Starting Life in CANADA - Tips & Stories

[chinita8]

Due to the influx of Filipinos yearning to migrate to Canada, help via proper information is needed ...

To all sisses who have migrated to Canada and have settled down quite successfully, please share your stories and tips on how you and your family have done so.

What was the first thing you did? How you got your job? How did your kids adjust? etc. Kamusta ang rent dyan, salary and benefits?

Do you genuinely recommend migrating to Canada?

[angeleyes]

yes share naman sa mga sisses natin...and how long yung waiting period since you lodged your application...thanks!

[chinita8]

sis, my husband and i applied for FSW last 2006 and the letter that came from the canadian embassy here (the one containing our reference #) showed that our processing will take 60 months (5yrs) ... ganun ata ang usual eh ...

sana mga sisses out there can share and help us speed up our application and to give is tips on how to prepare ourselves prior to migrating.

sis, ikaw --- may application ka na?? when did you apply and for how long ang nakalagay na processing??

[ysangaby]

Sis yung sa amin naman, nag apply kami 2 years ago, ngayon after 26 months ng application namin, tinawag kami ulit nung agency, pina uupdate yung file namin and my husband is required to take ielts exam before end of this year. sana everything goes well, nakakasawa na rin dito sa dubai ang taas na ng cost of living, wala pang security pag tanda mo!

[choinx]

Hi My family and I just moved here in Canada last July. Bali yung Dad ko yung principal applicant. SW1 yung klase ng immigrant na inapplyan niya.

Yes, it took us 4 1/2 or 5years before we finally got our visa.

Yun nga, principal applicant si Dadi, tas kasama ako sa dependents. Buti nalang hindi ako lumagpas sa age limit. (i just turned 22, here in Canada. haha)

May iba ibang klase ng pag-migrate, yung samin, SW1, ganun talaga yung waiting period, more or less years. Tapos yung isa kong alam, Provincial Nominee. Tas isa pa, yung sponsorship kind. Sa provincial nominee, ang alam ko, pag dating mo dito, may work ka na kagad. In comparison sa SW1 (skilled worker) pag dating mo dito, saka ka palang magsstart..on your own. Another difference, pag provincial nominee, sa isang certain province ka lang ng Canada pwede magstay (kung asa yung work mo) hindi ka pwede magtransfer from one province to another. Sa SW1, you can get to choose on what province you want to go and settle. Yung sponsorship naman, it applies to those who have relatives who are already settled here and they wanted to get for example, their parents from the Philippines.. parang ganun.. typical sponsorship.. or mas kilala sa term na "petition." Yun yung pinakamabilis na way ng pagpunta dito. Kasi sabay na nilalakad yung papers dito sa Canada and sa Philippines.

For more accurate and detailed information, you could visit www.cic.gc.ca


last hirit..hehe.. if you have pending application, the most that you can do while you are waiting is to save a lot of money. and i'm serious when i said A LOT. lalo na if your application is the same as us.. kasi pagdating niyo dito, puro expenses.. palabas ang pera.. at ang presho ng mga bagay, in dollars.. super nakakka-tumbling nga yung mga price ng stuffs dito eh, shempre, hindi natin maiiwasan na automatic iconvert yung presyo into Peso.. and soon think that the price is quite expensive as compared to the prices we have back there for the exact same item.  hindi pa kasama yung tax sa price na yun. kaya pagdating mo sa cashier, mas mataas yung halaga ng ibabayad mo. pero once you get to earn here, you'll realize din na pareho lang ang cost of living sa Canada and Philippines. ang difference lang siguro, mas nararamdaman dito yung tax na binabayad ng tao kesa sa Pilipinas.


Marami pang good things about here. Kaso parang ang haba na ng post ko. Hehe.

[chinita8]

^wow sis! you're post is of big help to all those waiting for their application, like me. our application is likewise SW1 (FSW).

ask ko lang, did your dad take the ielts exam pa? like was it asked by the embassy? how do you go about getting work there? classified ads ba or you submit your application to employment agencies? where in canada do you stay sis?

we're in our 5-yr wait right now, actually 2.5 yrs na ang application namin. when did your family receive a communication from the embassy for interview, etc.?? on the 5th year talaga??

thanks sis for your sharings 

[abby2007]

mga sis...its been more than a year na since we migrated here in Canada. magandang pumunta dito kung family kayo or may relatives kayo so they can help you adjust sa pamumuhay dito.i have a friend kasi after 1 year nalungkot umuwi na lang...di nya kinaya at nahomesick...
in our case wala kaming kamag-anak at isang kakilala lang ni hubby na nakita lang nya tru friendster pa btw hubby applied for fsw year 2001, nagupdate lang sya ng docs nung kinasal na kami and eventually nagkababy na,change ng address.aside dun kailangan talaga hintayin ang letter from the embassy for docs update.i think ang IELTS may expiration din yun eh.parang 2 years lang at kailangan take ka ulit especially malapit na interview.
2 months prior sa interview namin tumawag ang embassy na may dadating na letter from them,we have to provide lahat ng docs na kailangan nila.kaya mga sis advice ko mag save talaga ng pera...mahirap kapag malapit na matapos ang paghihintay tapos dun papalpak.
we decided na iwanan ang eldest namin na 1 1/2 years old that time para pareho kaming makapagtrabaho.so hindi kami nagbayad ng processing fee nya.ang saya kasi 2 mos after ng medical nabuntis naman ako...
hindi na namin pwedeng ihabol papers nya kasi PPR na kami.kaya 4 mos preggy na ako nagland kami dito sa canada,kasi kailangang habulin namin yung 3 mos waiting period ng OHIP health insurance dito sa ontario para free na lahat pati panganganak ko.pero gumastos din kami for my pre natal checkups at lab test.
God is good talaga kasi 3 weeks palang kami dito natanggap na si hubby sa work na linya din nya sa pinas...until now dun pa rin sya work.september last year process din namin papers ng eldest namin and after 6 mos may visa na rin sya. ngayon kasama na namin sya dito kaya kumpleto na kami...
kung ako lang mas gusto ko sa pinas kami...pero para sa mga bata hindi ako magdadalawang isip na mas masarap silang palakihin dito.mahirap kasi wala kaming kasama sa bahay kaya walang pahinga 10 months na bunso namin kaya SAHM talaga ko..
kaya kahit nahihirapan ako dahil makukulit mga babies ko masarap isipin na kami lang ni hubby lahat, maayos naman buhay namin dito saka fulfillment din, kami nagpapalaki sa mga bata.
kaya mga sis... enjoy lang muna sa pinas at mag ipon para sa settlement funds... kasi kapag dito na kayo marami kayong mahal sa buhay na mamimiss at bagong buhay tayo dito sa canada...

[hannabishi]

First off, yes I would definitely recommend migrating here in Canada. As we all know, US is currently in recession. Their economy has plummeted and their government officials has not done anything yet to get things back the way they were. Well, there are some attempts but it all failed.

You see, this is not the case for Canada. We are now looking at a better economy than ever. (Yes, I'm pro-Harper.) There are a lot of job opportunities and let's face it, the education here is way better.

The only things to look at for is the weather. It's the biggest adjustment you have to make.

[jhaney]

Pa join po, I might apply din sa Canada, this thread will really help me more about Canada.

[allredndizzy]

Our case is like that of sis choinx. SW1 din kami, yung mom ko naman ang principal applicant tapos dependents lang kaming lahat. Almost 5 years din ang processing and last june 30 (almost july na din) kami dumating. And yeah pag wala ka pang work, sobrang sakit sa bulsa kase yung pera mo pa from the philippines ang ginagamit mo at di maiwasang magconvert. Lahat na yata mas mahal dito... yung olay total effects nga na P600+ sa pinas, doble ang price dito! as in! Nagulat nga ako eh hehe! Try to bring as much as you can para di masyadong gagastos pag starting pa lang dito. Kahit yung mga clothes, dalhin nyo na lahat ng pwede kase may heater naman dito so hindi ka naman laging naka-jacket or sweater... Malamig lang sa labas pag naglalakad ka lalo na pag gabi or sa umaga pero nasa loob ka na ng building at kahit sa mga subways, hindi na malamig. Sa ngayon fall season pa lang, ang ginagawa namin layer na lang ng damit kase nga malamig sa labas pero pag nasa subway na at school o kahit anong building, tinatanggal ko na yung sweater/cardigan or jacket kase mainit naman. Required kase ang heater sa lahat ng lugar dito. Kung meron kayong gustong bilhin sa pinas tapos nagpipigil lang kayo kase iniisip nyo na dito na lang sa canada bilhin, ang masasabi ko lang, bilhin nyo na hehe! Kase nga super mahal dito lalo na pag nag-uumpisa ka pa lang, para na rin hindi kayo manghihinayang.  

Yung mama ko hindi na sya nag-take ng IELTS, nagpakita na lang sya ng proof na marunong syang mag-english at lagi nyang ginagamit yun as a medium of instruction since prof sya sa college.

[blueangel29]

okay ba kung mag consult sa mga immigration offers? may friend kasi is doing that way and interested ako to send application. kaso worried ko lang kasi is baka hindi siya legal. ano po bang pinaka okay na way at guaranteed? TIA

[chinita8]

sis, just investigate well on the agency that you will get to assist you on your application. please research and research well. try to find out other applicants who have used such agency and reach out to them and ask if there were problems with the agency or none. also, try to use agencies that are really veterans in the field, those who have been in operation for so many years na.

[ceebee_12]

hi mga sis! makikijoin lang po.

my husband applied Jan 2004, SW din. it was through an agency. we got married 2006 but we didnt update his records immediately. then early this year (2008), we received a mail from the canadian embassy asking to update his records including the IELTS result.

so update we did (NBI clearance, police clearance, my school credentials, cheness cheness) except for the IELTS. kasi nagtake na sya nun and kasama yung result sa docs na nisubmit nun. ang mahal kaya ng IETLS na yan. we also sent a cheque for the processing fee for spouse. we just mentioned in the cover letter that the IELTS result was already sent before. this time, we didn't asked for the agency's assistance. kami na nagpunta sa canadian embassy (actually, sa carpark lang ng rcbc bldg kasi andun ang drop box .. hehe)

then last month, we received a mail asking for the IELTS results again. that's when we realized, 2 years nga lang pala validity ng IELTS na yan. sana pala hindi na muna siya nagtake ng IELTS nun kasi nasayang lang. so yun, magtake na naman siya this month.

sana after sending the IELTS result, we don't need to wait for yearS again. baka magsawa na kami sa kakahintay kung ma-approve ba application namin or not.

[chinita8]

^wow sis, sayang nga yung months na nag-pass, i hope it wont take as long again before you here from the embassy.

sis, tanong ko lang on IELTS:
1. where do you take this test?
2. how much ang IELTS fee?
3. is it necessary to attend an IELTS reviewer class pa? how much ito?
4. if the validity of the score is only for 2 years, then it is better to just take it within the last 2years of your 5yr wait. Tama ba yun??

Thanks for your reply sis. We are on our 2.5yr wait already. Embassy told us that it will take 60months (5yrs) of processing. Matagal na malapit na rin. 

[ysangaby]

^ sis yung 60 months, thats maximum no. of years waiting, pwede rin mas less pa dyan since sa agency naman kayo, at anytime pwede magbago ang rules nila. so be prepared anytime!

[abie]

Hi Sis ceebee_12,

noong pinag-update kami ng documents ng embassy including yung IELTS result ni hubby, expired IELTS result ang binigay niya. ayaw na kasi niyang gumastos ulit para sa IELTS, mahal din kasi. nag-include lang siya ng certification galing sa school na english ang medium of instruction, pati na ng letter explaining na sa trabaho niya English ang ginagamit na language kasi puro foreigner ang mga naging boss niya, at nakapagtrabaho rin siya sa US ng apat ng bawan, na mahilig siyang magbasa ng mga novels written by Tom Clancy, Robert Ludlum, etc...,  na mahlig siyang manood ng mga English movies, TV shows & documentaries.  humungi din si hubby sa employer niya that time ng certificate of English proficiency.

hindi na humingi ang embassy ng bagong IELTS result. nandito na kami sa canada ngayon, 3 months na kami dito.

according sa cic.gc.ca:
Providing other written evidence
We strongly recommend that you take an official language test if you are claiming skills in a language that is not your native language.

If you choose not to take an approved language test, you must prove your ability to speak, listen, read and write Canada’s official languages through other written evidence.

[ceebee_12]

sis chinita8, me and hubby are currently here in japan. sa british council dito siya magtake ng exam. 24k+ yen yung bayad so sa current exchange rate, mga P10k+. nung nagexam si hubby dyan sa pinas nung una, around P9k lang daw ata. Si hubby nag-attend nung IELTS review class dati nung first time niya magtake kasi nirecommend nung agency. pero yung review class na yun, dun lang din sa office ng agency na yun. pero madami na rin naman mareresearch online ngayon na sample IELTS questions, i think di na kailangan yung review class. yeah, since 2 years lang validity nung IELTS na yun, mas maganda na lang magtake nun pag nasa 3-3.5 yrs na kayo ng waiting period.

sis abie, sayang, puwede pala yun. mahal nga yang IELTS na yan. sana pala nakapagpost ako dito ng mas maaga aga. nagbayad na kami last week para sa IETLS exam niya dito. ang aga pa magclose ng IELTS registration dito. di tulad sa Phils na nung time na nagtingin kami ng schedule, meron pang open for Sept.

[ceebee_12]

sis chinita8, i just checked the Phils British Council website. P8,640 yung test fee.

[mai_hotlipz]

hi sis, san k ngapply for canada? sa ph ba o asa dubai ka na? tsaka [textspeak!] po bang work ni hubby mo? why is he requiring to take ielts pa..di ba may written proof na hinhingi lang that we are able to speak and read english fluently...sorry ha, share mo din yun sa inyo..[textspeak!] we're quite new sa dubai... about 10 mos..and that's what we are planning to do sana..to migrate in canada..

Sis yung sa amin naman, nag apply kami 2 years ago, ngayon after 26 months ng application namin, tinawag kami ulit nung agency, pina uupdate yung file namin and my husband is required to take ielts exam before end of this year. sana everything goes well, nakakasawa na rin dito sa dubai ang taas na ng cost of living, wala pang security pag tanda mo!

[mai_hotlipz]

mga sis...its been more than a year na since we migrated here in Canada. magandang pumunta dito kung family kayo or may relatives kayo so they can help you adjust sa pamumuhay dito.i have a friend kasi after 1 year nalungkot umuwi na lang...di nya kinaya at nahomesick...
in our case wala kaming kamag-anak at isang kakilala lang ni hubby na nakita lang nya tru friendster pa btw hubby applied for fsw year 2001, nagupdate lang sya ng docs nung kinasal na kami and eventually nagkababy na,change ng address.aside dun kailangan talaga hintayin ang letter from the embassy for docs update.i think ang IELTS may expiration din yun eh.parang 2 years lang at kailangan take ka ulit especially malapit na interview.
2 months prior sa interview namin tumawag ang embassy na may dadating na letter from them,we have to provide lahat ng docs na kailangan nila.kaya mga sis advice ko mag save talaga ng pera...mahirap kapag malapit na matapos ang paghihintay tapos dun papalpak.
we decided na iwanan ang eldest namin na 1 1/2 years old that time para pareho kaming makapagtrabaho.so hindi kami nagbayad ng processing fee nya.ang saya kasi 2 mos after ng medical nabuntis naman ako...
hindi na namin pwedeng ihabol papers nya kasi PPR na kami.kaya 4 mos preggy na ako nagland kami dito sa canada,kasi kailangang habulin namin yung 3 mos waiting period ng OHIP health insurance dito sa ontario para free na lahat pati panganganak ko.pero gumastos din kami for my pre natal checkups at lab test.
God is good talaga kasi 3 weeks palang kami dito natanggap na si hubby sa work na linya din nya sa pinas...until now dun pa rin sya work.september last year process din namin papers ng eldest namin and after 6 mos may visa na rin sya. ngayon kasama na namin sya dito kaya kumpleto na kami...
kung ako lang mas gusto ko sa pinas kami...pero para sa mga bata hindi ako magdadalawang isip na mas masarap silang palakihin dito.mahirap kasi wala kaming kasama sa bahay kaya walang pahinga 10 months na bunso namin kaya SAHM talaga ko..
kaya kahit nahihirapan ako dahil makukulit mga babies ko masarap isipin na kami lang ni hubby lahat, maayos naman buhay namin dito saka fulfillment din, kami nagpapalaki sa mga bata.
kaya mga sis... enjoy lang muna sa pinas at mag ipon para sa settlement funds... kasi kapag dito na kayo marami kayong mahal sa buhay na mamimiss at bagong buhay tayo dito sa canada...

hi sis, who's taking care of your kids na? are u working na ba in canada?