smslive2:
Welcome home my darling

Elektra008:


Enjoyment!!! joining you soon by God's grace.

Ifeoma77:
Definitely put it on your todo list, It was a good day

Misi16:

Let me just share a few, some have been mentioned here
1. Never change usd at the airport, coming from nigeria u can change like 200cad from the bureau de change or mallam guys so u have some cad for stuff before u go to the bank
2. Get the best newcomer deals at the bank, preferably no management fees on account, credit card 1500-2000 limit. I opted to open an RESP straightaway for our son, its a savings plan that the govt also contributes in addition to urs. You can google it up. I also didnt open a personal savings accct cos u get charged for withdrawals (but not charged for checking no interest paid though) and said no to overdrafts. I just wanted to have the basics and understand the system for at least a year.
3 Getting accomodation, factor in so many issues not just fine location, proximity to shops and transport, u may pay a little extra though. Also dont be in a hurry to buy a car, we landed summer and though it might be different if u land winter. If u can wait 6months to a year would be great
4. Settling in is great but dont spend too much money trying to set up urself like those who have spent 4years before u landed
5. Take advantage of the newcomer programs, though im expecting still applying for programs that will start months after my delivery.
6.Very important LISTEN to those who have been here before u, sieve information but there is no shame in getting a temp job while u wait for your dream job, there is dignity in labor. Met two diff people who landed way before us, one refused survival jobs early on and is trying to land one now, another didnt enroll in a newcomers program that would have paid a stipend cos thot would get a job before then but still searching.
Doesnt mean would be your story but learn from others mistakes
7.Also try as soon as possible to get income coming in no matter how small.so u are not under unnecessary pressure and be thrifty. That u have 20k cad buffer doesnt mean u have to spend it all while being jobless
8.Networking is key here, leverage on it

Let me stop here, i dont know it all but just keeping my ear to the ground and learning fast.

OYASALOF:
Hello landed seniors , please what do the AGRIC officials at the airport check for? Are they the same people by the entrance/scanner or they're located somewhere in the airport? I'm asking because I don't want to drop any of my stuffs o.

Misi16:
Landing gist

We were on our way to get our sin when our son decided he wanted to go back the way we came, like flash the boy had gone under the ropes and took off running in a restricted area. Hubby had to drop all luggage and chase after him with several immigration officers rushing out in full attack mode when they saw a 6ft black man running only to see the tiny boy he was chasing and they started laffing. The boy was really dodging oyinbo trying to catch him laffing and looking back to make sure his pursuers were not near. Eventually after like 200metres he was caught by hubby who normally would have given him two hot ones on his bum to reset his brain, now humbly telling him you made daddy run after you. I think at that point the halleluyah chorus went off in my boys head, like really so im now in canada and untouchable( hes just two by the way). He was just smiling feeling cool.

smslive2:
You can PM me any question you have...

Ifeoma77:
Definitely put it on your todo list, It was a good day

Winterpeg:

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.

joo2018:
Any food or agric product. You are not supposed to carry more than a certain quantity. Once you have agreed with the officer checking you, you will pay like N2,000 to get a certificate/receipt.

They are at entrance. They are on one side, the security people on the other side.

smslive2:
Get your free credit report from Credit Karma

laminaria:
@Smslive2 Good to know u are in Edmonton.

@Ifeoma77 That was a lovely tour n sight seeing.

@all the newly landed guys make God make Canada our peaceful home.

By the way pls where’s @blackbuddy, @congo2 @maternal @Salford1 pls make una Dey drop those useful hints Abeg.

oluphilip2008:


Hi @Fresty, I just booked an airbnb apartment just few days ago. The process is straight forward and seamless. Once you see an apartment, click on 'booking' or 'request a booking', then you will be taken to a different page where you create your profile and upload your ID and picture, that's if you don't have one yet. Once your host/landlord approves your reservation, Airbnb will send you payment instructions. Just input your normal Nigerian debit card details and the naira equivalent of the amount will be deducted from your account, your receipt sent to your e-mail.

Kmgb1:


Wow Ifeom.a77,im gobsmacked,u went on d boat at Niagara and had this much fun just few days after landing

GozyNA:
Ifeom.a77 the enjoyment queen

voguemum:

Oshey sis, I like your strategy jare . Have fun on arrival before reality sets in.....job hunting and co.

Blackbuddy:


Ever present, hope you're doing great

Onetwo77:


Just read your landing gist. Unfortunately, I have already booked westjet. Did you book directly through them or travel agent?

Lummie01:
To aid your decision. Decide on the role you want to work as when u land and go to indeed.ca and see the availability in both cities. Look on Glassdoor.ca as well for reviews and salaries. It’s not about the course u studied but the exact role u are working as.

lennyk:
Hi all,

I really love all the good stories I’m reading here, very encouraging!

Please I have an urgent question, I’m moving to Calgary in August and will be schooling at Bow Valley College, downtown SE.

Please which is the best area to rent apartment close to my school, in terms safety, cost and traffic for my family and I

czaratwork:


Do you want to wait until your finish your CPA before going into the labour market? Your major concern should be what you should do to get a job immediately you land. then afterwards you will start the CPA. CPA is not cheap and it is not easy too. i heard there are projects to be done. i dont know how true. maybe someone that did CPA from the scratch can help us out with both the fees and courses.

With your banking experience you can get a job in the bank and for branch job there is this exam they do to make it easier for them to get branch job. i dont know the name.

Also some of the roles performed by FT in the branch are transferrable skills for financial analyst. like posting journal entries, amortisation and prepayment(your salary upfront i.e. all those allowances they pay you upfront after which the expense line is debited monthly until year end), the salary schedule they send to you to review so that you ensure you are not debited for another branch staff's salary. reconciliation of accounts(there is difference btw proof of account and reconciliation of account. proof tells you the make up of the balance while reconciliation is btw 2 accounts to identify entries outstanding in the 2 accounts), even the reports you prepare in the branch that shows variance analysis in your targets for account opening and reasons for the variance)probably so many public holidays in that week or traders were on strike or a reputational risk that caused customer's flight.(a negative news in the market about your bank). then your branch p and l analysis. probably one or more expense line was above the limit, you give reason(s) why you overshot (PHCN and diesel) and attach mgt approval. branch budget preparation, how you assisted in preparing the branch budget, how you generated 3 years historical data from your software and was part of the team that prepared the budget by working with some mgt assumptions like interest rate, inflation rate etc. how you spooled some detailed report for the team to investigate some high figures you spooled out for the report. also review of balance sheet, how you were assigned some gl accounts to be reviewing on daily basis to escalate any abnormal entry for appropriate reversal. also some gl accounts having abnormal balances. asset that should have negative balance, if you notice a positive balance, you escalate it. then generating flash report for the branch manager by downloading your p and l and comparing actual with budget so that any further entry that can be posted to enable you meet your target can go in before month end and then the dashboard report on the 1st to 3rd of the new month to review your actual figures with budgeted figures and to prepare for MBR(monthly business review) in your head office. All these reports are where the excel skills are needed. you have to show them the skills you have in representing figures in charts as well and highlighting the top three staff in marketing team based on volume and count. my dear if you can demonstrate these confidently, then you have no problem getting financial analyst role.

Also you dont need CPA to get a finance role. what they are interested in, is your skills though you will have to convince them that you are in the process of pursuing CPA. once they look at your resume and see those keywords, they invite you for interview and then you will tell them how you qualify for the role. sometimes they give you practical spreadsheet to analyse and watch as you do it or give you time they feel is sufficient to complete the test. if you said in your resume that you know SAP FICO, they can ask you the transaction code to debit GL or whatever. sometimes they dont drill you that much. you are safer fully prepared so that however the interview turns out, you are okay.

okay bye.

MissTobs:

Thanks GIC, I found his contact; Sule - phone number 2348033795031. Did you do yours with him recently? How long did it take?

czaratwork:
https://events.genndi.com/replay/818182175026321159/ddbee6a893/4/108763337


This is a webinar on good resume writing.

Kindly follow this lady (Linda Raynier) on youtube regardless of which stage you are in your career. Whether you are an apllicant or already working. she has a video on dealing with office politics. She is one of us (based in Toronto) so you can relate to what she says.

Ifeoma77:


hehehehehe
Better join me and explore wella
Winter is coming

How’s your end na?

laminaria:
@Smslive2 Good to know u are in Edmonton.

@Ifeoma77 That was a lovely tour n sight seeing.

@all the newly landed guys make God make Canada our peaceful home.

By the way pls where’s @blackbuddy, @congo2 @maternal @Salford1 pls make una Dey drop those useful hints Abeg.

Hotstepper:
[
which cup is that? wonderland cup?

J256:
Hello everyone

Am Kikelomo,

I would be landing in Winnipeg in 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. I would also need a contact of a shipping company. Any help would be truly appreciated.