Oyamade:


Lmao, vcole,
(I wanted to jump and pass, but couldn't resist it)
I can't believe you are complaining..
You have the option of adding the "f" or "m" to your monika.

Nice job you are doing here though

There is absolutely no reason why anyone should assume the gender of another person when it's undisclosed. That's the reason why adding your gender to your profile or making it public is an "option" and not the norm. So, yes I should complain. Most especially when it has become a recurring decimal of genders being assumed to be male by default. It has so many undertones to it. Does it mean that only a male has a functioning brain and the ability to make meaningful contributions to a topic and a female does not?

Since this has happened several times not just to me but to other female contributors on this platform it is worthy of mention and I do not think it's something that should keep happening. A contributor can be asked a question or mentioned without any allusions to gender.

Wura27:

Good good.... Night crawler tinz. Trying to read up on all I've missed

I see your weather has changed. Trust u'r good....

I'm aii. Thanks.

Fusion23:

Longest time ,how is the family.

We are aiii. How's it going at your end?

Fusion23, wura27 I see you. How mar-kate?

Oyamade:


Ok i want to get this very clearly... To get your license in Canada, ALL YOU NEED IS YOUR VALID DRIVER'S LICENSE FROM FRSC, BETTER STILL, THE BIOMETRICS ONE THEY DOING NOW?

The biometrics license started in 2012/2013 if I'm not mistaken. My information is for the province of Alberta. I do not know how it works in other provinces

Adiahabasi:
Typical Londoner .Try the East midlands.
@ Vcole, like how much should we budget for day home? Toddler 2.5yrs old. Just thinking, don't churches organize creches or day homes at a relatively cheaper cost? Or what other cost effective alternative(s) are available?

I'm just here with my mouth agape over this "east Midlands life. £500/mth for rent

Dayhome fees range from about $820-890/mth dependent on your provider. Daycare fees for his age range between $1100-1200/mth dependent on your daycare centre. However if you and your spouse are both working or both schooling or one partner is working while the other is schooling, you can apply for the child care subsidy in Alberta for approved dayhome agencies or daycare centres which for your child's age would pay $437/mth for a dayhome or $547/mth (it's 5..something sha not sure of that 4) for daycare centres.

All child care services are regulated. So even if a church owns a daycare centre (I know of none thus far), it would still be subject to the regulatory conditions for providing child care and would function as a business seeing as they would have staff and all. There are private dayhomes who have their licenses to operate a dayhome and meet regulatory requirements but are not "approved" that just means that they are not licensed with the government of Alberta and as such do not qualify for the child care subsidy program.

Cost effective....you can enroll your child in a preschool which for his age is twice a week for 3hrs/day. Costs about $265/mth on the average. You can apply for a stay at home parent childcare subsidy for an approved preschool which would knock if $100/mth from your fees.

TheWatcher212:


Vcole of life. Thanks for shedding some more light on the Alberta licence. Can you share your experience?

merrymum:
@vcole. We'll be landing in Calgary in 2 weeks. Just to clarify on the driver's license, you went with your Naija DL, wrote the test, passed and was issued ur license?

Yes I landed with my Nigerian license. It was to expire this October while my husband's had already expired. Both were the frsc biometric licenses. We wrote the knowledge test and passed and then submitted our licenses to obtain the gdl exemption which took 3 weeks after which we took the advanced road test and obtained our class 5 licenses.

trishachi:


When you say "Permanent Resident Card", do you mean the actual card or will the COPR suffice? Do you have to wait till the card is ready?

and for the proof of address, does it have to be something in your name? what if you are staying with family for the first few weeks and so will not have any lease documents as at then? what is the best way to go about getting a proof of address? apart from Driver's Licence.

Your cell phone bill or credit card statement or bank statement can be used as proof of address.

laborel:
@vcole...
Please I will need some orientation from you as I am planning to settle down in Calgary too.

The kind of house to take at the initial stage?
The kind of work available because I was told one might not be able to get professional jobs at the beginning because of Canny work experience.
And any other useful info...

God bless you Bro!

Na wa. This assumption that everyone is a "bro can come off as quite distasteful. Being male is not the default human gender oh. I'm female.

As regards housing, it all depends on your preferences, family size and budget. I live in the southwest of Calgary and chose it prior to arrival because it has good school districts and I have a growing family. On getting here, I really do like my community and I have no regrets. I live in a 2 bed/2 bath condo and I pay $1200/mth with utilities and underground parking inclusive. This fell right into our family budget for housing which we made prior to arrival. So you have several options. Check rentfaster.ca and kijiji.ca A condo, basement apartment, townhouse, single home I'll recommend you go with am option that you know you can afford for about 6 months with your savings just in case getting a job becomes a nightmare.

As regards jobs, my experience thus far is that there are jobs; even in Alberta which is still officially in recession, you only need to be willing to do them. The chances of a new immigrant with foreign qualifications landing a job in their professional field, soon after migrating similar to what they had from their home country, anywhere in the world and not Canada alone, are slim. There are persons who have been successful at doing that but they are few and far between. I do not say this to discourage you but I say this to encourage you to be flexible and open to opportunities while on your path to achieving your "Canadian career goals"

That being said, what I have found here (as opposed to my experience and observations in the states and England - no offence to anyone currently resident in these countries) is that there truly is dignity in labour. Nobody looks down on you if you are doing a "blue collar" job. Also I've realised that even people who work at so called menial jobs here earn enough to live okay. I mean minimum wage paying jobs which is about the worst you can earn, right? You can't be homeless at those jobs. You would earn enough monthly to put a roof over your head, ride on transit to and fro work, place food on your table and clothe yourself. You won't drive a Mercedes or have dinner at earl's every Friday or wear Calvin Klein clothes but you would live okay and if you keep your head in the game, you would work your way up to where you want to be.

I apologize for this long post. I hope it turns out useful.

salford1:

I change mine in Oct. I am actually changing them this week. When november hits, there would be a rushm

Okay. I was a bit indecisive since the weather predictions for the rest of the week look okay. However I'm considering changing them this weekend. Do you have separate rims for your winter tires?
I think I'm gonna pay for a park and ride reserved spot from November. I don't think I wanna drive long distances during winter just yet. I do have the portable jump cable and power bank in my boot. It's super handy and easy to use.

Someone asked abiut drivers license and frsc abstract in Alberta. Can't remember the moniker. I didn't use an frsc letter or abstract for my DL here. Just my Nigerian license was sufficient.

@ajujuju2, you'll be fine dear. I am able to cope with everything else but home schooling is not one of my strengths. I have adjusted my monthly expenses to include the cost of child care. My toddler goes to a dayhome now. The 4 months he was home with us was h-e-l-l. I mean I love my son but he is that child who lives for the great outdoors and social interaction and can drive you crazy when he's home daily. He goes there at about 8am till 5pm with varied hours sometimes dependent on my availability.

Adiahabasi:
* living .
Things are far cheaper in the Uk as compared to Canada even when the £ was stronger than 1.65 cad. Comparatively, rent is cheaper, food is cheaper and transportation is also way cheaper.

I don't quite agree though. Rent is more expensive in the UK at least in London. A 2 bedroom townhome in Essex is in the £1200/mth range and this usually doesn't include utilities. Heating in d UK is way more expensive. A 2 bedroom townhome in SW Calgary is circa $1500/mth with utilities. Transportation in London is also more expensive. A month transit pass in Calgary (bus and train) is circa $101/mth. In London a monthly bus and tram pass is £81.50 for about zones 1-6. I don't believe that pass covers travel on the tube and rail. It also doesn't cover travel out of those zones.

Adiahabasi:
No need putting one's life on hold for the relocation process especially if with London VO awaiting PPR. Life goes on. Met a young babe last week that claimed to have reached menopause at age 35 . Abeg no time to check time, things will fall in place!

Hey girl. Well to be honest you have to land before you give birth so that the baby gets Canadian citizenship. Your copr notification letter even specifically states that if you are pregnant you should land before you give birth. However if you do give birth before a decision has been reached on your pr app then you should notify ircc immediately you are delivered of the addition to your family so they can include the baby in your app.

On to how to cope while expectant. I think it depends on your personality. I can't say that it was difficult for me....it was challenging but not difficult.....maybe I already gave myself a mental session before arrival that helped keep me positive and energized, iunno but what I do know is that you would be fine. Medical there's a lot of support and even post partum.....its great for you because you'll always have some support. It would be harder if you have older kids most specifically an active toddler like I do but you would cope. Don't be disillusioned in that regard. You'll pace yourself and move at your own speed.

Calgary yesterday. It was so windy. I had to go downtown early in the morning and I don't think I've ever "cussed in my mind" as much as i did yesterday.
@salford1, please when do you change to winter tires? October or November?

I am not sure what the answer to this is.

TheWatcher212:


Nice write up. I have a few questions. If i land in Toronto because i have some engagements, but ultimately bound to live and work in Alberta... is it ok to wait till i get to Alberta before registering for things like SIN, Health, bank accounts et al?

Kindly advise.

you would surprise yourself

bigfido:


LOOL the bolded is so me, and trust me, when i am in the car, i will still hear the cry in my headd until i comfort my child. so nope, this won't work for me loool

@pauloverdi welcome to the land of the maple leaf.

@wura27 and yooku, well i don't know exactly how to answer the question....but it all depends on your personality....In my case, I only informed my close family (not extended) and close friends as well which are few in number. Everyone else found out as time went on by "word of mouth" because people always talk. I've kept in touch with my close circle but consciously tuned off from quite a number of people because honestly, relocating is tasking mentally and emotionally and it is important to stay positive and direct your energy towards building a new life and trying to pull on so many strings back home while doing that can be a bit of a struggle. However, we all have different personalities....so for some people, they would draw their strength from keeping all of their social ties going.....only hindrance to that would be time difference. So, in a nutshell, do what works for you.

@wura27 if you are Alberta bound then there is nothing to worry about. They would accept your expired driver's license as long as it is the original one and expired less than 2yrs ago (i stand corrected about the duration though).

@impish, school starts at age 5 in Alberta as well for kindergarten.

@DB14, unless you intend to pay for medical care for child birth, then you should land in either Alberta, Saskatchewan or Manitoba. Alberta gives you health care insurance immediately. Sask and Manitoba give new immigrants within 2 weeks.

Sleep routine is so key for kids. I didn't exactly have a help back in Nigeria as well so routines are so key.

I did have someone who did cleaning and ran errands on demand but my spouse and I still did domestic work so it was not such a drastic change. If your spouse is also domesticated then its easy as you both help each other out. If not, its still all good. You would not have to clean your house everyday if your kids aren't "messy" We vacuum once a week and try to wash the bathrooms once in 2 weeks but its more like once in a month now
We have wash days. Its Wednesdays for us., split into 3 washes for adults,kids and then my baby, just because we use different detergents for the kids.
If you don't like washing plates then the dishwasher is your friend. Load it up during the day and run the cycle at night.
We try to take our garbage out once every 2 days but its more like once every 5 days now
Currently grocery shopping is about once in 3 weeks.

It really is not as hard as you think. You would adjust easily. For me the hardest thing is if you are with your kids 24/7. You begin to realize that children do not do well when in a confined space. So, you can deal with this by taking them for play dates or even to the park regularly. They would be easier to handle and would sleep better when they are able to play and interact with other kids.

hi everyone been a minute. @Ehrnie, you are female! i am also a bit surprised at that revelation. LOL!!!

@impish well done @ your home schooling. I do not think I can home school my toddler, he is that child that literally lives for the great outdoors and thrives on socializing. He speaks to people on the elevator, in malls, on the street when we go for walks, etcetera. In fact, most of the people we have now met and been acquainted with is thanks to the lil' man. So, he has started off at a day home this fall. The past 4 months with him at home were "epic" coupled with the fact that I have an infant. It was just about time for him to go out. Rotflmao!
@the ipad situation, my son wasn't a TV or tablet child until we got here and he developed an addiction to his tablet that I got so worried about. Surprisingly after about 2 months he woke up one day and was over it. So, with kids I think they transition from one stage to the next. Try to reduce his screen time but don't fret over it, he would move on before you say Jack.

@salford1 this una weather na one in town. Last week, i forgot to check the forecast and dressed very light when I went out. Let's just say that would NEVER happen again! I literally froze my a** off and had to make an impromptu and unnecessary jacket purchase since I had a meeting and could not go back home.

However, so far so good in Calgary. Greetings to all!

Thanks

rinw:
i think as it stand there is no faster route, the online route is just an alternative for u in case u might need ur passport for other things during the long processing time. Online route will save u the stress of withdrawing ur application if u ve urgent need of ur passport.

It's quite interesting to see how a single post about someone's personal life has brought so many "strong" opinions. Please it is very important in life that we learn to express our opinions in ways that are not insulting. There is no need for comments like "I pity your man" "you are materialistic" or allegations of spam or name calling and so on and so forth.

Your perception is simply that, your perception. It is not factual no matter how convinced you are of it. Every human being has their own individual brain and is free to use it to think and analyse and feel whichever way they deem fit. This is why we have diversity and we are better off embracing it instead of using it as a bone of contention.

Nicole is free to consider the future career prospects available to her intended spouse in a country she is considering migrating to. She alone is going to live with said spouse in the future. None of us will. There is no reason why anyone should feel okay dictating how another human being should feel. Anyway, I have said enough.

@hephgirl, just wait till you land and then you can consider taking the health care aide certification or medical office assistant certification programs. You can also get a cpr certification when you arrive as this could help increase your chances for some jobs. There is little you can do online if you are targeting the health sector in Canada.

Hello everyone. Please which is the faster route for TRV apps from Nigeria nowadays? online? paper? I can see on the thread that Accra is apparently just attending to apps received in May? is there anyone who applied for a TRV online recently with a shorter time frame? Thanks in advance

Hey. PM?

Ekpekus:

Yeah.. you are right. Alternatively, some IMGs go to UK or US for residency and come back here to start practicing.
My belief is this: As far as people get matched via CRAMS, then we fight for our place.. we have put our hands in the plough and no looking back.
Make we relate for one corner @vcole

Hey. PM?

Ekpekus:

Yeah.. you are right. Alternatively, some IMGs go to UK or US for residency and come back here to start practicing.
My belief is this: As far as people get matched via CRAMS, then we fight for our place.. we have put our hands in the plough and no looking back.
Make we relate for one corner @vcole

Wura27:

1. What's the best province for an Information System Auditor/ Securities to secure a job
2. Is it possible to secure a flat on kijiji.ca (without having anyone to help me) before landing
3. Is it possible to buy a car on kijiji.ca (with no one to help me) before landing?
4. Can I use my valid naija license to drive legally for a year before I process the Canadian one?

Thanks

2. I wouldn't recommend that as you should view the place before you sign a lease.
3.I really wouldn't advice that. You should view and inspect a vehicle before purchasing it.
4. You can drive for 90days as a pr with your naija license. I believe (?only) tourists can drive for 1yr

@dupyshoo, how market? They run credit checks oh. As a new immigrant in Canada, you can get a credit card approval on arrival under the newcomers plan which most banks have as they start you off at a credit rating of 700. So it's left to you to maintain good credit or not.
Now, when you wanna purchase a property, you go to a developer or realtor, etc. They tell you the property is going for xyz amount, they will also tell you what their minimum down payment is for example 10%. Then they also require you to obtain a mortgage approval from your preferred lender. Your mortgage lender could be a bank or some other institution.
The requirements for a mortgage approval differ from lender to lender. However there are certain guidelines/rules that do apply to all mortgage lenders.
As regards the interest rates, you can opt for a fixed term rate or a variable rate, all up to you.

The instances where Mr. John Bull chooses to go and find a mortgage lender to approve him for an amount that his current income would in other circumstances not qualify him for, are the exceptions and not the norm.

@ekpekus, that post was circulated before and when I read it, I shook my head because it has so many flaws.
@sweetrie The img pathway is a bit windy in Canada. As far as I know and according to the valid information given by mcc and provinces as regards medical practice, there are 2 pathways open to IMGs.

Pathway 1.
You write and pass mccee and nac osce. Then have a minimum of 7,7,7,7 in academic ielts not more than 2yrs old then you apply for the residency match called carms. Apps open in September and close in Nov or so yearly and I think interviews happen between then and January and the match occurs in March and residency starts in July.
If you have passed mccqe1, it makes you more attractive. If you have a reference from a licensed Canadian physician, it makes you more attractive. The province of Alberta has a separate img match from the Canadian/US grads match. Those img match slots are competitive. However, if you are able to get a recommendation from the aimga (Alberta img association), you stand a very good chance of matching a residency prog. The aimga has different requirements from the carms. They require a pass in mccqe 1 and ielts written not earlier than May of the year preceeding your intended match year.

Pathway 2
Physician practice readiness assessment aka PRA.
For now Manitoba, Sask, BC have PRAs. Newfoundland recently suspended theirs.
Requirements are pass in mccee (for sask and Manitoba you also need a pass in mccqe1 and mccqe2 or nac osce) + 2yrs evidence of family medicine residency or 2yrs of clinical practice with rotations in paeds, obsgyn, surgery, internal med and psychiatry. Your Nigerian clinical practice is very well recognised.
So if you qualify, you get assessed and if you are accepted, you sign a return of service contract for 3yrs (4yrs in Manitoba) and get posted to a rural area to work and after you finish you get your license. You'll however need to pass the family medicine fellowship exams.

Matching a residency prog or getting accepted into a PRA prog are both very competitive.
Also, bear in mind that in Canada, you can pass all of the MCC exams and yet not get into residency or get into a Pra for a while. So, it is always advisable to have other plans for career growth asides waiting to get a spot.

As regards pay, a resident earns about $250k annually and on the average a GP earns $300k annually. Specialist physicians earn more. The ministry of health pays a GP $150/each patient s/he sees. So if you do the math, $300k is pretty easy to come by. This is why they say when you eventually get your license it is worth it, if you're in for the money sha.

You are right. As a pr you qualify for student loans and that application even takes into consideration whether you have to pay rent or mortgage when they are assessing your financial need. I was going to bring this up as well when salford posted this about the purchase of a house being a limiting factor for this person's studies because I do not see how.

@ dupyshoo, you do require a job for which you are no longer in the probation stage to qualify for a mortgage. You may be self employed and qualify but you have to pay a minimum down payment of 35%, same as if you bring in foreign income for the purchase. There are also rules that determine the value of property you are qualified for a mortgage for. There is a rule that your monthly mortgage and property taxes and utilities like condo fees and heating all put together should not be more than 40% of your gross monthly income. (I am not too sure of this 40% but it is about that range). So, naturally, a family income of $50k should not qualify for a mortgage for a house valued at $500k even if they put down a 35% down payment.
These persons going to get Indian or Nigerian mortgage lenders to obtain approval for homes that they wouldn't be able to qualify for otherwise are bending the rules to favour themselves.

MissShakara:

I thought PRs can apply for study loans which they can start paying after graduation? Or did I read wrong?

I'm in a licensed profession and from my maths, it could take me 3yrs to qualify to practice in Canada plus I plan to enrol in a masters program to get the much needed Canadian education.
Do you guys know of Nigerian lawyers who took this route? Do they have jobs? Are they doing well? What I'm asking is if it's worth the time and money at the end or would I be better of taking a cert or diploma program and switch careers.
I know this is more of a personal decision but I would like to hear your opinions and advice.

On the housing matter, my fear is that a mortgage may tie one down to a particular city and therefore limit options. But on the other hand, paying rent for 4yrs does seem like a waste...

@thecongo2 is spot on.

Buying a house or not, an individual or family must have a roof over their heads.

If a newly landed or settled immigrant has enough funds for a down payment and can afford to pay the mortgage monthly and can get a mortgage approval, then it is wiser to buy a house instead of renting.

The issue @salford1 may have is in the mentality of some Nigerian immigrants wanting to "feel among" or "compete" or "show off" and going to buy a $500k house with a mortgage that is $2k or above. However salford didn't consider that those families must still pay rent of $1k at the very least.

There is the option of buying a condo instead which has a mortgage plus property tax and utilities coming to under $1k per month or even a 3 bedroom townhome with a basement that would cost about $350k with a monthly mortgage of under $2k and that basement could rent out for $800 monthly. In this case, buying a house is a very wise financial decision because you are paying the same as you would pay as rent or even less but it's towards your own house.

Real estate is and always has been and may always be the best investment anyone could make. It almost always appreciates. I am yet to see anyone purchase a property in an area that is not dilapidated that eventually makes a loss. Buying a property isn't tied to one specific location. You can always sell your property, take the equity you've made from it and put it towards a new property in your new location.

Owning your own home (house, townhome, bungalow, condo etc) is more of a necessity than a "prestige" in North America.

This is my personal opinion.

@adiahabasi

I can only comment based on my experience thus far which is most likely limited in its scope. I like Calgary, it's a lovely city. The areas to avoid based on popular opinion, is the north east and some parts of south east. Incidences of crime and addiction are higher there.
However, I've been to areas in the SE like McKenzie towne, new Brighton, milrise which are all very lovely areas. I've been to the NE a few times and I think it's probably one of the old areas in Calgary. During the day, it appears fine to me. It's more commercialised as well. Lots of Asian shops.
Generally, downtown which is the business district is best avoided at night as well. I think this rule applies to all urban cities.

The NE is also the area to purchase halal meats , frozen fish, tomatoes and stuff in bulk at cheap prices. Also car repair shops are cheaper there. I recently got my car tyres changed at $35/each as service charge in the SW and apparently found out there's a shop in the NE that does it for $20/each.

School districts. I don't know much about this but I do know that the SW has good school districts. You can easily find out by checking the school ratings in Alberta online.

High brow areas in Calgary. Aspen in the SW and Chestermere in the NW. I've been to both. That's where you see houses that stand on an acre of land with each driveway displaying range rovers, Mercedes etc etc. The 2 persons I've visited there are Nigerians. One is a medical doctor and another is a successful business owner.

Getting stuff at bargain prices. kijiji.ca is the way to go. Also varagesale app for the Calgary area. Initially kijiji was a bit frustrating for me to use because I felt there were way too many posts and having to wade through it seemed like a herculean task. However, it is still the place to go. You can get unbelievable deals. For instance we bought our deep freezer for $20 off someone who posted it on kijiji. She just needed it gone as she was moving. We also got our car off someone on kijiji for a really good price. It's also a good forum to list stuff you wanna give away for free or sell. People even list their businesses (mostly franchises) on kijiji for sale.

Hello everyone. I see the thread is gaining momentum.

So, I now have my class 5 license after successfully passing the road test yesterday. I passed both the knowledge and road tests at first attempt. I'm quite happy about this as I really didn't want to waste money. The advanced road test is $145 in Alberta.

Tips for the knowledge test. Read the book - the driver's manual and download apps for the practice tests. I think the AMA app was the most useful in my experience. Go for the test just after practicing. By this I mean, don't finish reading the book or practicing tests and then give yourself 5-7 days' break before taking the test. You would have forgotten most of what you read. When you're taking the test, skip questions that you are not sure of in the first instance. Reason being that once you get more than 5 questions wrong, the system automatically marks you as failed. There are 30 questions, you need to get 25 correct. If you skip the ones you don't know, you get to answer the ones you know first after which the skipped questions come back and you can then make a calculated guess. I got 23 correctly when I did the test and skipped 7, so I only had to make a calculated guess for 2 more questions which I did and passed.

Tips for the road test. Read the book, make sure you know the rules. If you have a valid license, drive for the 90 days you're allowed to as it helps you familiarise yourself with the roads and rules. If you can, you can pay a driving instructor for a few classes. I didn't do this as I wanted to save money.
However, I paid an instructor for an hour for a pre test to assess my driving a day before I took the road test. If you're in Calgary, I hear the southwest registries are a lot tougher than the northeast registries. I don't know how true it is but I went to the NE for my road test to avoid stories that touch.

salford1:
i can see justwise has been on this page.

Hola. Your "expose" on a certain soon to be opened Catholic school leads me to believe that you may reside in that part of town that starts with an S and is synonymous with one of the dodge truck models. Am I right or is my Agatha Christie hat worn backwards?