Hi Everyone,

Been a while since I have been on Nairaland. I recently moved to Hamilton and I need your help figuring out somethings. I am not comfortable mentioning it here. Working mothers in the house with school age children living in Hamilton, can you please contact me at iomolara54@gmail.com or if you are comfortable dropping your contact on this forum, i can contact you.

Thanks in advance for your help.

Kvdag:
Good day House, I've been a silent reader of this great platform. please house, what course can I possibly do here in Canada that will give me a good career. I have met and spoken to some people that said I shouldn't go to Uni to do a master's program, that it's a waste of money. some are of the opinion that a professional certificate course is better. I'm just confused now. I recently applied for my PR. I hope to get till before the end of the year so I can start a master's degree course as a home student next year, but my dilemma now is I don't even know what degree course to study or the next line of action to take in my career. I work as a security guard but I'm never happy, I should be doing better. I'm grateful for where I am now though but I read of people doing good jobs and doing great in this country. Please any advice is welcome. Thank you

Hi,
Things do not go the way we plan sometimes but i am glad you are still grateful for where you are. I believe you should look at the skills you already have and probably you should think about what you will like to go into. Whatever career you choose will determine what pathway you will take, whether its going to be university or professional certificate. I know i might not have helped much but God has a plan for everyone.

epdcan:
Good day everyone! Please I need some advice.
My family and I soft landed September last year in Ontario and opened bank accounts. Didn't apply for health insurance or child benefits or anything.
Please I have read and heard conflicting opinions on the need to file tax.
Please I need guidance on this.
Note that we're returning this year.
Thank you very much!

You don't need to file taxes since you didn't earn any income in Canada and you only did soft landing. I had the same issue too in my family and filed taxes and as a result CRA gave us a bill. It was during the cause of settling the issue that the CRA informed us that we were not supposed to file taxes since we were deemed non resident for tax purposes.

swizy:
So this news has been flying around in a WhatsApp group and people involved seem not to want to speak up or take proper actions. This is me doing the little I can to alert y'all.

There is a fraudulent travel agent by name MR AFUNKU YUSUF ADENIYI going about duping people in the name of getting a cheap flight ticket for them. He appears to be registered with NANTA (National Association of Nigeria Travel Agencies) and his ID shows he is a valid member on their website. A recent victim got his number from the group and asked for confirmation from those who booked with him. From series of comments, he is in the habit of giving fictitious booking ref numbers even though he managed to conclude bookings for some people but they went through alot of stress to get him to do that which took like couple of weeks to months. One of the members in the group went to confirm from Lufthansa and was told he was blacklisted a while back. And the Lufthansa staff said a number of people have come to make same confirmations of non existent bookings.

Back to the recent victim. Apparently he sent a booking ref no to this person who confirmed it on the airlines site or so. After a couple of days, going back to check again, the booking has be voided. All efforts to reach this agent became futile as he went incommunicado. We were alerted in the group today about this happening and we were trying to find out who recommended him to the group. Now the part paining me is that someone else in this whatsapp group was sending the screenshot of the conversation going on to him. He has an accomplice in the group!. They managed to get across to mr fraud and he had the guts to say that he is aware he's been called out in the group and gave more long stories and epistles.

More stories are coming up of people he duped and still haven't refunded till date. He is still acting innocent and full of stories according to those that managed to get across to him on phone. I don't even know what to make out of this anymore.

Anyway... if you happen to come across this name, Afunku Yusuf Adeniyi, face or number +234 803 497 0977 anywhere, please shout it and perhaps warn whoever it is to flee from Mr Afunku cos he is a confirmed fraud.

P.s I don't know what the people he duped have done or are doing. They aren't saying anything else in the group. It seems they want to pardon the fraud and the accomplice still in the group.

Thanks for this information. It might be bad to judge a book by its cover but this one physically looks like someone with a questionable character.

dimaxy:

Please what about Medical microbiologist

Medical microbiology is a regulated profession and I know nothing of the programs involved.

Adaoliver:


Please for how long will the short courses last

Hi, I dont know how long. It depends on the program you are going for or whether it is a University, college or certification program. It's best you Google for relevant programs in the province you plan to settle in or if you are open to moving to another province then expand your search.
I know University of guelph has a Master's degree program in food safety and quality assurance. I think red river college has a post graduate diploma in QA/QC

Advil:


Thank you very much. I accepted mine too but some agency guy kept telling me there is an acceptance letter that includes the tuition fees, cost of living and amount you are supposed to pay like a deposit to show commitment.

No, there is nothing like that. After the registration portal opened I then registered for my courses, applied for accommodation, submitted my photo for my id (u can also do that when u resume but was told there will be a rush by then). After u register ur courses, u will be sent a bill of how much u will pay. There is an orientation coming up first week in September too.

Advil:


Hi, I got my offer of admission from the University of Guelph, any information will be helpful. And did you get any letter of acceptance from the school?

Hi, congratulations. I really don't know what you mean by letter of acceptance but when I was sent my offer of admission I was asked to either accept or decline and I accepted. The school has accommodation for students which is much cheaper than regular rent.
I will be going there in August so I don't have much information yet.

Newbeecey:
Well, Hello!!!!!

Hi there

Ymin:
Hello everyone,

I would be landing in Winnipeg/Manitoba in mid August. Please, I would like to know if there is a group for Winnipeg as I need information about how to get accommodation and advice on settling down.

Any advice from anyone here is also welcome.

Thank you.

Hi,
I have accommodation you can sublet. Please pm me for more info.

Iyeebube:
Hello everyone, am a PR holder and i did a soft landing with my family last year and the plan is to move finally before the winter season this year. My worry is this:
I have 4 kids two sets of twins age 5 and 2. Husband’s plan is to get a job before joining us and my mom can’t go with us due to her health. Is it possible to stay alone with the kids while i go back to school?
Pls i need your candid advice.

Hi,
I believe its possible to be with the kids alone since you are planning to go to school. It's going to be tough but its doable. Just get daycare for the kids. If you plan to work though then it might not be doable except you get a very flexible job.
You could pick your courses carefully and work around your kids schedule. I heard of someone that bagged a phd and did a postdoc while taking care of 3 kids. And the lady said what has helped her is that she has been consistent. She would drop off her kids by 7 in the morning and try to do her work between 8am and close between 3 and 4pm.
I have 3 and I have been with them alone and sometimes I get very tired of them. So you are the real MVP.

victorsol:


@Winterpeg, pls I need information about University of Guelph.
pls

Hi,
What information about the university do you need.

Kaycee54321:



Sincerely, I'm committed to do whatever it is that'll guarantee a good income. I'm purely talking from the income aspect. Regarding, experience, I just finished NYSC few months ago. I just want to know which jobs can be rewarding especially for a migrant because it's my impression that a migrant is a migrant there and we have to work from scratch (which I'm ready to do).

My major dilemma is if I should further with a career in Zoology or if I should switch to something else, say, marketing for instance. It's just about job security for a fresh migrant, and I believe people like you who are already there will be in the best position to help me out. Thank you.

Hi,
I think I understand the question better now. Nursing pays well but you will have to go to school and pass some exams, medical laboratory technologist also pays well but u will need to go back to school, Medicine pays the most in the sciences I think but u will have to fulfill some residency requirements and go back to school and a whole lot of other things. I hear people earn a lot from skilled labor too but I don't know too much about it but I have read here that you will have to take some courses and get apprentiship, coding, programming language and related also earn attractive salaries I heard but I really do not have much knowledge about it. Accountants and related professions with CPA are also earning well. That's all I can seem to remember now.
Zoology is broad and it might not be wise to do an MSc in zoology except you are willing to do a Phd and then try getting a research or teaching position in a University. Well, that's my opinion because of something's I have seen.

Kaycee54321:



Good day. Please, I also have a BSc in Zoology (3.48Cgp) but I am confused about job prospects in Canada. Would you advise I continue in that field there by specializing (please, which area would fetch more income, if so) or get a Pgd in a different career and start from there? All I need is something that can potentially take good care of a small family in the long run. Thanks in advance for your response.

Modified : Please I'd really appreciate an answer from anyone not just the gentleman/Lady I quoted.

Hi,
like I said earlier, there are different things you can do. Now it depends on your interest, what you already have, what experience you have and what you are willing to commit to or do.

egobetatoday:


thanks for the above. Please do you also have information on areas open to a BSc, MSc Zoology or Biology graduate?

I studied a similar course in school and one thing I know about these kind of courses is that they are very wide. So what experience do you have or what area are you interested in. With Biology generally u can teach, work in a lab, go into food safety and some other things.

docsaj:
Hi Winterpeg, would love to but preference is for somewhere pretty close to UW (as i no get car), and the tenancy code(whatever that means) for me is 3br.
A few things pls..
a. I'm arriving in August. Why are you leaving Winnipeg pls - if you don't mind sharing..
b. If you have gently-used household stuff you no longer need, I would be very interested. The campus housing is unfurnished so every little bit would help.
c. Biko what's the difference between heat and electricity/hydro?

Hi,
a. I am leaving Winnipeg because I'm going back to school. University of Guelph for MSc. Winnipeg is actually a lovely place and cost of living is relatively low.
b. I am not sure if I will have anything left because the apartment I'm going to in Ontario is unfurnished and my things will be taken to Ontario by road.
c. Heat is for warming up the apartment when it is very cold especially during winter, electricity/ hydro is synonymous with NEPA light.

Hi all,
Will be relocating from Winnipeg to Ontario in August and will like to sublet my apartment. It is located in Winnipeg south and it is close to University of Manitoba. It is a 2 bedroom condo with a dish washer, large storage, a microwave, fridge, a stove, AC, a washer and dryer in suite, a bath and toilet, each room has a closet and there is a gym and a swimming pool in the building. The rent is $1250 per month which includes cost of parking, heat and water only. If interested please pm me.

Zeiya:


Hi,
I sent you a PM

I have replied

Zeiya:
Hi everyone, It been a while. I landed in April and it has been a rollercoaster settling down with my family. We have finally settled in Winnipeg.
Please I want to connect with people here in Winnipeg/Manitoba.
Is there a whatsapp group?

Welcome to Winnipeg and may the land bring you favour. I dont think there is a WhatsApp group.

dimaxy:
Please does anyone know the job market for people with medical microbiology or microbiology in Manitoba. How to get job, salary and all that

There are a lot of jobs for people in medical micro biology in Manitoba but u will need certification or u can take some courses too. For microbiology in general, it depends on what area you are looking at. Take for instance food microbiology. If u already have experience in food, you can easily continue in this line without immediate taking some courses. However, you will earn more with medical microbiology than working in a food lab but I believe both pay above minimum wage. So I will advise that you determine what area you will like to continue in, go on indeed and check the job requirements and salaries, then you will know whether you need certification, courses or u can easily just continue when you land.

Rence22:
Have you tried the tricks exposed on this website " zero2hired" I have gradually started putting his advice into practice. Please check it out. If you haven't been able to get pass the interview stage, then there is something you are missing.

Thanks for the pointer, I will check out the website. I personally believe I either dont answer the interview questions satisfactorily, I dont prepare well or probably the job wasn't meant for me. This is because I have been able to pass an interview relatively easily for a government job that is not along the career line I desire to go into. I just believe most of the challenges we face as immigrants will sort itself out with time and with a lot of perseverance.

laminaria:
Pls guys I want everyone to put mouth for this matter and I blv we’re all gonna learn from it. I understand at one point or another people (new immigrants) are more likely to go for a course or another prg to reach that top rank in Canada ....either to changing career or follow same path.
My question, Go for a diploma prg(2yrs) or another degree (4yrs)which one is a better choice n career wise.
I need practical n personal experience pls.

I believe many factors go into choosing what career path to take or what courses to do. Generally speaking some people get luckier than others and get good jobs without having to go through much trouble or taking any courses. Your career path and what you already have will determine what program to do.
From my own personal experience, I have been able to land a few interviews along my career line but I have not been lucky enough to go past the interview stage. So in order to break the barrier I decided to apply for a MSc program despite the fact I already have MSc from Nigeria and I tried but could not get Phd admission.
I also believe that if I can try to work hard and get good grades, I will definitely hit the sweet spot in my chosen career. So weigh your options, know what you want, look at what you already have, what part of Canada you are going to and make your decision.

Sthill5:


Where did you land please?

Winnipeg

Jbelieve:
Please I have a question. Does Canada pre-arrival services require us to pay any fee eg ACCES

No

Wellmanned:
Wow, a month!!! Wish i can just birth in US and include the baby in my PR later but not ready for sponsorship route.

Thanks so much for the response.

Though I landed somewhere else, I was referred to one in far less than a month because I was over 30 weeks. You dont have to be worried. I remember I went to a walk in clinic just in case and I called a healthline that link patients with doctors. When I called the healthline I mentioned that I was over 30 weeks and within a few days I had a doctor.

Adiepena:
Hello Everyone,
Happy Sunday
Please those in Calgary who have kids in Catholic schools, how did u get admission if you are not a catholic?
Have seen on most of the schools website that they require either the baptismal cert of one parent or the child for registration.
Pls help a sister out.
Thank you.

Hi, though I'm not in Calgary, what I think you should do is to research on the catholic school you will like your child to attend, give the school a call and go over to pick up their admission form, fill the form and pay the processing fee and then keep ur fingers crossed. If there are spots available to non catholic they will sure give you a call. But keep in mind that catholic schools are not free and they also wear uniforms.

Adunnee:
Good day everyone. I have some questions for the seniors who have landed in Canada.

1. What time do schools open and close? I have 2 toddlers- 5&4. Can I keep them in school from morning till evening?

Schools open around 8am and close latest by 3pm. In some provinces like where I am school starts when a child is 5 years old. So your 4 year old will have to go to a day care which usually closes in the evening. You cant just drop the kids off and leave them at school till evening. You will have to get a before and after school program that can cover that. In Canada you cant leave children under 12 years old unsupervised.

oluphilip2008:
Good morning great people. Pls which of these food items is frowned at or may not make it through the border if carried as checked in luggage:
Dry fish, frozen palm oil, Milo, milk, egusi, knorr cubes, stock fish, ogbono, indomie noodles, tomato paste, dry vegetables, detergents? Flying Ethiopian air.

I know people mostly cargo these items without problems. But I decided to utilize my luggage allowance since we're total of 7 travellers.

Thank you.

In addition to what voguemum has mentioned, palm oil, milo. Palm oil is cheap here, you can get them at African stores. My palmoil was frozen and customs in Nigeria still seized it so I don't really know. And might I ask, why would you want to bring detergent from Nigeria? Detergent is cheap here and I am not sure people really hand- wash stuffs here.

voguemum:


Hi @salford1, I've not had much experience in the laboratory as a microbiologist apart from the experience I got during my 6 months SIWES training out of school when I was in 300L. The work experiences I've had over the years are;
1. Program Assistant in an NGO (maternal and child health, HIV/AIDS related)and;
2. Currently a data analyst at a maternal and child health hospital. That being said, my plan is to go back in line with my course of study my focus being on food safety/quality assurance and i've actully thought going back to school to take some courses will do the trick.

The reason why I brought up the question was because I've always been told that Microbiology isn't a professional course even when my friends and I discuss about the inability to secure a job at a hospital as a microbiologist as a medical laboratory scientists is given preference over us and wanted to know if same applies over there.

I wouldn't also mind taking some courses to fit back into the NGO world ( WHO,UNDP and the likes) as it was such a breeze working with those innocent mothers and children. And please don't judge me because I asked about fitting in as a microbiologist and now diverted to working in an NGO I'm just keeping my options open here.

And thanks to @vole and @winterpeg for chipping in

I dont think you can work in the hospital here in Canada just as a regular microbiologist. Every profession related to the medical line here is regulated meaning you will need to pass some exams and have a license to practice. However you can work in a hospital as a medical laboratory technologist and specialise in microbiology, I believe there is that option. For you to take this option, you will be doing a whole lot of courses and exams cos like I said it is regulated. But for food safety and quality assurance you can take some short courses and one or two important certifications to set you on your way. Probably after that you can start small in order to learn how things are done in food safety cos it's a whole lot and then work your way up to manager and even go into consulting later if you please. That's all I know, probably someone else might chip in more.

Nasachuky:

I have B.Sc in Biochemistry and masters in Food chemistry and biotechnology with experience in the food industry what do I need to practice as a Food scientist in Canada?

I really do no know what area of food science you will like to delve into in Canada but I believe that food scientists are those that conduct research on food so I'm thinking you might be talking about going into academia or working in a laboratory that studies and develop new food products or maybe something in that line. The area of food science you are considering and the experience you have will determine what courses you will do just like I think Salford mentioned or sometimes you might not need to go back to school depending on what you already have. I will give an example about my own situation. In Nigeria I worked as a Food safety person for the government and I already have one ISO certification. I mostly did inspections. Here in Canada I applied to the cfia without taking any other courses and I got called to do the recruitment test. So basically evaluate what you have against what is required for the line of work you will like to do here. You can use any of the Canadian job sites to know what is required for the line of work you are interested in. But I have read here about people not having the Canadian experience not getting their desired jobs which sometimes is true while some others get lucky with going back to school. So if you dont want to take chances or if you believe you still have a gap to fill, it's best you take some short courses here in Canada which I believe will open more doors.

voguemum:
I've read a lot of views and ways to dive into the system from graduates of Accounting, finance, Mbbs, Nursung and the likes when one finally arrives in, either through bridging programs or taking some courses but we've had no information from Microbiology graduates over there or does it mean we'll have to change career path when we finally arrive. Please, if there are any Microbiologist in this thread or anyone who knows someone in that field should kindly speak up and advise on ways to integrate. As there are branches in this field such as quality control/assurance, industrial, environmental, food, virology just to name a few which means there should be a lot of opportunities out there but I can't seem to get my hands on the right information on how to fit in or bridging programs to go for. There ain't much info on Google either so getting an insight from someone already in the system will be much appreciated.

Hi, I'm not a microbiologist but I worked in this line in Nigeria. Here in Canada you can go into food safety and quality assurance as have mentioned. Food safety is also a big deal over here. You might have to do some courses either a diploma or a professional masters in any college or University of your choice to teach you all you need to know. There are also some ISO certification courses you can do. You can also work in a food laboratory either government or private. There are also opportunities as a food inspector. You will need to do some short courses to teach you what you need to know. There are some government agencies that hire microbiologists along this line. You can do your research and apply with your Nigerian degree and you can get lucky.

wholesomegrace:


I haven't landed yet, but will soon be with my two angels. I hear its tough by doable. Start making plans early ...accommodation, job, school, transportation etc. Get mentally, emotionally and spiritually prepared. Cheers

Hi, it's tough but doable like you have mentioned. I currently have 3 children and my husband is in Nigeria but we all landed together the first time and sorted out our accommodation and bought a car before going back to Nigeria. You might not be able to work some jobs cos of your kids and you will have to sort out day care for your kids. Make sure you have back up money too just in case. You are also entitled to some government benefits but it might not make that much difference.