Diary of a new working Canadian Permanent Resident . Hope someone finds this encouraging and useful

I have had to move about 5 times for work in less than 2 years (yes before anyone ask I am single, but I am a mobile, agile job seeker, I go where the job is, don’t believe in lamenting in one city when there are opportunities in others and I don’t have a car or drive). Lest I digress, at the beginning of the year I had a contract job for a really good organization I was hoping to get a permanent position with, despite the fact that I had worked for two different departments in the company, received very good reviews from the Managers I worked with and several internal job applications, I still had difficulty securing a permanent position.

During the first quarter of the year, I got an offer for a contract position with another company, with a salary, benefit and some vacation days in my opinion that seem too good to be true (had to show it to my Manager at the time to get a second opinion and be sure I am not been scammed, she reassured me that the company is a really good one even though not so well known). I know some maybe wondering why I was sceptical, all I can say is I’ve had a near bad experience in the past so I am unusually very cautious now. Also it’s not an industry I am familiar with, so I needed an unbiased second opinion from someone more experienced in the industry (my Manager at the time knew I was searching, she encouraged me to look outside the organization, also provided one of the references I used. Having a good working relationship with your boss/supervisor is very important). Money should not be the main/only motivation (some may disagree, that’s okay) for considering a job, for me it has never been, the opportunity for career growth and learning is key). When I applied for this job didn’t know what the salary was, even though I had done my research, the salary expectation I gave at my interview was about 25% lower than what I was offered. Even though I was pleasantly surprised, still this wasn’t a deciding factor.

With this new job offer starting at the beginning of the second quarter, meant moving again, I was just beginning to enjoy living in the City I was. I liked my landlords (very lovely family), wasn’t looking forward to searching for rentals. So I decided to commute for the first few months, this meant a total of about 4 hours of travel time each day. After the first two weeks of doing this, I didn’t need a prophet to tell me I have to move closer to work.

When I got the job, I told myself I will work so hard that by the end of my one year contract they will have no choice but to make me permanent. Little did I know. Having a good work ethic is very important, I know here unlike Naija, people are very particular about breaks, closing at the time they are expected to and only working overtime if paid for it or time in lieu. Personally, the amount of work determines how many extra hours I put in, so some/most days I start 30/45 minutes earlier, take half hour lunch or lunch at my desk while working, close 30/45 minutes later than my closing time never asked for overtime or discussed it with my supervisor, to be honest didn’t think anyone noticed (this may be because of the ex-naija bank worker in me where your offer letter states your hours are 8.30 - 5pm Monday to Friday, but you end up working from 7 -10pm sometimes later, and weekend also with no overtime pay). There was so much to learn and do, that those extra hours helped me achieve required tasks, so was happy to do it.

Some days there was lamentation of the spirit, my Mom became my unpaid therapist. Having a good support system outside of work is very important. Even if you don’t have family here, try calling home as often as possible, cos sometimes talking to trusted family and friends help to put things in perspective . I don’t have family here but I make a conscious effort to call home daily or every other day and that really helps especially days when work has been so hectic and I just feel like screaming but can’t do it at work so people don’t think I am loosing it.

After a really exhausting year, and been challenged with tasks I didn’t think I was capable of doing, with 5 months remaining in my contract, I was offered a permanent position. My supervisor had been hinting that he was planning to do this but I was too busy to even think about it. You would think I will be jumping for joy, but I was uncertain for so many reasons, and hoped that during the Christmas holiday I would have time to reflect before I received an official offer. Alas was I mistaken, the offer came in earlier than I thought.

This year has taught and reinforced certain things I know. Everyone’s path is different, the fact that it worked one way for someone doesn’t mean same will happen to you. Be open to change and opportunities, the fear of the unknown may lead to stagnation. Starting over in a new country is tough but be focused and remind yourself each day why you made the decision to move and be determined to make a success of it. Work ethics, work ethics, I started the job with an end goal of becoming permanent but as I progressed daily, it became more of learning as much as possible, giving a 150% each day (this is actually one of the statement on my cover letter) that I completely forgot about my end goal. Don’t give up, try try and try again. Have a good support system, doesn’t have to be physically in Canada. Listen and learn from people’s experiences. Find out what works for you, this may mean falling, but stand up, dust yourself and keep moving on. Celebrate small victories, sometimes the daily battles and struggles make us forget the blessings. Try to enjoy each day and take it as it comes (still learning how to do this sha �). Have I made mistakes, yes but it’s okay, learnt from them and move on. Above all trust God, Being confident of this very thing that, He who began a good work in you will be faithful to complete it...(Philippians 1:6). Happy Holidays everyone, merry Christmas, wishing you all a fruitful and wonderful 2020.

Hey all,
this maybe of interest to you:

“You are invited to attend In-TAC's 7th National online Job Fair on October 29th & 30th, 2019.
Over 50+ Companies with positions in 90+cities will be online looking for job seekers like you. This is the largest online job fair in Canada – jobs, options, networks – one click to get them all.

Registration is open now. Once you register, Employers will immediately be able to review your resume in advance: https://www.in-tac-expo.com/en/registration “

Hope it’s useful

mzjennypher:


@remiaig Thank you for this. i have intention of settling in ottawa and seeing this post is a good one for me. Please i work with a bank (operations unit) tho i hope to take up some courses such as csc or ific. does ottawa have opportunities for people like me ? (tho i am very willing to change careers.). Moreso, whats the cost of living like? cos i would have preferred a place like Toronto but i have read severally that it is very expensive.

@mzjennypher, in my opinion, Ottawa has opportunities for people with banking background, but it depends on the type of roles you are looking for, that’s why doing your own research is very important. Check job sites or LinkedIn to see if the type of roles you are looking for are available in the city you plan to relocate to. A labour market research also helps (see link below):

https://www.jobbank.gc.ca/explorecareers

I think Ottawa is affordable (from the perspective of a single individual, don’t know if it’s the same for those with families). I lived in shared accommodation in the downtown area, my rent was 625 CAD inclusive of all bills and internet. I applied for equipass and got discount on bus pass, see link below:

http://www.octranspo.com/tickets-and-passes/equipass

In terms of food and all, unfortunately I can’t really give a breakdown or estimate.

I no longer live in Ottawa, I moved in February. I took my own advice “keep an open mind and look beyond Ottawa for opportunities if required”.

I wish you all the best in your journey. Research, Research, Research, but ultimately the decision is yours to make. Have a nice weekend.

TEECANN:


Thank you @remiaig for your thoughts.

But really, I am a bit confused with the conflicting vibes.

1. Why are some folks in the prairies stucked on transit jobs? (They will most probably be professionals in Nigeria before relocating either through PNP or FSW- Agreed, most don't want to go back to school or don't have the resources to pursue that venture and just feel comfortable earning the cash from transit jobs) What is the underlying issue(s) here really- no/scarce professional jobs, advanced age disadvantage, no Canadian education, etc. Could the situation be similar in Ontario?
cc: @papaking1 and others, can you kindly explain this scenario further? some of us are curious!

2. I also read that you need to get the Canadian education and experience (maybe through school internship)...since most international students seem to be having headway in this regard.

3. Now, my friend @remiaig said a diploma or masters should be the last resort of a finance related professional...how does this landed PR finance professional get his own headway "assurance" job-wise? Except you say the post-arrival settlement trainings and internship (plus the pre-arrival trainings he has done before departing Naija) will suffice to get him started and landing a job in the interim...at least maybe an 80% assurance.

BTW, lets use Ontario as the landing bus stop for this hypothetical finance professional PR bros.


Other landed seniors abeg, please weigh in, as very important as information in this regard is, it is few and scanty for the most part


Thank you.


It will end in praise IJN!

Let me try and explain further what I mean by doing a masters or diploma should be a last resort after considering all options. I will use my own personal experience, I landed in Ottawa, so my knowledge will be limited to Ottawa, as I don’t know much about other parts of Ontario. Just like your hypothetical friend after the first few weeks, of job search and no result, I was considering doing another masters, having just completed my MBA, the cost was not encouraging. Eventually, I realized that searching for a job as a newcomer in Canada is a full time Job itself. Asides, from daily job search online, I went to a lot of workshops to learn something new and connect with new people. Eventually, I started volunteering, that was one of the best decisions I made whilst waiting for my first paid job. I also considered unpaid internship (there are some settlement agencies in Ottawa that offer this), but got a Job before then. Below is a list I made for a friend who wanted to know what I did before getting my first job. Hopefully this helps. Ultimately, the decision is yours but I think it’s best to try, try and try again.

1) Register with organizations that help newcomers with job search, resume writing, interview skills, job opportunities ( there are a lot of resources available in these organizations)- I used the following (they also accept walk-in)

YMCA -
Website: http://www.ymcaywca.ca
Address: 180 Argyle Avenue Ottawa, Ontario, Canada K2P 1B7

World Skills Employment Centre
Website: http://ottawa-worldskills.org
Address: 219 Argyle Ave., Ottawa ON K2P 2H4

Others include ( never used them but heard they are good)

OCISO (https://ociso.org) - I have attended a few workshops organized by them.

Catholic immigration centre
http://cciottawa.ca
219 Argyle Ave., Ottawa ON K2P 2H4

2) Attend bridging programs related to profession.

In-Tac - they offer bridging programs for international trained professionals in IT, Accounting, Finance and Banking Bacground. They also connect students to employers through employment fairs

Website: https://in-tac.ca
Address: 400 Cooper Street, Suite 2000 Ottawa, ON, K2P 2H8

There are bridging programs for other professions offered by other organizations

3) Register with recruitment agencies such as (some of them accept walk-in)
Randstad, Manpower, Hays, Adecco, Excel/Altis, LRO Staffing, OfficeTeam

4) Register and search job sites daily for new opportunities (see below some of the ones I use)
Workopolis, Glassdoor.ca, Monster.ca, Indeed.ca, Eluta.ca, simplyhired.ca, Kijiji.ca, wowjobs.ca

5) Update LinkedIn profile (WorldSkills organizes LinkedIn workshops which is really helpful). Also use LinkedIn to search for job opportunities.

6) Labour market research (this gives you an idea of where ones skills are required and companies looking for such skills)

https://www.jobbank.gc.ca/search_occupation-eng.do?titleKeyword=international banking manager&id_en=443&id_fr=568&noc=0122®ionKeyword=Toronto%2C ON&area=9219&action=Search

7) Volunteer while waiting ( there are some roles related to ones profession which will help gain essential Canadian experience)
Volunteer Ottawa (used the site to get my current volunteering role)
Website: https://www.volunteerottawa.ca

Consider Mentorship programs (I haven’t joined one yet, but will definitely do after my bridging program)

9) Join online forums of other newcomers in Canada sharing their experience, difficulties, success, (sometimes you learn new information, and possibly connect with other newcomers in the same field) Currently, I use the below online forum

https://www.nairaland.com/3617393/living-canada-life-canadian-immigrant/221

10) Research, Research, Research (searching online for new opportunities on a daily basis) - attended as many workshops as possible and used information from there to help with my online research.

Above all keep an open mind and look beyond Ottawa for opportunities if required

I may have forgotten somethings but hopefully this helps.

TEECANN:


@gentleiphy,

Thanks for the heads up. Some of us will be landing as FSW PR with prior post-graduate and professional qualifications (which I know count for little in Canada).

Talking about getting the Canadian education (to aid getting a decent professional job role), for instance, will it be adequate for a finance person with prior MBA to re-do a full finance MASTERS degree or just take a DIPLOMA program that is tailored for the job role he intends to pursue in Canada


It will end in praise IJN!


CC: @maternal, @salford1, @blackbuddy et al, your thoughts will be appreciated, thanks in advance.

I would suggest trying to get a job in the area of finance you would love to pursue in Canada first before considering taking a diploma. Some organizations pay for you to take certain professional exams required for the Job, and also provide training. I have seen cases were companies offer to pay for the candidates CSC exams which is a requirement for the job. Depending on the part of Canada you are relocating to, you can take advantage of the bridging programs offered by settlement agencies at little or no cost. In my opinion, for finance related professionals just arriving Canada, taking a diploma or another Masters program should be a last resort after exploring all options.

browndoll:
Hello landed seniors�
We hope to land in September by God's grace.
We have done a bit of research on Ottawa and it seems to be a lovely place and very bilingual.
Please any one who can point out previously written notes on experiences in Ottawa should help me with the link or moniker, please.
What's the likelihood of getting jobs there seeing that hubby and i dont speak french(yet)? I'm an accountant and he is a project manager.we learnt that a person who speaks both french and english is preferred to one who speaks just english.Is it that bad that we may not stand a chance?
Any advise,suggestions and pointers will be appreciated.
Thank you

If you don’t get a job before landing, you and your husband may want to consider attending the In-Tac bridging program for Internationally trained accountants and IT professionals (see links below). I attended the accounting bridging program, there are a lot of useful information and training to help accountants understand what is required in the Canadian system.

https://in-tac.ca/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/NaviCanAcc.png

https://in-tac.ca/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/NaviCanIT.png

https://in-tac.ca/iep/

.

ray78:
Thanks.My work exp isnt too straigh forward.I'm an economist with Msc Finance.I have mainly experience in govt -macro research and operations.I'm trying to work in financial services especially operations/settlement/data entry/risk etc
As for recruitement agences,i was using Acces Canada-they tried but they are quite sluggish.I am now using TalentCor which is able to get contract roles in TD Bank.So fingers crossed on that.i am even ready to work below minium wage or free for a month in financials services just so i will be more marketable
How long were u in Canada before getting a job/I've not yet considered other provinces,let me stretch my luck in Toronto,plus i'm not ready to deal with the colder regions

I’ve you tried Randstad they always have lots of opportunities in financial services, and it’s a good way to get ones foot in the door. Also, you can go directly to the career page of banks’ like RBC, BMO, and Scotia, they always have lots of opportunities which you may not find on jobsites. That’s what I did and got a contact job with RBC. Also try to keep an open mind about relocating if any opportunity comes outside Toronto, I had to relocate from Ottawa to Brampton for work, before then I was practically applying for jobs in every province. Even traveled to Niagara from Ottawa for an interview. Until you find what you want keep pushing, persevere and don’t loose hope. Have a lovely day and week.

XX01:
Please, how do you stop a bus when you are running to the bus stop but not yet there. Can you flag it down? I've missed my connecting bus because Google maps 4 mins walk is faster than my walk. I get there just as the bus is pulling away or not even stopping at all.

It depends on the driver and location also, I have seen several instances where bus drivers wait for people running to catch the bus and instances where some don’t. With google maps, what I do is try to leave home 5 or 10 mins earlier than what the map advise, that way you are at the bus stop at least 5 mins earlier, so you don’t miss the bus even if it’s early. Hope this helps.

winter:
hello everyone. Please i would like 2 ask if any recently landed person is having problems changing/inputing their address to receive their PR cards. the link given to me @ d airport doesn't seem do that. it gives an error report when i try to register saying theres a problem. Kindly assist if you v had this problem and how u sorted it out. thanks

You can change your address and phone number using the web form, this is what I did in November, because the change address link never worked. Hope this helps.

https://secure.cic.gc.ca/enquiries-renseignements/canada-case-cas-eng.aspx?_ga=2.139417139.185010103.1520552709-1406495142.1516025743