yettyopy:
Hello Everyone,

I am new on this platform but will like to render advise to the mums relocating to Canada soon as i moved from naija to toronto about 4 months ago. I have a 6 year old son and a 2 year old daughter. Kids cant start school until they turn 4, so for mums that intend to start work once they get here,
*make sure you immediately register your child in the daycare as most day cares have a very long wait-list .
*Also register your child for subsidy as the government subsidizes the daycare fee which for new comers its mostly free the first year . This also has a wait-list that might take a months.
*For Pr holders , health is free but you are only entitled to a health card after being a resident for 3 months . So if you or your kids have any medications you have been on back home in naija please bring it along or else you will pay a doctor's fee of $65-$100 depending on the walk-in clinic . The doctor's fee isn't inclusive of medication.
*If you are coming in the summer, try to visit the nearest community centres near you as they have a lot of fantastic programmes for adults and kids e.g drop-in for early years, parent relief ,etc.

This is all i can remember for now. I hope someone on this platform finds this helpful .

Gd evening yettyop. Pls, I sent a pm to you. Pls acknowledge it so that I can send a mail to you. Thank you.

GlitteringStar:
I'm now a bona fide member of this thread. I received my Visa and COPR today. To God be the Glory.

Welcome! You will like it here

vcole:
good news. Well, submit your passport to Accra and see if you get your passport back before this month ends. However, email accra as well as cpc ottawa about your medicals expiry date. You can also attach a cover letter when you are sending your passport explaining same. If you do get your copr before medicals expires I would advice that you do a short landing. It's just less complicated. He doesnt have to stay long. He can arrive today and leave tomorrow pretty easy. You can do same or choose to stay back and wait for or cards before returning.

Thanks. We submitted our passports together with a letter of request to extend the validity of our medical results to enable us make proper arrangements before our departure.

We are keeping our fingers crossed and hope they will grant our request.

Congrats!!!

GlitteringStar:
I'm now a bona fide member of this thread. I received my Visa and COPR today. To God be the Glory.

please house,I need ur opinion on booking Ethiopian airline through an agent.I want to know d possibility of boarding the next available plane at no extra cost to sask if by chance one misses his flight due the immigration process at Toronto.there is a lay over of 4hrs.would that be enough for d immigration formalities? mummyjaygirls n other landed seniors I need ur opinion.

40manlappy:

Welcome! You will like it here

Thank you, my dear E-brother.

Ambidextrause:
Congrats!!!

Thanks!

caon:
please house,I need ur opinion on booking Ethiopian airline through an agent.I want to know d possibility of boarding the next available plane at no extra cost to sask if by chance one misses his flight due the immigration process at Toronto.there is a lay over of 4hrs.would that be enough for d immigration formalities? mummyjaygirls n other landed seniors I need ur opinion.

Why not check the airline's website. If the difference isnt much then go for it to avoid stories that touch

QSola:


Why not check the airline's website. If the difference isnt much then go for it to avoid stories that touch

thank u

40manlappy:
Anyone that needs the DL authentication letter urgently from FRSC can send me a PM so that I can share a contact that I got recently. I don't think it would be appropriate to post his phone number and email address here.

Based on available information, you may just be required to arrange for courier service if you don't have someone to pick it up for you in Abuja.

IMO, that is still cheaper than paying $50 to obtain it in Ottawa, especially if you are still in Nigeria.

I'm interested. Unable to send you a PM

Long post Alert but i think it's worth reading... credit to the original writer....

2 days ago, I attended Gateway 2017 in Markham, Ontario. It was a free conference for newcomers to Canada who were struggling to find work, giving them an opportunity to express their concerns, ask questions and networking with CEOs and other Canadian professionals.

I got to see first hand the complaints of skilled immigrants who do not get jobs in Canada, and this is what I found.

#1 Misunderstanding what Canadian Experience means, and no one explaining what it really is

Almost everyone was talking about Canadian experience. They even had a panel discussion about it.

One woman from Nigeria came up to the mic and was angry at the Canadian system. You could hear it in her voice - “How can I get Canadian Experience if I don’t have a job? I have been looking for a job for 8 YEARS!”

After her rant about Canadian experience which went on for 10 minutes, I asked random people “Would you hire that person?” They all replied “No way in hell!”

A lot of people think that Canadian experience is about working in Canada. It is not! This is my personal definition of Canadian experience:

A hiring manager’s perception of your soft skills and knowledge of Canadian work culture.

Here is the strange part. A lot of people were saying they were getting calls for interviews, but it never converted to a job.

Think about it, if you got called for a job interview, the hiring manager already knows you have not worked in Canada from your resume. Why would he or she call you for the interview if it was a problem?

What most likely happened was that during the interview, you failed to demonstrate the soft skills that the job needs. Either your communication skills were bad, or you downplayed your accomplishments when asked to talk about your experience. Once recruiter told me that some people she interviews don’t even make eye contact when they speak.

At this stage in the interview, either Canadians are too polite, or they fear a discriminatory law suit, so they just tell “You don't have Canadian experience” or “You are over qualified”, when what they really mean is “Your English is poor” or “My team will have a hard time understanding your accent” or “Based on your stories it doesn't sound like you accomplished alot”.

I was on a panel discussion myself talking about my experience as a newcomer. A gentleman at the back of the room told me that whenever he goes into an interview, he is always told that he is “overqualified”.

I gave him advice on how to tackle an “overqualified” problem, but when he spoke to me I knew straight away what his problem was, but I was too embarrassed to tell him in front of the whole room.

Unfortunately, he did not privately speak to me after the talk, else I would have told him “Canadian recruiters are telling you’re overqualified because they are hesitant to tell you the real reason - it’s your English”. His English was so bad, I wonder how he ever managed to pass his IELTS.

I’m not saying this is the fault of the candidate. This behavior stems not from your experience but from the culture of the country you came from. Maybe English is not your first language, maybe in your culture you’re not allowed to talk highly of yourself and give all the glory to your bosses. Maybe it’s in your culture to remain silent and not make eye contact out of respect.

The bottom line is, you need to understand how Canadians think and what hiring managers and recruiters expectations are to get past the Canadian experience problem.

Unless you do the research, or ask the right people who aren't afraid to give you an honest answer, and most importantly upgrade your English language skills, skilled immigrants will continue to complain about not getting jobs.

#2 Not taking an active approach to your job search

This is how I personally had success in Canada, securing three job offers in two weeks.

If you just machine gun your generic resume to online jobs and rely on technology to do the rest you will be job searching for a long time.

Machines don't hire you. Humans do. So you have to demonstrate to the hiring manager that you are willing to work hard and think outside the box.

This is why I customize my resume and personalize my cover letter for every job application, and created my own personal website (connelvalentineresume.com) to stand out.

I used the same tactics when I applied for a mangers job within my company and I got the job again, so I'm confident it works.

As long as you're aware of the process, the expectations of the hiring manager and skills in resume and cover letter writing you can increase the chances of landing that job 10 fold.

#3 Not using publically available services

If it's free it's probably not worth it right? Not in Canada! If you want to see the Canadian tax dollars at work, make use of the public services that are available to you.

New immigrants do not use these services either because they are too proud or they do not feel it's worth it.

From this conference that I attended, where these companies that host these services were present, you will see the quality in what they provide.

They may not get you the perfect job, but will fit you into a well established company and then it's up to you to work your way up.

My cousin used Costi when she was trying to get back into finance and they placed her with a logistics company doing account receivables where she is now a full time employee after proving her worth and working hard.

I have personally hired and trust candidates from Npower Canada.

This conference that I attended, Gateway 2017, hosted by the York Region is an example of what Canada is prepared to do for it’s new immigrants - for FREE! It was held at Hilton hotel, hosted by a Canadian TV host, attended by the mayor of Markham and CEOs of companies in the York region.

Canada takes it’s free services very seriously.

#4 Not Canadianizing your resume

Someone at the conference mentioned that their resume was 6 pages long!

People think they can throw all their experiences up on a word document and mail blast it to every Canadian job board.

It's guaranteed failure.

People should seek professional help and to take it a step further, they should learn the methodology of Canadianizing your resume to suit the managers needs. A big part of this is knowing how to market your job experience in a way that pleases a Canadian hiring manager and recruiter.

One of my favorite tools for doing a quality check on the resume is jobscan. This tool allows you to compare your uploaded resume to the copy pasted job description side by side and score it for compliance.

#5 Not using bridging services

During one of the breaks at the conference I walked up to table where three strangers were sat. I introduced myself and they turned out to be a nurse, a physician and a dentist.

To my relief, they were all already enrolled in a bridging program at York Univeristy, one of the most popular hosts of bridging programs.

But in most cases, I find that a lot of people don't utilize these services. I hear them say “I have over twenty years of experience, why should I go back to learning something I have been doing ?”

Look, I understand it's not easy to feel like you're going back to paying your dues in your career. But you are getting a fresh start in a new country.

It takes courage to leave your family and friends behind to move to a new country in hopes of a better life.

Well guess what - it takes courage to choose to take a step back in your career too.

When I applied for a job, I applied for a position that was two levels below the job I had in Dubai. But because I took an active approach to it, that job application revealed a hidden job that was one level higher and unadvertised, that the recruiter thought I was better suited for.

And two years later, after working my ass off on that job even though it was a lower position from before, and using the smarts and the experience and the work ethics I developed from my 12 year career prior to landing in Canada, I got a promotion back to my managers position.

If you have the humility to learn and the courage to temporarily refresh your career and the vision to get back the career you left behind, you will eventually start to see the hopes become reality.

An expert I follow say that it may take anywhere from 6–12 years in average for a Canadian newcomer to get back the quality of life you left behind. I'm on year 3.

Don't let pride delay the process.

To sum up…

Canada welcomes diversity in the workplace. That is what the Gateway 2017 conference was all about.

But what they did not mention, and this is my personal insight, is that one place where diversity is not accepted is the norms of business conduct.

Your diversity will be accepted from your fresh ideas, creative innovation and dynamic insights.

But when you communicate, when you lead teams, when you make presentations, when you attend meetings, when you make a sales pitch, when you care for patients, when you ask for a raise, when you work with your boss and every other aspect of business conduct you can think of, it's done one way - the Canadian way.

^^^^^^This post again.

salford1:
^^^^^^This post again.

Yes o,

dustydee:

Yes o, only that this time ArcUgo made it seem like he is the original author.

Lol. He mentioned credit to the original poster though.

Sorry oo i didn't know it had been posted here before and i DID NOT CLAIM TO BE THE AUTHOR if you read the first sentence you'll see it was written 'CREDIT THE ORIGINAL WRITER'. Once again sorry for reposting

dustydee:

Yes o, only that this time ArcUgo made it seem like he is the original author.

As per the long post. My believe is that jobs are just very competitive, that's all. I am sure the Nigerian woman that has spent 8 years in Canada is aware of points the original content owner listed and has attended several career bridging programs.

It's also important to know that some occupations are in demand more than others, while some professions have a "catch 22" condition which might not be easy to overcome.

All in all, na networking sure pass. I have been in meetings at work with foreign trained Engineers that speak very bad english and accent, that i often wondered just like the op how they passed Ielts. My only conclusion is that they must have been succesful in getting that job via networking.

As an immigrant without Canadian education or work experience, there is really no manual available for securing an awesome job here. Apply to multiple jobs you qualify for (sometimes, it is a game of numbers and luck), attend all bridging program if possible, network aggressively and pray for the best.

ArcUgo:
Sorry oo i didn't know it had been posted here before and i DID NOT CLAIM TO BE THE AUTHOR if you read the first sentence you'll see it was written 'CREDIT THE ORIGINAL WRITER'. Once again sorry for reposting

That's how you will know he did not even read the first three lines....I have read this write up several times before,but I read it all over again cos it makes sense.

For those in Ottawa, how are we meeting this Easter?

AZeD1:
For those in Ottawa, how are we meeting this Easter?

Yes o o o o o my Ottawa people , lets meet up..a buffet or something in downtown..
Spring is close by...

but I dont stay in Ottawa any longer sha.

vcole:
well, nothing much. how have you been?

Hi Vcole wanted to send you a private message, or you can post on here..

am making inquiries for someone not me..can u do a summary on what it takes for a naija doctor or dentist to practice in Canada.

Like steps in the exams and how long it can take...please if this has been discussed before you can just direct me...

thanks...i know how it feels repeating same thing to new people over and over again.

Regards.

Fusion23:


Yes o o o o o my Ottawa people , lets meet up..a buffet or something in downtown..
Spring is close by...

but I dont stay in Ottawa any longer sha.

You are invited.

salford1:


As an immigrant without Canadian education or work experience, there is really no manual available for securing an awesome job here. Apply to multiple jobs you qualify for (sometimes, it is a game of numbers and luck), attend all bridging program if possible, network aggressively and pray for the best.

I would also say don't disqualify yourself from a job. If you see a job in your field , apply for it, it's the job of the hiring manager to pick those who are qualified not you.

If you want to work in government, now is the time to in your applications, the new budget year starts in April so departments would start filling vacancies.

Also note the government's recruitment can take time.

PS: this is for non regulated fields please.

Fusion23:

Hi Vcole wanted to send you a private message, or you can post on here..
am making inquiries for someone not me..can u do a summary on what it takes for a naija doctor or dentist to practice in Canada.
Like steps in the exams and how long it can take...please if this has been discussed before you can just direct me...
thanks...i know how it feels repeating same thing to new people over and over again.
Regards.

hmmm. There is no one route to practice for a doc....or dentist. It's a lil bit customised to the individual. But I posted a link on here a few weeks ago. A blog about it. I'll try to find it and repost.

ArcUgo:
Sorry oo i didn't know it had been posted here before and i DID NOT CLAIM TO BE THE AUTHOR if you read the first sentence you'll see it was written 'CREDIT THE ORIGINAL WRITER'. Once again sorry for reposting

OK, sorry I didn't see that line.

For those waiting ... keep faith, God is going to manifest is glory in our case.

salford1:
As per the long post. My believe is that jobs are just very competitive, that's all. I am sure the Nigerian woman that has spent 8 years in Canada is aware of points the original content owner listed and has attended several career bridging programs.

It's also important to know that some occupations are in demand more than others, while some professions have a "catch 22" condition which might not be easy to overcome.

All in all, na networking sure pass. I have been in meetings at work with foreign trained Engineers that speak very bad english and accent, that i often wondered just like the op how they passed Ielts. My only conclusion is that they must have been succesful in getting that job via networking.

As an immigrant without Canadian education or work experience, there is really no manual available for securing an awesome job here. Apply to multiple jobs you qualify for (sometimes, it is a game of numbers and luck), attend all bridging program if possible, network aggressively and pray for the best.

After 8 years and you can't get a job ? This woman must be a fool. The problem with people is that they don't respect themselves when they come here. A "nonsense job" in naija would pay them more than they ever make in Canada. But pride won't allow them to do it. Then they come here crying that they haven't found a job in 8 years. Let's hear!

easyzworld:
For those waiting ... keep faith, God is going to manifest is glory in our case.

This one no be God matter.

maternal:


After 8 years and you can't get a job ? This woman must be a fool. The problem with people is that they don't respect themselves when they come here. A "nonsense job" in naija would pay them more than they ever make in Canada. But pride won't allow them to do it. Then they come here crying that they haven't found a job in 8 years. Let's hear!

hmmm. No one really knows what her situation is. The interesting thing is that there are many naija folks like that. Even if she had enrolled in an academic program, it sure would not take 8 years to complete.

Sometimes, it's better to start little (humble beginnings) then work ones way up. A good case is the brewery guy on here a couple of pages back.

maternal:


This one no be God matter.

Really? I guess life and time are in your hands?

Can anyone please recommend a nice church around Mississauga, Oakville and Brampton areas. Thanks a lot

GlitteringStar:
I'm now a bona fide member of this thread. I received my Visa and COPR today. To God be the Glory.

Hi GS, please when did you submit your passport to Accra?