Canadian PR

[Hock]

Congratulations and wish you happiness, satisfaction, peace and comfort. Cheers! May God be generous in his Blessings, and may you have many happy blessed years.

Thank you. Thank you. You are so generous with your blessings.
So many of them.

 

[nayr69sg]

I'm in Canada for good now. Threw my plan to split the family into the trashbin.

So here I am in Edmonton, together with my family in this huge country where there are so many possibilities.

It has been a long 7 years. I still remember the time I participated in discussions about migration with samsters back in 2003. Here I am already there. Feels good to have made it this far.

The next challenge is of course to survive and excel. Only then will this whole adventure be truly successful.

I am lucky that I managed to settle very smoothly with the help of asychee and whistler.

Got my mortgage from CIBC at prime rate minus 0.5% (no canadian income history, no canadian credit history) and got my Suzuki XL-7 2008 at a good price.

Going for a job interview tomorrow with Whistler. Hope to earn some CAD$ ASAP. Money coming in first, cover expenses, later can think of better projects to do. No harm done.

Good luck to everyone else with a plan to migrate. It's not a bed of roses. But hey, do what you want to do, take the adventures you want. Life's too short to live with regrets.

 

[kookiemon]

I'm in Canada for good now. Threw my plan to split the family into the trashbin.

Congrats man. I'm intending to try it out in Canada within the month. But unfortunately in my case, I will have to do the family splitting thing for the moment as my youngest is still too young to travel. It's quite impressive that you can commit to a house right now. As for me, I'll probably rent for a while and probably when my family joins me (hopefully in 6 months time).

Just wanted to find out from you, how did you come to the conclusion of bringing the whole family over in one shot?

 

[axe168]

Life's too short to live with regrets.

Welcome to the quitters world, Doc !

I assure you... you will have no regrets... After the dust has settled, try to look for a hobby... You will find life a lot wonderful thereafter.

 

[Asychee]

Congrats man. I'm intending to try it out in Canada within the month. But unfortunately in my case, I will have to do the family splitting thing for the moment as my youngest is still too young to travel. It's quite impressive that you can commit to a house right now. As for me, I'll probably rent for a while and probably when my family joins me (hopefully in 6 months time).

Just wanted to find out from you, how did you come to the conclusion of bringing the whole family over in one shot?

You have to do the pre - requisite if you are coming to alberta. Like gathering of Car Insurance docs (to lower the premium you have to pay), Spare copy of Driving License (Driver's license conversion), Apply for Mortgage Pre-approval while your Sg is higher than Ca in the begining. Credit Reports from Sg and etc. Well there is too many to mentioned. PM me for the full list.

Congratulations and Best Regards

alex chee

 

[nayr69sg]

Congrats man. I'm intending to try it out in Canada within the month. But unfortunately in my case, I will have to do the family splitting thing for the moment as my youngest is still too young to travel. It's quite impressive that you can commit to a house right now. As for me, I'll probably rent for a while and probably when my family joins me (hopefully in 6 months time).

Just wanted to find out from you, how did you come to the conclusion of bringing the whole family over in one shot?

Hi kookiemon,

Which part of Canada are you planning to do your landing?

The move I made was done in stages.

I did my landing in June 2008. It took them 5 years to send me my COPR. When it came I was rather unprepared. I had thought that I would be there in 3 years from my application. So when the 3rd year passed and no news came my wife and I wondered whether it would ever happen.

Anyway, when we landed in June 2008, I met up with asychee in Edmonton and he helped a lot. I spent 5 days in Edmonton and a week in the Rockies and Vancouver. Comparing Edmonton and Vancouver, Vancouver is crawling with Asians. The weather in Ed is colder but the people are warmer. In Vancouver, weather is warmer but people are colder.

When I returned to Singapore in 2008, I started planning my migration proper. But the financial crisis came. Things were uncertain everywhere.

Not sure if you know my background, but I am a medical doctor. I quit my specialist training in 2003 so that by the time I ever got the chance to migrate I wouldn't have too much to lose.

The plan for 2010 was to go in July, let the kids have some time to settle before school started in September. I was to be with family for 4 weeks before going back to Singapore to work and support the family while wife and kids were in Edmonton.

I really missed my family when I was alone in Singapore. It didn't work. 2 weeks later we discussed things and decided there was no point continuing with the separation. I don't know about other cities but I think in Edmonton you probably need about CAD$3-$4k a month to survive with a family of 5 and an abode that costs about CAD$600-$1000 a month to upkeep (rental or mortgage).

Work out your savings to give yourself some leeway to find a job and make a living etc or if you are brilliant like asychee, a roadmap that lets you run the moment you land.

Everyone's plan is going to be different anyway. Whatever works for you.

 

[kookiemon]

You have to do the pre - requisite if you are coming to alberta. Like gathering of Car Insurance docs (to lower the premium you have to pay), Spare copy of Driving License (Driver's license conversion), Apply for Mortgage Pre-approval while your Sg is higher than Ca in the begining. Credit Reports from Sg and etc. Well there is too many to mentioned. PM me for the full list.

Congratulations and Best Regards

alex chee

Thanks. Appreciate the help. Have sent you a PM. I had not done too much research on Edmonton, but I'll probably look at it a bit more. How's the transit situation there? Would prefer not to have to drive if possible. Also, do you happen to know what's the IT job situation in Edmonton?

Hi kookiemon,

Which part of Canada are you planning to do your landing?

The move I made was done in stages.

I did my landing in June 2008. It took them 5 years to send me my COPR. When it came I was rather unprepared. I had thought that I would be there in 3 years from my application. So when the 3rd year passed and no news came my wife and I wondered whether it would ever happen.

Anyway, when we landed in June 2008, I met up with asychee in Edmonton and he helped a lot. I spent 5 days in Edmonton and a week in the Rockies and Vancouver. Comparing Edmonton and Vancouver, Vancouver is crawling with Asians. The weather in Ed is colder but the people are warmer. In Vancouver, weather is warmer but people are colder.

We looked through a few cities during our tour back in 2006. Back then, we had no idea whether our PR was going to be approved. We visited Vancouver, Calgary, Rockies (loved Banff), Toronto, Ottawa and Montreal. Unfortunately, it did not occur to us to visit Edmonton. Anyway, of these cities that we visited, somehow Vancouver resonated with us the most. Not so much the people per se, but more of the environment and the pace of life there. Quite different from Calgary where we felt it was a bit too business-like and everything seems to be in a rush all the time.

Of course, right now, where we'll end up depends mostly on where I can get a suitable IT job. From what I heard, I'll probably have greater luck in Toronto. But when applying, I'll probably go for a shotgun approach in terms of location.

I know how it feels about the long period between application and approval. We applied back in May 2005. We waited for 4 long years without nary a peep from CIC (I remember so paiseh when relatives asking "Eh, your Canada PR how?", I diam diam only). So we thought, what the heck, might as well start a family first lor... When my wife was pregnant with the second one, we received the letter to go for medical checkup, etc. So we thought maybe still got some time to go. Who knows, a few months later, the approval and visa came back and we had to make a hectic trip to Canada for the landing (no choice mar, my wife cannot travel too near to delivery date and the visa is only 1 year). So, we ended up with a touch and go of 2 weeks in Vancouver. Our daughter loved it though, but ended up sleeping a lot because of the cool weather in Jan.

Somehow, I find that I always end up having to look for job during uncertain economic times. Imagine, when I graduated in SG, it was in '98 right during the Asia Currency Crisis. Now, when I'm about to migrate, we're still stuck at this uncertain portion of this Financial Crisis. But, boh pian lah, I think it's probably my fate. Ha ha. But for your case, I'm sure no problem getting a job, right? Health services in great demand there. Do you have to go through some re-certification process for Canada?

 

[nayr69sg]

Hi kookieman,

As a doctor I cannot practise medicine unless I get my license here in Alberta. This means taking the medical exams from scratch, passing them and then applying for residency. On average takes minimum 1 year to pass the exams, and the shortest residency is family medicine which is 2 years. So that's 3 years.

I think for most immigrants they face the same problem when trying to get a job. All of your work experience and education which requires certification in Canada is worthless. Absolutely worthless. I am as good as uneducated in the job market. No work experience either (they want Canadian/North American work experience).

So it's just entry level type jobs or work that doesn't require certification and licenses. I am not sure how it works for IT though. Do IT professionals need to be licenced? Certified? North American work experience?

If it's a job you are looking for be prepared to set your expectations low. That's why some immigrants start doing business or real estate investing. There's no need for any license and no one can say you can't do it cos you never had any North American experience.

If you want to get jobs, try networking. Most jobs are not advertised. And even when they do advertise they already have some people in mind from referrals.

Back in 2003 when I did my research, I figured I'd want to be in Alberta. Lowest tax of all the provinces. As of 2009 no need to pay for the Alberta Health Care. So it was either Edmonton or Calgary.

Anyway let us know if you need anything. You can PM me as well.

So you've done your landing in Vancouver? Have you gotten your SIN card? Health insurance? Drivers license? There are a few things to do when you come over to Canada to get prepared. Are you planning to move with your family in the next visit? Go in stages? eg come over recce buy a home then go back and move over with family?

I think between whistler and myself we just moved this year so we can help with some contacts eg movers in Singapore, price, insurance, price of cars etc etc

All the best for your move.

Cheers!

 

[Asychee]

Thanks. Appreciate the help. Have sent you a PM. I had not done too much research on Edmonton, but I'll probably look at it a bit more. How's the transit situation there? Would prefer not to have to drive if possible. Also, do you happen to know what's the IT job situation in Edmonton?

Edmonton is the more like the "blue" collar city while Calgary is the "White" Collar city of Alberta. When Whistler and Nayr69 landed in Edmonton for good. I help them to secure their own home and guide them thru the in & out in the last few months.

I own a Recruitment and a Real Estate Company. I will try my best to find a job for you thru my network. However, in your line - i know a former Singaporean that works in the IT dept of the Alberta Govt. If you are coming here, i will try my best to set u up with him like how i set up Whistler and Nayr69 to jobs.

 

[axe168]

I own a Recruitment and a Real Estate Company. I will try my best to find a job for you thru my network. However, in your line - i know a former Singaporean that works in the IT dept of the Alberta Govt. If you are coming here, i will try my best to set u up with him like how i set up Whistler and Nayr69 to jobs.

Hey, like to share your secret of setting up a company ? Painful experience ?

 

[Charlie99]

Congratulations Re: Canadian PR

I'm in Canada for good now. Threw my plan to split the family into the trashbin.

So here I am in Edmonton, together with my family in this huge country where there are so many possibilities.

It has been a long 7 years. I still remember the time I participated in discussions about migration with samsters back in 2003. Here I am already there. Feels good to have made it this far.

The next challenge is of course to survive and excel. Only then will this whole adventure be truly successful.

I am lucky that I managed to settle very smoothly with the help of asychee and whistler.

Got my mortgage from CIBC at prime rate minus 0.5% (no canadian income history, no canadian credit history) and got my Suzuki XL-7 2008 at a good price.

Going for a job interview tomorrow with Whistler. Hope to earn some CAD$ ASAP. Money coming in first, cover expenses, later can think of better projects to do. No harm done.

Good luck to everyone else with a plan to migrate. It's not a bed of roses. But hey, do what you want to do, take the adventures you want. Life's too short to live with regrets.

Hello [nayr69sg],

Congratulations.

You have made a very strong and successful start as a PR in Canada.

We wish you and your family, continuing good health, satisfaction, peace and comfort.

May God be generous to you and your family with His Grace and Blessings.

May you and your family have many happy blessed years.

Auspicium Melioris Aevi.

Sincerely,
Charlie99 in Toronto
(formerly Charlie9, but forgot my password and had to login under a new user name)

 

[Asychee]

Hey, like to share your secret of setting up a company ? Painful experience ?

Hi Axe168,

I would be happy to share my experience with you but do take that i am not trying impress anybody.

Overall view before setting up a company - look at the the 5 W and 1 H with your SWOT analysis. If it makes sense by all means go for it.

Let me give u an example,

As a salaried person, there are lots of expenses you cannot deduct. However, if you start a company - you can deduct a portion of your expenses. May it be Home Mortgage, Car Repayment, Your biz meeting expenses.

However, the flip side would be keeping track of these activities - so i suggest develop the system to keep doing it. In my case, it is simple for expenses -i get receipt, i fill up who i makan with and for whatever purpose or income received. I hand it over to the book keeper and she update it and hands it over to the accountant and the accountant does all the tax filing and advise me know to positon myself to minimise my taxes. This way, in a highly taxed countries like CA - i ended up paying very little taxes. On the few hundred G, i paid under 20K which i think is great.

For instance car, i put it all in my company's name - all the expenses like fuel, maintenance & etc are expensed off and the company gives me a amount as a taxable credit. After a few years, when the company has fully depreciated the car. I can sell it back to myself at a after depreciated price which is usually low. I go out to by another new car and repeat the cycle.
The depreciation i take on the car can be put against my income and the accounting effect is that i reduced the amount of taxable income. I do it for Lap Tops & home computers as allowed by the Canada Revenue Agency.

If you want to know more - PM me with your email. I will be happy to help out another samster and share my view and learn from you how it is being done in you part of the world.

This is just a very over simple way of doing things.

 

[axe168]

Thanks Asychee.. I'm still naive about the tax matter although I know there are many benefits for deduction. For the last 2 years, I left it to my CPA wifey, due to her stubborn integrity and compliance nature (learned in SG), I did not get much rebate.. I hate this..

This year I am going to approach a "real" accountant I hope I can get a SUV under my company's expense and apply depreciation..

Thanks I'll msg you privately - to learn more..

Hi Axe168,

I would be happy to share my experience with you but do take that i am not trying impress anybody.

Overall view before setting up a company - look at the the 5 W and 1 H with your SWOT analysis. If it makes sense by all means go for it.

Let me give u an example,

As a salaried person, there are lots of expenses you cannot deduct. However, if you start a company - you can deduct a portion of your expenses. May it be Home Mortgage, Car Repayment, Your biz meeting expenses.

However, the flip side would be keeping track of these activities - so i suggest develop the system to keep doing it. In my case, it is simple for expenses -i get receipt, i fill up who i makan with and for whatever purpose or income received. I hand it over to the book keeper and she update it and hands it over to the accountant and the accountant does all the tax filing and advise me know to positon myself to minimise my taxes. This way, in a highly taxed countries like CA - i ended up paying very little taxes. On the few hundred G, i paid under 20K which i think is great.

For instance car, i put it all in my company's name - all the expenses like fuel, maintenance & etc are expensed off and the company gives me a amount as a taxable credit. After a few years, when the company has fully depreciated the car. I can sell it back to myself at a after depreciated price which is usually low. I go out to by another new car and repeat the cycle.
The depreciation i take on the car can be put against my income and the accounting effect is that i reduced the amount of taxable income. I do it for Lap Tops & home computers as allowed by the Canada Revenue Agency.

If you want to know more - PM me with your email. I will be happy to help out another samster and share my view and learn from you how it is being done in you part of the world.

This is just a very over simple way of doing things.

 

[scroobal]

Good to hear that your family and you are back and things are looking good.

This might relate to you. A radiologist who decided to retire early sold his practice in Malaysia and migrated to Perth. This was in in the 1990s. He had no plans to practice as OZ has a similar approach to Canada despite being trained in the UK. They tend to protect the locals within the industry. After a year, he got bored. Realising that the exams are tough with a high failure rate, he grabbed the challenge by the horns. He told his wife who was used to a better life and who was pestering him to return to practice to enjoy the fruits of his labour that she had wait on him and foot for the duration of his studies.

He found out that 4 other doctors from different parts of the world also registered for the exams and decided to form a study group. They were of different age group. He persuaded them to set strict rules about committing to meetings and individual responsibilities. A month later, they kicked out a chap who kept missing meetings. That year Perth saw the highest passing rate of 4 rather than the usual 1 to2. The chap who got kicked out failed.

He runs a successful practice and is happy with his lot.

Hi kookieman,

As a doctor I cannot practise medicine unless I get my license here in Alberta. This means taking the medical exams from scratch, passing them and then applying for residency. On average takes minimum 1 year to pass the exams, and the shortest residency is family medicine which is 2 years. So that's 3 years.

Cheers!

 

[nayr69sg]

Hi scroobal, good to see you here again.

I've been back with the family for 7 days now.

Spent the last week thinking about what to do.

Hopefully I'll be able to start on a job next week or so. My first priority was to get some income going. It doesn't have to be much as long as it helps pay some of the bills. That way I survive longer. Ideally we make ends meet with some small savings.

After that it is pretty much up to me. I have been thinking about taking the exams and trying to get licensed.

 

[Charlie99]

Re: Medical Doctor in Canada

Hi scroobal, good to see you here again.

I've been back with the family for 7 days now.

Spent the last week thinking about what to do.

Hopefully I'll be able to start on a job next week or so. My first priority was to get some income going. It doesn't have to be much as long as it helps pay some of the bills. That way I survive longer. Ideally we make ends meet with some small savings.

After that it is pretty much up to me. I have been thinking about taking the exams and trying to get licensed.

May I suggest that you accept the potential employment opportunity, to produce cash flow, and to lengthen your savings. Thereafter, perhaps, you may wish to try to become a medical doctor in Canada, because you never know when they change the rules, and you may be a medical doctor (and a specialist) sooner than you forecasted.

Good luck.

 

[ak168]

Thanks. Appreciate the help. Have sent you a PM. I had not done too much research on Edmonton, but I'll probably look at it a bit more. How's the transit situation there? Would prefer not to have to drive if possible. Also, do you happen to know what's the IT job situation in Edmonton?

It has been awhile since my last contribution to this forum.

What kind of IT job are you looking for ? As you know IT jobs could mean alot...software, developer, programmer, analyst, testing, engineer, SAP functional, project manager , IT consultant..etc. I have been in the IT world for the past 10 years in Asia/Europe and have recently migrated here in Edmonton in May 2010. Let me know more detail, I may not have much network to offer for now but I may have the "lobang" you need in this area should you decide to land here. Frankly speaking Edmonton is not the place for IT, it is way way back in term of technology due to the pace, population and mkt capitalization, you get better opportunities in major cities like Van, Calgary or Toronto. Drop me a message if you need my help.

The other thing I would like to caution you and to this forum readers is about Asychee as your family profile is an ideal candidate/target for him.

I was helped by him during my landing in Edmonton, I acknowledged that and I am grateful and still is, I even give a good testimonial here in this forum on him but his true color finally came to light when I smelled the "fishiness" after his attempt to hold my money of CAD$28k when I was still in Singapore after countless reminder against his excuses to transfer the money back to my account over 2 failed properties purchased attempts.

The money was for the down payment of the properties which he proposed to me over 1 weekend Sat/Sun or 2 days and needed a quick/urgent decision to secure the deal. I normally need more time to think over for such a big investment but I did it partly because he had helped me before and I needed a place to stay anyway. I wired him the money within 2 day. (After some checking with other, I come to realize that was his usual pressure sales tactic to prey on his own countrymen who is desperate for a house)

Both properties did not go through, the first was a foreclosure, the other I couldn't recalled as the reasons were vague but I did not pursue even though I found the first property was still listed on the market when he announced the news to me over the phone. I did not question him at that point. Anyway, to keep the story short, his wife came into the picture at the last minute after knowing that I have sensed something funny going on, totally frustrated and they have lost my trust totally.
She/they started to suggest to deduct an amount based on my daily stay in her house during my last landing (was like CAD$70/day or something. My son and I stayed in their basement for about 12 days during my first landing) from my amount before returning my money. I was totally stunned and agreed, of course. My money was returned the following day with the deduction after holding it for 2 weeks for no apparent reasons. Later, they suggested to "one knife 2 portion" with me.
Probably, because I told them I might explore Calgary and Vancouver to get them off my back.

See summary below. You be the judge.


Background
=========
> Depend on his wife for survival ($, connection, biz communication, migration)
> Sell jobs to Philippinos to work in Edmonton
> Workers stay in their properties

Service to Landed Immigrant
====================
>Offer Free help on landing online, prey on own countrymen
>Ideal profile - husband/wife/children = one family home/condo
>Build a Good and overly helpful relationship
>Sell you Edmonton and his principle/life journey
>Check you out for readiness/weakness/swot during communication or stay
>Look for benefit and possible return from victims
>Sell you houses with private lender money at high interest rate because new immigrant cannot get loan. (But recently, some of our Samsters here in Edmonton found an alternative to this)
>Sell you sloppy renovation service for your house
>Sell you car
>Retain your relationship to show case others


There are a lot more detail which I have missed out here. In fact, I have thought for a long while whether to do this or not. My intention is not to start a war here but to share and warn others – there is no free lunch and never to buy any property based on pure obligation or until you see it personally yourself. I learned my lesson.

Am not sure, perhaps Greed took them over, I guess. Anyway, no worries, I believe there are still plenty of other Samsters here who are just as helpful and do not look for anything in return for their help. Hope to see you here one day.

 

[Asychee]

It has been awhile since my last contribution to this forum.

The other thing I would like to caution you and to this forum readers is about Asychee as your family profile is an ideal candidate/target for him.

I was helped by him during my landing in Edmonton, I acknowledged that and I am grateful and still is, I even give a good testimonial here in this forum on him but his true color finally came to light when I smelled the "fishiness" after his attempt to hold my money of CAD$28k when I was still in Singapore after countless reminder against his excuses to transfer the money back to my account over 2 failed properties purchased attempts.

The money was for the down payment of the properties which he proposed to me over 1 weekend Sat/Sun or 2 days and needed a quick/urgent decision to secure the deal. I normally need more time to think over for such a big investment but I did it partly because he had helped me before and I needed a place to stay anyway. I wired him the money within 2 day. (After some checking with other, I come to realize that was his usual pressure sales tactic to prey on his own countrymen who is desperate for a house)

Both properties did not go through, the first was a foreclosure, the other I couldn't recalled as the reasons were vague but I did not pursue even though I found the first property was still listed on the market when he announced the news to me over the phone. I did not question him at that point. Anyway, to keep the story short, his wife came into the picture at the last minute after knowing that I have sensed something funny going on, totally frustrated and they have lost my trust totally.
She/they started to suggest to deduct an amount based on my daily stay in her house during my last landing (was like CAD$70/day or something. My son and I stayed in their basement for about 12 days during my first landing) from my amount before returning my money. I was totally stunned and agreed, of course. My money was returned the following day with the deduction after holding it for 2 weeks for no apparent reasons. Later, they suggested to "one knife 2 portion" with me.
Probably, because I told them I might explore Calgary and Vancouver to get them off my back.

See summary below. You be the judge.


Background
=========
> Depend on his wife for survival ($, connection, biz communication, migration)
> Sell jobs to Philippinos to work in Edmonton
> Workers stay in their properties

Service to Landed Immigrant
====================
>Offer Free help on landing online, prey on own countrymen
>Ideal profile - husband/wife/children = one family home/condo
>Build a Good and overly helpful relationship
>Sell you Edmonton and his principle/life journey
>Check you out for readiness/weakness/swot during communication or stay
>Look for benefit and possible return from victims
>Sell you houses with private lender money at high interest rate because new immigrant cannot get loan. (But recently, some of our Samsters here in Edmonton found an alternative to this)
>Sell you sloppy renovation service for your house
>Sell you car
>Retain your relationship to show case others


There are a lot more detail which I have missed out here. In fact, I have thought for a long while whether to do this or not. My intention is not to start a war here but to share and warn others – there is no free lunch and never to buy any property based on pure obligation or until you see it personally yourself. I learned my lesson.

Am not sure, perhaps Greed took them over, I guess. Anyway, no worries, I believe there are still plenty of other Samsters here who are just as helpful and do not look for anything in return for their help. Hope to see you here one day.

Dear Alex Kwang, Please wait my lawyer's letter - let the Court's of Queen Bench in Alberta judge if my modus operandi is what you describe above. Just to confirm your address is still at Kenny's house - wants to save some $$ to look for you via process server as they can track you down by your SIN no.

 

[axe168]

It has been awhile since my last contribution to this forum..

This is the reason why I stop helping the new migrants. Some even have the cheek to ask me to apply for a dodgy application to get a PR :p

You agreed to tap on his expertise (for your gain) and he agrees to to help for a nominal fee (for his gain). Well, it is a win-win. I do not think he's running a non-profit organisation, even non-profit needs to pay basic bills to stay afloat.

Pouring personal info or revealing the secrets is the last thing you wana do..

 

[ak168]

With due respect, You can assume what you what. You even share it with everyone here what you do openly and proud of it online and offline. I'm sorry you feel that way. I am waiting.