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CANADA?What challenges can you expect when you arrive in Canada? I have received a lot of e-mails from readers asking me this question. Most of them are worried about making it here if they immigrate.
The first thing that comes to my mind is communication. Although I do not consider this a major issue, there are some of our countrymen who have difficulty expressing themselves in English. Understanding is not a problem as the medium of instruction in our schools has always been in English, but speaking fluently is a different matter. There is nothing to worry however, because the public schools and other government agencies offer ESL (English as Second Language) courses to immigrants.
The next challenge is education. You may have finished in a university in the Philippines and passed the board exam for your profession but when you get to Canada you cannot be automatically recognized as such. You need to have your credentials assessed to determine the Canadian equivalent for your education. You have to wait for the assessment results to find out if you still need to undergo training or take additional courses to work in your intended occupation.
Another that is closely related with education is employment. Jobs in Canada are classified as regulated or non-regulated. Regulated jobs need either a license, certificate, or registration with a regulatory body before you can be employed. Some examples are engineers, doctors, pharmacists, and electricians. Non-regulated jobs do not require these. You only need to prove that you can perform the duties expected of you by your employer.
Still another hurdle that you may face is when the company requires Canadian work experience. The best way to get this is by starting on a temporary assignment. There are a number of staffing agencies hiring temporary employees for their clients and by going through them, you would have a better chance of getting a job and start gaining experience. This will also provide you an opportunity to prove your capabilities to your employer and open the door for a permanent position. You can also do volunteer work in some government agencies to gain experience.
Compared to other Canadian cities, Vancouver is considered to have the mildest weather. When I first came, I was told that it seldom snows here. But since I arrived, I had experienced two of the worst snowfalls the city had in over 20 years. Temperatures have dipped to a record negative 12 degrees Celsius last winter. This is another challenge you have to face?the cold weather. It is not pretty bad in the summer because the temperature can reach as high as 35 degrees Celsius, but during the fall season it starts to dip. Normal fall temperature is 10 to 21 degrees and we get a lot of rain too, that is why some tourists refer to the city as ?Raincouver.? In the winter, you also have to get used to going to work at 8 a.m. even when the sun has not yet come up, go home at 4 p.m. when it is already very dark, and endure temperatures from 0 to 10 degrees. The perfect solution of course is to bundle up and be ready with your umbrella every day!
Finding a place to live is also an important factor to consider. You should choose the location where you plan to settle carefully. It is important to find out if the neighborhood is safe especially if you have children. Check out the schools as well for incidents of violence, drugs, and the like. It would be wise to take all these into account because your kids will be interacting with other children in school who are from the same neighborhood.
Another challenge one can face is homesickness. We all come from closely-knit families and are used to always having get-togethers on birthdays, anniversaries, and other special occasions. Some people struggle hard to cope up with being alone. Depression often sets in and can greatly affect not only one?s outlook in life, but also performance at work. That is why most of the people I know who have migrated here on their own bury themselves at work?like taking two or three jobs so they will be very tired when they get home and not have to think about their families anymore.
Canada has accepted thousands of immigrants over the years so you will definitely find yourself in a country of people with diverse languages, accents, cultures, and beliefs. You should be able to adapt yourself to an environment with people who came from different countries who do not share the same values or traditions that you grew up with.
These are just some of the obstacles that you may have to face when you migrate but these should not make you lose hope. Faith, perseverance, and the determination to succeed will help you reach your goals no matter what!
As per some readers? requests here are some websites that may prove helpful in giving insights on working in Canada:
http://www.credentials.gc.ca/immigrants/workbook/index.asp http://workingincanada.gc.ca/welcome.do?lang=en.
http://www.canadavisa.com/canada-immigration-discussion-board/canada-high-demand-occupation-list-released-t12326.0.html
