Maternal... (Why I didn't grace his post with a reply!)

Some things can't just be disclosed in a public forum lest one is mistakened for a brag.

Hmmm, thank God for the journey thus far in Naija (I cant complain ) and joyfully expectant of the future in Canny.

No doubt he is on point regarding giving the kids a better learning and growing environment (if the assumption behind his posts points in that direction) but to make a blanket assumption that people are generally not "doing well" at home, reason why they are on the thread, will be stretching the ignorance too far (come on, this is Nigeria o, not India! you no know the weight of my naija people na im dey make you yarn like that ) I have met people from this thread one on one (I don't have to mention monikers) and I'm like what are these folks looking for again?

But like someone said, priorities for immigrating are so diverse and different for many people, you will be pleasantly shocked, seeking for better financial opportunities in the short term is the least of the reasons for embarking on the immi-journey in the first instance for many!

It will definitely end in praise IJN!

Lol...welcome back! At least, you already took care of the important thing (dual nationality) such that you have a 2nd home if the 1st one does not meet your expectations!

mosquitoway:
Hi everyone, i am not sure if this is the right thread, but i will try, i welcome all the new comers to canada, it is indeed a splendid place. I came to Canada in 2013 and recently bagged my canadian passport, i am a commercial pilot flying private planes based out of ottawa. I am writing this post as i intend returning to Nigeria, I will call it an invitation to swap lives if it makes sense..lol, i see a lot of people are moving to ottawa. I am looking for an opportunity for a house, car and furniture exchange. I am looking for a place in ikeja to be close to the airport. I stay in a modern 2 bedroom apartment with utilities etc. I am a bachelor and happy to go home so please do not try to convince me otherwise.my aim is to hit the ground running like i never left, any help is appreciated.

Hi Arielle,

I'm not exactly sure how buoyant the development sector is in Canada, but I can remember reading a piece about a concentration of most of the big ID organizations in Quebec (in other provinces, I only know of IDRC in Ottawa). You may ask your friend to conduct more of her own research into this.

Nonetheless, I'll try to give you a general overview of how the sector works to the best of my knowledge. A career in the international development (ID) sector, in most places in the world, has more to do with networking than anything else. I have worked in the oil and gas sector, and I must say that it is much more difficult to start a career in ID compared to other sectors I know quite well. This is partly because the organizations (save for the big ones like the UN, the world bank etc) are considerably small. So you may understand why networking is important here. The UK isn't such a bad place for your friend to start, as there are a lot of organizations as well as charities in the UK (Christian Aid, Save the Children etc) where she can gain some relevant work/volunteer experience. From my personal experience however, I wouldn't advice her to proceed if she hasn't started the program yet.

There are a couple of postgrad programs within the EU where you spend approx two years in about two to three universities across the EU (each of the four semesters is spent in a different country), and most of them also have the possibility of spending one of the semesters as an intern in international development organizations (not small charities). During this program, your friend will be able to build her network (if she's proactive), gain some experience, learn a 2nd or 3rd language (highly recommended) and might even be able to land a job in Canada prior to landing, with her network. This is because unlike other sectors, ID work experience is global (much of the work done all over the world is similar), save for the humanitarian/emergency arm, where you require experience in areas affected by natural disasters or war zones. By the time she's done with her masters program, she'll be in a better position to decide the next step in her career/academic pursuit. Moreover, networking is also important for a career in ID consultancy, as no one will hire a consultant they don't know/or that does not come highly recommended.

Arielle:
Hi all. Please what is the employment outlook in the non profit sector in canada? My friend is about to enter a masters program in development (I think something to do with sustainability and program management), in the UK. She plans to move to Canada after her program, do a PhD and work in the non profit sector and then start her own consultancy. Is anyone familiar with this sector?

I think it's because, like Imperial College London, UBC gives most of the available spots to the highest bidder (the Asians). They pay the huge international student fees without seeking scholarships (they value education that much, and at any cost - ask the ivy leagues) or will often have funding from national sources (they are not a financial burden), are likely to have high GPAs, and are likely to have better career/job prospects nationally or internationally (in order to access the coveted Asian market, every serious organization needs Asians on their team). All of these contribute to the ranking of both schools at the top, hence, they continue to dole out spots to them in a win-win relationship. As an international student (from sub-Saharan Africa of all regions), you are likely to be lagging behind in these three areas, and they might not see you as a potentially beneficial alumni (in terms of your career/job prospects)!

This is my opinion though!

einsteino:


we all know schools are ranked, and some schools have better faculties than others. what do you think makes UBC a harder school to land an admission? I didnt mean to look down on MUN, I was only using it to explain a point, heck i evn would have studied at MUN if i got my visa.. in QS world ranking and other rankings, MUN stands about 400 positions below U of A. not saying their degree is weaker or that it has any impact on career/job prospects. But students, and even lecturers take these things into consideration when settling for a school, especially wrt Research capabilities.

anyways, if you wish you can even say U.I or UNN is aii cos its programmes are accredited, or that harvard is just a school.. i dont understand how you didnt see that "low rate" in the context i used it, had to do with admission & acceptance rate..

How about you starting in your own little way, who knows, you might be the inspiration others need to take action! Until then...

ednut1:
who will now build nigeria when all of una wan run

Hi,

It's a good thing that you already have some experience as an analyst in the finance sector. Probably, you could be considered for the position of an associate or higher. The thing I know of core finance jobs (not accounting) is that the majority of people tend to start at the entry-level analyst positions quite early and fresh out of uni, such that most also tend to exit the sector after less than a decade. Those who decide to stay already have put in more than 17yrs on the average by the time they turn 40. Considering that as Nigerians coming from an almost agrarian (not industrialized) economy, we often do not have the same opportunities (in terms of quality of education, experience and the ability to speak multiple languages which is important for mobility), it is best to be realistic about the available career opportunities one might actually be able to take advantage of.

As an example, I recently met a Canadian who is a part-time PhD student in London, UK through his supervisor (who was also my former supervisor), and I wondered why his thesis was focused on 'migration' when he had been in finance for 18 years. He had started as a summer intern in Citibank Canada during his undergrad and was employed fresh out of McGill University at 22. Worked in Toronto and New York with Morgan Stanley and JP Morgan, before a final move to London post-2008 (the financial crisis) and he is currently the Head of Emerging Market at JP Morgan in London. His explanation was that he needed to be realistic about any further opportunity for growth in his present career and a move into the development sector will offer him more flexibility and opportunity, which in my opinion, is a sector a lot of people tend to ignore. With his experience and a thesis focused on visa policy, he can more easily transit into the IMF, the World Bank, the development banks or other organizations that will more easily appreciate his age, experience, exposure, and multilingual capacity.

I think that having no family obligations will allow you to take more risks though. Also, try to visit other forums like Quora or Reddit, you never know what you might learn from other personal experiences. In the end, you would eventually be able to decide what's best for you.

Inception12:
As some one with a statisitcs degree and doing CFA, am looking at Analyst jobs as i think thwy'll be easy to get in canada.

As someone with experience as an analyst and still with no family obligations i think i can handle long hours but which other careers wre you referring to in that bolded part.

In my opinion, I think CFA provides a better chance at core finance jobs as it is distinct from accounting. While a MSc Finance or MBA qualification may provide a better chance at key finance positions and faster growth, a person with a CFA qualification like an engineering or a statistics major grad can more easily get a job as an analyst in an investment bank than an accounting major. Also, CFA is more North America-focused (JP Morgan et al than say UBS as an example), so he has nothing to worry about if his destination is Canada.

Finally, since most analysts start pretty early (in their early 20s) with no family obligations and are thus able to work the long hours that the job demands, he might want to reconsider his career choice, particularly if he has no prior experience in the sector which will enable him start in a slightly better role than an analyst.

PS: Core finance is a totally different ball game than what obtains in most banks in Nigeria, hence, any experience in the Nigerian banking sector may not count for much. Hope this helps.

ayaade1:
Hello fam,

I noticed most people have been talking about ACCA and ICAN, but havent seen anything on CFA.

Does it mean that CFA is not recognized in Canada?

If yes, what needs to be done in order to increase hubby's chances of getting a job?

Please note that he's not done yet but would like to complete it before we eventually leave Nigeria.

Kindly assist fam.

Thank you.

I found this on Quora and thought it could be an interesting read! Long but useful thread! Integration and a strong will to succeed against all odds is truly fundamental in the journey of any immigrant regardless of the destination country.

https://www.quora.com/Are-there-any-examples-of-people-who-regretted-their-immigration-to-Canada-and-returned-back-to-their-home-country-What-could-be-the-reasons

Although downplayed, I like to think that 'networking' is a thing in most countries since people in a similar profession can more easily point a person in the right direction as regards available opportunities in their career. However, when it becomes nepotism/cronyism, then it's a problem. This is a problem that Canada shares with the US in particular, probably one of the values that rubbed off on the country as a result of the proximity.

Cronyism is also a huge problem with the French (they love to reserve the best positions for their 'own', so it's probably a good thing if you speak the language), so let's not forget that Canada is a bilingual country with a considerable French influence.

salford1:

I agree with everything up here except "Canada being having more opportunies than the US". No country in the world compares to the US interms of oportunity...career wise and jobs.

From observation of things going on around me, good jobs are hard to get in Canada. No need in sugar coating the situation on ground. I would like to add that networking is very very important in Canada. It was one of the culture shock I experienced and still experiencing when I moved from the UK to Canada. In Nigeria, they call it man-know-man. In Canada, it is called networking. Alot of good jobs are kept within circles of friends and family. It's a small country (population wise) so they have to watch out for each other. There are exceptions though. e.g Good preparation and timing - booming economy, Gods favour, luck, IT gurus, jobs in very large organization (few in Canada), or you have some rare special skills that are had to find. I did not know anyone in the first two good jobs I worked, but with Gods favour I got in. I realised that my competitors for these jobs always had friends/families inside. The last small team I worked with had a father & son, boyfriend & girlfriend, a retirees son, one whose wife works in HR. lol. This is an organization of around 5000 people. When you move around the same organization but different department, you would find similar set up.

The Indians are catching up fast and beating the Canadians to their game. The last meeting I went for had 3 indian engineers hosting the meeting. They could barely speak english, but they all have similar last names meaning they are likely from the same area in india. I am guessing the hiring manager for that dept is from the same community in india. Every single job my madam had and still currently holding (even though healthcare, and one of the so called demand field) was through networking with fellow naijas in the same field.

So my people, let us try and network as much as possible. Try to build relationship with people in your chosen field. A recommendation from them can get you a good job. To build your network, try bridging programs, co-op programs in schools, linkedin, churches, mosques, temples, events e.t.c
Let us copy the Indians. As Nigerians, let us help each other if we can. If and when we get to a position of authority in Canada, let us help our brothers and sisters out. Also, if you believe in Yahwah, Allah or your local God, pray before going for that interview so that God can touch the heart of that subtle racist that might want to be in your way or make him/her fall sick on the day of the interview. Ask for God's favour to go with you.

My apology, but this sounds funny though it wasn't intended to be.
Don't you think that the earlier people got in tune with reality, the better and easier it is as adults to align our expectations accordingly, particularly to avoid setting the bar too high. We all go through the different stages of grief but the quicker we move from denial to acceptance, the better. Maybe we need to be a bit less sensitive and sentimental about the reality that confronts us for maximum achievement. Anyway, oga @maternal, over to you sir.

maygreaves:
hmmm...so this all started when my oga @maternal responded to a post correctly but included his/her opinion on long distant marriages...its so funny how this shifted from that to Nigeria (i'm guilty as well). so please @maternal, i always look out for your contribution among a few others here...but please you know how optimistic Nigerians can be (a great trait most times), so for the sake of the thread- opinions you could have about Politics, Religon, Sexism, sexual orientations and marriage....Please just leave it out. As this is a very public forum and various individuals might be going through issues on these very sensitive subjects. Though i'll appreciate if you start a blog....you tend to be very factual, but it may come across as too blunt for many.

Thanks.

Some of your points emphasise the complete opposite of his thoughts. His advice attempts to dissuade Nigerians from continuously assessing achievements solely on material terms (your job designation, manager vs ED; financial acumen etc), which is the norm in Nigeria and is honestly tiring. The rat race in Nigeria is real and the sad thing is that the majority of people consider it normal.

I agree with you on Nigeria being a place where your life can change overnight, however, you should also point out that such a change can be either good or bad due to a lack of tangible structures or stability. You could start a business today and govt policy literally runs you out of that business in a few months (and that's if you are lucky to have a certain level of staying power). If you are not keen on kissing up to everyone and anyone, and are ready to put in the hard work to get what you desire on merit (with networking in some cases), then Nigeria is not the place to be. Even the so-called powerful ones in the country get their fingers burned badly when they run out of favor with the govt of the day (à la Atiku with Intels). This is simply not the right path to collective growth in any country.

Also, some rented houses are not assets in the real sense of the term when you consider the cost-benefit analysis. In Nigeria, you often have to buy properties with one-off payments that is sourced personally. Usually, such huge amounts of money could serve a better purpose on other investments that will give quick returns (if one is more financially savvy), without the headache of the cost of property renovation, time wasted in search of tenants and tenants owing or playing games with their rents.

Finally, couples seldom divorce in Nigeria even when the misery involved in some marriages is unbearable. I guess it's because the system is such that the woman in the marriage leaves with nothing, and since most women are dependent on the men in Nigeria, they might as well stay for financial reasons. Lately however, I think more men are opting for a divorce 'when they are no longer interested' compared to our fathers. At least, I know men who sent their wives and children abroad or men who vehemently pursue a transfer out-of-state at work even within Nigeria to be apart from their wives.

maygreaves:


Agree, with most of what you said apart from the bolded portion. This depends largely on your environment and people around you. In lekki and ikoyi, i know many people who walk or ride a bicycle to work and to be honest, i had never even thought about that till i read this statement.

Also, you will be shocked at the number of people who have american/british passports and work in Nigeria....it is the complete opposite...you could easily fall in the rat race over there than in Nigeria. This is one place where your life can literally change overnight.

Don't get me wrong...i get your point....but all this is largely subjective based on various individuals and their financial intelligence, basically understanding simple financial basics e.g a house is not an asset, unless its being rented out.

so lets just stop making general comments here, i know a manager in RBC canada, who was at the time a boss of a current E.D of a tier 1 Nigerian bank....but as long as he's happy about his decision (which he is)...thats what matters...nobody but God knows whatll have happened if he stayed, be be as awesome as an M.D, or as bad as pre-mature death. This is why when people here assume a marriage will dissolve because of distance because that is the Norm.....its exactly what it is, an assumption.....NOTHING DOES NOT HAVE TO GIVE

You just took the words right out of my mouth. It upsets me when people, especially Nigerians residing in North America, complain bitterly about the bills they are required to pay, like a lot of responsible and fairly comfortable people in Nigeria don't also have to pay these bills. Such individuals need to understand that we also pay electricity bills (for a service that is often not provided), phone bills (either prepaid or postpaid), quite expensive rent (Lagos, Abuja and PH standard), taxes (I work in the oil industry and have to pay circa 23% income tax monthly), 8% pension contribution, car payment (monthly, after an initial payment of 35% of the total cost of the car) and the expensive cost of living in Nigeria that cannot be envisaged in any way, such that miscellaneous expenses for a certain month could skyrocket out of control. Even after paying the huge taxes, you still have to provide your own security, make contributions to the development of your community (waiting for the Nigerian government is a wait in futility), provide healthcare (God help you if you are unemployed or if your employer does not provide quality coverage) and so many others. What I have realised is that a lot of these people who complain about bills abroad either lived in terrible situations in Nigeria (and didn't understand the reality of fairly comfortable working class families) or had other people shoulder their responsibility when they were still in Nigeria. Learning to save from one's income is also a personal decision which requires some type of sacrifice and discipline, regardless of what the individual earns.

In my opinion, making comparisons between staying back in Nigeria or relocating to any country in the world, not just Canada, is a personal decision that often has to do with your level of exposure, what you want out of life and your future goals. The 200k he is talking about does not even cover my rent for a month in Lagos, hence only an individual can conveniently weigh the pros and cons of their personal situation to make the decision to relocate. While I haven't lived in Canada, I'm certain that a hardworking cleaner can make at least twice as much as 200k a month. Such a prudent and realistic cleaner would eventually do better than they were probably able to achieve in Nigeria.

maternal:


200k is about 700 Canadian dollars per month. Small boys here would laugh at that. As for the success you'd have here, I am not God. Are you afraid to compete ? Or do you expect to become Prime Minister the following day once you land ? Federal election is in 2 years. Come quick and campaign. Stop listening to people and do your own research as well. And if you're going to listen to people, listen to the success ones who are on the grind. Don't listen to bad belle people who couldn't make it. Lastly, if someone is spending 90% of their salary on bills, they're living above their means. But all these bills you keep on talking about. I guess gen, fuel, water, school fees, food, phone credit, etc is free abi ?

Please can anyone vouch for Ibrahim par the sale of payoneer funds...whatsapp no 0706 361 1172. I'll appreciate your recommendation...thanks

Ibraheem009:
$125 paxful Btc needed at 355/$.
Whatsapp 07063611172.

I doubt that professional qualifications are equivalent of BSc degrees any where in the world (they are mostly classified as Associate degrees). University degrees (academic) are usually different from professional qualifications, so I would understand WES' decision. I guess this is why ACCA has a MOU with Oxford Brookes University, where you can write a final project to get a top-up BSc degree. I'm not exactly sure how this works because I'm not in the management sciences, but I remember a colleague did this a few years ago.

abyurla:
I qualified in 2000
I evaluated my ACA with Wes in 2015 and they said it was not equivalent of Canadian qualification but said it was 2 years professional study in accounting.

Has anyone on here recently (as in 2017) successfully evaluated their ACA as equivalent of BSc?

Thanks...I guess there is no harm in trying.

J'espère que tes études ce passe bien?

maziude:


Hello boss,

With respect to the above.

Completing a PhD degree is 80% the responsibility of the students and 20% bureacracy etc. You can complete your PhD within the stipulated time if 1) your research interests are not ambiguous, 2) you work hand in hand with your supervisor. While it is possible for you to complete within 4 years, it is also possible to go beyond 4 years, but it depends on your results, your supervisor and your university.

The truth is, completing a PhD in every country has its own hurdles and Canada is not left out.

I am sure if you 'googled' "doing phd in other countries", you will also find similar feedbacks.

About Canada not valuing their PhDs, well I cannot say anything about that but my university has lots of canadian phd holders as lecturers and most of them are foreigners.

When it comes to PhD, there is usually 'a no size fits it all' kind of remark.

My advice is go ahead with your PhD application, things are changing in Canada and now is the time.


I hope this helps...

Kindly advise.

I considered conducting my PhD research in Canada 2yrs ago and after going through the website of the top three unis in Canada, all of my queries were not exactly clarified. I then googled studying for a PhD in Canada, only to find that majority of the reviews advised potential candidates to 'run' while they still had the chance, as studying for a PhD in Canada was akin to committing research suicide. Some of the reasons they gave included the long time it takes to complete an average research degree (more than the stated period) and the most shocking was that the country itself does not value its own PhD; instead, it considered foreign PhDs from other 'developed' countries superior post-graduation. They claimed that it was only advisable for those from 'developing' countries who need the PR.

At the time of my findings 2yrs ago, I wasn't ready for the sacrifice that research required. Presently I am, and I have also started to look into this again. A few weeks ago, I contacted two Canadians by e-mail who had recently graduated from the University of Sussex and Oxford in the UK (the latter is of African descent), and they somewhat reiterated a similar stance to my earlier finding. Btw, University of Sussex is a top school in the ID sector globally. I also spoke to a mentor, who is European but currently works as a director in a popular international development agency in Canada. He also advised against this, although with subtlety and not directly.

The information on this thread about how Canadian education and work experience is fundamental to success in Canada is contrary to everything I have heard, examples of which are highlighted in my post. While I have not read a post on this thread about anyone in the international development sector, I'll appreciate it if those already in Canada could advise me on the general perception of Canadian PhD degrees in the country. Also, what is the international development sector in Canada like generally? My main research area is in the social sciences (Both First and Masters' degrees and I intend to continue in the same faculty), but I doubt that I want to work in academia. UN-type career or a research institute like the overseas development institute is more like what I intend to do post-study.

Thanks.