Link to Original Post

http://www.canadiandesi.com/read.php?TID=1892

Here's one of our first success stories. Mishtar India had been following the forum since before he came here and had updated us in minute detail on his experiences after landing here. To date, he continues to contribute his unrelenting positivity to the forum. Below is a couple of posts highlighting his experience here.

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My post landing experience - Posted on Feb 6th 2004

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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And here is the follow up post on his getting a job.

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Posted on March 3rd, 04.

Hello Folks, .....i'm am signing in after about a month to give an update....things are looking up for me for now ThankGod.

what happenned to me is probably a matter of pure luck and i want new immigrants to know that do not lose hope ...if i could get to this stage you could too.

while I was waiting for my PR and SIN cards I was constantly contacting recruiters and senior HR people in companies in my feild...in the last 3 weeks i atended 2 interviews.....the first interview with the division manager went very well but i think i failed their paper test because after a great interview the guy seemed all fired up and interested in hiring me but the company had a policy of writing a test ...i was also so happy after a great interview that i did not really take the test seriously and probably goofed there ....soon after the test when they scanned the sheet in the computer ...i could see the interest in me just evaporate ..... pretty sad eh!!!

next week luckily another firm called me ...as luck would have it they have recently bagged a project similar to the last one i did. my profile fits perfectly to the job requirements ...the 2 hour interview was all hard selling and personality review from those guys...HR manager and General manager were interviewing me ...in addition to job related questions there were whacky questions like ...." what would you like your tombstone to read ?" and so on but it was all fun it was more like chatting with them than a stressful interview ...they asked me salary expectations i did not give any figure ...just kept saying i'd accept your company salary structure since you are an industry leader i am sure you'd pay be industry standards ...they pressed me hard for a figure but i did not budge ...at a moment i was about to blurt out $60K but i stopped myself.
next they told me they would camm me for another interview with the VP ...and i left happily expecting another call...in 2 days they called back and said that they have sent an offer letter on my email ...i opened it to me pleasant surprise ...they offerred a decent salary plus a company car !!!!

i was pinching myself to make sure i was not dreaming but it is true ....i do not know what they are expecting out of me ... a person with no US or canadian education ...i am kind of excited and nervous too ...it could very well happen that i might get kicked out in a month when they realize what a "bihari" i am ...but we'll see and i'll keep you posted .

Just wanted to share this with you all and thank you all for helping me keep my spirits high during this uncertain phase ...I wish each one of you get your dream jobs soon ...you all can do it ...it is just a matter of time !!!

Good luck folks ..

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