BEFORE YOU LEAVE FOR CANADA

Canada Immigration Forum (discussion group)

Subject: BEFORE YOU LEAVE FOR CANADA

Found this very informative post on another forum. Though to put it here for those who are about to land and start a new life in Canada.

GETTING READY -- BEFORE YOU LEAVE FOR CANADA

Essential documents
Important documents
What you should know about health care
What you can bring into Canada
Getting ready to look for work
Getting ready if you are a business immigrant
Communities across Canada
The Canadian climate: What to expect and what clothes to bring
Schools and universities
First Few Days in Canada- What to do?
Social Insurance Number
Open a Canadian Bank Account
Phone Connection
Library
HRDC Center
Health Insurance and Health Card
Driving License
Schools
Permanent Accommodation

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Essential documents

When you travel to Canada, you will need to have the following documents with you:

? a Canadian immigrant visa and Confirmation of Permanent Residence for each family member travelling with you;
? a valid passport or other travel document for each family member travelling with you;
? two copies of a detailed list of all the personal or household items you are bringing with you;
? two copies of a list of items that are arriving later.

Note: The lists should state how much your personal and household items are worth.

You must also bring with you enough money to cover living expenses such as rent, food, clothing and transportation for a six-month period.
You may be asked to show proof of your funds.

Do not pack your documents in a suitcase. You will need to have them available to show to immigration and customs officials.

TIP >
Make two copies of these lists -- one for you to keep and one for the Canada Customs officer. You can get the Canada Customs and Revenue Agency form for this purpose from the Internet at http://www.ccra-adrc.gc.ca/E/pbg/cf/b4abq

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Important documents

Depending on your personal situation, you should bring the following important documents with you to Canada:

? birth certificates or baptismal certificates;
? marriage certificates;
? adoption, separation or divorce papers;
? school records, diplomas or degrees for each family member travelling with you;
? trade or professional certificates and licences;
? letters of reference from former employers;
? a list of your educational and professional qualifications and job experience (this is also called a r?sum?);
? immunization, vaccination, dental and other health records for each family member;
? driver´s licence, including an International Driver´s Permit, and a reference from your insurance company;
? photocopies of all essential and important documents, in case the originals get lost (be sure to keep the photocopies in a separate place from the originals);
? car registration documents (if you are importing a motor vehicle into Canada).

TIP >
If possible, get all of your documents translated into English or French by a qualified translator before you leave for Canada.

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What you should know about health care

Canada has a public health-care system known as "medicare". It provides insurance coverage for health-care services to all Canadian citizens and permanent residents. (You will be a "permanent resident.") The federal government sets health-care standards for the whole country, but the programs are run by the provincial ministries of health. More information on the health-care system can be found in ?Your first few days in Canada?.

TIP >
Apply for provincial health-care coverage as soon as possible after you arrive in the province where you plan to live.
Note: British Columbia, Ontario, Quebec and New Brunswick have a three-month waiting period before you become eligible for medicare coverage. If you are planning to settle in any of these provinces, you should buy private health insurance coverage for the first three months. Insurance companies are listed in the Yellow Pages of all Canadian telephone
books, under "Insurance."

TIP >
Bring a supply of your medications with you to allow you time to find a family doctor in Canada from whom you will have to get new prescriptions.

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What you can bring into Canada

There are strict laws about what you can bring into Canada.

Cars must meet Canadian safety and pollution control standards. Many cars are not allowed into the country. Contact Transport Canada for more information before you ship your car.

Transport Canada, Vehicle Importation
330 Sparks Street, Tower C
Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0N5
Telephone: 1 (613) 998-8616
(when calling from outside Canada)
1 800 333-0371
(toll-free, from inside Canada)
Web site: www.tc.gc.ca
(follow the link to Vehicle Importation)

The following items cannot be brought into Canada:

? unauthorized firearms, explosives, fireworks and ammunition;
? narcotics, other than prescription drugs;
? meat, dairy products, fresh fruits and vegetables;
? plants, flowers and soil;
? endangered species of animals or products made from animal parts, such as the skin, feathers, fur, bones and ivory;
? cultural property, including antique and cultural objects considered to have historical significance in their country of origin (you may, however, bring family heirlooms);
? more than 200 cigarettes (you must pay tax on the excess amount) per person over 18 years of age if you are immigrating to Quebec, Alberta, Saskatchewan or Manitoba, or per person over 19 if you are immigrating to Ontario or any of the other provinces;
? and more than 1.5 litres of wine or 1.14 litres of commercial alcohol (you must pay tax on the excess amount) per person over 19 years of age.

If you are not sure about an item, you can write to or telephone:

Canada Customs and Revenue Agency
Customs, Excise and Taxation
Information Services
2265 St. Laurent Boulevard
Ottawa, Ontario K1G 4K3
Telephone: 1 (506) 636-5064 or
(204) 983-3500
(when calling from outside Canada)
1 800 461-9999
(toll-free, from inside Canada)
Web site: http://www.ccra-adrc.gc.ca

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Getting ready to look for work

If possible, have your documents translated into English or French
before you leave for Canada.
Essential documents for looking for work include:

? a r?sum? of your education, work and volunteer experience, and your skills and qualifications;
? diplomas, degrees, certificates and other qualifications;
? letters of recommendation;
? and school records or transcripts.

TIP >
Improving your English or French before coming to Canada would be extremely beneficial.
Research the labour market in the part of Canada where you plan to settle. The following federally funded Web sites will be helpful:
? http://www.workinfonet.ca : This is a national Web site for career and labour market information. It contains job information for each province and territory. It also contains information on self-employment, education and training.
? http://www.workdestinations.org : This Web site contains information on various jobs, working conditions, labour market trends, living conditions, and training and educational opportunities in different regions of Canada. It also lists regulated jobs in Canada. You can find out whether your job is regulated and what you will need to do to get a licence to practise.
? http://lmi-imt.hrdc-drhc.gc.ca : This Web site offers labour market information, which can help you search for work and make general employment, training and career decisions.
? http://www.theworkplace.ca : This Web site offers links to Canadian newspapers´ on-line "Help Wanted" advertisements.

TIP >
To be better prepared to look for work in Canada, have your credentials evaluated and compared with the Canadian education system to make it easier for employers to determine whether you meet their job requirements. See International educational assessment services in Canada.

TIP >
Professionals in government-regulated occupations should contact the licensing body in their province of destination. See Employment in regulated professions and trades.

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Getting ready if you are a business immigrant

If you are coming to Canada as a business immigrant, use the Internet to find out about sources of financing, business opportunities, export and investment services, self-employment assistance and information for small businesses. There are many rules for starting a business in Canada. The following Government of Canada Web sites will help you
get a head start in your planning:

? http://www.cbsc.org : The Canada Business Service Centre´s Web site is your single point of contact for information on government services, programs and rules for business.
? http://www.strategis.gc.ca : This Industry Canada Web site has business information to help you find partners, do market research, find new technologies, and learn about financing opportunities and growth areas in the Canadian economy.
? http://www.bdc.ca : This is the Web site of the Business Development Bank of Canada. It provides financial and consulting services to Canadian small businesses, especially those in the technology and export sectors of the economy. It also offers information on how to start a business and make it succeed.
? http://www.strategis.gc.ca/sc_mangb...ngdoc/sbla.html : This is the Web site of the Canada Small Business Financing Program. The program can help you finance your own business.
? http://www.contractscanada.gc.ca : This Web site has information on how and what the Government of Canada buys (both goods and services).
? http://www.cic.gc.ca : This is the Web site of Citizenship and Immigration Canada. It describes the Business Immigration Program. You will find many answers to your questions at this site.

TIP >
When you are deciding how much money to bring into Canada, it helps to research the cost of living in the part of Canada where you plan to live. This information can be found on the provincial and territorial Web sites at http://canada.gc.ca/othergov/prov_e.html

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Communities across Canada

Most newcomers to Canada tend to settle in the three biggest cities --

Toronto, Montr?al and Vancouver. But many newcomers and many Canadians choose to live in the medium-sized cities, which they feel have as much to offer as the larger cities with a better quality of life.

Among the medium-sized cities are Halifax, Qu?bec City, Ottawa, London, Windsor, Sudbury, Winnipeg, Saskatoon, Regina, Calgary, Edmonton and Victoria.

All of the medium-sized cities have diverse, multi-ethnic populations ranging in size from approximately 100,000 to one million people, and all have the variety of public and private institutions and services found in the largest cities.

TIP >
To locate the medium-sized cities on a map of Canada, go to Map of Canada.
Some newcomers like the idea of living in smaller cities or towns like Moncton, Fredericton, Red Deer and Kelowna, or prefer to live in a rural area. Depending on your skills or professional qualifications, some regions may have better job opportunities than others.

TIP >
Outside the larger cities, the costs of housing, higher education and services are often much lower. Visit the Web sites of each province and territory to see what each has to offer. To find these Web sites, visit http://canada.gc.ca/othergov/prov_e.html

Each Web site has a list of government departments and agencies. In the bigger provinces, some government departments may have their own Web sites, with more detailed information. You may also find a directory of on-line services, a link to educational institutions, and a link to major cities and towns. Most of the Web sites also have a tourism section, where you can discover the special attractions of each province and territory.

The Web site http://www.workdestinations.org has links to information on the labour market and the housing market of communities across Canada. It also has useful tips and information about moving within Canada.

You can also visit a Web site called Canadian Government Information on the Internet at http://cgii.gc.ca/muni-e.html . It is another useful link to federal, provincial and municipal government information.

Francophone communities -- French is the mother tongue of 6.6 million Canadians. Most Francophones live in Quebec, but almost one million live in Canada´s other provinces and territories. The Atlas de la francophonie at http://franco.ca/atlas/francophonie/english/index.cfm has information on the francophone communities in each of Canada´s provinces and territories. Or check out interesting links to official language organizations at http://www.ocol-clo.gc.ca/links_liens.asp?Lang=English .

TIP >
Research carefully the labour market trends or access to your profession in the province and city where you wish to live.

TIP >
Most Web sites have a search engine. When you click on the search button, you can look for specific information on immigration, multiculturalism, citizenship, education, training, employment, housing, labour, health, employment opportunities or jobs by typing in these key words.

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The Canadian climate: What to expect and what clothes to bring

Most of Canada has four distinct seasons: spring, summer, autumn and winter. The temperatures and weather in each season can be different from one part of the country to another. Here is what you can expect:

Spring: Spring is a rainy season in most parts of Canada. Daytime temperatures rise steadily, but the nights remain cool. Average daytime temperatures are about 12?C in March, April and early May.

Summer: Summer officially begins on June 21, but July and August are summer for most Canadians. In summer, the weather is very warm in most parts of the country. In southern Canada, daytime temperatures are normally above 20?C and can sometimes rise above 30?C.

Autumn: The autumn season, or fall, as it´s often called, begins in September. The weather cools and the leaves on many trees change colour and fall to the ground. It can also be very rainy at this time of year. In some parts of Canada, especially northern or mountain regions, snow may begin to fall by late October. Average daytime temperatures are about 10?C to 12?C in most of the country. The autumn months are September, October and November.

Winter: During the winter months (December, January and February), the temperature in most of the country usually stays below 0?C, day and night. Temperatures in some parts of the country periodically drop below -25?C, while along the West Coast, the temperature rarely drops below 0?C. In most of Canada, snow will be on the ground from mid-December to the middle of March. The higher in elevation and the farther north you go, the longer and colder winter becomes.

TIP >
If you arrive in Canada in the winter, you will need warm clothing such as insulated, waterproof boots; an overcoat; a scarf for your neck; a hat that covers your ears; and gloves or mittens. If you come from a warm climate, buy some winter clothes before you leave for Canada, if possible. Or, be ready to buy winter clothes soon after arriving (note also
that winter clothes are more expensive than summer clothes). You may wish to contact an immigrant-serving organization in your new community for help.

TIP >
You can find detailed weather information for each region of Canada on the Environment Canada Web site: http://weatheroffice.ec.gc.ca .

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Schools and universities

There is no national school system in Canada. Schools and universities are run by the provinces; therefore, education varies somewhat from province to province. Most elementary and secondary schooling is public, meaning it is free and open to everyone.
Depending on the individual province, primary eduation starts at pre-kindergarten and continues to the end of grade 6 or 8. This is followed by secondary education or high school. In some provinces this may be divided into junior high (grades 7 to 9) and senior high (grades 10 to 12). Normally, students must complete the required academic courses
in high school in order to be admitted to university or college.

The regular school year runs from late August or early September until mid- to late June. New students can usually be registered throughout the school year. Most schools are closed on national holidays. Also, all schools are closed between Christmas Eve and New Year´s Day, and most are closed for a week in March for spring break. The longest school holiday occurs over the summer months of July and August.

Universities and community colleges hold their regular classes from late August or early September until April, although some courses are offered from January to April and a smaller number are available over the summer months. University and community college courses are not free and the costs vary among the provinces.

When you register your children at the local school or school board office, you must take with you:

? Canadian immigrant visa (Record of Landing);
? birth certificate or baptismal certificate;
? vaccination certificate;
? any previous school records.

Your children´s language and mathematical skills will be assessed, if necessary, and they will be placed in the program the school thinks is best for them.

TIP >
For information about the educational system in Canada, visit the provincial or territorial Web sites at:
? http://canada.gc.ca/othergov/prov_e.html
? http://ceris.schoolnet.ca/e/
? http://www.aucc.ca
? http://www.accc.ca

TIP >
Education in Canada is available in English and French. Many Canadian parents, even if they do not speak French themselves, believe it is good for their children to be able to speak both English and French. Some put their children in a French immersion program, where children learn most of the regular subjects in French.

First Few Days in Canada- What to do?

Social Insurance Number

Once you come-out from the airport and reach to friends place or motel and relax for that day/night, next day you will have to go for applying Social Insurance Number at the nearest HRDC Center. Please don´t delay this, as this document is must for getting job. Once you apply, the takes about 21 days to process it. This number is your identification as a Canadian resident. You need this for getting a job, opening a bank account etc.

To locate nearby HRDC offices please visit following link:
http://www.hrdc.gc.ca/menu/profile-search.shtml#profile

Open a Canadian Bank Account

Once you have applied for your SIN card, you can open a Canadian Bank Account. Both SIN card and Passport are required to open your bank account. If you have not yet received your SIN card, you can show the receipt of SIN card application (given to you by HRDC) to open the
account.
The following are the major Canadian Banks.
? Royal Bank Of Canada
? Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce (CIBC)
? Toronto Dominion Canada Trust (TD Bank)
? Bank of Nova Scotia (Scotia Bank)
? National Bank
? Laurentian Bank

Remember one point, you don´t need to deposit any money in order to open a bank account. This is helpful when you came here with bank draft and once you deposit it they will take 10 days to give you credit. There are varieties of bank accounts available. Please choose whatever is suitable to you. Study all the charges applicable, any hidden cost, interest you are getting etc. Each bank is naming account differently like "Super Saving Account", "Checking Account", "Money Master Account" etc. When you are asked to choose between "Passbooks" or "Statement" go for "Statement". In Statement you will be provided with your account updates by mail every month.
In passbook you have to go to bank to put entries into your passbook.
Bank statement is very important document as your residence proof.
When you apply for Health-Card it is preferred document. While choosing bank, don´t just go for the near-by bank branch, because most of the cases you are not going to stay at the same place forever. Choose a bank with more number of branches. Choose a branch with flexible timings. If you choose a bank which opens at 11.00 AM and closes at 3.00 PM during weekdays and you have first shift job, you can never go to bank, unless you take day-off. Here many banks are open during Weekends and during evening. Check that first.

Phone Connection

Once you move to your own apartment you will need to apply for a phone. It takes just 2-3 days to get a phone in most cases. This is very important for your job search. There are three ways of ordering a phone. Call the local phone company for the phone connection, Visit the phone company outlets, or order it using Internet. If you Visit personally to the nearest outlet, they will ask you to deposit 200$ as you are new! But if you order it on phone or by Internet they will not charge you anything! Preferred way is order by Internet. By phone, since your pronunciations are different you will have communication gap between the operator and you and so you might end-up with a package you don´t want. Using Internet you will read and study each option before choosing. Also on Internet you will get a confirmation number and day when it is going to be started. Phone companies also prefer people using Internet.

You can get a phone (instrument) of your choice at most of the stores and plug it in the jack in your home/room.
Another important feature you will require on your phone line is the voice mail, so that others can leave you messages, when you are not available at home. This is very important for your job search, as you are normally notified by phone about your interviews. Many people consider voice message instrument in place of voice message service from bell Canada, but there is huge difference. The voice message instruments can take messages only when you are away from home, where as the voice messages service will take message at all the times when you are away from home or you are using the phone. This is very important especially when you are looking for job and the potential customer calls you and you are not able to receive the phone. You will loose a job worth many thousand dollars just for saving $5!
Please go for voice messaging service.

Long Distance Services

It is not necessary to have long distance services from the same company as a local company. You can get it from various sources. There are three kinds of companies one direct long distance companies means you will be billed directly by the company. There are third party carriers, using which you will not have to pay the bill directly to the company but it will appear in your regular phone company´s invoice. The examples are "10-10-620" and 10-15-945". In this case you have to dial these number first and then your local phone number as usual. The third option is prepaid phone cards. There are two kind of phone cards available one with connection fees and one without connection fees. The one with connection fees are good phone cards for making a single call of longer duration. It usually gives more minutes. However if you try to make more than one call from the same card it will deduct certain amount of money from the card. The no connection fee cards are giving lesser minutes, but
are good if from the same card you are going to make many phone calls. Please note that not all phone companies are good. Especially with phone cards there are frequent closing downs of companies, so check with friends before buying any phone card. Often Indian Grocery
stores are selling Cards at much higher discount. (At present $10 card is available at $7.49)

Which service is good is difficult to tell, as from time to time companies changing their services and charges. Study well before going for anything. Oh yes, you can change your phone company whenever you want. In fact many times changing phone companies is
beneficiary as the major giants are trying to give incentive to you if you change over the company.

Make sure you subscribe to a suitable long distance rate plan, to save on your phone call charges to India. Most new immigrants feel home sick and run up large bills on long distance calls to their families and friends back home.

Library

This is useful when you don´t have computer and want to access a computer for Internet and also for finding good books on Canada and on employments, resume writing skills etc. Most of the libraries have got books on all languages including your first language; you will
find it much useful. Another use of Library Cards is that it is one of three document required for applying for health-card as it has got your name and your signature.

HRDC Center

Visit nearest HRDC center that provides you access to various resources required for applying for job. You will get expert services on resume writing; you will get information on job agencies. There are many HRDC aided centers like "South Asian Family Support
Service", "Tamil Elam" etc. You can also get a counselor speaking your language.

Health Insurance and Health Card

It is very important that you apply for your Government Health Insurance as soon as possible so that your health insurance coverage will be effective after 90 days of your arrival in Canada. Meanwhile you need to purchase private insurance for the first 90 days and you
can call Canadian Life and Health Insurance Association Inc. at 1-800-268-8099 for a list of private insurance providers or check the following companies for your needs. Most insurance companies require applications within 5 days of arrival.

? Canada Life Assurance company :1-800-680-3837
? Commercial Union Life Asssurance Company of Canada: 1-800-387-4770
? Journeyman Travel Protection: 1-888-256-8763
? Liberty House: 1-800-268-3763

Check with your local Provincial Government Health Offices for full details on what you need to apply for your Health Insurance.

Generally, you need the following as a minimum to apply for your Government Health Insurance.
? Your SIN card
? Your passport and immigration papers
? Proof of your residential address. You can provide your bank account statement with your address shown or a lease agreement with your landlord as a proof of address.

You need to apply for Health Insurance for all your family members. After 90 days, you will receive your Health Card. You need to produce this card whenever you visit a Doctor. Other wise, you may be required to pay for the service. The Health card covers basic health care excluding dental coverage. Prescription drugs are not covered except for senior citizens and the people on welfare. Usually the employer covers the insurance for the drugs.

You can get list of offices on this official website
http://www.gov.on.ca/health/

Driving License

Getting Driving License early is very important in Canada. It not only provides you mobility, but also serves as a personal Identification, which you will require from time to time. Driving license can be a requirement for certain types of jobs. In some cases, the employer may be located in an area that not serviced by public transport. So get your driving license as soon as possible.

First thing to do is to get G1 License. This is learning license. You have to appear to nearest MTO office and give one short exam. There are books available on it and you can also get list of probable questions from friends. This is easy, but don´t take it lightly. You
have to perform 80 percent to pass it. Study a bit before going for the exam.

The next step is G2 or G. G2 is full license except few things you must have zero alcohol level while you are driving and the passenger in your vehicle are limited to working seat-belts only.

Though you might have good driving experience at your home country it is always advisable to get lessons from Ministry of Transportation approved instructor. While selecting an instructor please don´t look at money only. You should look at the quality of instructor and his student´s performance. According to survey at CanadianDesi only 30 percent people are getting license at first trial. So please choose proper instructor. In Toronto area there is a long waiting list usually 6 months. However don´t frustrate with it as you can always check with the telephone system about your waiting list and see if there is any chance to bring it early. This is not wonder, but if someone cancels it you can book it the vacant spot. If you have good expertise back home you can directly give G license. Be sure that you
are not so confident as G is very tough exam and chances of getting failed are much more. G2 is also full license except few exceptions. Once you get G2 you can give G exam at any time.
For further information please visit following site.
http://www.mto.gov.on.ca/

Schools

If you have school going children, you need to admit them as soon as possible in your neighborhood school. Admission is free, guaranteed and very simple and quick process. There are no school fees. In some cases there may be a small charge for certain school supplies. For admission to school, you will need passport, immigration papers, and a vaccination certificate showing that your children have taken all the necessary vaccinations. Having previous school records is good but not compulsory.

Day Care for your children

If both the parents decide to work, it is essential to find suitable a day care facility for your children. It is illegal to leave children below age 12 at home alone. Check with your friends and neighbors to find a suitable day care facility or a baby sitter for your children. The costs vary depending on the age of your children.

Permanent Accommodation

If you are still living in your temporary accommodation, you may want to move to a permanent accommodation. Or move to a more convenient location near your place of work. A number of rental guides are available free of cost in many drug stores, grocery stores and convenience stores. Also check the local newspapers. To get an apartment for rent, you can expect the landlord to show them the proof that you are working and they might even conduct a background check as well.

In Toronto the apartment rents range from $ 300 per month for a studio (a small room with space suitable for one person and a small kitchen), $400 to $600 per month for a Bachelor´s apartment, $700 to $1,000 per month for a single bedroom apartment depending on the location of the apartment and $900 to $1,500 per month for a 2 bedroom apartment. One usually needs to execute a lease for a minimum period of one year for rental apartments. So you need to pay first and last months rent when you move in to the apartment. After the expiry of the lease, one can exercise the option of signing another lease term or can pay every month as rent without any lease to bother about so that incase you need to move out this is the best option. The cheaper options are renting a basement apartment. However most of basement apartments are not good ventilated and you might have health problems. Some people prefer to share apartment with each other. This is good initially when you want to keep your expenses to a minimum. Paying guest options are also many. Typically paying guest will have to pay $400 that includes stay and food.

FOOTBALL

We have Fox Sports World Canada on Digital Cable channel 113, which is the Canadian version of Fox Soccer Channel. It´s pretty much the same thing!

[05-02-2006,14:53]
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Scientist