Working in Canada with foreign qualifications

This is a question I am asked everyday by many readers. 'I have a degree from India/Pakistan/Srilanka/etc , is it valid in Canada?

For the most part, the answer, I am sorry to say is, 'No'. You will probably have to get your credentials assessed and see how it meets the Canadian standard. Then you will have to either get extra training, education or Canadian work experience.

The Government of Canada's new Foreign Credentials Referral Office provides helpful information to immigrants coming in from overseas.

In Canada, there are two kinds of professions:

1. Regulated Occupations

The regulated occupations are those that have a set standard of practice. These include health care, financial services and engineering. The set standard is to ensure that immigrants have had sufficient amount of practice and have the competence to handle the jobs in these fields.

If you want to work in a regulated occupation you MUST HAVE a license or a certificate or be registered with the regulatory body for your occupation IN THE province or territory where you plan to work.

2. Non-regulated Occupatioins

These are jobs where you don't need a license, certificate or registration to work. But the requirements for employment can depend greatly on your employer. He may ask for specific experience or references from previous employers.

TO FIND OUT WHETHER YOUR PROFESSION IF REGULATED AND TO GET MORE INFORMATION ON THE SAME:

VISIT

www.workingincanada.gc.ca

In some professions you may have to have advanced knowledge of French or English:

www.cic.gc.ca for more information on that

or

www.credentials.gc.ca

for information on finding jobs, education and academic credentials, work related documents, information on job descriptions, wages, skills etc.

I got all the above information from the Citizenship and Immigration Canada brochure on 'Want to work in your profession in Canada'.

Hope this helps!!

The Conservation Parks at Milton (Halton Region)

On our way to the conservation park - Kelso.

One of the many picnic spots at the Kelso park.

Wow, what an amazing weekend! When you think of Canada and the beauty of its natural landscapes...you should not miss out on the conservation parks in Milton. About a half hour drive from where we live, is the Kelso conservation park at Milton. Totally there are six areas that you can visit. They are:

Crawford Lake, Mountsberg, Rattlesnake Point, Hilton Falls, Kelso and Mount Nemo.


Their website is:

http://conservationhalton.on.ca/index.cfm

When you take an annual membership, you can visit any of the six places whenever you like! If you like cycling, camping, going on picnics, rock climbing,


boating or just a park atmosphere to trek or read a book...the membership is worth it. You can even fish here! For fishing you have to get a permit. The form is available for downloading right from their website.

If you don't want an annual membership, you can buy a day ticket.

The place is huge!! They have a number of picnic sites, each with its own tables and bathroom. You have to book the tables in advance for parties.


For reserving a picnic table, cut and paste this link:

http://conservationhalton.on.ca/ShowCategory.cfm?subCatID=1075

The rates are:

2010 daily park entrance fees

Kelso, Hilton Falls, Rattlesnake Point (Recreational Parks)
Daily Entrance (includes mountain biking at Kelso & Hilton Falls)	2010 Fees	2010 Fees Effective July 1st 2010 Including 13% HST
Adult (15-64)	$5.50	$6.25
Senior (65 & over)	$4.75	$5.25
Child (5-14)	$4.00	$4.50
Child (4yrs & under)	Free	Free

2010 Annual Pass Rates

Annual membership (Valid at CH Parks for one year from date of purchase)
Memberships			2010 Fees	2010 Fees Effective July 1st 2010 Including 13% HST
Annual Family Membership			$115.00	$129.95
Annual Individual Membership			$90.00	$101.70
Corporate Annual Family Membership			$100.00	$113.00
Corporate Annual Individual Membership			$80.00	$90.40
Senior Membership (65 and older)			15% discount	15% discount
Replacement Membership			$10.00	$11.30

Picnics

Picnic Booking (Excludes park entrance fee)
Picnic Site			2010 Fees	2010 Fees Effective July 1st 2010 Including 13% HST
No service			$40.00	$45.20
Shelter only			$100.00	$113.00
Shelter, water, electricity and washroom			$200.00	$226.00
Administration fee for cancellation* or booking changes			$10.00	$11.30
*Three (3) weeks notice is required to be eligible for a refund less administration fee

Camping

Camping
Camp Site			2010 Fees	2010 Fees Effective July 1st 2010 Including 13% HST
Small (price includes five (5) campers) - Accomodates up to 20 campers			$40.00	$45.20
Medium (price includes 12 campers) - Accomodates up to 50 campers			$100.00	$113.00
Large (price includes 18 campers) - Accomodates 50+ campers			$150.00	$169.50
Each additional camper			$8.00	$9.04
Administration fee for cancellation* or booking changes			$10.00	$11.30

The pictures of Kelso park where we went just does not do justice to the beauty and magnificance of the place. You have to make a visit to see why thousands of Canadians make it a point to go there every summer.

If you do visit any of these places, please let me know and write about your experience! Would love to hear from you!

New Visa Laws for Immigrants

A lot of immigrants in Canada who have left everything in their home country after all the paper work, English tests, medical exams, huge fees to consultants etc - have come here and found it very difficult to get any kind of work. Forget work in the field of education or interest. I'm talking any kind of work!

Now it looks like there are some changes being made to the kinds of job categories being given PR visas. There are many cuts in the list, including jobs like IT managers, head nurses, univ Profs etc.

Here is a link where you can get more information on this:

http://www.canadavisa.com/canada-immigration-discussion-board/so-the-new-noc-list-is-out-here-is-a-list-of-whats-in-and-whats-out-t45691.0.html


Before you give any money to consultants, please make sure that you are in an eligible category. Or else you may not get your money back after they tell you later on that your job category is now knocked out of the list.

In case you get more information on the above subject, please let me know...especially if you are in India. There may be more news about this there than here.

Organizing School Supplies / Homework Area

You can pick up these shelves from most box stores or home stores. Everything stays neat and in one place for your child/children to do their homework, school projects and art work. This helps your child to be more independent, instead of asking you every five minutes for a pencil! This will also give you more time to do other things, then helping them to look for paper or markers.

Kids and summer time in Canada

Summer Vacation is Here!!!!!

Trips to the park can be fun. Take frisbees, balls, bikes, skates and maybe even a kite.

Take trips to the beach. Nothing like family time during the summer. Let the kids play and learn around their natural environment. Take lots of sun block, water and toys to play with.

Take your kids to the library. Reading is one of the best hobbies that they can pick up. Your local library may also have a reading club for the summer.

Tennis coaching is available at different courts. There are classes for different skill levels, and age groups. Tournaments for beginners are available, and during the winter months some courts have the bubble tops and are heated.

Soccer, or football as it is called in other parts of the world is very common here. Many children learn the sport and participate in matches.

There are classes for different levels of swimming. So even if your child knows how to swim, see if they can learn more skills in the advanced classes.

The bike that is used for BMX, or extreme stunt riding is small and light weight.

This is a bmx rider going through the paces. The classes teach students using low ramps, gradually moving them to higher ones.

Roller skates are skates with two wheels in front and two in the back.

Inline skates - have the four wheels in line with each other.

Besides going away on a trip or visiting relatives, there are literally hundreds of things that your kids can do during the summer.

For newcomers - In Canada there are many organized classes from sports to different dances to activities like swimming and inline skating, that continue all through the Summer.

Just go to your local community centre and they will give you a booklet that has all the activity timings, prices and dates. You can sign up for the activities at the centre and ask questions if you have any.

Most classes are once a week for half an hour or one hour, depending on what the lesson is for. The classes start and end on the dot, so be on time!

If your children are going to be outdoors, make sure they wear a lot of sun lotion to protect their skin from the high UV rays. Also, to educate them on drinking lots of liquid and wearing caps or hats.

You can also take your children to the Science Centre, Museums, Art Galleries, beaches, parks and picnic areas. This blog has many other places that I've visited and talked about, like the Scarborough Bluffs and the Lion Safari.

Then there is the Niagara Falls, Theme parks and even bowling.

You can also use the long summer vacation to learn multiplication tables, practice handwriting, reading and other academic skills. This will help them when they go back to school in September.

Happy Holidays!!

Back to School .....in July??

'Back to School' sales are in most stores already. Save money by doing your 'homework' before you leave the house!!

Summer Vacation and Back to School already!!

Wow...just walking around the shopping malls or big box stores makes you feel like going back to school again.

Even though it is still Summer vacation, you can see all the stores completely stocked with backpacks, pencils, erasers, crayons, paper, calculators etc etc..the list goes on and on. Kids just walking by, do a double take and scream...'I want that!'

What do you do as a parent? School supplies are not cheap and they add up with every single addition.

Some advice:

Before leaving your home with the school supply list:

1. Check and see if the old backpack can still be used. You don't HAVE to run out and buy a new bag just because it is something you have always done. If your child wants a new bag and you would rather use the old one...go to the Michaels Art and Craft store and pick up some fabric paints, or iron ons (for cloth bags). You can re-design the old bag..for the fraction of the price of a new one.

2. Collect all pencils, paper, rulers and colouring materials from around the house and put them all in one place. Make a list of what you have already. If you still have a dozen pencils from last year, buy one box less this year. Rulers, working calculators and markers can be used again.

3. Buy things in bulk only if you KNOW that it will be used. I saw a Lady picking up at least 10 huge packs of paper for her two kids in elementary school. You don't need that much!!! I picked up three packs last year for two kids and we still have a whole pack left. So this year, I'm buying just one more pack.

4. The best advice: Shop without the kids! Go to the store by yourself......with kids, you will be picking up the pink, sparkly Hannah Montana $30 pencil case, when you could have just picked up the $2/- one that does the same job!!

5. Have a place at home for all your homework supplies. If your kids have seperate study desks, divide the supplies so that they are reponsible for what is theirs. If you have a common area, like a kitchen table, put all the supplies in a drawer set or shelves with everything in seperate containers. It makes things easier to find. I have all our supplies (will post a picture) in a roller set of drawers from Walmart. Cheap and does the job!

6. School lists tend to have more than you really use. You know your kids best! Look at prices in different stores or check online before you leave home. Crayons might be cheaper at one store, but have more expensive pencils. You have six more weeks to shop......and the chance of you going to the different stores at least once is high.....so write down the prices and compare.

Happy Shopping!