Before you Arrive in Canada

Language

Moving to a new country is one of the biggest adventures in life and should be planned ahead well in advance before you arrive. Expectedly, moving to another country can be challenging and overwhelming so its important that you have a solid understanding of Canada's expectations, procedures and practices. To begin with, English and French are Canada's two official languages. In moving to Canada, you must speak one of these languages to communicate in day-to-day living. And while it takes time, energy and commitment to improve language skills, communication skill may be the single most important tool in adapting to Canadian life in making it your new home. If you have a limited ability in either English or French, you should consider improving your language skills before you come to Canada. In choosing a language, English is the most common language in the majority of provinces and territories, while French is the main language spoken in Quebec. But with Canada being a bilingual country, there are also well-established French-speaking communities in Ontario, New Brunswick, Manitoba and most other parts of Canada. And Quebec has a large minority of English-speaking residents. When choosing where to live, do research on the languages in the region as well as the specific towns or cities where you plan to settle.

Documentation

In applying to Canada as an immigrant, you must ensure that you have all the proper documentation that you and your family will need once you enter Canada. These documents include birth certificates, passports, education diplomas and transcripts, medical and dental records, marriage or divorce certificates, driver's licenses, adoption records and other official documents. Its strongly advised that before applying to Canada, that these documents are secured in your country of origin and that they are translated into either English or French using certified agencies. And if any family members are to immigrate at later dates, ensure that their documents are taken with you in case you need them for any reason prior to your family members’ arrival.

Once your documents are translated into English or French, be sure to secure an affidavit from the translator because it will later be sworn in front of a person authorized to administer oaths in the country where the translator lives. Record the name and contact information of the translation agency in case you need it once you’re in Canada. You must keep the original versions of your documents as well.

Arranging Accommodation

Upon arrival in Canada, the primary need is often finding a temporary place to stay until you find long-term accommodation. If possible, look to stay with friends of family in your first days in Canada. If that's not possible, search for a hotel or hostel in a central location. Try to book your hotel or hostel at least several weeks before flying to Canada. By booking in advance, you will likely save money and have a better chance of finding available rooms. To help you choose, most hotels and hostels have websites with prices, photographs, a location map and a description of the services they offer. As a word of caution, cheap hotels or hostels may be located in unpleasant areas or may be of very low standards so be sure to conduct enough research to make an educated decision.

Finding a Job

Of equal concern is finding a job once you enter Canada. In providing for yourself and for your family, your livelihood will depend mainly on finding a suitable job. For many new immigrants to Canada, their first job in Canada may not be the most satisfying. However, keep in mind that it takes time to build qualifications and gain Canadian experience before finding the job you really want. In bolstering your image, its important to gather all of your educational diplomas and certificates and get letters of reference from your past employers. As mentioned, be sure to get these documents translated into English or French. Its also recommended that you get your educational and professional qualifications officially recognized in Canada so that you can use them immediately when you immigrate. Just because you immigrate to Canada does not imply that your education, work experiences or professional qualifications will automatically be recognized in Canada.

In finding a job, there are formal processes that you must follow to make sure that the education, training and job experience you obtained in another country are equivalent to the standards applied to Canadian workers. The Foreign Credential Referral Office (FCRO) serves to facilitate the assessment and recognition of foreign credentials, and is housed within Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC). The Office provides internationally-trained individuals (ITI's) with the information, path-finding and referral services they need in Canada and overseas to help them succeed in the Canadian labour market. The ultimate goal of the FCRO is that ITIs are employed, in a timely manner, in positions commensurate with their skills and experience. The FCRO will also help you in determining if your profession is regulated or unregulated in Canada, where regulated occupations have set standards for how the profession is practiced and require a certificate or license. These standards may vary across Canada.

Knowing which category your profession falls into will help you determine the requirements for your occupation in the province or territory where you’ll live. Be sure to take some time to learn about the jobs in Canada, what the requirements are, and what the application process for jobs is like in Canada. Job sites like Indeed.com, LinkedIn, "Working in Canada" and others are all viable options.

Education

In coming to Canada with your family, securing education for your school-aged children is another difficult task that may require some guidance. Navigating the education system may be confusing as education is the responsibility of each province or territory. There are different school for children of different ages, but all boys and girls must attend school between the ages of 5 or 6 and 16 or 18 depending on where you will live. Education is split into two sections: public (which is run by the provincial government of that province) and private (which is run by private institutions or by government and independent organizations depending on the province). For the most part, the educational systems are similar across the country, but there are some differences between provinces and territories. For this reason, the ministries or departments of education in each province or territory are your main sources of information on anything related to education. They all have websites, which you can visit to learn about the system before you arrive in Canada. When looking at schools, be sure to take a note of deadlines for applying, costs associated and what the requirements are if there are any.

Mandatory Private Health Insurance

Another important step in preparing for life in Canada is to acquire private health insurance. Canada has a universal health-care system but the option to purchase private health insurance also exists. Canada's universal health care system is designed to provide citizens and residents of Canada with access to health care, which is paid for by money collected through taxes. But, you should be aware there is a waiting period before you’re eligible to benefit from it. For that reason, you should buy private insurance to cover your first three months in Canada. This will take care of any emergency medical costs until you have access to government health insurance. And if you’re unsure whether you’ll be eligible to apply for government health insurance once you arrive in Canada, check with the government of the province or territory where you plan to live.

In general, you will need to purchase health insurance from provides such as Manulife or the BlueCross. More information will be covered in unit 6.

Canadian Laws, Rights and Civic Responsibilities of the Individual

In understanding what is important before you arrive in Canada, you should also take some time to learn about Canada’s laws and your rights as well as civic responsibilities. It’s important to know that in Canada every individual is equal under the law without discrimination based on your race, national or ethnic origin, colour, religion, sex, sexual orientation, age, mental or physical disability. In learning about your rights as a Canadian as well as how Canadian law governs, settlement and integration into Canadian society will be that much easier. Preparing to move to another country is no small task, and there is much more to know and consider before you get here.

Creating an Arrival Plan

In accounting for all of these important immigration topics, one way to compile all of this information neatly is to create an arrival plan. An arrival plan provides you with the right tools and knowledge to be well-prepared for when you leave your home country. It will also enable you to have a plan of action for finding a place to live, a suitable place of employment when you arrive, as well as ensuring that you have all of the necessary documents, permits, and visas prepared before landing in Canada. Arrival plans are important because they provide a framework in order to immigrate, integrate, and thrive in Canada.

What documents do I need to immigrate?

For Canadian immigration purposes, it is crucial that you have the following documents prepared:

• Birth certificates;
• Passports;
• Certificates of Marriage or Divorce;
• Education Credentials (certificates, bachelors, masters degrees, and any other professional designations);
• Medical records;
• English and/or French proficiency exams;
• Drivers license and/or International Driving Permit (IDP);
• Verified bank statements (for some immigration programs);
• Criminal record check (for some immigration programs).

We strongly recommend that you prepare these documents prior to applying for immigration to Canada, as well as ensuring that you are able to provide digital copies, notarized documents, upon request.

How much will it cost to immigrate?

Immigrating to Canada can be a complex process and depends on many factors such as:

• Age;
• Work Experience;
• Net worth;
• Education;
• Family living in Canada.

In addition, Canadian provinces and territories have provincial immigration systems that operate with the federal government. This means that the costs of immigration can vary drastically depending on which province you choose, as well as the specific requirements of the chosen immigration pathway.

Note: When you complete this course, you will have access to 2 hours of immigration advice from M. Joomratty Law Corp, which will then give you an estimation of the costs and processing times for immigration to Canada.