Think Mauritius

Comment by Aartee

17 January 2007 @ 8:45 pm

Hi there,

I really like your website and I think that it is very useful for people considering moving to Canada like myself.

Could you please talk a bit more about the good side of moving to Canada? Like why is it a good country to live in- from your personal experience?

Thanks

Comment by Patrick Ng

18 January 2007 @ 1:32 pm

Hi Aartee,

Well this is not my website :-), but I like your compliment. I am currently out of town. I will try to write more when I am back home.

Regards,

Comment by Patrick Ng

22 January 2007 @ 4:21 am

Aartee,

I have thought about your question quite a bit and I must say, it’s more difficult to answer than I first thought, because if I were to write everything, I will need to write a book.

From the good side:

- Work Experience. The experience gained is invaluable. I am not saying that I did not acquire valuable experience in Mauritius.
- Continuing education. I am currently working towards a BA (part-time).
- Boxing Day Sales :-)
- Rapid response from the police force. If I call 911 (equivalent of 999 in Mauritius), I won’t get “The car is not here” as an answer.
- Not having to apply for a visa when visiting other countries.

From the “bad” side
- Health system is very disappointing for a big country like Canada (my opinion).
- Dental service can cost a lot if one does not have insurance coverage.
- Sometimes it is very cold in Canada.
- Job security seems to be something of the past. This can be good or bad, depending on what side of the fence you are.

Comment by VIJAY

24 January 2007 @ 2:10 am

Hi patrick,

I really appreciate the ‘bad side’ view for canada.
Health system is a complate disaster and dental services, my goodness it can cost your whole monthly salary for one or 2 visits to the dentist.
Cold weather is indeed one bad side that everyone has to endure but one piece of info for aartee buy a lot of warm clothes in mauritius and dont buy too many traditional clothes unless you are going to vancouver where you can wear them even in winter.

Yeah job security thats like gold if you are able to get it here.At any time you can be laid off depending on the company policies and financial situation. So get prepared Artee and please if you are coming after doing your medical test for canada, if there is any medical treatment and especially dental treatment, please do it in mauritius even if it is costly because here it is very very expensive. This applies to all those planning to come here or are waiting for visas.
BOXING DAY IS EXTRAORDINARY UP TO 60-80% DISCOUNT. UNFORTUNATELY I WAS WORKING THAT DAY, BAD LUCK.

CHEER UP ARTEE AND PREPARE YOURSELF MENTALLY IF YOU WANT TO SETTLE HERE IN CANADA.

Ok patrick c u later

Bye

VIJAY

Comment by Patrick Ng

24 January 2007 @ 3:28 pm

Hi Vijay,

After reading your comment and the comment you made concerning the “Moving to Canada” article, I think it’s safe for me to say that your experience as a landed immigrant and mine have a lot in common.

I like the way that you also stress on the point that Mauritians moving to Canada should prepare themselves mentally and don’t think of Canada as Eldorado (your comment to “Moving to Canada”). Many people when talking to potential landed immigrants don’t mention about the “bad sides” either intentionally or unintentionally. For example, if I go to Mauritius and start eating in “expensive” restaurant and buying “expensive” clothes, some might think that I am making tons of money in Canada. What they are not seeing is that I have saved my money for a while in Canada to buy these clothes in Mauritius because they end up costing cheaper because of the exchange rate.

Therefore, those who have built so much expectations but forgot to consider some of the “bad sides” are in for a big suprise once they arrive in Canada.

Aartee and others, please feel free to ask questions.

Patrick

Comment by Vijay

26 January 2007 @ 8:47 pm

Hi Patrick,

Thanks for the comment and i agrees 100% with you on the following STATEMENT:”For example, if I go to Mauritius and start eating in “expensive” restaurant and buying “expensive” clothes, some might think that I am making tons of money in Canada. What they are not seeing is that I have saved my money for a while in Canada to buy these clothes in Mauritius because they end up costing cheaper because of the exchange rate.”
Here we have to strive if we want to go to mauritius and many mauritians do wait for the offpeak season to pay themselves a relatively ‘cheap visit’ to mauritius.Clothes are very expensive at times and we have to wait for sales to get good stuff at very good prices. As for eating in an expensive restaurant, thats for sure people will say that you have a lot of money, even if these people eat THEMSELVES at these restaurants may be 4 or 5 times a month in mtius. But they dont know that you strive to get this money and afford to eat in that restaurant.Food is not that expensive here but it is sometimes quite expensive to eat everyday in a restaurant in canada, so my advice to all those who dont know how to cook food or even prepare a good cup of tea, please do learn now, it will help you a lot. Thank god i can cook most of the food i want to eat,and i save a lot of money by doing so. So please ladies and gentlemen waiting to come to canada, LEARN HOW TO COOK FOOD AND PREAPARE TEA, or else you will end up with your survival funds used up very quickly.
One thing more, get prepared to work in supermarkets or any small jobs until you get a decent job, SO THAT YOU JUST GET MONEY TO PAY YOUR BILLS AND RENT(ONE OF THE BIGGEST EXPENDITURE DEPENDING ON THE PROVINCE AND THE REGION YOU ARE LIVING).
ANYWAY IM NOT DISCOURAGING ANYONE BUT I KNOW SO MANY PEOPLE WHO HAD GOOD JOBS IN MAURITIUS DOING ODD JOBS HERE BUT THEY ARE HAPPY AND ARE STRIVING BECAUSE IT IS THE ONLY WAY TO INTEGRATE THE SYSTEM.YOU WOULD SURELY AGREE WITH ME PATRICK.

Anyway a warm welcome to those that will land very soon in CANADA.

I strongly apologise if my views are discouraging but im just telling the truth and it may not be the case for some people. Just wanted you guys not to get into an ‘illusion’.Patrick is doing a great job and my comments are just adding to the message that he wants to convey event if the truth is harsh. However, whatever i said will be hardships faced for the first 6 to 1 year or maybe 2 years.After that it will be smooth integration into the society. So take it easy and as an advice.

Hope that these comments will help you guys.

VIJAY

Comment by Patrick Ng

31 January 2007 @ 4:11 am

Vijay is right. We are not trying to discourage anyone from moving to Canada, but help potential immigrants prepare themselves psychologically so that they can be in a better position to succeed.

Comment by Aartee

2 February 2007 @ 8:26 pm

Hey there!

I stumbled on this document while I was reading on Canada. I thought it gave good advice and was encouraging.

http://www.settlement.org/downloads/Alone_In_Canada.pdf

I thought I’d post it as it might be of use to other readers too!

Comment by Vijay

3 February 2007 @ 6:48 pm

Hi Artee,

I congratulate your idea to share this website. I went through it and i must admit that this is the best website that i have ever been through all web sites i visited for canada. It is realistic and it gives all information about canadian culture and all the negative things that new immigrants may face in canada. So if anyone visit this website, then whatever patrick and i have said about canada is a perfect reflection in this website.

So, once more hats off to you artee for this wonderful website.

What i appreciated most is the things about living alone in canada and about our own community in canada.Most of these things are relevant.

Sincerely wish you all the best if you are applying to come to canada.

Bye

VIJAY

Comment by STEPHANIE

14 March 2007 @ 9:11 am

hi u

thank u for this piece of good information. we will be there by next year and i think it is better o be prepared to face those challenges. mauritians do have a fighting spirit and i congratulate all of u for what you have done!! i know and i am prepared to step in any job as i know that it will take time to get a decent job - i would just like to know if canadian experience is a must and how do you feature out having a canadian experience in your field if you need to do small jobs ? how do you integrate the system? regarding health service - is it the case in toronto as well ?

Comment by Patrick Ng

14 March 2007 @ 1:26 pm

“Canadian Experience” does not necessarily need to be in your field. It can be from any job.

Comment by STEPHANIE

15 March 2007 @ 8:57 am

thank you for tour quick response - i would also like to know if there is a work life balance - i am sure it is not like oin Mtius but do you manage having some time for your family?

Comment by Patrick Ng

15 March 2007 @ 6:26 pm

Stephanie,

This is a very tricky question, and I don’t think there is a single answer to that question.

All will depend on how much work you job requires you to do and at what time of the day each of you is working. If both of you are working regular office hours, then you will see each other more than if one of you is working night shifts and the other one is working day shifts.

It’s definitely not the same as in Mauritius :-(

Comment by Vijay

17 March 2007 @ 4:17 am

Hi stephanie,

i appreciate this spirit of yours. Keep it up and with this attitude you will be well prepared to face the hardships (initially if you encounter any)here in canada. Any job in a canadian company = canadian experience. One advice - if you like caring for sick and old people, then follow a course in health care (resident care aide)- You will get a well paid job in health sector and you will always be needed in that job because they do lack a lot of health care workers.
Well if you like that type of job then you will be well off financially in a matter of months.

Hope this will help you.

Cheers and Welcome to Canada

bye

Vijay

Comment by dodo

12 April 2007 @ 9:26 pm

As far as calling home.
Once you have managed to get a PC and Internet here, do a PC to PC call via SKYPE (assuming relatives have a PC in Mauritus). Since last October I am in touch with my brother on a daily basis (2 mins). Before i used to wait for midnight to call home (Mts) and then I got myself a plan with a Long distance carrier but i still had to manage my calls but since last year I am laughing.
As far as airline tickets to go home, work with some Mauritian TAs here ( they have good prices though everything has gone up since fuel went up)

Comment by Patrick Ng

13 April 2007 @ 1:08 am

Yes, using a computer and the internet is the cheapest way to communicate with your relatives. However, it will be a more pleasant experience if the relatives in Mauritius has high speed internet. Skype over a dialup connection can be a pain.

As for the airline tickets, like Dodo said, it’s best to work with Mauritian travel agents. Their prices are cheaper. And if you don’t have kids (school) and can afford to travel during Chinese New Year, it’s even better, because you can have some good deals: about $200 off low-season prices.

Comment by Hazel

9 May 2007 @ 2:55 pm

I like to have penpals from Mauritus and Mauritus living in US and Canada.

I am a 29 years old straight woman living in Canada, and like to have straight female penpals of any age over 25 for friendship only. I have visited your lovely Island once and would like to go there again.

Comment by Ellen

9 May 2007 @ 11:52 pm

Hello everyone,
That’s an interesting site….and I’d like to add my two cents in it! For anyone coming to settle here, make sure you take as many computer courses as you can before coming here, because when you will apply for a job here, you will have to do written tests, especially if you are going through an employment agency. Courses like “Microsoft Word, Excel, Powerpoint” would help you if you want any administrative job! Competition is tough, considering that there are a lot of graduates from Universities here who are also competing for jobs. One advantage that you have though is…being bilingual if you are planning to come to Ontario.

Buy as many sweaters as you can before coming, and bring your stock of DuThe Corson, that will help when you’re feeling down!

To the person who started this Website, i think it’s a wonderful idea to give feedback and help mauritians who want to settle here, keep it up! This is what being mauritian is about, helping each other!
:) Ellen

Comment by Patrick Ng

12 May 2007 @ 2:38 pm

Ellen’s advice to buy a lot of sweaters before coming to Canada is not a bad one, but I would like to add that you should buy sweaters that are machine washable and if possible, dryer friendly as well. I think it’s safe to say that you will be using the washing machine rather than hand wash your clothes. And if you live in an apartment, you’ll be using the dryer more often than not. In some places, the community does not allow you to hang dry your clothes even if you own your house, but rare.

Comment by STEPHANIE

7 June 2007 @ 12:03 pm

Hi to u all /

can somebody advise me on job opprtunities in Edmonton as we have heard that taxes there are low compared to Toronto ? are there as many jobs as in Toronto area
what about taxes in Ottawa ? and jobs opprtunities there ?

thank u

Comment by Vijay

9 June 2007 @ 8:36 am

Hello Stephanie,

Alberta has only one tax and jobs are booming in this province, both edmonton and calgary have lots of jobs. Next boom is in Saskatchewan, so watch out. There are also lots of jobs in Toronto also, from the info i gathered.

Bye

Comment by STEPHANIE

11 June 2007 @ 7:51 am

how many taxes are there exactly in toronto and are salaries higher that in alberta?

i have learnt that there is somem sort of grant for children. does that exists in toronto ?

thks for your help

Comment by Vijay

12 June 2007 @ 2:43 pm

Hi Sthepanie,

Children received around 250-300 dollars /month up to the age of 18 if im not mistaken.Its everywhere in any provinces of canada.Check it out.

Vijay

Comment by STEPHANIE

13 June 2007 @ 8:26 am

thank you vijay . u really of great help. do you know about taxes and salaries in toronto? compared to elsewhere?

Comment by Vijay

14 June 2007 @ 4:12 pm

Hi stephanie,

What i know is that in Toronto they pay more than quebec and in Alberta also they pay higher but only one tax in alberta.However there are things like rent which will be the highest cost, but you will have to look as there are always good deals.Check it out on internet. But taxes are nearly the same in other provinces except alberta which is less and quebec higher.The choice is yours…

Bye

Vijay

Comment by Dodo

18 June 2007 @ 3:42 pm

Just be cautious for lodging in Edmonton and Calgary. It is getting very tough to find good and inexpensive apt to rent an dif you are planning to buy, they are the hot spots

Comment by STEPHANIE

20 June 2007 @ 10:00 am

hi evreybody
still stuck in destination dilemma Toronto or Calgary? from what I gather on the net I can see that the demand for bilinguals is greater in Toronto than in calgary? can somebody advise?

Comment by Patrick Ng

20 June 2007 @ 2:28 pm

Hello everyone,

Stephanie: at some point choosing a destination will become a gamble and you will have to choose one and hope for the better and make the most out of it.

In my case, I decided to settle in Kitchener, which is a very small town in Canada. It’s big enough for me to find almost anything I want, but not big enough to be as busy as Toronto.

As for the demand for bilinguals, I don’t have much information as I have never worked in Toronto nor Calgary. Two months after I arrived in Kitchener, I got a job and have been at the same place for 6 years now. Of course, I have less incentive to move in the next few years now that I am a part-time student at the University of Waterloo and working towards my BA. Universtiy of Waterloo is in the town of Waterloo. Think of Kitchener and Waterloo as Beau-Bassin and Rose-Hill and you have a good idea of how close they are.

Perhaps someone else can advise on the demand for bilinguals in Toronto. Have you checked the following websites ?

http://www.workopolis.com
http://www.monster.ca

Comment by Vijay

21 June 2007 @ 4:02 pm

Hi everybody,

Comment by Dodo

22 June 2007 @ 9:57 pm

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PdXvgKkkOFw&mode=related&search=
FWIW;
If you through that site you will have an idea about Toronto. Quite a few videos to give you a feel of the city.

Comment by STEPHANIE

3 July 2007 @ 12:40 pm

hi u all!! can anybody know some mauritians living in alberta to share about life there as we are examining the possibility of landing there. are bilinguals in great demand !!
Vijay was previously talking of alberta region - may be he can advise ???

thanks to u all
and cheers de l’ile maurice

Comment by Vijay

8 July 2007 @ 10:19 pm

Hi Stephanie,

I dont know anyone in alberta, but as i know there are mauritians in edmonton. Sorry for that stephanie. I hope you get some more info from people living there. I think there is someone who was living in rosehill that is now living there i mean in edmonton, but not sure.

Sorry for that dear. I gather all my info from friends who are of other origins apart mauritians.

Anyway hope you will find some help but CALGARY IS EXPENSIVE IN RENT AND HOUSING BEAR THAT IN MIND…….

Ok bye im on my break.

Good luck dear.

Vijay

Comment by Dodo

9 July 2007 @ 3:13 pm

http://www.telusplanet.net/public/dixiex2/calgarycity.htm

Hopefully you will have an idea Stephanie. Like Vijay has mentioned, rent and realestate have gone through the roof. You may have to look and live outside the city

Comment by STEPHANIE

17 July 2007 @ 8:07 am

hi to u all

I would appreciate having your opinion on this issue .

I have recently heard that quite a few mauririans IN TORONTO were confronted to some racism specially in their workplace. they reported that immigrants were not treated the same way as immigrants though they were equally qualified .
is that just in Toronto? any idea about Alberta?

thanks for your comments

Comment by Patrick Ng

17 July 2007 @ 9:35 am

Hi Stephanie,

This is a very tricky question to answer. I don’t if this problem is faced only by Mauritians or not. According to the data of some studies (from my Sociology class), immigrants in general face this problem, regardless of their race. This is especially true for the first job. Once you have gained experience, including Canadian experience, you can change job and negociate for more.

One thing for sure, Canadian citizens will be given priorities over landed immigrants when it comes to government jobs. But, once you’ve become a Canadian citizen, you will be like any other Canadian citizen. Of course, chances of us becoming CEO’s of major corporations are slim to none, unless we start our own companies.

Another thing you will notice is that we come from a different culture, and it takes time to get use to the “Canadian culture” where people do some of the things differently.

To all: correct me if I’m wrong.

Comment by Dodo

23 July 2007 @ 4:33 pm

Patrick

You are right in all you comments and opinions. Even for someone who have been in the workplace for 20 years, I must say that “the real Canadians” or the “pure laine” in Quebec are always one step ahead of us - the non-white. Sorry to be blunt but that’s the way it is. I did my uni and post -grad studies here - so I did not come here as an immigrant per se- but I always have to prove myself to get accepted. One funny thing when i first started - some people were surprised that I could speak and write English or French better than them. Thank god for the nice teachers that I had in Mauritius. When I do have to give technical presentations at conferences- I would always get this comment ” I can detect some British accent or some Parisian French and I am trying to locate where you are from” Duh!!!!

Comment by Devina

24 July 2007 @ 9:23 am

Hi to all,

I have just found out this site and I find it amazing to find some Canadian-Mauritian friends. I am still at a planning stage to move to Canada. I am aware that it won’t be paradise there and I have prepared myself for possible problems there. Alberta and British Columbia (Vancouver)are my preferred locations but I still need your help and in making right decisions and this move.

Please advise

Regards

Comment by Ellen

27 July 2007 @ 12:00 am

Hi Stephanie,
Please do not get discouraged if some people have had some bad experiences! Racism will always be an issue wherever you go, but to different levels. I have travelled quite extensively in my life and can assure you that Canada is still very very tolerant. I did have a few bad experiences when i just landed here a long time ago, but as you get integrated here and learn about the culture and people, you gain confidence. In the beginning, you tend to put everything on “R”. Very quickly you will learn to stand up for yourself. The other thing i’ve learned here is that it doesn’t matter how educated you are or what job you have, people respect each other. I know in Toronto, people are courteous. It all depends on the individual. As far as being bilingual, yes, there are jobs for bilingual people in Toronto, but mostly in call centres, be prepared to work shift hours. I’m not sure about other provinces, but being bilingual in French will always be an asset wherever you go (except Quebec) of course where everybody’s bilingual. It does not matter what colour you are, it’s how you project yourself, how good you are at marketing yourself and your skills in a job interview. That will land you a job.
Hope this helps…
Ellen

Comment by Patrick Ng

27 July 2007 @ 10:29 am

Dodo: it’s true that we do write English and French better than some Canadian-born people :-)

Ellen: You’re right, Canadians are very tolerant in general. Of course, they won’t be happy if you say “We, Mauritians are better, we do this or that in a better way.”

Comment by sharon

1 August 2007 @ 8:25 pm

hi everybody,
i am new to this website but i’ve found it really very interesting and useful for those planning to move to Canada. My application is in process and i’m planning to move with my whole family there. May be it will take two years or more. my hubby and myself are prepared to leave our secured jobs here and stard everything from zero there just for the sake of a better future for ourselves and most importantly our children - for a better education and carreer prospect. I’m planning to settle in Toronto. Both my husband and myself are computer literate and I’m a BSc graduate. We are ready to face any some difficulies at the outset but I would like to know whether everything will be ok with time. I would like somebody to advise me about the accomodation - whether it is advisable to rent an appartment or to buy a house on mortgage right from the beginning. which one will be more profitable. Thanks for your reply.

Comment by Dodo

2 August 2007 @ 10:29 pm

FIRST SORRY FOR HIJACKING THIS THREAD.
I was doing some search for real estate ( may consider living on the island part-time after my retirement- yes I have some 10-15 yrs to go but am planning already ) and i landed on the following site:
http://www.africaguide.com/cgi-bin/forum/dcboard.cgi?az=list&forum=maurit

I have left the country in the 80’s as a student and I don’t have a lot of news from the island except when i do visit once every 4 yrs ( most of my siblings except one are living overseas and my bro has his own biz on the island after concluding that life was better for him on the island instead of working for an International org in Montreal). I also don’t keep up with all the news for lack of time- my fault.

Can someone edify me on why so many Foreigners are being hired as Professionals whilst talented Mauritians are bailing out? What gives? aren’t the citizens qualified enough?

Would appreciate some clarifications? Thank you in advance.

Comment by S

3 August 2007 @ 12:14 am

Sharon:
Unless you buy the house cash, I would recommend that you rent first for many reasons.
1. You have not built up a credit report that would allow you to have a mortgage.
2. You have to be familiar with the different neighbourhoods (especially for schools).

The biggest item that you would buy is a car (or even two).

Comment by sharon

3 August 2007 @ 8:08 pm

hi everybody

hi dodo,
as it is nowadays everyone is looking for better conditions of living and better career prospects which they won’t get or will take a lot of time in Mauritius. They want jobs that are well paid and better education for their children even if it means toiling and sacrificing some welfare. moreover well-off foreigners do not mind coming here to work even if they do not get much in terms of money. some just appreciate our sand, sun and sea. but for Mauritians it’s the opposite. It’s not a question of qualification only.

Well perhaps you, who seem to be so experienced, could advise whether it’s worth leaving everything behind and adventuring there. I know it will be tough in the beginning but i want to be reassured at least that everything will get better after some time. Is it true that racism exists over there? I heard that canada had a multi racial community with so many immigrants coming in there? Please could somebody clarify on this?

Comment by Patrick Ng

3 August 2007 @ 9:18 pm

Hi Sharon,

“Is it worth it?” is the most asked question and also the most difficult one to answer. In fact, I don’t even know if there is an answer to that question.

Only you has the answer to that question because each person’s experience is different. Some will have a very easy ride whereas others will have a very rough one.

Trust your feeling and listen to your heart. Once you’ve made you decision do not look back. I mean if you do make the jump and things don’t go accoding to plan, don’t curse yourself, but stand up and fight.

Comment by Dodo

4 August 2007 @ 12:49 am

Sharon,

As Mauritians, we are persistant and are able to take everything coming our way ( at least that’s what I do believe and experience). I can’t advise you what to do w/o knowing your background and your way of living.

Personally, I decided not to go back home because:
1. I knew I wouldn’t get a job in my field
2. If I did manage to get a govt job ( forget about the private sector- I didn’t have the connections -sorry to be blunt once again) I wouldn’t be able to stay current in the high tech area ( telecommunications)
3. Any way I come from a family ( a line of families to be correct) who didn’t think twice to move to small islands in the I.O. to manage their business and to be self-sufficient whilst at the same time ensuring that their children have a better life.
4. Canada has been good to me whilst other countries in Europe ( I am not taliking about the UK or France) have been good to my siblings. Two of my siblings have been able to be hired by International organizations as Canadians whereas they would not have had that chance in Mauritius unless my dad was a politician or was connected ( circa 1980/1990).

Life was not easy as a student nor as someone starting his career but through dedication, one can earn the trust of the employers/bosses and colleagues. If you have 2 cars in MU, you will be able to have the same here but one has to be patient. We can’t expect to have everything on day one.
Even for buying a house, it is better to rent first so that one knows in which part of the city one wants to purchase a property. Forget about having a nanny or “domestique” as some may be used to.

Racism- I haven’t been subjected per se though I have seen it targetted to other nationalities. We may be in Canada but not everyone is that well-educated ( I did not say instructed) and for some when things are not working in their favour, they will tend to blame the immigrants. I have seen this even amongst so called executives who should know better. I will put it on Jealousy rather than the R word. Most immigrants are a hard-working lot and within 5 years some will be owning a house in a nice neighbourhood with 2 cars in the driveway. The CDNs don’t know the sacrifice these immigrants have been making - forfeited vacations to their home country or during summertime/ extra working hours/ not enough time with their children/ not many R&Rs. Yet you will hear them blaming the immigrants for taking their “jobs” . My answer: Buddy, you have everything been served to you on a silver platter- take the opportunity instead on wasting your time on the couch watching TV. Same thing for education- immigrant kids tend to have better grades at school.

Personally. I was paying 5X more than a CDN for my bachelor degree because I was on a student visa- so instead of wasting my time going clubbing I was maximising my time on 6 courses per semestre so that I can graduate earlier. Once i started working, I had all the time to pick up on my social life. i have had the opportunity to move to the US 3 times ( from 3 different employers) but declined because life in CDA is better for me than the US. I don’t have to live in a gated-community because of security.Here kids on my street leave their bikes outside on the lawn and no one will walk away with them. I know who my neighbours are and we volunteer coaching the kids of other residents.

If you are ready to make some sacrifices at the beginning, go for it.

I asked the question about foreigners moving to the island because I know that the citizens are looking for jobs after their tertiary education.

Comment by sharon

4 August 2007 @ 4:04 pm

Hi everyone,

Thanks Patrick and Dodo for replying so soon. I am really thankful for your advice. As it is i have already made my mind to go ahead. However u know there is always that fear of adventuring in the unknown. But i’ll follow your advice - stand up and fight.

Can anyone tell me about children’s adaptability in schools. Is the transition ok? I mean the level here in Mts compared to Canada.

Comment by Patrick Ng

4 August 2007 @ 4:23 pm

You’re welcome.

I, and I am sure those who have made the move as well, understand your feeling perfectly. The fear of the unknown is natural. I started to feel this even more on the day I received my visa.

As for the kids, they will adapt very easily. Of course, if you land anywhere else except Québec, their French level will be way higher than their classmates.

Comment by Vijay

11 August 2007 @ 3:21 am

Hi patrick dodo and others,

hope that you are fine buddies.Hey sharon if you are coming to canada very soon and planning to buy anything like car and house, PLEASE start by building your credit history.get a credit card from the bank and pay it within terms, in this way you will be able to buy a house or car.
Anyway sharon wish you good luck for your move to canada.

bye everyone

VIJAY
MONTREAL

Comment by Patrick Ng

11 August 2007 @ 3:29 am

Hi Vijay and others,

Vijay: I am fine thank you.

Vijay is right in saying that one’s credit rating is very important. I talked about that in “Moving to Canada.” The best way to do that is to apply for a secured credit card. Without a credit rating/history, it’s virtually impossible to get a credit card, but a credit card is the best way to build your credit rating/history.

–
Patrick Ng

Comment by Hema

11 August 2007 @ 9:56 am

Hi Vijay, Dodo, and Patrick and team

Hope you are all ok.

I will need to move to Quebec. Once in Quebec, can i move let’s say to Vancouver afterwards.

I am not sufficiently qualified for Federal, so needs to land in Quebec with my family. What do you suggest ?

I am prepared for the any obstacles arising.

thanks for your thoughts.

regards.

Hema

Comment by Dodo

11 August 2007 @ 5:28 pm

Hi Hema,

That’s the way to go if you want to come to Canada ( I didn’t do it since I came on a student visa which was turned into a resident after I started working once i got my M.Eng but I know of people who have used this Modus Operandi). You will not be the first to do this thus no need to worry.
By coming here ( in Quebec- choose Montreal as your city) you will get all the documents required, Social security card, healtcare card etc. I believe that it may even be easier to land that first job because of the Bilingualism factor.
In addition, rent in Quebec is lower than Toronto or Calgary or Vancouver. After a yr or two ( or even earlier , once you’ve got use to the CDN way of living and having a good base in Quebec) you can look to move out west.

Don’t know your family situation- kids will have to go to French schools here but it is not a big hurdle at a young age to switch from one language to another.

The first move is always the toughest one ( though moving across the country from East to West is also a challenge sometimes- just the logistics of reapplying for a new health care card or driver’s license etc).

Comment by Stephanie

12 August 2007 @ 5:59 pm

Hi to all

very happy to see new people joining in . specially sharon as i am in the same process as you we have already done medicals and our passports are already gone to nairobi for final visas we had initially thought of moving to Toronto but finally we are going to alberta due to job opportunities available there .. our departure is now in a few months and we are in preparations. thanks to all those who have provided us with support during this long process . we hope that evreything will be OK our children are notlanding withus at first but they will be coming once we are settled in a job and accomodation . We have friends a Muritian family like ours with 3 kids . they have just landed in eDMONTON AND they are OK at least they are managing .. we allkow that the first two years are not easy but they are in contact with us and we are also in contact with other mauritians in Vancouver where things seems to be harder … but it’s allabout luck and the way you tackle things . .. at start . their children seem ok and the transition is smooth but you need to prepare them mentally for the change ..

WE ARE NOW IN RPOCESS OF PREPARING DOCUMENTS T FIND A JOB THERE ANY ADVICE FROM U ..MOST WELCOME …

THANKS AND BYE

Comment by Anne

13 August 2007 @ 1:59 am

Hi,
I join this discussion at a late stage. I arrived in Montreal in late January and I’ve had to go through the hard times, looking for an apartment, a job, finding a school for my kid, etc..

A major disappointment for Mauritians moving to Canada at mid-career is that it is very difficult to find a job in one’s area of specialisation. Sometimes, even though one might be prepared to start rock-bottom, there might not even be a start. I know people who were excellent communication specialists working as bank tellers, accountants working in travel agencies, and IT people or bio-chemists working as salesmen ine electronic shops, just to pay their bills.

One advice: be prepared to be very modest and to say you want to learn. Canadians like to be flaterred and to feel they have an edge over you. For a start, give them their due. The reason why i got a job was that I played modest (or dum!) initially asking for a posting as a trainee, whatever the pay. I hardly mentionned that I had run my own business in Mauritius or had prior managerial positions. Then, once I was in and they “tried me”, it is all about having a can do attitude and to do things others are just afraid to do or don’t want to do, it might not be nice but it does help.

On the contrary I have a friend from Mauritius who is still wasting his time trying to explain the nice experience in his cv. Useless! He is still looking for a job.

For my part, I am still at notch zero, but the prospects are better and at least I am working in my field of specialisation. In some cases, some people have changed careers altogether, it migt be an option if one is willing to settle in Canada at any cost.

Finally, another advice. If one is well settled in Mauritius, with a house which is already paid and car, one might be losing more in coming to Canada. But it one is struggling to pay the bills and with no assets, then it might be worth coming to Canada. One might struggle for use, but will get something at the end of the day.

once you are in Canada, building a network of Mauritian friends is useful. When the going gets tough, friends are the pillars we rely on.

Regards
Anne

Comment by Patrick Ng

15 August 2007 @ 12:48 am

Hi Anne,

If you have read everything that I have written in my posts on http://www.thinkmauritius.com, you probably noticed that I said that each person’s experience as an landed immigrant would be different. Some will have an easier time than others. A little bit of luck is needed sometimes.

Getting a job in one’s field can sometimes, especially as one’s first job in Canada, be difficult even more if the field’s supply of labour is “controlled” by an organisation.To increase your chances of working in your field, you have to become a member of the orgranisation related to your field. For example, if you want to work as an accountant, you will have to be a CGA (Certified General Account) or a CMA (Certified Management Accountant) or a CA (Chartered Accountant). If you want to work as an engineer, you will have to become a Professional Engineer. Keep in mind, that in both cases (account and engineers), there will be exams to pass, and even some courses to take.

I don’t know if Canadians like to be flattered. It all depends how you approach your interviews. If you display an “I am superior attitude” right away, they sure will not be very happy.

Starting as a trainee is very common in Canada. Volunteering is highly regarded as a very good quality. In fact, employers and Universities love employees and students who have done some volunteer job at one time or another. Myself, I am considering doing some hours as a volunteer…to put on my CV :-)

As for your friend having a hard time finding a job, maybe his CV is not the cause, but his cover letter or his interview skills are. Many people concentrate a lot on their CV’s and neglect their cover letters. However, if your cover letter is not well done, you can be sure the potential employer won’t bother reading your CV. A cover letter is your only chance to differentiate yourself from the competition, you can do that in your CV. Moreover, the way you present yourself at your interview is very important. Studies show that a potential employers already know if they will hire a candidate within the first five minutes: From the time your walk through the door, and you shake hands.

Comment by Dodo

15 August 2007 @ 2:47 am

Here is an article on how Quebec is seen by the French immigrant:
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB118680079272894989.html?mod=googlenews_wsj
There are some truths in this article but as one knows, some Europeans think that North America is “eldorado”

As Patrick has said, it all comes down to attitude………

Comment by STEPHANIE

15 August 2007 @ 12:35 pm

hi to u all

hi patrick - your previous comment is very helpful for us as we plan to land soon and will definitely need to go for interviews can u give us some useful tips on dressing for interviews .. and cover letters as well as resume

thanks bye

Comment by Hema

15 August 2007 @ 2:03 pm

Good afternoon Dodo & everyone,

All infos are taken into great consideration !!

Vijay, since you are from Montreal. Will very much to have some more info on How is life there ?

kind regards

Hema

Comment by Hema

15 August 2007 @ 2:06 pm

A big thank you to all of you for the continuous support/time you are giving to us

Regards

Hema

Comment by Patrick Ng

15 August 2007 @ 5:51 pm

Stephanie,

There is no doubt in my mind that one needs some luck during an interview. Like I said, if the recruiting person does not like you the second you walk through the door, chances are he won’t like you at all.

But, there is still a few things you can do to increase your chances of success during an interview, like:

1. Dress. Better to be “over-dressed” than “under-dressed.”
2. Avoid strong perfume. A perfume can be like a double-edged sword. The interviewer will either like it or hate it.
3. If you are a smoker, avoid smoking before an interview. Some people just “hate” smokers.
4. Firm handshake (especially for guys).
5. Keep eye contact.
6. Be yourself. Just tell yourself that you are there, and you’ll give it your best shot. If it works, good, but if it does not, it’s not the end of the world. Even if it does not work, you can still get something positive out of that interview: learn from your mistakes. Being yourself can also help you feel less nervous.

As for the resume and the cover letter, a lot of people will tell you that you need to use big words like proficient at this or that, excellent, extensive, work well under pressure…etc. I’ve done it myself.

I have some different ideas but unfortunately have not been able to put them to the test.

My theory:
Don’t overdo it. The guy reading your résumé is not that stupid to not feel that you are overdoing it. It is very likely that almost all the résumé he will receive for a particular job offer will be similar to each other. And if he were to hire someone based on the résumés only, he would have the hardest time in the world to pick one candidate because all the résumés are from “geniuses” with no flaws :-)

And for the cover letter, I think one should be able to be less “strict” and be oneself, and most of all avoid repeating things already in one’s résumé.

Like I said, this is just my theory, you can use it at your own risk or do as everyone else is doing.

Comment by sharon

17 August 2007 @ 11:10 am

Hi, Patrick, Dodo, Vijay, Stephanie and all others,

thanks for the precious info. I am not moving to CDA so soon. I am still at the beginning of the process, still awaiting the medicals. But it’s very useful to know beforehand what’s awaiting you.

Stephanie, Could you tell me about how long i will have to wait before eventually being asked to do the medicals? I mean from the time u receive your file number. I just want to know how long it will take.

Comment by Noor

20 August 2007 @ 8:22 am

Hy all guys..
I wanted to say thats a great job you all doing..It both helps those who still are not sure about leaving mauritius and those already there.
Ive already applied , been one year now since i got my file number…Surely i cant say much about how lifes there in canada apart from what ive read on the net and on other places.I think thats where patrick and others already down there will help a lot..But i would like to share with those who are still on the application process.. I think , from all the opinions and feedback i got from all kinds of people, one thing is for sure… Your motivation for leaving your country should not be vague..What i mean its not just because people are leaving that you need to leave too..You should balance all the pros and cons and see if the final result does weigh a lot in the positive side..Thats a thing which varies from people to people..Because once you gonna get in canada and see the reality in front of you, you will start comparing from how your life was in the past.. And if you didnt made your research well about how your lifes gonna improve, you may really face a hard time and thats where many lose hope and return back…Like Ptrick and others have mentioned, you should expect two years of real hardship before you get used to your new country..If you knew most of the negative sides, then surely you will have the guts and necessary positive attitude to go ahead.. Also dont just listen to people, do make your research on your own and see what youve been told is real..Some people maybe luring you, so be sure you know the truth..Everythings on the net today, so you cant say you didnt know!!Many new immigrants complain about tax, high rents , car insurance are high .. But sorry they are the only ones to blame.. Immigration is not Tourism..You need to search and search as much as you can and make sure youve done the most you could have.. Of course there are a lot unexpected events that gonna arise there, but at least you will not blame yourself for being irresponsible..

One other important thing is that you can also start making friends with people down there, not necessarily mtians..( what ive done already and i got plenty, belive me )There are plenty of meeting groups, chat, forums etc… This will help you know personal experiences and ask questions that you may still be pondering about..Especially about the field of work you are in, family life and most importantly of all, to know in which city you gonna start living in.. Also it will help you to socialise and know some of the way of life of canadians… Dont wait to be there to start looking for friends when you could have started well before…Of course there are things that you need to wait till you are in canada, but do make as necessary research as possible while you are here.. There are many who have paid immigration represantatives for their application.. They think that they have nothing to do and just need to wait for your PR..Dont do that silly mistake cause once your PR is obtained you are the one to live your life…

And please excuse me for some of the tough words but i think i needed to say it like this cause many mtians do make the mistake of following blindly..Each family that has immigrated is a particular case..There are so many factors that will make your experience completely different..Of course with time they may converge to a similar pattern , but i truly belive that the first few years will be the most difficult and lonely ones in your life..So make a must to be sure what youre doing…

Noor Khan

Comment by Patrick Ng

20 August 2007 @ 11:44 pm

Noor, this is a very good comment with some very good points.

Comment by Noor

21 August 2007 @ 7:26 am

Thx patrick…
I really hope others gonna comment about what i said and perhaps add to what i said.. This will help all of us

Comment by Hema

21 August 2007 @ 8:16 am

Hi Everyone

Hi Noor

Thanks for the message. It really helps. You are 100% right.

Will not wait till i am in Canada to make more friends !!.

Can you pls suggest a website/forum to chat with Canadians ?

thanks so much

Hema

Comment by Noor

21 August 2007 @ 9:48 am

Hy Hema

Chat rooms and forums are plenty.. especially if you want to talk with canadians..but first yo should find people who have common interests with you… To start with its much easier to make friends with immigrants , esp Mtians , who are living in canada..Then through their network you can get access to other people..Do try to make friends first with people close to your culture, way of life etc.. In this way it will be easier to start a good relationship with common interests.. Also if people who resemble your way of living, most propably would have had the same fears before they immigrated..In this way you would get people that will help you dissolve some of your worries..
I had started on http://www.hi5.com and http://www.facebook.com. These are meeting groups, mostly populated by young people and University students..It helped me since im only 26 years old and i was able to get answers to questions that a young man asks himself..There are plenty of adults also.. So do create yourself a profile then make a detailed research based on age , religion , sex, home country etc.. Try to find people with whom you wanna talk..you will get a few friends, thats for sure..

Try and let me know

Yours Noor

Comment by Noor

22 August 2007 @ 7:02 am

By the way guys, why dont we set up a network of our own?? what i mean is that, we could , as participants to this blog, exchange our email adresses .We could thus be friends and continue to help each other, be it here or there in canada..
what you think about this guys? let me know if you have other propositions though which we can start by knowing ourselves here and we could also create something where other mtians could join in for a discussion.

Noor

Comment by Patrick Ng

22 August 2007 @ 11:13 pm

Hi Noor,

I think it’s a very good idea. However, I have to warn all of us that usually, people tend to write less over time, not because they don’t want to, but because they are too busy with their own private lives, which at times can be demanding.

I have not been keeping track of everyone’s e-mail address, but if each one of us can post a comment with “Here’s my e-mail” without actually including the e-mail address itself, I will then retrieve the e-mail address and forward it to everyone. Each time there is a new member, I will forward the address to all the other existing members.

If we end up talking about something important, I can then write a post for everyone else to read.

Comment by vishal

23 August 2007 @ 2:51 pm

hi everybody,
Many thanks to patrick, vijay and others for their priceless information.This, indeed helps everyone of us to have an idea about what awaits potential immigrants in canada and, therefore be better prepared.
I have a question about recognition of foreign credentials in canada.I’ve heard that canada does not recognise foreign credentials though they have been obtained from the UK or other countries.I want to know if for example ACCA is recognised in canada.
I’ve read on the internet that a recognition agreement has been signed between CGA(Certified General Acoountant in Canada) and ACCA(Association of certified and Chartered Accountant in the UK, but I want to know if a qualified accountant from ACCA need to start everything from zero, that is, does he need to start his studies from scratch to be able to work as an accountant in canada?
Also, are there many job prospects in the finance sector or as an accountant in canada?

Thanks a lot again guys. you are doing a great job!

Comment by Noor

23 August 2007 @ 5:46 pm

Hy Vishal

Accounting is not my domain.. I hope someone can help you out specifically..
But one advice i could give to anyone is that jobs can be classified as either regulated jobs or non-regulated in Canada..
I take an example, im an air traffic controller and air traffic control is a regulated job and governed by Air Nav Canada.. So whatever experience or knowledge i have in Air traffic will serve only after having done their required qualifications there in canada..
So you need to check if the domain of accounting is a regulated job.. If yes, find out which body regulates that in Canada..Once you have it, you can go on their website for further details..And most of them are there to help out.You can even mail them for any deeper enquiries..Thats one thing

Another aspect you need to take consideration is that whether companies are ready to employ people with ACCA..Having an agreeement btwn CGA and ACCA is one thing, but companies are there to set out their own standard required.. To make it clearer, i take an example that im familiar with.. Say someone has a degree and good experience in Computer Networking.. That guy will in most cases find it hard to get that same field of work in Canada because there they have their own demanded standard..( normally Cisco qualifications are sought ) This happens despite that Computer Networking is a Global field and is the same wherever you go.. So take some time and search on all the big recruitment companies ( example you have workopolis.com && monster.ca) Make a good search in your field and see how much ACCA is being demanded. You will have a good idea then..

This technique to find out whether your field of work and qualifications stands, works for almost everyone.. Of course you will get a general trend, but it helps to clear doubts and plan some steps ahead..

As always
Noor

Comment by Noor

23 August 2007 @ 5:50 pm

RESPONSE TO COMMENT 7509 ABOUT EMAIL ADRESSES

Thats a very good idea patrick… I agree you send my email to everyone interested..In this way also, we can avoid spamming and protect the privacy of everyone..

I also agree that people will write according to their interest and free time. But i think we should start somewhere where individual grievances can be said without having to impose on everyone to read it..
Anyway, all those who want to share with me their email adresses, please feel free to ask patrick to do the necessary..I do believe we can start a good helping group

See you guys
Noor

Comment by Stéphane Lee

23 August 2007 @ 11:20 pm

Re: ACCA/CGA

If you are an ACCA and have working experience, it is possible to convert to a CGA Ontario license. You do not have to start from scratch. You will have to take some courses and do some exams. I know people who have done this route. Please note that the profession is regulated provincially. If you live in Quebec, you will have to go through CGA Ontario. (It does not work with CGA Quebec).

Comment by Patrick Ng

23 August 2007 @ 11:55 pm

Vishal:
If I were you, I would contact CGA. It would be a good idea to check if there is any document you”ll need from ACCA before leaving for Canada. Applying for official documents is way easier when you’re doing it yourself rather than getting someone to do it on your behalf.

Noor:

I agree, we must start somewhere. It would also be a good idea to share the names of forums or mailing lists. Our group will be relatively small compared to these forums/mailing lists. Someone there might have gone through something none from our group has gone through…yet

Comment by Dodo

27 August 2007 @ 6:53 pm

Bonjour a tous
Just want to be different today :-)
I have been thinkingand weighing whether I should post these on this site for all prospective immigrants ( one for Quebec and one in general) - they are a bit of a let down but they are actual experiences of people coming from different countries for different reasons : economic first , political, religious etc.
You can go through them to have an appreciation of what landed immigrant do experience, how some manage to cope or how some realize that it was a mistake -especially the French who had it so good in France but got caught up in owning their Cabane au Quebec.

Just go through them with an open mind and pick on some “mistakes” that you should manage from making or will be able to get through with patience, persistence and your dream for a better life away from the stupidity of the priviledged politicians of the “star of the Indian Ocean” who are selling the island to foreigners:
http://www.immigrer-contact.com/
check the bilans on the site.
Then there is this one, which the Canadian politicans are ashamed of;
http://www.notcanada.com/

Disclosure: I have worked in two provinces Quebec and Ontario but have dealt with customers and regional offices across the land and the US. I have decided to stay in Montreal for family reasons though I was away from home 6 out of the 17 yrs of my career ( commuting to Ottawa/Quebec city and Atlanta on a weekly basis). I have seen all “kinds” of canadians and I have learnt how to “block” the unpleasant ones. I came here alone as a student w/o any family support ( or church group as it happened in the 70s) and learned how to survive and made friends with people that have the same values on campus. I got my first job in Ottawa because it was easier in my field and there also I increased my network of friends to get through that first 2 yrs in my new job.

so good reading and use your own judgement when you read soem of these experiences.

Patrick: I use this current thread since most readers are using it though I believe that I should have posted it in the http://www.thinkmauritius.com/patrickng/2006/08/moving-to-canada.html thread

Comment by Patrick Ng

28 August 2007 @ 12:34 am

Dodo: Don’t worry, I have long noticed that this sort of things were inevitable. In fact, I have realised that these posts were not not meant to be individual posts but rather chapters of a whole book, a bit like the “Lord of the rings.” But one single post would have been too long for a blog.

People thinking about moving to Canada, or any other country for that matter, usually have tons of question and sometimes are even in a panic state.

Comment by jimmy

28 August 2007 @ 1:00 pm

hi patrick
this is such a wonderful website. i need to thank everyone who have posted valuable information which are helping mauritians to better plan their move to canada. i’m actually planning to move to canada and have learned that it takes on average about three and a half years to get the visa for quebec and approximately three years for federal provinces.
Can someone confirm the above information please?
Also,there are some immigration experts here in mauritius who are helping people to migrate to canada.
Since their services cost an important sum of money,i want to know in which way these experts help in the processing of the application. If someone has applied through these experts, please advise me.

Comment by Patrick Ng

29 August 2007 @ 1:39 am

Hi Jimmy,

Unfortunately, I am have no idea how immigration works in Quebec which has its own set of rules. They like you to know that when you are moving to Quebec your are first moving to Quebec. Canada comes in second place.

As as as the immigration experts are concerned, I don’t really believe they actually provide something more than you will get should decide not to use their services. I mean I don’t think they can speed up the process nor guarantee you a permanent resident visa. On top of that, they charge a huge amount of money per client (around R50,000 in 2001). You would be better off saving this money for when you come to Canada.

Personally, I did not hire an immigration expert when I applied for permanent residency and everything went fine. I was lucky to have applied during a time when applicants were not interviewed.

The way it went for me in chronological order:

-Sent letter asking for permanent resident
-Received an assessment form
-Filled assessment form and mailed to Nairobi
-Received a letter asking about my work experience
-Mailed letter about my work experience
-Received letter to go for medical test
-Paid Right of Landing fee (I should have paid this sooner and things would have gone faster)
-Received permanent resident visa

As you can see, you don’t really need an immigration expert for this. Canada is an immigrant country, and will still need immigrants sometimes in the future because it has not reached its optimum population (30 millions Canadians vs. 300 millions Americans) yet. Every year 250,000 immigrants come to Canada.

Now, everyone is free to decide what to do with his or her own money. I don’t want anyone to change his or her mind, and then later blame it on me if he or she is not granted a permanent resident visa. Someone correct me if I’m wrong about the immigration experts.

Comment by Noor

29 August 2007 @ 8:24 am

Hy patrick & Jimmy

Whatever youve said Patrick is completely right.. Immigration consultants cant do anything to speed up the process and if he is honest, he will admit that to you.. But one thing you need to keep in mind is whenever there is any black spot in your dossier and the guys at the immigration bureau need further clarification from you, it may take a long time before they request further info from you ( For quebec nowadays its taking more and more time since their staff amount in Paris is the same but amount of applications is increasing ). And by the time you answer them back, a few months would have elapsed and your immigration process would have been paused for this time. If you pay a consultant, at regular intervals he will verify if everything is going on well in your dossier. If not, he will call you up personally and request any further info or papers..So in this way you might be saving a few months..Also the second most important job that a REGISTERED CONSULTANT can do is that he can make an appeal if your immigration paper has been refused for so and so reasons..
Also if your applying for the province of Quebec you will most of the time be required to go through an interview..Definitely they gonna help you for that..

Thats the 3 main reasons that may make you use the service of a consultant. Also there are secondary services that they offer you.. Example some will come n fetch you at the airport, he will book a room in a hotel for you for the first few days, he will help you get your social id and all papers that required once you are in Canada etc..

Its purely a personal decision.. You can also go and talk to them. Then you can make up your decision..In mtius the 2 main counsultants are SAJ and Mr Leo Block..I dunno about SAJ, but Mr Leo is coming in october..You can always have a nice chat with him or/and attend to his seminar. Then you take your decision. Dont rush, take your time.. Be sure about what your doing so that you dont have any bad feelings after..

Hope i was helpful

As Always
Noor

Comment by Dodo

29 August 2007 @ 1:55 pm

“some will come n fetch you at the airport, he will book a room in a hotel for you for the first few days, he will help you get your social id and all papers that required once you are in Canada etc..”

Disclaimer: With all due respect and I am not targeting anyone. Just want the prospective immigrant to start thinking in the mind set of hunter instead of a farmer. You will get use to that term once you are in the workforce here.

How much will one has to pay for this?
Presumably in addition to the initial fees!!!!!!
Once you land at a CDN airport, you go directly to the Immigration ( after passing through the Canadian Border agents-Customs)
The immigration officials ( be it Federal or Quebec) will give you a list of what documents you will need to apply for in the coming days after landing ( with the addresses). They even have lists of apt hotel for short term stay with tariffs if you don’t have a parent/friends/acquaintances welcoming you.

These agencies are in business and every single thing they do for you will cost you money ( Mauritians ARE NOT the millionaires from Hong Kong who paid thousands to get their residency in Canada) and you would rather keep that money for when you are looking for that 1st job. They are owned by lawyers anyway ( who BTW charge by the hour even when they peek in the file that has been collecting dust in the meantime).

Immigration dept does not work with agents after the fiasco that happened at the Canadian Embassy in Hong Kong in the 80’s - employees were taking kickbacks to advance the files of “not so honest applicants” and members of the Triads.

As far as Quebec, forget about agents. The quebec govt follows its own policies and these days it is hard to decipher which one ( just Google Immigration au Quebec + ADQ). Plus read what I posted in #7386.

If a potential immigrant needs someone to hold his hand all the way by a thrid party instead of fighting the challenges that an application requires, then they should not consider coming because afterwards they will face a hard and difficult situation trying to “survive” one way or the other to make their life here. Once you are here, it is a point of no return unless you can afford to go back to your life in Mauritus in a very short interval.

This is “tough talk” and I apologize to call “a spade a spade” but one has to be a ” debrouillard” as we say in Mauritus to get ahead. Do your homework and don’t get blinsided by an agent whose main goal is making money ( with their ilks in Canada) off of you. By researching and questioning those who have already gone through the process, you will know what to expect. We are lucky these days that we can find every info that we want on the Internet and with the required tools , even affordable accommodations sites and locations and potential employers if one wants to continue in one field ( which does not occur very often)

NB: with all the applications that they receive at the Embassies and Consulates, I doubt these agents can make an appeal on your behalf successfully. Look at the state of the refugee situation in Canada as an example.

JMHO and my two cents on the subject of agents.

Comment by Dodo

29 August 2007 @ 6:59 pm

here is a site that mentions the length /duration for processing immigration applications:
http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/information/times/international/menu-perm.asp

Notice

Immigration representatives

In accordance with the Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations, CIC only recognizes representatives who are members of

a Canadian provincial or territorial law society,
the Canadian Society of Immigration Consultants (CSIC) or
the Chambre des notaires du Québec.
No other representative may charge a fee in relation to an application or proceeding, be it inland or overseas, before the Minister or an officer, or before the Immigration Refugee Board.

Applications to CIC submitted by other representatives who charge a fee will not be processed and will be returned to the applicant.

http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/information/representative/index.asp

Comment by Patrick Ng

30 August 2007 @ 1:02 am

Hi everyone,

I would like to say that both Noor and Dodo have some good points in their posts.

If you have the money, and think that using the services of an immigration consultant will give you piece of mind, then by all means go ahead and hire one. However, make sure you are not hiring a “player.” And God knows there are many players waiting to take advantage of others in “weak situations.” By the way, you need to be on the look out for them in Canada as well. Be careful before you accept an offer, or you might find yourself locked in a contract for something you don’t really need or want. Please note: I am NOT being sarcastic. Peace of mind is something I take very seriously. I personally believe one cannot be 100% productive nor make a sound decision if one does not have peace of mind.

To be honest, unlike some of you who are “first generations” immigrants, I was lucky to have relatives already in Canada who helped me settled down. I can understand that some of you might be in panic state because they don’t know anyone here, and will be facing the unknown.

On the other hand, like Dodo said, we should think as hunters, to increase of chances of survival. Luckily, most companies, and virtually every government department (Federal and Provincial) have web sites where you can have tons of information. Spend sometime on http://www.cic.gc.ca, there are tons of information there. I admit the site can be overwhelming at the beginning, but stick with it, and you’ll be glad you did. Personally, I wish I had done more of that in before applying.

Once you are in Canada, you’ll notice that the Internet will be the first place you’ll go when you need information about anything: movies, bus schedule, flight schedule, etc..

I would like to point out, that we are not immigration experts, just immigrants who are sharing our experience. I would like to thank both those who are sharing their experience and those who are asking questions, who in so doing, give us the opportunities to talk about our experience. In the end, what we all want to do is to help fellow Mauritians have an easier time settling down. You’ll notice that you’ll be even more Mauritians once you are in Canada.

Comment by Noor

30 August 2007 @ 1:34 pm

Hy patrick

I wana know something..what u meant by ‘i wish i had done more of that’ in the previous comment where you said “Personally, I admit the site can be overwhelming at the beginning, but stick with it, and you’ll be glad you did. Personally, I wish I had done more of that in before applying.”

Does that mean you would have changed your mind about immigration or does that mean that you would have been more knowledgeable?

Personally i do pass a lot of time on the net , browsing everywhere i can..I do agree with you theres plenty of stuff on http://www.cic.gc.ca that many people do overlook or never had the time to look into.. I believe that will save immigrants a lot of time and stressful moments if they make the effort to browse all the essential information on that website.

Comment by Patrick Ng

30 August 2007 @ 2:58 pm

Personally, I wish I had done more of that in before applying.

Hi Noor,

No, I would not have changed my mind. However, I would have found out that at that time, my fiancée could have joined me in Canada on a tourist visa. We would have gotten married, which would have allowed her to stay in Canada, while waiting for her permanent resident visa.

Had I known this piece of information, she would have been in Canada way earlier. And together, we would have felt less home sick.

Comment by Dodo

30 August 2007 @ 8:22 pm

Patrick,

IIRC the process would have taken longer in situ ( applying in Canada) as compared to outside of Canada. Back in 1984, the timing was : 4 months outside Canada v/s 2 yrs ( give or take) in Canada. I have an Iranian friend at Uni who got married to a classmate ( Canadian). She was given that choice ( she did not want to go back to Iran where the CDN Embassy was closed) or she could have gone to the UK or the US ( but that was a vicious circle because she needed a visa to saty there as a tourist). Anyway they got married here and when they went for the interview to convert her student visa to Landed Immigrant , they were questioned separately ( about the wedding ceremony, the reception, in-laws etc) to ensure that they are in “tune” with each other. In addition, her husband was on-hook for her welfare for the next 10 yrs .

I can’t say if things have changed since then with “new” govt :-) taking over .

Comment by Patrick Ng

30 August 2007 @ 8:33 pm

Dodo,

I know it would have taken longer, but at least, we would have been together. You know how it sucks to live on your own, or going to see a movie alone.

In addition, her husband was on-hook for her welfare for the next 10 yrs .

And do you think I’m off the hook ? :-)
When I asked to sponsor her, I agreed to be responsible for her welfare for the next 10 years too. I’ll be off the hook in 2013…six more years to go. Some say loving eyes can never see. I’ll add loving brain can never think.

Comment by Dodo

31 August 2007 @ 2:05 am

Oops!!!!!
Didn’t want to belittle you :-)
If she is working and paying EI, at least she can draw unemployment if she decides to have a baby Ng.
I know about going to the movies/restaurant alone ( i was doing that even when I was married - when you commute or are travelling - it is the pits?
I found an interesting article in the TOL:
http://women.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/women/fashion/article2241665.ece
and about Erin aviation that was in the news this week, Mauritius is getting a bad reputation.

Comment by Patrick Ng

31 August 2007 @ 3:42 am

Didn’t want to belittle you :-)

No offence taken :-)

Thanks for the link, I’ll have a look at it.

Comment by jimmy

31 August 2007 @ 5:54 am

hi patrick,noor, dodo and others,

i need to thank you very much.your comments and clarifications are very helpful.

keep doing this great job guys.
thanks again

Comment by Dodo

31 August 2007 @ 5:22 pm

Ci-joint, vous trouverez les péripéties d’un Immigrant de l’île Maurice ( Marie Joseph Emmanuael Boyer de la Giroday) au début du siècle dernier (1905 ou 1908).
En 1926, il retournera dan son île natale pour inviter d’autres Mauriciens à venir s’installer au Canada.
C’est son allocution tenue au Club de Curepipe en 1926 ( Il avait traversé le Canada de l’est à l’ouest pour s’y installer) .

Check the site of his grandson Richard who lives in British Columbia.
http://giroday.thewebworks.bc.ca/familyhistory.html

Comment by STEPHANIE ROSSE

2 September 2007 @ 5:58 pm

hi to all

sharon: sorry for the delay in rsponding was quite busy submitting assignmnets as i am completing my MA before leaving to CDA ..
submission of PAPERS OCTOBER 2004
FILE NO RECEIVED DECEMBER 2004
MEDICALS RECEIVED FEBRUARY 2007 - DELAYED TO JULY 2007 AS MEANWHILE GOT A THIRD BABY ” SAMUEL” SO WE HAD TO WAIT TILL JULY TO GET HIS MEDICAL
JULY 2007 WE PASSED MEDICALS
SUBMISSIO OF PASSPORTS END OF JULY 2007
SEPTEMBER 2007 AWAITING FOR VISAS ..

Comment by Noor

3 September 2007 @ 6:29 am

Hy Stephanie

Would you mind tell us if you applied to Federal govt or Quebec?

Comment by SHARON

3 September 2007 @ 7:19 pm

Hi everyone

Hi stephanie,
Thanks for the info. In fact i’m quite surprised and disapointed to learn that it took so long for u to get the medicals. I’ve applied thro’ an agency and they said that it normally takes 1 to 1 1/2 yr to get the medicals. As it is i’m still waiting for my file number. Have u applied thro’ an agency as well? Anyway wish u good luck as u will be going very soon.

May be others who have gone thro’ similar processes can help as concerns the processing time cos i’ve got the impression that it varies from person to person.

Comment by STEPHANIE

4 September 2007 @ 7:29 am

hi to all
Noor: I applied to federal as we were qualified

I applied through an agency as well and i also think it does take a long time and it varies also from person to person
I have a friend awaiting medical since october 2004 ( date of submission of dossier ) she is also with an agent not the same agent as me … but she is still waiting ..
and i can understand how difficult it is to be in a freezing state as you can’t take any othe r commitment .

I visisted notcanada.com and i wanted to say that i am glad to be aware of some tough realities before moving as we need to be fully prepared mentally to face hardships. Mauritians have a special fighting spirit and i believe that with PATIENCE and PERSEVERENCE we can do it

Comment by Dodo

4 September 2007 @ 2:55 pm

As a matter of fact:

It would be interesting to get some inof and data as far as the processing time for the applications in these different perspectives:

1. Applying on one own directly to the Fed
2. Applying via a recognised agent or representative to the Fed
3. Applying directly to Quebec
4. Applying through an agent to Quebec.

2. It seems that for STEPHANIE it will take nearly 3 yrs from the initial application to actually landing in Canada OCT 2004 - OCT 2007 ( assuming visas are delivered in septemebr 2007)

1.Patrick , it seems that you went through process #1 , albeit in 2001 ( may be pre September 2001) and you did not have to wait for the interviewers to get down from SAfrica or Nairobi for the interviews. Can you tell us how long ( in months) it took you to get the visa from your initial query to the Embassy .

Thanks.

Comment by Patrick Ng

5 September 2007 @ 12:19 am

Hi guys,

Unfortunately, I don’t remember how long it took exactly, but I think it took less than a month in my case. I applied directly to the Federal government. I was lucky to have applied during a time when almost no one was being interviewed. I know that for a fact because two of my aunts applied during the same time and none of them was interviewed.

If I’m not mistaken, during that time, a lot of Canadians were going to work in the US, and Canada was needing qualified individuals. However, things changed after September 11, 2001. The US economy was badly hit and a lot of Canadians came back home.

I strongly believe I would have had my visa way sooner had I already paid my Right of Landing Fee. I received my visa within a month of paying it.

Comment by STEPHANIE

5 September 2007 @ 8:20 am

HI TO ALL OF U

I HAVE A QUESTION GUYS ???

WHAT ABOUT SCHOLARSHIPS IN CANADA

I WOULD LIKE TO ENROLL IN A PHD EDUCATION AS I ENTER CANADA AS I AM COMPLETING MY MASTERS . I KNW PHDS IS QUITE EXPENSIVE BUT IS THERE ANY SCHOLARSHIP SYSTEM OR PART TIME WORK AT UNIVERSITY ALLOWING YOU TO PAY FOR YOUR STUDIES

I AM PLANNING TO ENROLL AT UNIVERSITY OF ALBERTA

AND I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW WHAT DO YOU THINK OF POSSIBILITIES OF EMPLOYEMENT WITH THE UNIVERSITY WHILE ON PHD AND AFTER PHD

Comment by STEPHANIE

5 September 2007 @ 8:24 am

ANOTHER QUESTION GUYS
MY PARENTS ARE PLANNING TO COME AND VISIT US BY THE WAY THEY WILL BE ACCOMPANYING MY CHILDREN AS MY CHILDREN ARE NOT LANDING WITH US BUT SOME TIME LATER …AS WE WANT THEM TO MOVE IN A COMFORTABLE PALCE SCHOOL ETC ..

WHAT ABOUT VISA PROCEDURES IF I WANT THEM TO STAY A FEW MONTHS WITH US ( LET SAY 6 MONTHS )

Comment by Dodo

5 September 2007 @ 4:28 pm

http://www.doityourselfimmigrationvisa.com/generalinfo.html

Your Rights And Obligations As A Permanent Resident Of Canada
You and your dependents have the right to live, study and work in Canada for as long as you remain permanent resident, and are entitled to most social benefits accorded to Canadian citizens. When you have met citizenship requirements (3 years after obtaining permanent residency), you may apply for Canadian citizenship and a Canadian passport.

There are a few limitations on permanent residents:
You cannot vote in certain elections.
You may be ineligible for certain jobs requiring high-level security clearances.
As permanent resident, you also have the same legal obligations as Canadians, such as paying taxes and respecting other laws.
If you or your dependents commit serious crimes, you or your dependents risk being deported from Canada.

You remain a permanent resident until you become a Canadian citizen or abandon Canada as your place of residence. You may be considered to have abandoned Canada if you have frequent and/or lengthy absences from the country. If you travel to Canada to present your Immigrant Visa to obtain permanent residence and then return to live in your home country indefinitely, you will lose your permanent resident status.

Temporary Resident Visa (Visitor/Tourist Visa)

Many people visit Canada for different reasons. People come to Canada for business, for family reunions with Canadian relatives, for education, and for employment. They also come to see the many beautiful and historical attractions of Canada. Through visiting Canada people enrich the country economically, socially, and culturally.

As a visitor to Canada:

you have a stay of about six months but a visitor’s stay can be extended.
you must be authorized to be able to study or work.
you should have medical insurance for the duration of your stay since visitors are not eligible for provincial health coverage.

To find out more about our Do-It-Yourself Kit for Visitors

Comment by Dodo

5 September 2007 @ 4:29 pm

as far as further studies you should enquire directly:
http://www.ualberta.ca/~publicas/uofa/prospective/grad_admissions.html

Comment by Patrick Ng

5 September 2007 @ 6:09 pm

Hi Stephanie,

Dodo did a great job. You should also be able to find more information about visitors visa on http://www.cic.gc.ca.

As for the PhD programme, you should definitely, like Dodo said, contact the university where you want to go. Each university has its own ways of doing things.

One more thing, please do not write in uppercase letters :-)

Comment by Patrick Ng

5 September 2007 @ 6:28 pm

Now, it’s my turn to ask a question.

Did you send your original documents or certified copies ? I sent my original documents and got all of them back, although I was taking a risk.

Comment by Dodo

5 September 2007 @ 8:48 pm

FYI-Please take not:
After having posted the “DoityourselfImmigration” link , I realized that I forgot to stress out something. There is no need to buy these kits. Just browse the cic .gc.ca site to know where to get all the pertinent info and forms.
All these forms are available either on-line or from the consular dept of the embassies or when you are in canada through a phone call .

By using the Internet, one has all info required on a particular subject. Just take the time to get to do a search and get informed so that you can ask questions when in doubt. Like I said before, we are lucky today to have access to all these info to make an educated decision

Comment by Vijay

13 September 2007 @ 7:47 am

Hi Patrick and the others,

Im in Maurirtius and i can tell you with assurance life is so hard and difficult here, cost of living is higher than in Canada, there is a lack of powdered milk in the markets and everything have shot up pricewise. No offence to any mauritians but i would prefer to return to canada very soon but right now im here for 5 months, i am quite worried how i will spend these 5 months here.

Anyone applying for canada please go but keep in mind that you will face some hardships in the first few months or 1st year but you should be ok within 2 years.

Patrick cost of living is hell here buddy, groceries is so expensive that with 100$ here you wont get as much as you use to get in Canada, price rise is 100% my friend can you imagine that. Electricity costs is now 20% on the rise, a bottle of phoenix beer is Rs 37.50 and if chilled may rise up to Rs 44 depending on the shopkeeper. Whiskhy prices 100% increase.When i imagine that i was drinking johny walker red label at $ 28.95 tax inclusive and here i cant imagine what is the price here. Lentils, dholl and other grain secs prices have more than doubled.

Anyway this is a broad indication of the state of the economy in Mtius, if i have more time i would write on these issues.

C u later buddies and keep it up with our site, it is becoming more and more interesting now with Noor and Dodo sharing their experience and knowledge. Keep it up guys that a lot of info to our mauritian friends planning to come over here. Thanks for these precious info.

Ok bye for now.

Enjoy AUTUMN season buddies.

Vijay

Comment by Dodo

13 September 2007 @ 2:47 pm

Hi Vijay,

I am on daily communication with my brother in Mauritius and he has been feeding me with info ( economy, politics and social issues even the alert about Tsunami over the past 24 hours). This situation reminds me of the 80’s when the govt of the day devaluated the Rs (on the advice of IMF) and I saw all the savings for my 3 yr Eng degree slashed down by 50%. It was t