Tuesday, November 28, 2017

Canada planning to bring in one million new immigrants by the year 2020



The Government of Canada announced earlier this month that they plan to bring in one million new immigrants by the year 2020.

As Canada has an aging population, the Government feels the need to bring in employable people to take the place of those retiring.

Here is an article with more information on the subject from the Globe and Mail, one of Canada's leading newspapers.

https://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/canada-to-admit-40000-more-immigrants-a-year-by-2020-under-liberals-new-three-year-plan/article36800775/

Will keep you updated if there is any other news about this.


Getting a Job in Canada



Like any other place, the time frame for getting a job depends on the job market at the time of applying, your qualifications and credentials, level of knowledge of English (speaking and writing) and persistence.

There is no easy answer to the question, 'How soon will I get a job after landing in Canada?'

My main advise is to go for English classes before landing, if your English is not very good. That could be a huge drawback if you can't converse comfortably.

Also, go through different job sites, such as monster.ca, indeed.com, roberthalf.ca, careerbuilder.ca,
eluta.ca, jobboom.com, glassdoor.ca, simplyhired.ca, workopolis.com and updating and getting a preminum LinkedIn membership. This will give you an idea of what kind of jobs are available, what potential employers are looking for and if you need to get more qualifications to start applying. Also check, newcomerjobscanada.ca.

Don't just look at jobs in Toronto or Vancouver. Look at the next level of cities like Mississauga in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA), or even out further like Milton or Cambridge. Depending on what type of job you are looking for, you may find openings that suit your needs. Look at different provinces, like Nova Scotia, Manitoba, Alberta and British Columbia, instead of following the herd to Ontario. If you know French, you have an advantage as many employers look for multi-lingual employees and French being one of the two main languages in Canada, that is a huge plus! Quebec then opens up for you as well, if you are fluent in French.

Also once you are here, look at joining different organizations like the Boards of Trades that are in different cities, or if you are Indian, the ICCC (Indo Canada Chamber of Commerce) http://www.iccconline.org,/ and organizations based on different communities.

Look at places where you may make new contacts. In Canada, making contacts is key to help you in looking for a job. You may find organizations and communities related to where you are from, your language, your religion (Churches, Temples and Mosques are great places to make contacts!) and through people you meet at gatherings and events. Let them know you are new and looking for a job.

Keep your mind open. So what if you don't find that teaching or engineering job you had in your home country? When you are trying to get your feet on the ground, and get some Canadian experience....take any job you find worth your time. It may have nothing to do with your education and experience, but think of it as being temporary while you keep looking for a job that is more suited to you. Making a basic income will help you with your expenses.

Remember to have all your papers in place. You have to be legally allowed to be working in Canada!

Good luck with job hunting!

Here is the Government of Canada web link to more information:

http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/newcomers/work/look.asp

Hope this is of some help to you!!





Tuesday, October 31, 2017

October 31st already! It is Halloween today and most kids have gone to school in costumes for various class parties and will again go out in the evening to collect candy from homes in their neighborhoods.

It is also cold today in Toronto! 8 C and expected to rain later.

It is funny that once you are in Canada, talking about the weather becomes a daily affair. All the news channels focus on the days' temperature and the weeks forecast. You never leave the house without checking the weather channel or checking the weather app on your phone. Especially in the Winter.

Please write to me at  chutney2maplesyrup@gmail.com and ask me any questions you might have about life in Canada. Will be happy to answer you in private and if you are okay...maybe later post a few here. (I can leave your name out)

Have a lovely day!

This picture is of the Kariya park in Mississauga

Pictures from our Fall Drive










Tuesday, April 18, 2017

Newcomer / new immigrant services in Canada that may be of help

Below is the link to the Government site for those who have just landed here in Canada and are new.
There is information on finding a job, language training etc.

http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/newcomers/services/

If the link does not work for any reason, please write and let me know.


Answering Emails about bringing money to Canada

Hi there!

Thank you to all those who have been reading my blog. Many of you have emailed me queries from various countries regarding many things, including bringing money into Canada.

Here are a couple of links that will help you:

http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/newcomers/after-checklist.asp

http://settlement.org/ontario/immigration-citizenship/landing-and-leaving/landing-in-canada/how-do-i-bring-money-into-canada-proof-of-funds/

Remember: Always be honest about everything you declare.


Hello ..after a long break!

After a change in my work timings, kids in University and 11th grade and the usual busy routine of life, I was not able to update my blog regularly.

I'm going to try to update and post about some of our experiences in the last couple of years.

Also, I'm going to start posting about different places of interest to visit in Canada. Today I want to tell you about the Spirit Catcher.

The Spirit Catcher (also called Dream Catcher) is a sculpture situated on the shore of Kempenfelt Bay in Barrie, Ontario, Canada. It was originally created by sculptor Ron Baird for the Expo 86 in Vancouver. This is about a two hour drive  or less, from Toronto.


Isn't that gorgeous?


This will give you an idea on the size of the sculpture. The twenty ton, 25 m (70 ft) wide by 21 m (65 ft) tall sculpture was transported to Barrie using two flatbed trucks, and was installed by volunteers and two cranes. It took two days during the weekend of 12 June and 13 June 1987, and was dedicated on 12 September 1987.

The sculpture has 16 kinetic quills, which rock back and forth when the wind blows. Is worth a visit! We went there this Easter weekend and spent about an hour walking around the park and lake area where this sculpture has been put up. 

Thursday, November 13, 2014

What would you like to see included here?





Hello Reader!

From whichever part of the world you are...if you were led to my blog to read something about Canada...but didn't find what you were looking for, please comment below and ask away! I will see what I can find out for you or let you know what I think if you want to know about anything in particular.

I would like this blog to help potential immigrants to this beautiful country.
My email is on the top of this blog if you would rather communicate that way.

Waiting to hear from you!

Now that you have landed...what do you need to get done?






You have finally landed in Canada and are now a new immigrant. When you come out of the airport and take your first breath of Canadian air, it finally hits you.....all those years of running around from pillar to post getting documents ready, making photo-copies, getting signatures, writing cheques and looking for lost school records has led up to this moment. Now what?

Here are a few things that you will do after landing to give you a good start to your new life!


1        Apply for important documents like:
o    A Government health insurance card, so you can receive medical care in Canada. You should apply as soon as possible after arriving in Canada.
o    A Social Insurance Number (SIN). You cannot work in Canada without a SIN. Give Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) your new Canadian address, so that you can receive your permanent resident card in the mail.

2. Explore your city or town, and learn about the transportation options available.  Get familiar with the bus and/or subway system. Walk around, get a feel of the place. Locate the nearest Walk in Clinic and Hospital. Find a grocery store. If you have children, see if you can see the school in the area.
3. Learn how to make telephone calls and access the Internet. This is extremely important as you will be using the internet a lot to find phone numbers, address, access maps and directions to different places and to upload your resume.
4.Memorize the national emergency telephone number: 911. If you experience a medical or other type of emergency, call for help.
5. If you arrive in winter, get the proper clothing and boots.
6. Learn the basic map of the city you have landed in. If Toronto for example, learn the basic directions around the GTA (Greater Toronto Area).
7. If you do not have a job, you should start looking for one quickly. You can get information on job postings, on how to adapt your resume for Canadian employers, on mentor-ship programs, etc., at local immigrant-serving organizations. Check your local community library. They often have free brochures, contact names and often a person there to help you get started.

UPDATE: Please look at my blog post of November 28th, 2017 for tips on job hunting.
8. Improve your English and French.
9. Learn about housing and how to search for a place to rent or buy. Check local websites, newspapers, neighborhood store bulletin boards etc for rentals available. Contact a realtor to buy a home.
10. Read about education in Canada to learn things like how to register your children in a school and options available to improve your qualifications and skills.
11. Obtain a Canadian driver’s licence if you plan to drive in Canada. There are several steps involved in this, so make sure you  research how long the process will take for you. If you come with a license from another country, they may allow you to take less time in between each license level. Many jobs require you having a license, and even if you don't drive, a license is a major form of identification here. 
12. Learn about Canadian laws as well as your rights and civic responsibilities as a resident of Canada. This includes how to put your garbage out in the proper manner. You have to separate your garbage, organic waste and recycling. Your local city website will have information on this.
13. Find a doctor or health-care centre where you can go for your medical needs. Make an appointment for a medical check-up and vaccination update when you receive your government health insurance card. Schools will ask for your child’s immunization records when you go for admission.


These are just some of the things that you should and will be doing after landing in Canada. The rest as they say…is up to you!

Back to Winter Dressing




November ...and out comes the boots, coats, gloves and hats. Today was our first 0C temperature...with a little bit of snow predicted later today.

This is part of life in Canada...and if you are thinking of moving here....you have to learn how to embrace it. Of course, part of Canadian life is also complaining about the weather no matter what it is :)

Your first Winter, my advice is to spend some money and get a really good quality coat / jacket and good boots.  Boots have to take care of -25 and below temperatures and make sure you wear woolen socks. If you are going to be walking around a lot in snow because of your job, or to walk to the bus stop.....you may have to invest in two pairs of boots. No one wants to wear a wet and freezing cold pair of boots from the day before.

Also, get used to wearing layers including thermals underneath your pants/jeans and shirts. Thermals and every layer of clothing you have on, traps a layer of heat between you and the cold air. Layers help to keep you warm more than just a big thick coat on top of your clothes. Also, once you are in a warm environment again you have to remove your coat, gloves etc and if you have layers you can keep on or take off what you want accordingly.

Most Winters we end up getting new gloves (somehow these tend to get lost quite easily, and like socks you somehow end up with a pile of just one glove from a few pairs) and also new hats and scarves, just so that you are not bored wearing the same thing everyday.

If you plan on living further up North....you may need even heavier Winter wear including thick thermals.

You don't have to worry too much about how you will know what to wear. Any store you enter will have Canadians happy to help new immigrants with their first Winter wardrobe. Every year I see people in department and clothing stores getting help with the right kind of coat, what to get for the kids and the confusion about the 100's of different kinds of boots that you will find.




You will also have to get a boot tray similar to this one. It is available everywhere including the Dollar Store. Keep it by your front door and keep your boots here. Snow tends to bring in a lot of dirt, and you don't want the melted dirty snow all over your carpet or floor.


Here is a picture of how you will be dressed during Winter. 
Hope this was of some help.

Please email me any question you may have regarding Winter or anything else. Thanks for reading!

Wednesday, November 12, 2014

The Story of Indian Immigration to Canada

The Story of Indian Immigration to Canada


Click on the above link.

Really interesting, don't you think?

The Family Tax Cut in Canada


 Some good news for many families in Canada with an in-balanced double income household.


"The Government is proposing a new Family Tax Cut, a federal non-refundable tax credit worth up to $2,000 for couples with children under the age of 18.
The Family Tax Cut would allow a spouse to, in effect, transfer up to $50,000 of taxable income to a spouse in a lower income tax bracket, providing tax relief up to a maximum of $2,000. Tax relief is calculated on the basis of a difference in federal tax before and after the effective transfer of income.
The Family Tax Cut would take effect starting in the 2014 tax year. Couples would be able to claim the credit when they file their 2014 tax returns. To benefit from the credit, each spouse must file a tax return. Either spouse may claim the credit.
More than 1.7 million families are expected to benefit from the new Family Tax Cut. "


New Application Centres open in India

Here is a link to the Application Centres in India that have opened with information on applying for visas.

http://www.canadainternational.gc.ca/india-inde/visas/index.aspx?lang=eng&menu_id=4

Current immigration program and Express Entry program.....will you be considered for both?



Will skilled immigrants be considered under both the current immigration program rules and Express Entry in 2015?
 
No. Each application is assessed according to the eligibility requirements and caps in place at the time CIC receives it. In order to be considered for Express Entry, people will have to express interest separately (starting in January 2015) using a new electronic application management system. There will not be any application caps or occupation lists at the launch of Express Entry.


Express Entry Visa 2015

I talked about this on the previous post, but thought it warranted a separate post of it's own. The Express Entry Visa...what is it?



In January 2015, Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) will launch a new electronic system called Express Entry to manage applications for permanent residence in certain economic programs. Canada needs high levels of immigration to meet current and future labour market needs, which will ensure our economic growth and long-term prosperity.
Express Entry will allow us to actively recruit, assess and select skilled immigrants under the following federal economic immigration programs:
  • the Federal Skilled Worker Program,
  • the Federal Skilled Trades Program, and
  • the Canadian Experience Class.
Provinces and territories will also be able to recruit candidates from the Express Entry system for a portion of the Provincial Nominee Programs to meet local labour market needs. Under this new system, employers will also have a key role in selecting economic immigrants. Employers will access candidates through Canada's new and improved Job Bank and through provinces and territories where applicable.
The Express Entry system involves two steps:
Step 1) Potential candidates complete an online Express Entry profile
Potential candidates will complete an online Express Entry profile where they will provide information about their skills, work experience, language ability, education, and other details. Those who meet the criteria of one of the federal economic immigration programs subject to Express Entry will be placed in a pool of candidates.
Candidates will be ranked against others in the pool. Only the highest-ranked candidates (those deemed to have the best chances for economic success), and those with qualifying offers of arranged employment or provincial/territorial nominations, will be invited to apply for permanent residence.
If a candidate does not already have a valid job offer from a Canadian employer or a provincial/territorial nomination, he or she must register with the Government of Canada's Job Bank which will connect him or her with eligible Canadian employers.
Where applicable, employers will be required to obtain a Labour Market Impact Assessment from Employment and Social Development Canada. There will be no fee for Labour Market Impact Assessments for permanent residence applications under the Express Entry system. 
Completing an online Express Entry profile does not guarantee that a candidate will receive an Invitation to Apply for permanent residence.
Step 2) Citizenship and Immigration Canada will invite certain candidates to apply for permanent residence and process their electronic applications within six months.
Candidates will receive an Invitation to Apply for permanent residence if they rank among the top in the pool, based on their skills and experience. Candidates who have a valid job offer from a Canadian employer (subject to the Labour Market Impact Assessment process in place at that time) or have been nominated by a province or territory will be given high scores in the ranking system.
Candidates will have 60 days to submit an electronic application for permanent residence through one of the following programs:
  • Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP);
  • Federal Skilled Trades Program (FSTP);
  • Canadian Experience Class (CEC); or,
  • A portion of the Provincial Nominee Program (PNP)
Citizenship and Immigration Canada will process the majority of complete applications (i.e. applications including all the necessary supporting documents) within six months or less.
Candidates in the Express Entry pool who do not receive an Invitation to Apply for permanent residence after 12 months may resubmit their profile and re-enter the pool if they still meet the criteria. This provision will prevent backlogs and ensure quick processing times.
Express Entry will result in faster and more efficient service to potential skilled immigrants. It will also allow the Government of Canada to be more flexible and responsive to Canada's changing economic conditions and priorities.

 This is the link to the above article and more information:




Changes to Canadian Immigration in 2015

Yes, there are going to be many changes to the immigration rules for Canada starting January 2015.

According to Joe Friesen of the Globe and Mail:

"The Conservative government plans to increase immigration levels significantly as it heads into an election year in 2015.
Citizenship and Immigration Minister Chris Alexander said on Friday that Canada aims to welcome as many as 285,000 new permanent residents next year, which is the highest planned total “in recent history,” according to the Minister.


The last time Canada admitted as many as 280,000 permanent residents was in 2010. A greater proportion, nearly 65 per cent of all admissions, will be economic immigrants and their dependents. That’s up from a target of 62 per cent in the planning for 2013 levels. Mr. Alexander said the goal reflects the government’s view that immigration is crucial to Canada’s economic prosperity.
“We are recruiting a higher calibre of economic immigrant than we have ever seen before,” Mr. Alexander said. “This [increase in the proportion of economic immigrants] is a goal we’ve had for some time. Many provinces already have 70 per cent economic immigration; that’s the aspiration Canada has as well.”
The hike in immigration levels comes at the same time that the government will be introducing a system known as express entry to select skilled workers, who make up the largest chunk of Canada’s immigration streams. The target range for 2015 is between 260,000 and 285,000 new permanent residents, as tabled in the government’s annual immigration plan."

The Express Entry system is something new that will be launched 2015.

From the Government of Canada website:



In January 2015, Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) will launch a new electronic system called Express Entry to manage applications for permanent residence in certain economic programs. Canada needs high levels of immigration to meet current and future labour market needs, which will ensure our economic growth and long-term prosperity.
Express Entry will allow us to actively recruit, assess and select skilled immigrants under the following federal economic immigration programs:
  • the Federal Skilled Worker Program,
  • the Federal Skilled Trades Program, and
  • the Canadian Experience Class.
Provinces and territories will also be able to recruit candidates from the Express Entry system for a portion of the Provincial Nominee Programs to meet local labour market needs. Under this new system, employers will also have a key role in selecting economic immigrants. Employers will access candidates through Canada's new and improved Job Bank and through provinces and territories where applicable.
The Express Entry system involves two steps:
Step 1) Potential candidates complete an online Express Entry profile
Potential candidates will complete an online Express Entry profile where they will provide information about their skills, work experience, language ability, education, and other details. Those who meet the criteria of one of the federal economic immigration programs subject to Express Entry will be placed in a pool of candidates.
Candidates will be ranked against others in the pool. Only the highest-ranked candidates (those deemed to have the best chances for economic success), and those with qualifying offers of arranged employment or provincial/territorial nominations, will be invited to apply for permanent residence.
If a candidate does not already have a valid job offer from a Canadian employer or a provincial/territorial nomination, he or she must register with the Government of Canada's Job Bank which will connect him or her with eligible Canadian employers.
Where applicable, employers will be required to obtain a Labour Market Impact Assessment from Employment and Social Development Canada. There will be no fee for Labour Market Impact Assessments for permanent residence applications under the Express Entry system. 
Completing an online Express Entry profile does not guarantee that a candidate will receive an Invitation to Apply for permanent residence.
Step 2) Citizenship and Immigration Canada will invite certain candidates to apply for permanent residence and process their electronic applications within six months.
Candidates will receive an Invitation to Apply for permanent residence if they rank among the top in the pool, based on their skills and experience. Candidates who have a valid job offer from a Canadian employer (subject to the Labour Market Impact Assessment process in place at that time) or have been nominated by a province or territory will be given high scores in the ranking system.
Candidates will have 60 days to submit an electronic application for permanent residence through one of the following programs:
  • Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP);
  • Federal Skilled Trades Program (FSTP);
  • Canadian Experience Class (CEC); or,
  • A portion of the Provincial Nominee Program (PNP)
Citizenship and Immigration Canada will process the majority of complete applications (i.e. applications including all the necessary supporting documents) within six months or less.
Candidates in the Express Entry pool who do not receive an Invitation to Apply for permanent residence after 12 months may resubmit their profile and re-enter the pool if they still meet the criteria. This provision will prevent backlogs and ensure quick processing times.
Express Entry will result in faster and more efficient service to potential skilled immigrants. It will also allow the Government of Canada to be more flexible and responsive to Canada's changing economic conditions and priorities.

 Here is the link to the above which will take you to more links with relevant information.


The same link shows you relevant information on different types of visas for immigration to Canada on the left. 

I'll update you on more information when I hear anything.