My post landing experience


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My post landing experience of Canada
By:

Friends,
This is my first message on my post landing experience in Toronto last month. The last 4 weeks have been full of surprises and I’d like to share some of my 2 cents from a different perspective.

The first big surprise was at the first immigration counter when the immigration officer said to me “Welcome to Canada, your new home..eh”. I cannot describe the feeling, every country that I have been to in the past I was asked at the immigration “When do you plan to leave?” The next immigration officer turned out to be a lady of indian origin, she took my picture for PR and did not even bother to check my landing funds, even when I insisted on showing ( I spent $10 in getting the drafts made and no one even looked at it )Then I was given a welcome package with vital info for new immigrants. This booklet holds info on the wealth of resources in local areas in Canada. Every resource listed in this booklet should be explored, to my surprise I found many new immigrants giving up too soon on the resources mentioned. The whole process from stepping out of aircraft to clearing customs took not more than 40 minutes.
Outside the airport I was greeted by one of the coldest days of the season with -31C and winds. I was happy I landed on the coldest day because every other days seemed like spring even it was -5 outside.

The next day after applying for my SIN card I attended a seminar in a nearby new comer information center (NIC). There were about 20-25 other new immigrants at this seminar and it gave a wealth of info for a new comer ranging from local info on GTA to how to prepare and look for jobs. These NIC’s also have one on one counselors to help every new comer target the jobs in his own field. Like NICs, there are many such centers and organizations all across canada and what surprised me that how much the Govt is doing to help the new immigrants settle in and get into the mainstream. In the 4 other countries where I have lived and worked before no such help was available, I had to struggle and find out things by myself.
We formed a group of 8-10 new immigrants when we met at NIC and it proved to be a great support structure, to be able to share your experiences and views with people in similar situations is a great help in itself. I took every opportunity to talk to every desi or immigrant I came across at bus stops at trains etc, getting different perspectives was a great learning experience in itself.

I’d like to differ with those who present a very negative image and say that only labor jobs are given to desis. I found a few major trends in immigrants which I feel is also contributing to the miseries of new immigrants. I may be wrong but the general trends which I was was quite disturbing
1. Many desis try to land a job as soon as possible within the first 2 weeks. $1=Rs30 factor and also the fear of spending from the settlement funds drives this trend but I’d suggest if one has to do labor jobs, do it after 3-4 months when one has tried every other avenue to get a break in their own field. Also many come with families and kids which will make things even worse in the beginning. Unless one is very well funded bringing families should be a big NO NO.
2. Many desis try to in the comfort zone of GTA. GTA is an industrial area Esp mississauga and west and most employment agencies there will give only labor and factory jobs, even if you hold an MBBS. I met very well qualified people doing labor jobs and were feeling happy that they are earning more than what they did in india. I was stupefied by one guy(B.E, MBA) who said he is doing day and night shifts at a factory just to accumulate 900 hours so that he can get unemployment insurance from the govt.
I don’t blame the govt. of canada for his miseries, if that is what his goals are then that is what he will get. Many of us don’t aim high enough.
We all have to struggle. the choice of where to struggle is ours. Whether to struggle really hard to re-qualify( if needed) and get into our own field or to keep struggling in menial jobs. The choice is really ours.

3. Not many desis make use of the Co-op and other employment programs offered by the govt. The down side of these programs is that one does not get paid for 5-6 months while one gets to work in firms in ones own field. 85% of those who participate in these programs get gainfully employed. Also,not many desis join french courses. I am not sure of the details, but I am told Govt of Quebec gives $500 a month to everyone who enrolls for a french learning class. A family of 4 grown ups could make $2000 a month for just attending french classes everyday for 4 hrs a day!! And one could then do other jobs as well to support. What do we gain by learning french? A whole new world of govt jobs will open to us besides the money and knowledge of another language. Think about it. It will take time but all good things take time.

4. Lastly and most importantly all new desis must work on communication and presentation before coming. That is the key for everything in Canada. I met a senior college prof from India with a PhD, he was complaining about lack of jobs. There are indians in senior positions in Canadian universities with less qualifications than him but what was the difference. The difference I felt was that this person despite his qualification could not even pronounce his name right “Sassi Kumar” for Shashi Kumar in a bihari/UP accent. No offence to Bihari’s please, I am a bihari too. To top it off he had strong sented “chameli ka tel” and drooping 70’s moustache … I wonder how could he clear any interview.

There are plenty of opportunities in Canada. To get to those we have to work hard to get local licencures and qualifications and canadianize ourselves with a positive outlook. And jobs and opportunities will follow in with time. Otherwise we will just working hard on menial jobs with no hopes for future.
There are very few places in the world which offer so many opportunities to new immigrants to settle down, we need find out about them to make full use of it to succeed.

Gook luck to all.



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NorthAlberta   
Member since: Jul 04
Posts: 195
Location: Beef and Bacon Country

Post ID: #PID Posted on: 27-07-04 02:03:21

Man get out fast go go to india


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"I always ask that of all my prey."
"I just like the sound of it."


deepcb   
Member since: Mar 04
Posts: 142
Location: Dubai

Post ID: #PID Posted on: 27-07-04 06:42:01

Hi everyone,

Appreciate everyone's experience on this board.

Tha fact is that.... everyone is not fortunate like jake / Chandresh/Biomed/MistherIndia/Garvo etc.

Every year 200,000 people migrate to Canada. Afew successful people doesn't mean that immigrants are and will be successful.

If 80-90% of immigrants ie, say 160,000 + people every year get good jobs and are well settled, then I would say immigrants are successful in Canada.

Its like India's " TRUE STORY".....people say nowadays its India shining....success by INFOSYS / WIPRO or few IT pros in Silicon valley and Bangalore doesn't mean that India is becoming successful either.

I have heard success stories of 10% immigrants...say 20,000 people per year.....I would appreciate if anyone could throw some light into fact n figures..to what happens to the remaining 90% ie 180,000 immigrants ?????


Deep


U win some...loose some...everything in this world is not justified........







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U win some...lose some...everything is not justified in this world.


Kap   
Member since: May 04
Posts: 299
Location: Toronto

Post ID: #PID Posted on: 27-07-04 11:20:28

Hi,


I am 100% agree with Deep. If all people doing hard work with positive attitude to get field job then everybody get field job (as per all above discussion) but u think before just how much field jobs are available in the markets and how much people who need job are there. There are huge gap between job and job seekers. People with Canadian degree and/or experience also face stiff competition for getting field job and its takes 2 to 6 months then think about position of newcomers who has no Canadian degree and experience.

Some advised that you have to good communication and English otherwise field job is dream ! That is not true see Chinese people doing field job and see their English.

What’s about the Engineers from India if they do hard work with positive attitude then they will get their field job in their first 6 months?

I am too agree with English and Hard work but there are more things here above that so why people doing Factory Job! They are not doing with their wish but they have to do ( I am also agree that 10 % from them are doing factory job without trying field job and just for money)

Canadian Government invites new immigrants on basis of education and work experience and they took 3 or more years to assess eligibility and then after landing your education degree and experience has no any Value. WHY? THAT’S THE STUPID THING.

For not getting field job - new comers are 30% responsible for that and 70% is Canadian Government. There should be some upgrade courses depend of people’s education and experience and after doing those upgrade course, they will treat you equivalent to person who has Canadian degree and experience. Then there is fair competition and Canadian Government is not responsible at all.

Canadian Government knows people are migrating here with limited fund and wound up all things before leaving home country so whey will do anything to survive. and Government also know Canadian company need skill labour who works at cheap rate at CAD 7 to 10 per hour.

There is very few incident that successful desi truly help other desi for field job. All knows this fact. I had also same experience when I was looking for field job and I also contacted people who are in same field job and given my resume but nobody has given me any suggestion about my resume and not given list of related agencies.

Most of field job come at agency without publishing anywhere and agency also try to fill up without publish on their (agency’s) website and successful desi knows these agencies but they never share this things. I am not blaming all successful Desi who are like this but most of them are same.

After all “JO JITA VO SIKANDER HEY”

I request new desi that please visit regularly http://www.Canadiandesi.com" rel="nofollow">LINK and get knowledge of Canadian market, also read mail of negative attitude and be prepare yourself in India (regularly access websites of Canada about job market and agencies and available courses in Canada etc.) and come with WAR plan and do hard work with at least 10 hrs a day for job. (Don’t go Niagara) and don’t do factory job ( you can do job on Saturday and Sunday in any shops or restaurant for survival )

I see one of my friends who did all above preparation in India and come here and give some exams within 15 days and get Canadian certificates, now he is looking for job.

I am agreeing that you start with POSITIVE but don’t ignore NEGATIVE.

Wishing all for their career and best of luck new desi.


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Kap


mslall   
Member since: Aug 04
Posts: 10
Location: Toronto-Canada

Post ID: #PID Posted on: 24-10-04 10:12:11

Good, positive thoughts in this piece.
However, I fundamentally differ with the approach to search for employment. Rather than focussing the first 3-4 months on getting an opportunity in your field, although hitting the bull's eye is not impossible, yet remote, I would recommend getting involved in pursuits that bring the immigrant upto speed on the local phraseology, culture in the workplace, getting ideas across in confident ways....not through a 'labor' job surely, but try instead getting into a reputed call-center associated with branded products/services. There are sure to be some folks out there for whom this path worked. Afterall, when you walk in to an employer's door with your resume dead serious about a position, the last thing you want to get rejected for is not smelling right (odor of Indian curry hanging onto your clothes), or for that matter not looking confident or unable to conduct/particpate in a dialog.

Your call.......

Best of luck to all of you out there.



smiss   
Member since: Sep 04
Posts: 4
Location: dar es salaam - tanzania

Post ID: #PID Posted on: 16-11-04 16:26:59

dear mr india
thanks for the info and the positive attitude set out.
i am also a nearby applicant and am really glad to know your good experience on landing.
is it possible to be in touch by e-mail and if so can you give me your e-mail id so i cancontact you and also ask for some more info from you.
smiss



peacock1   
Member since: Jul 04
Posts: 1040
Location: Woodbridge

Post ID: #PID Posted on: 18-11-04 22:22:03

I agree with mslall, instead of doing the factory work one should concentrate in finding work in any call centre, there are atleast 3000 and more call centre in TO alone, and those jobs are although stressfull but let u earn some decent living, unlike the factory jobs where even the agency persons are behaving rudely with you as if you r their slaves, job market in Toronto is although bad , on looking through the "Employment News" which is available free u can hopefully land somewhere


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mor

Whenever you experience joy, peace, security, equanimity or purity, it is only because you are aligned with ALMIGHTY.


riiishi   
Member since: Aug 06
Posts: 6
Location: Earth

Post ID: #PID Posted on: 09-08-06 06:30:59

Very good positive attitude.your info gives
new immigrant very useful tips
keep it up




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