Tuesday, November 28, 2017

Canada planning to bring in one million new immigrants by the year 2020



The Government of Canada announced earlier this month that they plan to bring in one million new immigrants by the year 2020.

As Canada has an aging population, the Government feels the need to bring in employable people to take the place of those retiring.

Here is an article with more information on the subject from the Globe and Mail, one of Canada's leading newspapers.

https://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/canada-to-admit-40000-more-immigrants-a-year-by-2020-under-liberals-new-three-year-plan/article36800775/

Will keep you updated if there is any other news about this.


Getting a Job in Canada



Like any other place, the time frame for getting a job depends on the job market at the time of applying, your qualifications and credentials, level of knowledge of English (speaking and writing) and persistence.

There is no easy answer to the question, 'How soon will I get a job after landing in Canada?'

My main advise is to go for English classes before landing, if your English is not very good. That could be a huge drawback if you can't converse comfortably.

Also, go through different job sites, such as monster.ca, indeed.com, roberthalf.ca, careerbuilder.ca,
eluta.ca, jobboom.com, glassdoor.ca, simplyhired.ca, workopolis.com and updating and getting a preminum LinkedIn membership. This will give you an idea of what kind of jobs are available, what potential employers are looking for and if you need to get more qualifications to start applying. Also check, newcomerjobscanada.ca.

Don't just look at jobs in Toronto or Vancouver. Look at the next level of cities like Mississauga in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA), or even out further like Milton or Cambridge. Depending on what type of job you are looking for, you may find openings that suit your needs. Look at different provinces, like Nova Scotia, Manitoba, Alberta and British Columbia, instead of following the herd to Ontario. If you know French, you have an advantage as many employers look for multi-lingual employees and French being one of the two main languages in Canada, that is a huge plus! Quebec then opens up for you as well, if you are fluent in French.

Also once you are here, look at joining different organizations like the Boards of Trades that are in different cities, or if you are Indian, the ICCC (Indo Canada Chamber of Commerce) http://www.iccconline.org,/ and organizations based on different communities.

Look at places where you may make new contacts. In Canada, making contacts is key to help you in looking for a job. You may find organizations and communities related to where you are from, your language, your religion (Churches, Temples and Mosques are great places to make contacts!) and through people you meet at gatherings and events. Let them know you are new and looking for a job.

Keep your mind open. So what if you don't find that teaching or engineering job you had in your home country? When you are trying to get your feet on the ground, and get some Canadian experience....take any job you find worth your time. It may have nothing to do with your education and experience, but think of it as being temporary while you keep looking for a job that is more suited to you. Making a basic income will help you with your expenses.

Remember to have all your papers in place. You have to be legally allowed to be working in Canada!

Good luck with job hunting!

Here is the Government of Canada web link to more information:

http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/newcomers/work/look.asp

Hope this is of some help to you!!





Tuesday, October 31, 2017

October 31st already! It is Halloween today and most kids have gone to school in costumes for various class parties and will again go out in the evening to collect candy from homes in their neighborhoods.

It is also cold today in Toronto! 8 C and expected to rain later.

It is funny that once you are in Canada, talking about the weather becomes a daily affair. All the news channels focus on the days' temperature and the weeks forecast. You never leave the house without checking the weather channel or checking the weather app on your phone. Especially in the Winter.

Please write to me at  chutney2maplesyrup@gmail.com and ask me any questions you might have about life in Canada. Will be happy to answer you in private and if you are okay...maybe later post a few here. (I can leave your name out)

Have a lovely day!

This picture is of the Kariya park in Mississauga

Pictures from our Fall Drive










Tuesday, April 18, 2017

Newcomer / new immigrant services in Canada that may be of help

Below is the link to the Government site for those who have just landed here in Canada and are new.
There is information on finding a job, language training etc.

http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/newcomers/services/

If the link does not work for any reason, please write and let me know.


Answering Emails about bringing money to Canada

Hi there!

Thank you to all those who have been reading my blog. Many of you have emailed me queries from various countries regarding many things, including bringing money into Canada.

Here are a couple of links that will help you:

http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/newcomers/after-checklist.asp

http://settlement.org/ontario/immigration-citizenship/landing-and-leaving/landing-in-canada/how-do-i-bring-money-into-canada-proof-of-funds/

Remember: Always be honest about everything you declare.


Hello ..after a long break!

After a change in my work timings, kids in University and 11th grade and the usual busy routine of life, I was not able to update my blog regularly.

I'm going to try to update and post about some of our experiences in the last couple of years.

Also, I'm going to start posting about different places of interest to visit in Canada. Today I want to tell you about the Spirit Catcher.

The Spirit Catcher (also called Dream Catcher) is a sculpture situated on the shore of Kempenfelt Bay in Barrie, Ontario, Canada. It was originally created by sculptor Ron Baird for the Expo 86 in Vancouver. This is about a two hour drive  or less, from Toronto.


Isn't that gorgeous?


This will give you an idea on the size of the sculpture. The twenty ton, 25 m (70 ft) wide by 21 m (65 ft) tall sculpture was transported to Barrie using two flatbed trucks, and was installed by volunteers and two cranes. It took two days during the weekend of 12 June and 13 June 1987, and was dedicated on 12 September 1987.

The sculpture has 16 kinetic quills, which rock back and forth when the wind blows. Is worth a visit! We went there this Easter weekend and spent about an hour walking around the park and lake area where this sculpture has been put up.