Starting Life in CANADA - Tips & Stories

[lonelymiss28]

depende yata sa alberta. kasi may friend ako nag work sa alberta as pastry chef, then nag rent sya ng room lang ah then shared bath and kitchen nasa 1.2K, but i don't know exactly in alberta yan (or kung totoo man yun).

i google kung magkano rent sa alberta. check mo na lang.

http://grandeprairie.rentspot.com/listings/1451/index.html

[roxykarlo]

thanks sis. nasa $1200 ang 3-br..

[showermist]

LOL! sis, 15 to 20 mins kami sa town ah.
min here is 9.75 yata or 10.
bili lang namin sa bahay 9 yrs ago nasa 144k+tax. pero ngayon nasa 230+.
alam mo sis yung kaibigan ko nga nakabili ng bahay (3 bedrooms) sa mismong town nasa 65K lang medyo luma nga lang pero ok na rin.

I am 25-30 minutes train to downtown Vancouver. Two bedroom condo in the neighboring city is 350k-400k++.  In teh suburbs, a townhouse is 350k++.  I just realized how expensive westcoast living is. And the minimum wage lang dito is $10.25! And I am even earning way more than that ha.  Parang gusto ko talagang mag move sa ibang probinsya

[tabbru]

sis lonely and sis shower, sa alberta kaya, mahal ba apartment dun? any idea? thank you sa infos nyo mga sis, it really helps..

Mahal ang apartment sa Edmonton. Mga 1, 000-1,200 for a two to three bedroom apartment.  Di pa kasama kuryente dun.

My husband recently bought a 3-bedroom townhome sa West Edmonton. Bago siya, next year pa ang turnover ng unit (in time sa pagdating ko). It's worth 300k+ (kasama na upgrades). We preferred a townhome kasi wala pa kaming anak saka wala kaming kailangang i-maintain sa labas. May condo fee lang na kailangan bayaran. Pero yun nga, namamahalan ako sa mga houses sa Edmonton.

[rics]

1br apartment in Toronto can go around $900 inclusive of hydro+gas, 2br is around aprrox $1200. renting a basement apartment is cheaper and normally already includes cable and internet which renters share with the owners. if you rent an apartment, you have to spend for laundry since the unit doesnt come with washing machine/dryer.

price of a house depends on where in the GTA you would like to buy. certain parts like brampton is cheaper than buying north of toronto like in  Markham, Richmondhill, vaughn, etc. we checked new construct townhouse and it cost over $400K for 1400 sqft. and that was the cheapest we saw.

the house i like will be ready for transfer in 2yrs time, cost around $485 for a semi with no upgrades. having a hard time deciding since no one knows for sure how the real estate market will be that time. baka hindi ko maitinda our present house and i will stuck paying 2 mortgages which will be a nightmare if it happens.

commute time in this part (north of toronto) is around 1-1.5 hrs going to Toronto central business district, more during the winter since there are a lot of bus delays. but faster if you take the train, although there is additional fare.

with utilities, we dont pay much. maybe $50 hydro, slightly more during the summer. gas is around the same during summer but $100-150 in winter since the house is energy efficient. cable+phone+internet+cellphone is around $200+
grocery is around $400-500
gas $300-400 per month
insurance (car, house, life) $500

public transpo in toronto is $3 one way. $3.50 in some parts of the york region. or you can buy  a monthly pass which can be cheaper.

[lonelymiss28]

to be honest with you sis di ko recommend tumira dito sa nb sobrang bagal ng progress dito, siguro ang maganda lang dito ay pag mag start ka ng family kasi mababait mga tao dito, kung baga sa pinas nala barrio ang way of living dito sa nb. isipin mo na lang ah, ang doctor ng anak ko sa nova scotia pa so everytime mag appointment sya we have to travel 4 hrs so we would rather stay there overnight or else 8 hrs back and forth.

although maraming ring perks dito like madali mag-apply ng pn pag andito ka na. hindi binabagyo although wagi kami pagdatng sa snow...dito binubuhos lahat. pag may sale kulang na lang ipamigay mga tinda. magsasawa ka sa nature. mala zoo ang paligid, dami wild animals anywhere (di takot sa tao). dami lake, beach na walking distance lang (di pwedeng liguan kundi pulmonya sa sobrang lamig). pag nag-apply ka dito at na hire ka company ang gagastos ng pag move mo (pero syempre depende rin sa company).

i would suggest nova scotia kasi di nagkakalayo ang price ng mga bahay saka mas asensado dun. sabi nga nila yung bahay na 300k dun sa ns sa [textspeak!] nasa 5 mil.

[OD]

Thanks to everyone for making such invaluable inputs. I agree. Nowhere has it been easy-peasy to venture into something profitable than here in the Phils, as Ive realized from the shared experiences and sentiments. What I had in mind is more like offering one's services to fellow Pinoy/s like baby-sitting. Or maybe, cook and prep food for a gathering if there's the knack for anything culinary.

Well, I know someone who enrolled in a livelihood training course on haircutting prior to migrating to the US under a fiancé visa. And yun, this person offered free haircut to fellow pinoys she got introduced to. Ang deal nya was to render it for free and for them to give her any amount if they like the cut. She did home-service sessions while she was waiting to get employed till word of mouth spread. It came to a point where she had to turn down those who went to her apartment coz sya naman nawalan ng time coz the filipino clients came over even during odd hours coz the clients have varying work shifts. She preferred the regularity of being employed rather than bank on the home-service trade. Ang swerte coz she got hired by a known and posh salon eventually.   

Anyway, I was thinking if that'd be a probable pursuit too while being on standby and to lessen the distress of relentless job hunting but Ive no idea if that'll be something which could work among the pinoy culture there in Canada.

[showermist]

^Sis, that still depends on where area of Canada ka mapupunta. I can only speak dito sa Vancouver area ha---babysitting? Forget about it. You have to be personally known before people trust you. here in canada--we have Live-in caregivers.  we have live out too. Childcare are almost in every corner.

Starting a business here is probable. But what that person you know did in the US might not work here in Vancouver area. Unless you want to risk being caught doing business without proper documents--else, you know what will happen.

Now, it might be different if you're migrating sa less populated na area--sa little towns na malayo sa city. But then again, it will still depend what are the needs of those people.

I am not discouraging you. I just knew a lot of people put up bakeries, nail spa, childcare fail in two-three months.

[lonelymiss28]

^just want to add, i don't know paano sa US but here kasi kailangan may certificate ka to do haircut, nails, etc. pag pinoy clients naman target mo pwede rin kaso ingat ka sa mga pinoy here dahil sa totoo lang dami dito pinoy nagpapahamak sa kapwa pinoy.  may experience ako nyan mismo na may pinay na may business at hire sya ng mga pinoy na tourist visa, and ake note tama ang bigay nya ah kaso alis nya yung tax, saka di libre food. then hire sya sa pinas pero nagpapabayad sya ng fee like 3k, pero pagdating dito may work talaga saka sweldo is tama alam mo sinumbong sya ng isang pinay din, so di na sya makaka sponsor sa pinas. di ko alam ano pa magiging kaso nya.

[sarsingkit]

I just realized how expensive westcoast living is. And the minimum wage lang dito is $10.25! And I am even earning way more than that ha.  Parang gusto ko talagang mag move sa ibang probinsya

this is what's kinda funny sa canada. hindi na kasi masyadong nagkakalayo ang minimum wage pero ang cost of living is medyo malayo ang gap. in Manitoba, 10.25 din ang minimum pero i would assume na mas mura ang cost of living dito. pero syempre walang masyadong perks of being in the city. and manitoba, super diversed na ng population. Filipino na ata ang number 1 sa visible minority. very important ang canadian experience when it comes to workplace pero hindi mahirap makakuha ng office job dito. there are even Filipinos in the municipal and provincial government. marami na ring pinoy and other immigrants as well ang nakakawork towards into their previous profession. basta aral aral lang hanggang sa magkalisesya. growing city pa lang kasi kaya medyo marami pang jobs available.

in regards to profession, its all about a matter of what skills you can transfer. opinion ko lang to and i can be wrong pero hindi masyado maganda to say at interviews na you ganon talaga sa bagong environment that you have to start at the beginning. ang dating kasi is ginagawa mo lang silang stepping stone. so i think its better to think of the best fit for you. kung accountant ka, apply for cashier then say na you are very much exposed and very knowledgeable in currencies kasi accounting ang background. always focus yung interview with the things that you have done and with the things that you can do. wala ng pakialamanan sa future plans. if tanungin ka say the truth na gusto mo eventually maging accountant pero do not give the time frame.

Well, I know someone who enrolled in a livelihood training course on haircutting prior to migrating to the US under a fiancé visa. And yun, this person offered free haircut to fellow pinoys she got introduced to. Ang deal nya was to render it for free and for them to give her any amount if they like the cut. She did home-service sessions while she was waiting to get employed till word of mouth spread.

by how this sounds, mukhang under the table ito. pero kung mali ako. sorry. im not sure with other provinces pero with manitoba kasi, since marami ng pinoy, marami na rin pinoy business na established na for a long time. so if you'll operate ng walang proper documents at kakumpetensya mo sila, isusumbong ka talaga.

[roxykarlo]

mga sis, i just want to ask for your advices.. since anjan na kayo sa canada. my husband is currently on TWP in grande prairie. i am applying as immigrant together with my 2-year old son. kung sa work, may work naman na naghihintay sa akin dun sa mcdo -- as fca. prob ko lang, mas mainam ba kung 2 work ng hubby ko on weekends? kasi if we move there, dami expenses. mahal pala ang house/apartment dun. tapos we have to divide our time sa kung sino maiiwan kay baby. sa bagay, wala pa namin kami dun, but i just want to ask for some advise on how life goes there..  actually, nagdadalawang isip pa ako pumunta dun, but since i started the application na, nakakabahala na. hindi ko rin kasi maiwan ang baby ko dito sa family ko or sa in-laws ko, di din sila papayag.

[sarsingkit]

^maybe your husband can ask some people he knows na may kids din if paano ang ginagawa sa bata. mahal din kasi ang daycare. you can assess din naman if mas malaki ba ang turn out ng savings nyo if double job si hubby tapos may daycare kayo or walang daycare pero single job naman sya.

[roxykarlo]

thank you sis sarsingkit... Vancouver ka ba sis?

[imcutechinita]

thanks kay lonelymiss288 and showermist and sa iba na rin para sa mga shinare nila...

dun kasi sa ininquiran ko na agency, mostly sa alberta sila nagpapadala...pero wala naman ibinibigay pa exactly kung saang part ng alberta mapapadpad...question pala, if food and bev server or housekeeping room attendant, kasama ba sya sa low-skilled worker?  kasi nakita ko sa isang post na mas mahirap mag-apply ng PR if classified under low-skilled...and if working visa and hawak mo, papayagan ka ba for a 2nd or part time job aside dun sa nagsponsor sayo for the visa?  if ever hindi pwede maghanap ng 2nd job, kaya ba if minimum wage lang ang sweldo (for example)...and normally ba 2-3 bedroom ang apartments...wala bang parang convertible type lang...kasi sa US may narentahan kami na convertible type...parang studio type sya tapos may partition na pwedeng hilahin lang so parang kami ng roommate ko nagkaron ng sariling space kasi nga may harang...

regarding naman sa transpo, sa singapore kasi everything is connected to everything...like the pass na gamit ko for bus is the same na gamit ko for MRT and pwede rin gamitin for taxis and pwede rin gamitin pangbayad sa Mcdo...and yun MRT stations nila usually ay kadikit na rin ng bus stops or terminal at kadikit na rin ng airport at kada MRT station paglabas ay malls na ang makikita mo...so very convenient talaga...

and sa mga katulad namin na nagbabalak pa lang na pumunta, baka naman may mairerecommend kayo na agencies na reliable and hindi naman tumataga sa presyo...

thanks ulit sa lahat ng tulong nyo...   

[sarsingkit]

thank you sis sarsingkit... Vancouver ka ba sis?

sa winnipeg kami sis

[showermist]

Imcutechinita, kung sa Alberta ka pupunta, you'll be in 'shock.' Canada has one if the biggest land area so don't expect na gaya ito ng Singapore at Hong Kong.

I heard from a relative who is living in Alberta that housing is way affordable compare to westcoast.

It's not allowed to take a second job. It will be indicated in your work permit. You do that and you'll risk being deported.

Anything that's not using any skill is considered low skill ie.  beverage server, kitchen attendant, cleaners. The only low skilled job na siguradong makakapag apply ka ng PR eh live-in caregiver. That's a privilege for LIC's.

[imcutechinita]

hello showermist   

oo naman, hindi ko naman kinocompare yung area ng canada with singapore or hong kong...i've stayed in missouri for some time and hindi rin naman sya kapareho ng new york na buhay na buhay kahit anong oras...that time kasi nilalakad ko lang from house to work pero pag off ako, yun ang mga time na nahihirapan ako mag-explore kasi wala naman ako personal na sasakyan so sa public transpo talaga ako nakaasa...and medyo nakakafrustrate minsan...siguro ang hinahanap ko lang is convenience at reliability ng public transpo esp if ever gusto mag-ikot-ikot...

syempre ayoko naman madeport...sayang din kasi yung time esp if mag-isa ka lang naman dun...

anyway, thanks for your inputs...   

[roxykarlo]

sis sarsingkit, sa manitoba talaga gusto ng hubby ko mag work, kaya lang dun siya sa alberta napadpad.  we have friends there, and they are always inviting us na dun kami mag work, if ever matapos na contract ng hubby ko. okay ba diyan sa inyo sis?

[sarsingkit]

i think what is ok here in winnipeg is first maraming pinoy. maraming pinoy products and food so medyo nakakaease up ng homesickness. i have known few people under the FSW program na they chose winnipeg kasi nga maraming filipino so hindi masyado nakakashock. ang joke nga sa workplace ng husband ko, canadians na ang nadidiscriminate. hehe. ang top sa visible minority is filipino and bumbay.

second siguro is growing city pa sya so medyo marami pang jobs available. kahit office jobs, makakahanap ka. even sa city government and provincial government may mga PR na nagwowork. yun din kasi ang target ng marami na makapagwork sa government dahil maganda ang benefits and malaki ang pay. kung professional ka naman sa pinas, hindi impossible to achieve it here as well. basta resourceful lang and tyaga sa pag-aaral. hindi impossible maging professional dito. there are immigrants, pinoy included na engr, architect at syempre nurse. and maraming companies dito that are aiming for diversity in the workplace, meaning they want equal opportunities for women, aboriginal, visible minority and people with disability. so if you are one them (included tayong pinoy sa visible minority), they will ask to indicate it sa cover letter and its a good thing kasi if tie kayo sa skills ng kakumpetensya mo for a job at canadian sya, ikaw ang tatanggapin.

third, maraming programs ang government dito for new immigrants. so mga seminars sya and training (pwede ilagay sa resume yun) that will help you be comfortable with the Canadian working environment. free naman yun so sign up lang habang wala pang work.

fourth, 10.25 ang minimum pay here pero medyo affordable pa ang cost of living. renting an apartment downtown, as in right at the center of the business district could cost you 1000++. some old buildings may even be as low as 800. and apartments usually have the utilities included na.

hindi nga lang sya big city, plus we dont have much when it comes to entertainment and shopping (maiipon mo pera mo dahil coach at michael kors na ang pinakamahal na bag dito), ang pinakamalaking mall dito is 2 floors lang. and it can be very cold compared to the coast area. pero nakakasurvive naman ang mga tao. i think winnipeg is like 10hrs drive to minneapolis. so kung miss mo na ang city, drive lang kayo papuntang US. i have friends who do on long weekends. pero dito namam, no matter what your salary is, pareho lang din ang kakainin mo with the rich ones. kung ano nabibili nila sa pang araw-araw, mabibili mo rin. mas malaki lang siguro ang bahay nila and they may have luxury cars pero you wont see much difference in terms of lifestyle.

[roxykarlo]

thank you sa info sis, you convinced me na talaga..