Living In Canada/Life As A Canadian Immigrant - Travel (100) - Nairaland

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Re: Living In Canada/Life As A Canadian Immigrant by SlowlybtSurely: 11:04pm On Oct 01, 2017

impish: Yes, but JK is from age 4. Mrs. O http://mycanadianfling.com/ Not bad. Considering other provinces start JK at 5 and only half day.

Re: Living In Canada/Life As A Canadian Immigrant by Ajujuju2: 11:04pm On Oct 01, 2017

merrymum: @Ajujuju2. I think it won't be that stressful considering I'll not start working immediately. Hopefully we would have a system that works by the time I'm ready to work. I always console myself with the fact that a lot of women in Canada and US have been working and taking care of kids at the same time, and dem never die. So we shall all make it! Another important part is having a hands-on spouse. My husband can do every every in the house, I cannot even make mouth with any kind of chore. If I talk too much, he will wash hand and cook one correct vegetable soup and I will just go and hide myself. Lol. Well im not really scared of the chores, im more worried about starting afresh, the coping mechanisms. But in all things, we will testify of the goodness of God. Bless the husbands and lovers and brothers and friends! @not working yet...hmmm? Wouldnt that mean dipping into your POF? I was thinking best to get to work immediately and replace POF spent on housing and ors. Or even if not replace, but use CAD earned on feeding and transport costs instead of NGN. Im considering structuring work hours around kids timing... Please expand on ur reasona if you do not mind. Learning is my thing. Dunno if im making sense. Biko @salford @blackbuddy @vcole @maternal...am i being unrealistic?? Lets discuss fam. 1 Like

Re: Living In Canada/Life As A Canadian Immigrant by SlowlybtSurely: 11:14pm On Oct 01, 2017

Ajujuju2: Hmm all this talk is making me afraiding o! @impish @canadianfly @merrymum @vcole @dupsyshoo @xx01 I dont have a help either and I have 2 kids (3.95 and 1.4 years). I'm used to watching d kids and doing chores but im barely standing strong. If we then add homeschooling and d pressures of starting afresh in a foreign land, Now am thinking... "Maybe God is delaying my PPR so i can slow down and enjoy the last few months in naija as a resident and be fully prepared for PR living abroad". Guess for me the good news is my daughter helps alot with her brother (when shes not glued to the T.V and he cares to listen). I also have my mom looking over them while im at work (though my daughter is in school 8-3)...and even though hubby cannot cook to save his life, he helps with cleaning the bathrooms and sweeping tooo (weekends only but bless him). This Canny dream ehhhhh...anyways, SLOWLY BUT SURELY! @slowlybutsurely I see you.

Re: Living In Canada/Life As A Canadian Immigrant by XX01(f): 12:10am On Oct 02, 2017

Ajujuju2: Lol... Im not that much of a data analyst like @cochtrane. She'l b 4 early next month. So i figured ts about a .5 in wait time. And he is simply 1yr4mnths. So your daughter is 3.11 years? I have started practicing being a homemaker. It might be more fun than I thought it would be. Pacing myself whilst I get new certifications.

Re: Living In Canada/Life As A Canadian Immigrant by XX01(f): 12:20am On Oct 02, 2017

Ajujuju2: @not working yet...hmmm? Wouldnt that mean dipping into your POF? I was thinking best to get to work immediately and replace POF spent on housing and ors. Or even if not replace, but use CAD earned on feeding and transport costs instead of NGN. Im considering structuring work hours around kids timing... Please expand on ur reasona if you do not mind. Learning is my thing. For me, I have decided to take some time off and get settled into a routine. I would be with my 1 yr old at home so will also wait for him to grow a bit. Then I want to pursue some certifications and do my conversion. All these should take about a year or a year and a half. My husband should be working during this time. I look at our POF as funds that will be spent in the first 4 months whilst we settle down. Subsequently, as we earn, we start building savings. Dispose of property in Naija as required. My plan sha. 2 Likes 1 Share

Re: Living In Canada/Life As A Canadian Immigrant by Ajujuju2: 12:25am On Oct 02, 2017

XX01: So your daughter is 3.11 years? I have started practicing being a homemaker. It might be more fun than I thought it would be. Pacing myself whilst I get new certifications.

Re: Living In Canada/Life As A Canadian Immigrant by czaratwork: 12:48am On Oct 02, 2017

Nya e, i was rolling on the floor reading the proverbs. Just like previously stated here, i have a mental picture of everyone here based on their contributions, for canadafly, i was looking at her with abroadian eyes not knowing that oyere eye. Ajujuju2: Lwkmd...mmpama! so with all ds ur "travel" u still b village geh!... Ngwanu biko kedi ebe whataspp group umu ada igbo di?? Canadianfly MUST be admin. 1 Like 1 Share

Re: Living In Canada/Life As A Canadian Immigrant by czaratwork: 12:53am On Oct 02, 2017

i thought our POF is non taxable. every mall you go to they calculate your tax and add to your bills. i am sha keeping my receipts in case Justin changes his mind and refunds me. Please gurus in the house is there going to be a tax refund for money earned outside Canada (POF) when i file my tax returns next year? 1 Like 1 Share

Re: Living In Canada/Life As A Canadian Immigrant by trishachi: 1:07am On Oct 02, 2017

adeza: Here is a sample of the form I used, you can google and download it. It's personal effect accounting document Thanks for the info. Much appreciated.

Re: Living In Canada/Life As A Canadian Immigrant by Blackbuddy: 1:14am On Oct 02, 2017

labelbybee: Thanks alot @blackbuddy. The husband lives in canada. They are going through the CEC route. I guess its just her PR card that will be outstanding since the utility bill in the husbands name is already in place. What is the time frame for getting PR card after landing? Hi, it does not exceed 90 days. 1 Like

Re: Living In Canada/Life As A Canadian Immigrant by Blackbuddy: 1:17am On Oct 02, 2017

czaratwork: Blackbuddy hello, i have been trying to inbox you but dont remember how to i guess this place don reset my brain. my host says my bills have to come on my address before i can register for healthcare. is it true? then how did you get yourself registered for the bridging program? i need to get into the one for banking and financial services. please can you inbox me, i have some other personal things to ask you urgently before i take a decision on them. If you're in Ontario then you get health cover after 90 days/3 months. You will need to bring these documents with you to any Service Ontario location: 1. A completed Registration for Ontario Health Insurance Coverage form which you will get at the office 2. Three separate, original (not photocopies or printouts of electronic documents) identification documents: A. one that proves your Canadian citizenship or OHIP-eligible immigration status (e.g. Canadian birth certificate, Permanent Resident Card ) B. one that proves you live in Ontario (e.g. Ontario Driver’s Licence, income tax assessment) C. one that supports your identity (e.g. credit card, passport from any country) In bold font are the readily available materials to get you registered. 11 Likes 6 Shares

Re: Living In Canada/Life As A Canadian Immigrant by czaratwork: 1:49am On Oct 02, 2017

Long post alert. My flight was to leave on Monday 25th by 1.30pm so on Sunday my family did a get together to send me off and thank God they did because now I am so lonely and reliving the moments i shared with them. That evening i told my neighbour who lives up our flat that i was relocating and that was the beginning of God ordering my steps to Cannyland. She said her three kids are in Canada and the last which i stopped seeing recently but didnt ask because before then we were not close. It was just the spirit of God that prompted me to tell her that i was leaving the next day. She told me her children are in Toronto and in my presence she called her daughter and told her to assist me in settling in. I told her i was going to mississauga and just needed assistance in booking reservation via AIRBNB. I wasnt for family and friends. i wanted to be here all by myself and God. The next day, my village people led me to the airport (with all pomp and pageantry) but unfortunately for them i was only allowed in with one person so they waited outside without me knowing. Two of my boxes were a bit above 23kg one was 24 and the other 25. the guy there told me to move somethings to my hand luggage since it was not up to 10kg which i did and thanked the guy.(you know wharimean). Even the lady that helped me fill a yellow form i also thanked her and she was demanding i thank the guy that led me to her.(haba, i be mother christmas)Just before we took off i got a call from my village people that they were waiting to take pictures with me. By then i had already boarded the plane (I just love my family). We took off (egypt air) and immediately the guy sitting by the window needed to use the loo so i stood up for him. ( i always like the aisle to stretch my legs). One of the air host walked up to me to ask if i had any issue, the lady in front of us who had occupied a stretch of 3 seats before my omugo friend came to share the seats with her told the air host that i was uncomfortable, immediately she told him to look for unoccupied seats for me but i told the air host i wont mind a business class seat. the lady that was canvassing for unoccupied seats for me turned to him and said "She is a dreamer" and we all burst out laughing. I made that demand because i remember my pastor sharing a testimony of how they upgraded his daughter to business class without her paying anything extra so i wanted to faith it out too. When we got to Cairo we all came down to wait for another 5 hrs plus before boarding the flight to Toronto. When we got to where they were to check our tickets, they had a list they were working with and as long as your ticket number was in that list, you were seperated from others. That was how they seperated me from my Omugo friend and took those of us that their numbers were on the list to a waiting lounge where they later took us to where our boxes were for security check. Na so they made us open our boxes and they removed items they said were not allowed into Canada. For me they binned my Dry fish and Stock fish. For others they also binned their ground pepper, crayfish, Ogi and so on. But they will only bin as much as they see because i got here and saw a wrap of Dry fish that they didnt see. When i reconnected with my friend and told her what happened she was grateful her bags were not checked because she was coming for Omugo with a lot of fish. At Cairo, I also learnt how to use escalators. Before then i used to be scared of them. I remember when i went to pick my sister at the local airport and was trying to practise how to use the escalator but fear no gree me. I had to use them at Cairo by fire and by force and the phobia just dissappeared. We got to Toronto by 7.30 am (a very good time to land as the city is just waking up) on Tuesday and did the usual clearance. I submitted the form i was giving to fill in the plane (declaration form) they asked some questions, marked it and gave back to me to submit later, i gave the lady my passport and the 2 copies of the COPR, she signed and marked the 3 spaces i was to sign on each and gave me back the one that didnt have my passport. I also had to fill on the COPR they were to retain, the address my PR will be sent to. I went to where i was to be given my SIN. The guy that was to attend to me asked if i had an address and i said no so he said i should go and come back the day i have an address. i now remembered that i will need the SIN to open an account and told him i have an address, he gave me a form to fill and when i got back he was reluctant to attend to me probably he thought i cooked up an address. Another nice Lady attended to me and gave me a SIN. from there i went to where i dropped my declaration card. They lady there asked if i had good to follow i said yes she asked for the list and i told her i didnt have it she said i should come back with it when i am ready. (till now i never ready na books and clothes sha). To be continued. 43 Likes 8 Shares

Re: Living In Canada/Life As A Canadian Immigrant by czaratwork: 2:27am On Oct 02, 2017

Part 2. From there i was led to where i took an escalator down to claim my luggages. no one checks to see you aint claiming another person's luggage. this is how much they trust people here. It was after i claimed my luggage i remembered i had to call my neighbour's daughter for my accomodation. my phone just could not connect to their wifi, i had to use 2 people's phones to reach her and by the time they left, my phone was connecting so she sent the address she booked for me and told me my Landlady will be waiting to receive me. I now got an airport taxi that took me to the place. i pressed the bell and the wonderful Jamaican woman opened her doors to me and the accomodation that was meant to be for one week is ending up to be where i will stay until i get my bearing in this Obodo called Canada. What transpired between us is spiritual which i will not bore you people here with. The only thing i can say is that when my pastor was praying for me, he said God has positioned someone who will assist me in Canada and He actually did. When i chatted some people they felt the rent was high and i told her i wanted to consider other places which she agreed to. She told me that when i walked into her door, her spirit agreed with mine but if i felt her rate was high, i could try some other places. We went to church today and the message her Pastor preached got me crying throughout the service. God is so mindful of us.Now am getting penticostal. The day i landed, she took me to open account, the next day to buy simcard (freedom mobile as suggested by my neighbour's daughter) and phone, the next day to dollarama for household items, no frills (cheap groceries), walmart, valley village, talize (last 2 for cheap winter clothings). There is no day we dont go out and she shows me around. She says tomorrow, i am going to venture out on my own for the 1st time. me too i am eager to enter their bus and train. i also experience jet lag. i feel sleepy when naija people dey sleep and when canny people dey sleep i am also forced to sleep so i sleep more than i am awake. google presently is my good friend as i use it to find all these job websites like indeed, workopolis, randstad, jobilico, monster and i have been applying. right now i want to attend that bridging program and also be slotted for career edge paid intern. That will be all for now. meanwhile i just feel like bring all my village people here as i see this place as a land of opportunity. 78 Likes 11 Shares

Re: Living In Canada/Life As A Canadian Immigrant by salford1: 3:00am On Oct 02, 2017

Ajujuju2: Well one thing i know about good women: when it comes to family, we are determined to make it a success. Besides nothing wey eye don see cry blood...with mentorship from able seniors like you all...TS A PASS! Yes. You are right. If you can afford to bring grandmas over, or you have an understanding employer that lets you leave to pick your kid(s) from school to dayhome then return to work. My wife's employer allows the latter... or better still enroll them in a full time pre k or pre school like mentioned by slowlybutsurely. You can also take on job hours that is outside the school times.....All these has to be in conjuction with the husband..One way or the other...you would always work something out. Ajujuju2: Abeg on things like this on a day like today, I say: Nigeria we hail theee.... O sorry, ts now Arise o coppershaun! Sorry i meant to type 'o compartriots!' Mischief me . i wasnt born in the days of Nigeria we hail thee. Arise o compatriots don dey commot head sef. 2 Likes 1 Share

Re: Living In Canada/Life As A Canadian Immigrant by salford1: 3:22am On Oct 02, 2017

XX01: For me, I have decided to take some time off and get settled into a routine. I would be with my 1 yr old at home so will also wait for him to grow a bit. Then I want to pursue some certifications and do my conversion. All these should take about a year or a year and a half. My husband should be working during this time. I look at our POF as funds that will be spent in the first 4 months whilst we settle down. Subsequently, as we earn, we start building savings. Dispose of property in Naija as required. My plan sha. This is similar to what we did as well. My wife completed all her qualification exams plus taking care of home front while i did all the working and running around. We only dipped our hands into the pof just for two months. 2 Likes 3 Shares

Re: Living In Canada/Life As A Canadian Immigrant by salford1: 3:34am On Oct 02, 2017

czaratwork: i thought our POF is non taxable. every mall you go to they calculate your tax and add to your bills. i am sha keeping my receipts in case Justin changes his mind and refunds me. Please gurus in the house is there going to be a tax refund for money earned outside Canada (POF) when i file my tax returns next year? I am not sure how that works i.e the money earned outside Canada, but you may want to read up: "Form RC151, GST/HST. Credit Application for Individuals Who Become Residents of Canada" When you file your tax returns, you would surely receive GST credit. Congrats on your landing. Your village people are very different from the ones we hear about on Nairaland 23 Likes 4 Shares

Re: Living In Canada/Life As A Canadian Immigrant by Canadianfly: 5:49am On Oct 02, 2017

Ajujuju2: Lwkmd...mmpama! so with all ds ur "travel" u still b village geh!... Ngwanu biko kedi ebe whataspp group umu ada igbo di?? Canadianfly MUST be admin. Lmao. If I tell you I had to call my husband for spelling and translation before I typed it, you wont believe. Even the man thought this one I'm asking for ilu that it must be deep something . But yea I understand.

Re: Living In Canada/Life As A Canadian Immigrant by Canadianfly: 5:50am On Oct 02, 2017

czaratwork: Nya e, i was rolling on the floor reading the proverbs. Just like previously stated here, i have a mental picture of everyone here based on their contributions, for canadafly, i was looking at her with abroadian eyes not knowing that oyere eye. Hahahahahaa 1 Like

Re: Living In Canada/Life As A Canadian Immigrant by laborel: 7:10am On Oct 02, 2017

Weldone and thank God you are settling well. Please I will like to ask your experience with Egypt air...was the flight comfortable and how was their services? Then, was your PoF checked at any point? Thanks! czaratwork: Part 2. From there i was led to where i took an escalator down to claim my luggages. no one checks to see you aint claiming another person's luggage. this is how much they trust people here. It was after i claimed my luggage i remembered i had to call my neighbour's daughter for my accomodation. my phone just could not connect to their wifi, i had to use 2 people's phones to reach her and by the time they left, my phone was connecting so she sent the address she booked for me and told me my Landlady will be waiting to receive me. I now got an airport taxi that took me to the place. i pressed the bell and the wonderful Jamaican woman opened her doors to me and the accomodation that was meant to be for one week is ending up to be where i will stay until i get my bearing in this Obodo called Canada. What transpired between us is spiritual which i will not bore you people here with. The only thing i can say is that when my pastor was praying for me, he said God has positioned someone who will assist me in Canada and He actually did. When i chatted some people they felt the rent was high and i told her i wanted to consider other places which she agreed to. She told me that when i walked into her door, her spirit agreed with mine but if i felt her rate was high, i could try some other places. We went to church today and the message her Pastor preached got me crying throughout the service. God is so mindful of us.Now am getting penticostal. The day i landed, she took me to open account, the next day to buy simcard (freedom mobile as suggested by my neighbour's daughter) and phone, the next day to dollarama for household items, no frills (cheap groceries), walmart, valley village, talize (last 2 for cheap winter clothings). There is no day we dont go out and she shows me around. She says tomorrow, i am going to venture out on my own for the 1st time. me too i am eager to enter their bus and train. i also experience jet lag. i feel sleepy when naija people dey sleep and when canny people dey sleep i am also forced to sleep so i sleep more than i am awake. google presently is my good friend as i use it to find all these job websites like indeed, workopolis, randstad, jobilico, monster and i have been applying. right now i want to attend that bridging program and also be slotted for career edge paid intern. That will be all for now. meanwhile i just feel like bring all my village people here as i see this place as a land of opportunity.

Re: Living In Canada/Life As A Canadian Immigrant by XX01(f): 7:13am On Oct 02, 2017

@czaratwork, when you mentioned village people, I thought it was the other type of village people and was waiting to see something go wrong. Congrats on settling in. It cannot be easy. Well done. 13 Likes

Re: Living In Canada/Life As A Canadian Immigrant by ifyolu4u: 7:40am On Oct 02, 2017

Thanks very much for your advice Yooku: Note the boldened....it is issued to you for just that purpose, to visit and return to where you are visiting from. I don't know of or have any experience of anyone changing a visit visa to something else.....Much more from VISITOR to PERMANENT RESIDENT visa....We would all have pursued that very easy route abi?

Re: Living In Canada/Life As A Canadian Immigrant by Ajujuju2: 7:57am On Oct 02, 2017

czaratwork: Long post alert. The next day, my village people led me to the airport (with all pomp and pageantry) but unfortunately for them i was only allowed in with one person so they waited outside without me knowing. Two of my boxes were a bit above 23kg one was 24 and the other 25. the guy there told me to move somethings to my hand luggage since it was not up to 10kg which i did and thanked the guy.(you know wharimean). Even the lady that helped me fill a yellow form i also thanked her and she was demanding i thank the guy that led me to her.(haba, i be mother christmas)Just before we took off i got a call from my village people that they were waiting to take pictures with me. By then i had already boarded the plane (I just love my family). We took off (egypt air) and immediately the guy sitting by the window needed to use the loo so i stood up for him. ( i always like the aisle to stretch my legs). One of the air host walked up to me to ask if i had any issue, the lady in front of us who had occupied a stretch of 3 seats before my omugo friend came to share the seats with her told the air host that i was uncomfortable, immediately she told him to look for unoccupied seats for me but i told the air host i wont mind a business class seat. the lady that was canvassing for unoccupied seats for me turned to him and said "She is a dreamer" and we all burst out laughing. I made that demand because i remember my pastor sharing a testimony of how they upgraded his daughter to business class without her paying anything extra so i wanted to faith it out too. These paragraphs got me laughing hard. But being Igbo and knowing my family, I can expect same when we leave... In thick Igbo accent: Bhet why willi someborry want handshake untop nothing? Airport staff need orientation biko.

Re: Living In Canada/Life As A Canadian Immigrant by Ehrnie: 9:14am On Oct 02, 2017

czaratwork: Part 2. This is great to read. Indeed God has great plans for everyone - congratulations and all the best with settling in fully. 1 Like

Re: Living In Canada/Life As A Canadian Immigrant by merrymum: 9:55am On Oct 02, 2017

@Czaratwork. Thanks a lot for sharing. All the best! @Ajujuju2. My husband will work. It's just me staying home for a while. And I'm looking at getting some certifications too.

Re: Living In Canada/Life As A Canadian Immigrant by Yooku: 10:26am On Oct 02, 2017

Ajujuju2: Lol... Im not that much of a data analyst like @cochtrane. She'l b 4 early next month. So i figured ts about a .5 in wait time. And he is simply 1yr4mnths. That will be 3.917 and 1.333 approximately....ie 3 years and 11/12 months and 1 year and 4/12 months 3 Likes

Re: Living In Canada/Life As A Canadian Immigrant by Ajujuju2: 11:02am On Oct 02, 2017

Yooku: That will be 3.917 and 1.333 approximately....ie 3 years and 11/12 months and 1 year and 4/12 months Chai! See calculations.... 2 Likes

Re: Living In Canada/Life As A Canadian Immigrant by merrymum: 11:53am On Oct 02, 2017

Yooku: That will be 3.917 and 1.333 approximately....ie 3 years and 11/12 months and 1 year and 4/12 months Wahala.... 2 Likes