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Article #10: Immigrating to Canada ? Have you contacted a Settlement Support Services company ? Read this before you book your flights !

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Canada has been attracting professional can be purchased in advance, prior to
people from all over the world for your arrival in Canada, so you are taken
decades. People migrate or immigrate to care of as soon as you land. Won't these
Canada for a variety of reasons, a better services cost a lot i.e. be expensive?
quality of life and better higher Sure, these companies will charge a
education being amongst the major certain amount depending on the services
reasons. The Canadian government has you require. But in my opinion it's a
fine tuned the immigration application small price to pay for the benefit you
processing system to quite an extent. get. Let's use an example of one of the
Initially it was cumbersome with somewhat services. You engage this company to buy
difficult to attain points. But as a car for you so you are mobile on
Australia and the United Kingdom opened arrival. Assume that you have the driving
up competitive immigration schemes license and are allowed to drive in
thereby attracting from the same pool of Canada from day one. You agree a budget
talented professional people, the and type of car i.e. sedan, MPV, SUV and
Canadian Government apparently took the make and model number. You make the
notice and streamlined the process. initial payment to them to look for the
However it could be improved further, as car, their service fees, say C$500. They
applications still take a long time to go to their registered car dealers and
process. This apparently is not simply a come back with 3 or 4 options, you
manpower issue as has been claimed but approve one out of them, wire the money
simply the government trying to control and presto, the car is available the day
the numbers of immigrants that arrive you arrive. How does that benefit you?
each year. My point being that the Well, as you are dealing with a reputable
application process should be completed company, they have a reputation to worry
within 6 to 12 months and not the 36 to about and will do the best to ensure that
48 months it is currently taking in some you get the best deal. As they have been
parts of the world. But I digress from in the country for a number of years,
what this article is about. Once you have they cannot be sold an overpriced car and
jumped all the hoops (and there are a lot more importantly you are saved the
of them) that the application process running around in taxis to view cars, a
requires, you are now ready to wind up process that takes time and money. Your
your affairs (that's business not private benefit? Your car is available from day
affairs !) and proceed to Canada. You are one and you can focus on job hunting.
now looking forward to getting your hands Spending a few hundred dollars to engage
on the Permanent Residence (PR) Card that the services of such a company can save
gives you right to live and work in thousands in car costs. More importantly,
Canada. By now you are thinking that the don't forget the opportunity costs,
worst is over and nothing can stop you something that is commonly overlooked and
from your dream of settling in Canada. almost never understood. While you are
Nothing could be further from the truth! looking for a car to buy, you should have
I bet you did not expect that but read on been looking for a job. Each day spent on
... Most new immigrants or migrant (I use car hunting is a day lost looking for a
the terms synonymously) landing in Canada job. A lost job day could set you back a
are doing so as total strangers, without couple of hundred dollars, 4 or 5 lost
knowing anybody in the country. The small job days can set you back a thousand or
percentage of lucky ones have a relative more dollars. Similarly if you are
or friend or know a friend's friend who inclined to start your own business in
is already in Canada and expect or hope Canada, it can be one of many types. You
that they will help in the settlement can have a convenience store, a grocery
process. In most cases, such relatives store, car wash/service station, gas
and friends do. But at the most, what can station or food franchise. Now each day
they help the new immigrant with? Pick up you spend looking for the right business
from airport and depositing at own home, to buy, you are losing income. Wouldn't
hotel or suitable accommodation. For a it be great to have somebody identify and
person or family arriving in a new shortlist a number of businesses that you
country even that can be a big help. The are interested in? The settlement support
problem arises after a couple of days company can do this. Plus they can also
when you get over your jet lag and have try identifying the potential of these
to start learning how to live and earn in businesses in terms of clientele and
the new country? You need a job (unless potential turnover. All you have to do is
you brought in a lot of money), you need to go over the options they have short
to complete certain government listed and make your decision as soon as
registration formalities, the kids need you land in Canada. Note that you should
to go to school, you need a car (as this have the option to not go ahead as well.
is a must in North America), you need This short cut to starting out in a
medical insurance coverage as the business can be worth tens of thousands
Canadian Provincial Health Authority will in terms of lost income i.e. opportunity
not cover you for the first 3 months cost. Again, the company will charge a
after landing and a host of other tasks few thousand dollars for this service.
including opening a bank account, But always keep the income you are
transferring your funds in and hoping losing, if you don't start out soon, in
that the cash you brought with you lasts mind. That will put their charges into
the distance. Before we proceed, a word perspective. The sooner you buy a
of warning about friends and relatives business, the sooner you start earning
who you hope will help you once you land and getting on your feet in Canada. The
in Canada. Unless you know them fees seems like a small price to pay for
personally and have done so for many this. So how do you identify a genuine
years, even then, my advice would be not company or what do you look for in any
to take their help or advice at face company claiming to be a migrant
value. There have been instances for settlement services company? Here are a
example when people have put up their few things to look out for: Do they
newly landed friends only to charge them provide arrival assistance? Not very
more rent than the going market rate. important but it would be nice to know
When you are new to a place you don't somebody is meeting you at the airpot. Do
have the necessary information to make they provide interpreter services for
decisions and can be asked to sign up for you, if needed? Should be optional if you
more than you bargained for. On the other feel you need one. Do they help with
hand, no matter what treatment you get, short term or long term accommodation
you will be morally obliged to your needs? Important as last you need to do
friend or family for life, since they once you arrive in Canada is start
took time out to pick you from the running around looking for accommodation.
airport and put you up for a couple of Do they help with the subsequent
weeks and over charged you as well ! government registration process? Relative
Alternately if you want to strike out on as it saves you finding out about
your own, you can land in Canada and ask government offices and visiting them.
the taxi driver to take you to a hotel, Check that they provide transport for
hoping that he won't over charge you. At this. Do they help with buying a car and
the hotel, unless you have booked or getting the driving license? Depends
earlier, you are liable to the maximum on your personal requirements. Check
charges that apply to walk in customers. beforehand if your current driving
So it's not the place you want to live in license enables you to drive in Canada.
for a few months until you find a job, If yes, buying a car in advance might be
have the references and credit file to a good idea. Otherwise hold on until you
enable you to move to an apartment. arrive and pass the driving test. Do they
Unless you have won the lottery, even the help with medical insurance arrangement?
cheapest hotel at minimum charges will be Can be arranged by you beforehand or can
setting you back a hefty amount each day. ask them to do this. Very important step
Now that you have checked into the hotel, for reasons stated previously. Do they
where do you go from there? The help with finding a job? Note they can't
government's new immigrant pack contains offer to employ you but rather guide you
basic information but it can be through the job seeking process in
misleading and it certainly helps if you Canada. As they know the employment
have the advice of someone who has agencies and network with other placement
already landed in Canada. To be honest, agencies, they can reduce the time it
I have been through the complete takes to find employment. Do they help
immigration process and landing in Canada with setting up a business? This is
is the hardest part. People have given up important if you are inclined to start a
and returned to their home countries business as it can save you time and
within 6 months of arriving in Canada as money. Do they try and force all their
they could not cope with the pressures of services on you or are you allowed to
everything that they faced. Finding choose the ones you need and are charged
employment or starting a business will be on a pro rata basis ? Important as you
the hardest tasks for the newly landed don't want to buy services you are not
immigrant. And this is the one that is on going to utilize. Why pay for something
ones mind from the onset. Many newly you don't need? So check if you are sold
landed immigrants have left their the full pack or you can choose the
previous occupations and started working services you require. If the answer is
in shops or stores as assistants to make yes to all of the above questions, then
ends meet. Some professional people such it is safe to say that the company is a
as doctors had to resort to working as proper migrant settlement and support
security guards for the simple reason company. Anyone not offering all those
that their medical degrees were not services should be avoided. Are there
recognised in Canada. They must now many companies that provide these
undergo a tortuous process to retake services? Unfortunately, the answer to
exams but until they do, they cannot that question is not many. In fact, there
practice medicine there. Hence they work is only one that I know of. It's called
anywhere they can in the meantime. While Avanti Migrant Services and has recently
you are passing time looking for a job or started serving the migrant community.
trying to set up your business, your bank This company was set up with the new
balance or savings are being whittled immigrant in mind to ease the arrival
away, faster than you expected. That is pains and subsequent transition into a
why within 6 months some people just new life in Canada. They pretty much
throw in the towel and leave. This is cover all the requisites that have been
not meant to discourage you as the identified that you should look for. It's
prospective migrant. Canada can be, to been started by former immigrants and it
quote a cliché, the land of milk and looks like they know what they are
honey for people who are prepared to work talking about. In the end, it's your
hard and make an honest living. It choice on whether you want to utilize
provides the opportunities to those who these services company or not. In
aspire to achieve better and are willing hindsight, had I known such a company
to put in the effort. So much for the existed when I landed, I would have
entire doomsday scenario! There is a way signed up with them in a flash. And the
to ease your arrival in Canada. My reason for that is simple. The knowledge
recommendation would be to use an about life in Canada I gained through
immigrant settlement and support services experience, over the course of 1 to 2
company to make the settling in process years. Had I known someone could impart
as painless as possible. Basically what this knowledge to me within a couple of
these companies do is to provide a range weeks of landing, I would have been up
of services for new migrants. This can and running in a month's time rather than
include pick up from airport, the six months it took me including
accommodation, help with registration making some bad business decisions.
process, getting the hang of Canadian Therefore I strongly recommend that you
cities, help with banking, setting up of look seriously into utilizing the
credit facilities, buying a car, help services of a settlement support company.
with finding a job and even finding a It could save you thousands of dollars
suitable business to buy. These services and days/weeks/months of frustration.






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