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Hi Roxanne We have just done our landing and are now officially permanent residents of Canada. Our story started in 2016 when we decided to put all our efforts in to getting to Canada. I was luckily with a company with international links and started asking connections on LinkedIn if there were any positions in Canada available. There was, and after a really hard process of doing everything ourselves we got a work permit. We landed in Canada on the 25th of December 2017. It was minus 35 and dark, but we had such a sense of relief that is quite indescribable. We had several run ins with undesirables in SA and we also still sometimes are over cautious, but the sense of freedom in Canada is almost unbelievable. My 8 year old daughter has really blossomed and come out of her shell with this freedom. After a year here we got an expression of interest from Ontario and got the nomination in November of 2018, ITA and AOR in the same month. After exactly 6 months our application got approved and we "landed" on Sunday. I do not really want to look at the costs involved, but due to our path it is closer to the R60000-80000 range, but it is by far the best thing we could have done as a family. We have been blessed to have met some great people who have made settling in quite easy and we look forward to becoming Citizens next. The opportunities in Canada are awesome and once you have proven yourself, you can earn a good salary and have a great life. We live quite close to Lake Ontario and on Canada Day last year we went down to Bronte Harbour and watched the fireworks, but the important thing is that we walked there and at midnight walked home without feeling terrified. This was something we would not have dreamed of doing the year before. It was not easy to do and we did it all ourselves, but it is the greatest privilege to be here. Good luck and all the best.

I maintain that if someone cannot or will not navigate the immigration process without the help of a professional then they may have a hard landing this side because they won’t have anyone to hold their hands when they land here. Immigration is difficult and complicated but it’s actually harder AFTER you land. There’s a lot to navigate and there’s no agent to hold your hand when you get here This is what I say to everyone: Do the immigration process DIY, and if you think it’s too complicated and overwhelming then perhaps immigration isn’t for you.

Remedicals done and dusted - now we wait for the results, and hopefully this whole saga will be finalized soon.

Dear Friends Exactlly 7 months from AOR - We Finally got our PPR. ITA- October 15 2018 RPRF Paid on submission. AoR- Dec 11 2018 Biometrics - Jan 2018 Vo- ottawa Couple applicants NO review required. No ADRs We proactively submitted submitted supporting documentation for South African VISA refusal which was in 2016. We did the web form on the 30th of May 2019. No idea of Ghost updates. File was with agents. Country South Africa. Nationality Zimbabwean. Country of residence Kingdom of Swaziland. International travel was only in these countries. Calls January through 17 June 2019. Multiple calls. Only criminality and medicals passed. But background and eligibility not started. Had vowed not not to ever call them from the 17th of June 2019.... We ordered notes 26 April 2019 but we have not received them to date. Then during this afternoon boom a call and email from the agent with our PPR. NOC 1111 and 1112. Chartered Accountant by profession. PPR- 11 july 2019. Blessed be the name of the LORD. God is ever faithful.

Awww so no life Coach then? That's ok I still like you , even if you are the Grinch who steals girls dreams of finding a rickety rope bridge out of a swirling toilet bowl! You made my day, ❤ so Thank You Mr.Grinch🤣, can you feel your heart now? 💗 Just call me Cindy Lou Who 😋😁❤

Hi Tia It's normal to feel totally overwhelmed with the process. When you begin, there just seems to be too many things to do and too many hills to climb. I think we all had those feeling at one time or another. They have a saying at my work here in Ontario - - "How do you eat and Elephant?" - Well, one bite at a time. And the other favourite is "Slow and steady" - though, that one seems to get a bit trashed at times, because of deadlines that are impossible. If we tried (at work) to take the whole job on in one go, we'd run away. One bite at a time is the only way to do this. Read the guides that the Canadian government provides. Read it once, and then again and then again. Each time you read it, you will understand more and more about the process. It appears complicated, but it's not really that bad - the waiting is probably the worst. There are also people that make a living from trying to place trades people - Matrix Visa comes to mind. I have not heard bad things about him, but I don't know him nor do I have connections. The basic requirements to enter Canada are : Medical, Money, Qualifications, Age, Suitability (Family / Criminal = Police Clearance.) Before you begin, don't believe anyone that promises you anything. Of all the scandals I've come across in Canada, I've not heard of one that can speed up an application. There are fraud rings that bring people in, but they use the normal channels and speed. They get caught too. The common thread is even the criminals use the same system - at the same speed. So no one can make it faster with YOUR money. To work as an electrician here you need different things for the different provinces. To work independently as an electrician you need to be certified - usually this is done by a body in Canada. Some people come here to do their certification. https://settlement.org/ontario/employment/professions-and-trades/evaluate-my-credentials/how-do-i-get-my-trade-experience-recognized-in-ontario/ Check the Ontario College of Trades’ list of skilled trades to learn which require a Certificate of Qualification. https://www.collegeoftrades.ca/trades-in-ontario If You Have Several Years of Experience: If you have several years of experience in the trade you want to work in, you must apply for a Certificate of Qualification. If your trade experience is not from working in Ontario, you will first have to pass a Trade Equivalency Assessment (TEA) provided by the Ontario College of Trades. The Ontario College of Trades created a TEA application guide that you must follow. Etc, Etc. Everything you need to understand about being an electrician in Ontario is linked above. You will hear about WES, WES is a qualifications (Degrees) equivalency body - they look at a degree and say - " this is what your degree is worth in Canada". They don't do trades. So, you need to get your Ilets done. Both is better - more points. Get started with you profile(s). Get police clearances, get Medicals - WHEN THEY ASK, get original (Unabridged? for kids) birth certificates, marriage certificates. Figure out the money and how you will show "Proof of funds". One step at a time, you'd be amazed how quickly things start to come together - well, perhaps not the home affairs stuff ! Now for the GOOD news: We are entering an amazing time here - There is a chronic shortage of skilled people and it's getting worse. They used to say stuff like that, but it never seemed to be obvious. However, I am seeing it all the time - companies just can't find people, especially good people. Sometimes it seems like we only have the bottom of the Gene pool to scrape at ! So, get your stuff going, stop panicking ('cause it's a waste of energy) and start reading the links above and the immigration guide in the above post. DON"T make any mistakes in you paperwork - no pressure, no really, of all the things, don't mess that up ! Soon perhaps you'll be stamping around in the snow, and making snow angels, it's more beautiful than you can imagine. By the way, warn your husband that his head will probably explode when he see's the quality of workmanship here - it's like a rabid raccoon on crack, with a sore toe and a hangover wired things here - wires go - net sommer! Even rats won't stay in the "rats nest" because its such a mess they are ashamed when their friend come to visit. Wires hang down walls, plugs are skew, conduits (if any) look like a one eyed newt with glaucoma shot them onto the wall from 3 feet away , with a one eyed newt conduit gun. So he might have reduce his SA neatness ! Ha, Ha. If you're a well trained SA trades person, then the work you see here is like putting soap in your eyes, they water and you look away. There are many reasons it's rubbish but that's for another day. You can make good money here and a good life. If you really want to be here, put you fear away and start to fight for what you want !!!

Despite the apparent (I thought it too) belief of that Canada is SA without crime, it's not. The people are very different. They grew up in a world so foreign to SA that it might as well be another planet. Fitting in and connecting takes time - as do new friendships.

Hi @Boerbok Why did you decide on Canada? Did you visit the country before you decided? Emigration was always on my radar, so I visited Canada in 2015, and also happened to meet the love of my life on that trip. How did you decide in which province/town/city you wanted to live? My partner lived in Toronto, so that decision was very easy. How long have you been there? Was it difficult to adapt and when did it start feeling like home? Or does it never feel like home? I've been here for almost two years now. Personally the first year was extremely tough emotionally because I missed the familiarity of SA, as well as my family and friends back in SA. And adjusting to winter here was just a completely different ball game. Brrrrrr. But slowly this started to feel like home. Did you fit in easily with Canadians or do you still feel like an outsider? Yeah I think I fit in pretty easily with Canadians. My personal challenge comes when Canadians make references to things uniquely Canadian that I don't understand, or when I make references to uniquely South African things. This is all easily resolved by just asking for clarification, or just explaining the SA stuff I've also become a huge hockey fan (go Toronto Maple Leafs!!!) so that has definitely helped me to adapt. Is the life-style attractive or is it also a daily struggle to survive? The lifestyle is very attractive just in terms of being able to use public transport and the feeling of being safe. We live pretty close to Lake Ontario so we either cycle or go for walks and it's great! How long did it take before you were able to stop looking over your shoulder or freezing in fright whenever a beggar comes up to you? Lol I feel like the feeling of vigilance will never leave me. The best feeling is being able to walk in downtown Toronto at 11pm and feel very safe. But I do still look over my shoulder just to be aware of my surroundings. The only time I ever felt unsafe was on the subway where a beggar was acting a bit aggressively towards other passengers. You can ring the emergency alarm and the situation will be dealt with, but I chose to get off at the next stop to avoid all that. Have you ever been back to SA for a holiday? What was it like? Were you glad to go back to Canada? I visited SA in January this year and it felt surreal. On the one hand, it felt great to be back in familiar surroundings with my family and friends and the gorgeous weather, but on the other hand I was so happy to not be living in SA anymore with that constant anxiety of feeling unsafe. I was very happy to land back in Canada because it truly felt like home. If you could redo everything: would you rather stay in SA or choose Canada again? I would choose Canada over and over again. How did your children adapt to Canada? No children so I can't comment on this. What is the work environment like? Is there a good relationship between colleagues or is it each man for himself? I find Canadians to be very diplomatic and not as direct as South Africans are in the workplace, so that was my biggest adjustment. What I love about the Canadian work environment is that, for the most part, people do what they're supposed to do. There's very little need for constant follow-up emails etc. People respect each other and are very private, and there is a definite separation between work and home life. I also often get mistaken for being British, so the accent is always a good ice-breaker What was your first thought when you set foot out of the airport after arriving in Canada? Does everything seem strange and unfamiliar? When did this feeling pass  My first thought was "OMG I finally made it here!" after all the agonizing months of waiting for the PR application process to be completed. Once you get into a routine and tick off the initial boxes of getting settled in, it does become easier. You will experience the ups and downs emotionally, but you just have to remind yourself why you came here.

Holy ! ***** That is an insufferable set of circumstances. It does not matter where you are in the world, there's some a...hole willing to prey on helpless people. Most of us suffered abuse, but mild by comparison to what your wife is having to deal with - plus the anguish of being away from home. The employer knows you are desperate, so he's using that to keep your mouth shut. We all know it's super hard to get a job here from SA, so the temptation might be to try and hang on to get a PR. Unfortunately, how much damage will this inflict on your wife? She might get such a bad feeling towards Canada that she won't want to live here? I think the first thing I would do, would be for her to find and consult a labour lawyer. (It may be expensive, but there are lawyers here that work for free until they have won the case.) That way she can get some sound advice and not work from unknowns. This guy should definitely be reported, but as you say, you don't want to blow your chances. Once a lawyer has been consulted, maybe she needs to call this ***'s bluff and perhaps coerce him into being civil, the penalties for what he has done are not trivial. Also, if you decide to let it all go to hell, maybe you can walk away richer for the pain, and seeing buddy shutdown with a huge bang. Labour lawyers are just a phone call away. As terrible as it sounds, perhaps she can turn this to her advantage. Collect information starting today, photo's sound clips and any paper work she can. We have learned that the right documents presented at the right time can win a war. Canada is a harsh place, but there is also a great empathy and fairness to be found. You guys need to decide how to tackle this and how you use it to win what you want. Good luck, I hope you beat the bejeebers out of this rat ! - Sometimes we need to fight, and sometimes not, only you guys can decide. https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/work-canada/permit/temporary/vulnerable-workers.html

In lieu of my experience over the last year and how I've seen the EE draws as well as the pool distribution change over the last couple of months, I would like to share my thoughts and experience with everyone starting out with the process. Firstly, for those of you that want to work through an immigration agent: They send out an assessment giving an indication of what your CRS score might be, based on that they will tell you, you have an "excellent chance" of being drawn and they would like to help you with your application. That is how they catch you, so don't be duped into believing your score is good enough to be fast tracked through Express Entry, when in actual fact it might take you a while to get your PR because of all the other routes you need to follow for more points. I'm not saying don't work through and agent, just make sure you know what you are in for before committing a massive amount of hard earned moola. When we started this process in June last year the cut-off scores were sitting in the 440's (for the whole of 2018 there were only 2 draws that were in the 450's). Our best possible score that we calculated back then was 455-460, so we were super excited and thought we would get selected pretty quick and by this time be in Canada already........... how wrong we were..... No one can predict what the cutoff scores will be, there is an uncountable amount of variables involved that will have an effect on where the cutoff will be. Because of Canada's proclamation that they have a huge demand for immigrants everyone wanting to leave their country is jumping on this band wagon. In May 2018 the pool had 80,000 applicants compared to 111,000 before this last draw. With more and more applicants entering, the chances are that there will be more applicants with a higher score than you. The time between draws also has an effect on what the cutoff score will be. At the end of January this year, IRCC held a back-to-back draw, i.e 2 draws within a week from each other that caused the cutoff to drop to 438. The next draw after that only took place 4 weeks later with a cutoff score of 457. Since then IRCC maintained a constant gap of 2 weeks between draws and kept the intake the same. The cutoff scores decreased steadily, on the draw of 1 May we were super excited as the cutoff was on our score of 450, but the excitement was short lived as we missed out on the tie breaker by 4 days 😥. However given the consistency of the draws we were sure that 15 May will be our day only to see that IRCC decided to have an FST draw only 😮. The result of this was that the next "no specified program draw" was 4 weeks from the previous one and the cutoff shot up to 470!! There has been two draws since then and the last cutoff was at 462. It seems as if it will come down again, however, and this is where I want to caution all of you starting out with this to not get your hopes up. The EE pool as at 21 June had 6265 applications with scores of 451+. People on other forums that have done the math reckon that there are 250+ applicants entering the pool with 451+ points every day. From 21 June to 10 July when the next expected draw is to take place, theoretically 4750 applicants with scores 451+ will have entered the pool. This will leave the pool distribution before the next draw with 451+ applicants sitting at 7665 (6265 less 3350 (26 Jun draw) plus 4750). So unless IRCC increases the intake, I cannot see the cutoff scores going down into the 440's any time soon. What complicates matters even more is the theory that the hundreds of thousands of international students that have enrolled into Canadian Universities and Colleges over the last couple of years, got their WP after graduating and those with 1 year's Canadian work experience have all now started applying for PR which puts even more pressure on cutoff scores. So my whole purpose of this blabbering post is just to forewarn any of you that want to start with this journey, or those of you already in the pool waiting and hoping for the cores to drop. Don't bargain on the scores dropping to the 440's anytime soon. The 450's of 2019 is the 440's of 2018. Look at other means of increasing you scores, higher IELTS results, further studies, learning french, getting job offer and/or PNP. Make sure you understand this process thoroughly before deciding on using an agent, because the reality is, you can do it yourself. Don't expect this process to be over quickly, give yourself enough time and don't create an unrealistic time frame, it will drive you mad. Good luck to all starting out and good luck to all of us still in the process

I meant it in general. Not for this thread. Sorry again, Tammi, I am not entirely sure how we got onto this on your thread :) In Tammi's case I did not say anything, since she has family here. Although, Tammi might be interested to know that registration as an electrician in NZ is pretty much as easy as filling out the forms and waiting for a week or two, rather than the massively convoluted thing Canada has going :). If you are looking at a 2 or 3 year wait before you can move to Canada, it might be something to consider to wait it out in NZ while making money there, and working in a country that Canadians can find on a map. My quibble is not really with Canada vs NZ in terms of countries. When we were looking to move out of SA, Canada was our first choice. But I was still studying, so we needed to have PR. We did not have enough points for Canada to get PR immediately, and the job situation looked a bit iffy at that stage. So NZ it was. I cannot tell you how grateful I am for that studying bit that forced us to look at another country. If it was not for that, we might have applied to Canada and waited for the next 5 years to get PR. In fact, people that applied to Canada at the same time as we did to NZ only received their papers back after we had moved to NZ, got NZ citizenship, applied to Canada, got Canadian PR and arrived here. Yes, Canada may be a much better country for someone to live in. That is not the question. The question is, "Can you get in?" And "How long will it take?". For some people, if they have a business, or family situations, or something, 3 years wait may be perfect. Or you may have just sold your house, and is sort of in between things, and now 3 years wait means that you have to sort of settle before you can move. And now NZ sounds like a good in between place. And you may get there and decide to stay. Or you decide to go look at Oz. I have noticed on here the trend these days that people now just don't answer the person with the questionable points/and or situation. Which I think is wrong. Yes, it is their dream, and it sucks to have your dream trampled on. But this is real life, and we are all grown ups. I have started to look at sharing information with someone as something that I withhold purposefully or not. What they do with the information is their responsibility. Me deciding to share is my responsibility. If I see someone at the last gas station for a very long time, and I know there's no sign telling them about it, and I see they are not filling up, I think I should tell them that. After that, they are welcome to listen or not. It does not make one little bit of difference in my life. But I think it is wrong NOT to tell them that. I feel the same way on here. Yes, the people came here to get info on moving to Canada. But they are also, presumably, relying on the fact that we that have been through the system have information that they don't have. South Africans tend to think about the immigration system as something that they can wrangle. Boer maak 'n plan. If this plan don't work, then we will finesse it that way, and see what happens. Where immigration can be a brick wall. Or 1s and 0s. It is or it is not. There's no massaging it to make it fit your situation. If you don't have enough points to have a reasonable chance at being selected in the next few draws, then you have to know that the pool keeps filling up. It's not like the points just move down all the time. Sometimes they do. But is is more likely that next year the points will be slightly higher, not lower, given the amount of people that keep wanting to move to Canada. So, now you have a choice. You can look at PNP. And it is certainly something that someone much research. Look at all the provinces, maybe they have a selection process that applies to your situation. If you find nothing except for "You have to get a job offer", then you are most likely screwed. What the person makes with that information is up to them. They may think that waiting 2 or 3 or 5 years to get into Canada is better than moving anywhere else. Or it may sprout in the back of their head that maybe there are other choices out there than Oz. I have no doubt that some beat the system and get in. But that ignores all the others that did all they could, as much as they possibly could, and still did not get in. Maybe they would have liked someone to have told them to look at NZ. The person that took 7 years to get in. Would she have been happier spending those 7 years in NZ? Would she have been in a better position financially? With better work experience? For me it is not necessarily an either or situation. Moving countries gets a lot easier the second time around :) You can move on from New Zealand. But first you have to get out of South Africa. You can wait it out, and try to beat the odds. Be that one person that makes it to Canada despite the odds. But from a practical standpoint, where will the Rand be 5 years from now? What will your South African qualification be worth 5 years from now? Or your work experience? If a Canadian company received a resume for a position they are advertising from a person in South Africa, or a person in New Zealand, which one are they more likely to consider, even though they may look the same? Plus, I think the fact that the Canadian economy is moving forward is entirely disconnected for the most part from immigration. The fact that trades people are needed does not mean it is easy for a trades person to immigrate. Or to register. Or to convince someone to appoint you even though you don't have "Canadian Experience". Once you are here and registered and have a job, yes, then life is good and you have choices. But you have to get to that part. ( :) I just realized how many times I have said "blah, blah, blah, BUT blah blah blah." )

I'm sure Tammi won't mind if we hijack her thread a little more.... I hope this does not come off as an attack on Lizzelle, it's not intended to be, I promise... I was thinking about what you said... Firstly I'm glad to have someone put out their thoughts, as I've said before, the forum can be a little sterile. What's the use of having a bunch of different people connecting if they all hold their peace. I could not decide if you were referring to this content, or if it was a general statement about false encouragement? You are 100% correct in your assertions, immigration is becoming more and more difficult everywhere (unless you just walk into Canada through Quebec - because 'Canada welcomes everyone' - terrorists included.) Canada is a incredibly frustrating place to try and get into and to get started. The system stacks itself against you, yet, on an annual basis, ten's of thousands of new people not only succeed, but thrive. Perhaps I fail or am blinded by my own self importance, but I try not to encourage those that don't stand a chance of getting in. ....Enter people worried about getting a Maid before they have thought of anything else. Experience tells me that these people are likely well-off and probably a little entitled. Not because they want help, but because it's their primary worry. People who are serious and are looking to make the move will be looking at what they need to do to get here - that is overwhelming at the start. I can still remember those thoughts - "I'll never get through this..." Hope and self belief are the most powerful tools a person can get. I'm no motivational speaker, but there is no shame in sprinkling a little light on a fragile dream as it tries to break through the surface. Everyone has a story to tell. You (me) just need to shut up a while an listen and learn. If we are quiet, we might learn something - and now I am going to ignore my advice and prattle on. Why Canada and not New Zealand? I had the choice - I research NZ, took many google "drives" around. Here were my reasons: My NZ emigrated friends said, "you need to like sheep :censored: to come here". No, SS is not an issue. New Zealand had everything I was looking for, good governance, safety and a huge amount of natural beauty. What it didn't have was size. It worried me that my children would be limited to a small amount of diversity (hate that word.) A small amount of choice, relative to say Northern Americas. (USA, Canada and Territories.) Canada is like several countries in 1. Canada is 10 million sq km, and NZ is 269 000sq km, that means Canada is about 37 times bigger than NZ. Granted, much of Canada is forest and frozen waste. But none the less, there's a lot to see and do from east to west. Many people many dialects and many, many opportunities. Canada has massive reserves of most minerals and ores, the 2nd largest oil reserves in the world (stand under correction here), and the nutty USA to the south, which is the worlds biggest most aggressive 'free' economy (stand to be corrected here too.). For my part, I figure (if we can just get rid of that complete fool PETER PAN THE SELFIE TWIT) that Canada should be able to grow well into the future. Eventually the countries energy needs and the Greens will work it out. Simply: People like luxury, iPhones heat and nice homes. "Mommy told me I can have whatever I want, so I want it NOW!" I know it's only a matter of time before the Zombie generation stop voting Green, because they'll realise (perhaps a little late), that if they vote away the industry that supports their addiction, it will be gone, and they can't have that. OMG. I NEED MY STUFF, NOW !!!! It's inevitable then, as they start to lose their precious toys, they will fight back with a vengeance. They'll throw tantrums just like they do now over Green things and wanting to be the MD of a company on the first day. They'll vote for Industrialisation, so they can have their iPhones and cool cars.... A kid I interviewed recently said, "Nah, I don't think I'll like doing that...." I used to say "Yes please, I'd love a job." So, back to my original line of thinking, Canada has Water, Energy and Minerals & can grow crops - when sanity prevails and industry returns to sense, the country can prosper. Maybe it'll take 2 generations & no apocalypse - my kids' kids. So potentially a secure future for them. NZ is much smaller, they are more dependent on the rest of the world, also, they are isolated. And anyway, the sea is about to rise over them....NOT....If it were just me and my wife, perhaps it would be better suited. Now, in Tammi's case.... (Sorry Tammi - you might be in earshot!) . Here we have a person that has the qualifications to be accepted - as in her husband. Trades are sought after and definitely admissible. The Ontario government is doing it's best to encourage kids to take trades. They'll pay our company $1.47 for every $ we spend on an apprentice.... I am not an electrician (I started out as one - but moved on and finished at university), but I am involved in the industry through aspects of my work. So, we have a trades person, with the will to get here and a call for a little encouragement. As I say to my kids when they have a "disaster" - "I'm not seeing the problem here?" "Canadian employers are faced with the challenge of finding workers with few left among the ranks of the unemployed. In late 2016, there were slightly more than six unemployed Canadians per vacant job; today, there are just over three." Too many people are retiring, it's a problem. 2016 - still much the same if not worse. "My Husband is an electrician - qualified" - well, that's the key. Everything else is just hard work. Yes people come on the forum and say, "I have a degree in Basket Weaving" - and people say, "er...." . Those are not the people most of us encourage. The simple fact is, if you took a degree / trade and achieved a qualification that is relevant, then you use that tool to get you where you want to be. There is a well known member who is super smart, she waited years to get in, nothing was happening - then suddenly they changed the rules and she resubmitted and is in her 7th year here and thriving. Beating out a fantastic career. If she'd given up, she'd still be in SA. I know another young person that worked the system and despite all the odds has a PR and is here, these people are amazing role models and proof that smarts and determination can do a heck of a lot to get you where you want to be. A person can feel so alone when they are trying to go through this process, who do you turn to for support? Who do you ask questions? What are platitudes? "You can do it if you try, even if you are a basket weaver"... probably not, but, stranger things.... In SA I was once a little fella, with a beautiful young wife. Innocent and naive. We did not qualify for a bond, I worked for myself and was not great at it. No killer instinct. Yet, with a little ingenuity, we got a bond and paid it religiously from the days when the interest rate was 25%. Some months we could barely eat, but we had our house. I built that house, on a sand dune , with the help of some amazing Zulu brick layers. They just worked and they were good at their trade. They could have ripped me off, but they didn't they just worked. Xhosa's on the other hand, well, my neighbour had loads of problems with them. Different people. We used to talk at night, my neighbour and me - "I wonder how it would be to have money?", he would say. We'd have coffee and then get back to angle-grinding the electrical conduits into the walls. Every night until midnight for about 6 months. Eventually we both had a house and the city gave us an occupancy certificate - something I did not even know about. 14 Years later, that house was a big part of being able to get here. My neighbour is now the MD of a huge company, he lives in Germany and has a farm in SA. It took him 25 years to become a MD, but there he is - and he knows what it's like to have money. We arrived in Canada with suit case, a dog and a cat and a crate. We did not qualify for anything. No credit history, no driving record (only 4 years acknowledged), no bank accounts, no Cards. Did that stop us? Nope, we worked an uber plan and bought a condo. We could not afford it, we should not have had it. I miss the boat on many things, except stubbornness, so I just wore the system down and got what we needed. Later, we sold and bought our house. The system said we could not afford it and did not qualify... work around.....Once again, food was in short supply, the good thing is we were slim and trim then...not so much anymore..... Seeds of hope and self belief - I knew nothing about building a house, or finance or managing a motley crew of builders. I learned and I succeeded. My business puttered on for 14 years and we had 2 little girls. Those were dark years of depression and long hours. Why my wife remained with me is a mystery. But, here we are 27 years later in Canada, we both forgot our anniversary ! (So I didn't get into trouble.) We have 2 grown up girls (a bunch of trouble), a house and many cars, and debt - and we wonder where the time went. Do I regret any of it? No, just the depression and the effects it has on my wife. In 2010, I started with that pile of papers, my blood ran cold looking at what they wanted. We did not really qualify. I filled them out and was about to mail them. That night, I re-read the manual again and realised "OH ******", we don't qualify, I did not understand the NOC codes. What happens then despair, sadness, crushed spirit? My sweet wife gave me some hugs and kisses and then said "Oh, I think my job has this description...." and it did. And we applied under that code, and they accepted it. Then there were letters from employers to get - (ah, don't burn your bridges! ). 2 more years passed - very slowly and one day the email came "send you passports". It was like I won the lotto. 6 Years later, is it the paradise I thought it would be..? No, probably not, but it's a life I am pretty happy with. I consider myself lucky and privileged - I have a still beautiful supportive wife and two stunning girls who are succeeding here beyond my expectations. Provide a little hope, support to seeding and they grow into complex and extremely confusing females. Now days mom handles the girls, I shiver in terror in the corner most of the time, and the dogs growl at me. Man splaining is not a good idea, or wanted. The right thing to do is killer-death-mode personal assassination of the offending person. My job is almost over, my time wearing thin - did I achieve what I set out to do? Yes, my kids have a bright future and more opportunity than I ever knew existed when I was in SA. My wife and I will one day find a little place and wait out the last years. At least we are not likely to get attacked or butchered if we live in the woods - except, skeeter will suck us dry. So, does Tammi have a chance? Hell yes, they have the tools - hopefully the relationship to survive the upheaval and time. That's all they need, oh, and a lot of tenacity. I would not say to her I believed she could succeed if I did not think so. I'm not in the habit of intentionally propping up dreams that will lead to tears. Sideline is great at telling it as it is. I've seen posts that basically say, "forget it kid". And I respect those, Sideline tells it like it is. STEP AWAY FROM THAT COMPUTER SIDELINE ! This is not a instance where success is not possible. OK Tammi, you better succeed here - otherwise you're gonna make me look bad Feel free to PM me if you want some private info, I don't have all the answers, but I have a few. I had to laugh, my brothers call me "the Grinch" - funny how you hit it on the money !

So today we finally had some movement on our application with a request to redo our medicals. Super annoying and such a wasted expense, but it's progress non the less

Hey thanks for the positive reply, I was having a bad day so I was nice.... Normally I'm just plain nasty and mean and I rile people up because I have "no filters" - so my colleagues say. They still talk to me, so perhaps I am not 100% awful For all of you that I have seriously offended with my many rants, I do appologise. I will try to be better. It's kind of like being dog poop, you try your very best to make the flowers grow all bright and bloomy, but in the end, you don't bio-degrade, you simply sit on the lawn and stink, slowly growing old, hard and nasty. Then you attach to the mower wheel and go round and round, like a second hand on a crappy clock. It's called lawn-mower-poop-putty. It was designed by God to be the most powerful and nasty adhesive on the planet. It has stealth mode, cause even if you pick it all up, there is one that lies in wait. And considering the width of the mower wheels, it has to have poop-turbo-boost which allows it to jet into place at the last minute if it's not going to get the wheel. "I have plenty of bad things to say about him, I just don't I would not recommend him." Lizelle, I think New Zealand looks like an awesome place. (Did I redeem self a little?) No? Ok, New Zealand is a very double awesome place... LOL forgive me please. My brother would say of me when he introduced me to people, "this is my little brother, he has an 'interesting and unusual' sense of humour" - which meant, he's a savage, prepare to be offended. Did I say I like New Zealand? Actually, I do, I want to go there one day and see all the stuff - assuming the'll allow me; not because of me, but because Peter Pan the Selfie man made us into terrible criminals by weeping and agreeing we are a nation of genocidal maniacs. And now it's time to go, because I am starting to so South...

@OutOfSa Oh my word you have made my decade!!!!! THANK YOU, THANK YOU THANK YOU, really you have given me so much encouragement and i feel TONS better! I dont know what line of work you are in but , you would make a seriously amazing life coach!❤ I Really appreciate all your info and good humour, you are amazing. 😁. Right I will do this, we will move mountains to get there! Sending you the biggest hug. Would love to keep in touch.

Had relatives in Canada so thought it was easy to immigrate. No, we did not visit Canada beforehand. Threw a dart and landed in Mississauga. 😉 Secretly wanted to be a banker and thought I could change professions. Little did I know. 6 going on 7 years. We didn't have a very difficult time to settle, but still took 2 years to start feeling like home. Depends on who you're with. Didn't have a lot of issues fitting in. We are comfortable. Was a bit of a struggle the first 2-3 months. A while. Maybe about a year or so. I always thought some of the people were nuts when they left stuff lying outside in places. No. Canada will still be my choice. Children adapted quite well. Eldest turned Canadian almost immediately. Youngest took some time and some help from friends. Work environment is different from place to place. I didn't like my first job too much, but the rest of the companies I work for after that were reasonably decent. I think these aspects are very similar to SA. You get good companies and bad companies. You get good colleagues and bad colleagues. "Good Lord, it's so cold!" Everything was strange and unfamiliar but as you do more routine and normal stuff, this feeling passes. I'd say between 6-12 months.

On the 3rd of August we'll be celebrating 18 years in Canada. Our daughter came in 1996. Ours was a slightly different journey, because our daughter sponsored us. Was in difficult initially? Heck yes! We were living in a remote village in the northern part of Vancouver Island. It rained from the moment we arrived and the rain didn't stop for nine months! On top of that we were helping to care for our newly adopted granddaughter and became instant surrogate parents while our (unmarried) daughter tended to her very busy medical practice. She had clinics in remote parts that could only be reached by helicopter. Loneliness was a big factor. We missed South Africa with a passion. Everything changed when we moved to Nanaimo a year later. We met fellow South Africans, other parents who were also sponsored by their children. They were our first friends in Canada, but soon there were more than a dozen of us. We were able to continue a lifestyle that was slightly reminiscent to our life in South Africa: braaivleis, potjiekos picnics on the many beaches. Being older, we revived South Africa in other ways; making our own boerewors, biltong, chutney, karringmelk beskuit..... In time our circle of friends increased to include Canadians, First Nations, fellow immigrants from other parts of the world. (All embraced our very South African cuisine). For us it felt as if we stepped back into the South Africa that we grew up in. Canadian values are very similar to what we were accustomed to. We never returned to South Africa for a visit, but our son (a genuine African American😀) went last year for a nostalgic trip. He couldn't believe how much everything has changed. We do travel to other countries for holidays, something that we were never able to do while living in South Africa. I know our quality of life supersedes that of our friends and family in South Africa. Safety, excellent and affordable medical care, and being close to our children and grandchild can't be over emphasized. We truly live in paradise.

Thanks guys, this helps ease my mind a lot. Expectations are unavoidable- it's human, I just want them as realistic as possible. No one wants to leave their home, but sometimes you don't have much of a choice if you want a quality life and a future for your children. We chose Canada because it seems like the place we'll fit in the best. We also considered the northern US, but their sloppy gun laws make me feel uneasy.

Why did you decide on Canada? Did you visit the country before you decided? Saw a picture of Emerald Lake. Never been here. Or to North America. How did you decide in which province/town/city you wanted to live? Mountains + Oceans + Forest = BC. Found work in Vancouver. How long have you been there? Was it difficult to adapt and when did it start feeling like home? Or does it never feel like home? ~1.5 years. No issues adapting, no longer felt the urge to leave like in SA. Home is where the heart is, and mine is here. Did you fit in easily with Canadians or do you still feel like an outsider? Try to find Canadians in Vancouver I have more international friends than Canadians. Is the life-style attractive or is it also a daily struggle to survive? Never struggled, but I landed with work. How long did it take before you were able to stop looking over your shoulder or freezing in fright whenever a beggar comes up to you? Immediately. Only things scaring me here are bears. Have you ever been back to SA for a holiday? What was it like? Were you glad to go back to Canada? No, and not planning on going back. If you could redo everything: would you rather stay in SA or choose Canada again? I would have left years earlier. What is the work environment like? Is there a good relationship between colleagues or is it each man for himself? Depends on the company, but my colleagues feel like family. What was your first thought when you set foot out of the airport after arriving in Canada? Holy ^&#@ it's cold!!! - Me wearing summer pants in the middle of winter. Does everything seem strange and unfamiliar? When did this feeling pass A couple months? Took me close to a year to start thinking in $ terms, and being okay with feet and pounds being used erratically.

Hi Boerbok, Here are my answers: Why did you decide on Canada? Did you visit the country before you decided? Yes, we visited my family twice before moving to Canada. We did not consider immigrating at all, anywhere, before visiting Canada and the visits were purely holidays. We fell in love with Canada and we felt like we wanted to live here permanently. How did you decide in which province/town/city you wanted to live? We decided on BC since it is close to family that already live here, Victoria has some of the best weather in Canada with lots of opportunities in our field, it's beautiful and close to the ocean which we love. How long have you been there? Was it difficult to adapt and when did it start feeling like home? Or does it never feel like home? We've been here 2 years and 3 months. It was easy for us to adapt and to me Canada felt more like home from the beginning than South Africa ever did. Did you fit in easily with Canadians or do you still feel like an outsider? I feel like I fit in much better with Canadians than I do with most South Africans. I feel like I identify more with the way that they think and see things. I find it much easier to make friends in Canada. I even organize social events with Canadian friends now which is not something that I ever did in SA. Is the life-style attractive or is it also a daily struggle to survive? It is extremely attractive. It is so easy to go out and be active, get together with friends and do fun things without worrying about your safety. There are beautiful places to visit close by. Some things are more expensive, but the beautiful environment, safety and people more than make up for it in my opinion. How long did it take before you were able to stop looking over your shoulder or freezing in fright whenever a beggar comes up to you? It sometimes still happens. I still clutch my handbag under my arm or hold it on my lap the whole time, but I don't always lock the car doors. I'm not afraid to walk around at night and I don't look around for hijackers at robots anymore (that stopped soon). Here beggars don't ever really approach or interact with people which still feels weird. We camped on an island this past weekend and left our bags and food in our tents and all our eating utensils, camp stoves etc. outside on the table while we were out and nothing went missing, I still think that is incredible. Have you ever been back to SA for a holiday? What was it like? Were you glad to go back to Canada? Not yet. If you could redo everything: would you rather stay in SA or choose Canada again? I would definitely choose Canada again. How did your children adapt to Canada? No children. What is the work environment like? Is there a good relationship between colleagues or is it each man for himself? I work from home for the same company that I worked for in SA and I do some part-time work for a Canadian company. I have a good relationship with my colleagues at the Canadian company and they are very accommodating, helpful and friendly. What was your first thought when you set foot out of the airport after arriving in Canada? Wow, I can't believe we actually live here now! :-D Does everything seem strange and unfamiliar? When did this feeling pass? Yes, in the beginning everything seemed very clean and green and everyone seemed extremely friendly. I think this feeling passed quickly, maybe a month or so.

Doesn’t exist because of basic economics. The more people earn, the more people spend which drives up demand. Higher demand = higher cost of living. It’s possible to find a high paying job in a low cost area but you won’t find high paying jobs (plural, as a norm) in a low cost area.

🤞

@T3ZA and @ReneLestan I called following @Mynhardt 's suggestion. It takes a few dropped calls and retries, but eventually you get to speak to someone. It was only after I made these calls that my application moved, according to the GCMS notes, nothing was done on it since Feb. I got PPR 2 weeks after. Here goes...

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/saskatchewan/saskatoon-vendasta-record-breaking-venture-capital-hiring-1.5212798 "Saskatoon software company to hire 365 people after record-breaking $40M cash injection" "We'll have to recruit, definitely, outside of our borders. We'll have to look outside of Canada. But we'll look to bring people back who have left Saskatchewan." King said. Perhaps there's an opportunity for someone. POSTED 17 JULY 2019

Hi guys It is getting real, looks like I have secured a job offer whoooo haaaa

Yes, you will need the PR Travel Document, which you can apply for. While it’s not really advisable (because it might get lost or stopped) but often happens, you can also get your friend to courier you your card then you won’t need the travel document. Have a safe second landing! 😉

Oh dear, I will have to re frame my insults to generation Z, or Zee or LayZee. You see, I'm getting old and past everything. So anyone younger than me got lumped into millennial. I am simply ignorant and entitled, because while my years rushed silently by, and the dribble ran down my chin to make a puddle in my lap, a whole new generation popped into being - Gen Zee.

I travelled on an SA passport.

Thanks for the great advice, it certainly is going to be interesting adjusting to the job market when the time comes for me (Luckily just waiting on PPR now). I guess as always and as is in practically all countries, networking really is the best way of making an impression and I can really see Jimmy's method to be very effective. Do you think it's best to avoid stating that you're a newly landed immigrant as far as possible on a cover letter? I've heard Canadians tend to be dismissive of any non-Canadian experience and I would rather avoid having my resume thrown in the bin purely based on that. I've got to say though, considering the label "millennial" applies to anyone between 18 and 38 today, you've got to wonder which generation was responsible for raising such alleged entitled good for nothings...

This is such a bad situation to be in @Duimpies, we are so sorry to hear that! Do you mind telling us what province she's is? Also if she had to get a LMIA for her situation or was she selected under a "express entry" PNP route? There might be a better easier way to "get away from that jerk"!

Hi Guys, I was in SA in March and rented a car with hertz, Avis and Budget. I have a Canadian PR and a Nigerian passport. They only asked for my Ontario driver’s and Hertz asked for my PR card. I do have an SA PR but they didn’t ask for it.

I think that you wrote an excellent piece Lizelle - it's pretty much reality in a post. I have only one point I disagree on (of course) - it's that the economic situation has no bearing on the selections. The government changes the criteria from time to time based on the perceived requirements of the market place. Right now the emphasis is on trades (as I understand it) - so it's a good time for trades people. That's not to say it's a huge foot up or as you point out that the system can be massaged - it's as rigid as they come. Its also worth keeping a look out for is these experimental programs that some provinces come up with from time to time. I think if you are young then NZ while waiting out Canada is a idea with a lot of merit - it's a means to increase your worth and experience. And hey, NZ might just be the Jewel you did not think of. Why wouldn't the skeleton cross the road? He had no guts

Hehe.

Thanks both of you for your very honest and informative views!! Hijack away- us South Africans are used to it 😂

I agree with @Jules that I don’t believe that it would be an issue. Like he said, choose your wording carefully though. I stated that I was stable and any symptoms were under control with medication. I also had a letter from my doctor stating this (as well as one from an eye specialist for an unrelated issue). I like to be prepared so went with all relevant information and although they said it wasn’t a requirement, he did say including it could only help. Medication is not covered under OHIP (Ontario health) for adults and the prices are steep if you have no additional health cover. The cost would therefore not be an issue the government would have to consider. Luckily I had enough meds to last until my husband found a job which offered optional health cover, so we only pay a small portion with each refill. My children are covered under OHIP though, with a few exceptions.

I believe it was : FLASHBACK: ABC's ’08 Prediction: NYC Under Water from Climate Change By June 2015

I have plenty of bad things to say about him, I just don't I would not recommend him.

https://www.justforcanada.com/express-entry-step-by-step-guide.html

We did Express Entry first Boerbok because you need it anyway with PNP, then when our CRD points were so low we did New Brunswick PNP. You use the same documents for both applications.

Hello all, I've been lurking on the SACanada Forums for a while but having just come back from a 7-day birthday break it's time to introduce myself. I'm a 35 year old web developer/web development manager/web solutions architect in Cape Town with two degrees (WES evaluation done). My partner and I have entered the pool on the princely CRS of 357 which we hope to raise to 437 after our IELTS exam this month. It'll be his first attempt and my second (first time LRWS was 9/9/6.5/7.5). My handwriting is atrocious so we are going for the computerised version this time. We can raise our CRS to 443 by early next year by having his education - including a Unisa course he is busy with - evaluated. Having done some sums, along the lines of what @jimmy describes in his post at http://www.sacanada.org/topic/22567-your-crs-score-and-the-chances-of-being-selected-from-the-ee-pool/, I realise this won't be enough so we'll need to pursue job offers/provincial nomination. We are pretty set on living outside South Africa (at least for a time) and Canada ticks all the boxes: strong human rights, market economy with decent social security without being a nanny state, plenty of space & unspoilt nature, and of course English-speaking. I've also got uncles already established in Canada. I know it's going to be a long journey to get there but I'm approaching it as an adventure. Looking forward to walking the path with other SACanada forum members, Johan

"Holy ^&#@ it's cold" - had me in stitches🤣. My husband worked in Barton, North Dakota a couple years ago. He said: ag, how cold can it be- the stories that follow on how cold it was are hilarious

Hi @JdB welcome........ I regret not "lurking" long enough on this forum before we pulled the trigger on the process. Would've made a couple of different choices if I knew then what I know now. Good luck with everything.......

Very true. I think many SAns view themselves as very westernized and assume they will fit in easily in Canada. Nope - not always that easy. It’s a very different culture and SA is to Canada what oil is to water.

My husband was in a similar position when he landed here on a WP in 2013 - though it sounds as if the abuse your wife is suffering is worse. Within a week he knew the "positive slant" given when he initially came over for the interview, would not be the norm. For example, he was forced to start his shift at 5am, but because the vehicle they gave him as part of his salary was needed until the end of the working day, he had to "hang around" until 5 or 6pm, and unless he worked on he was told he was not a "team player" - I can give numerous other examples. We stuck it out for 19 months and he applied for another job, got it, had to go through the whole WP application again, we moved and never looked back. THERE IS HOPE. But I support consulting a labour lawyer as suggested above. Then you know where you stand.

Thank you @nelline I really appreciate your time. I want to give you a hug. I have been feeling so deflated. Its funny because I filled out two assessments (one on the cic website and the other on the Campbell Cohen website) and both came back saying I am eligible but the CRS came back with a low score. There is hope x

Hi Roxanne, We have not received our PR yet but thought I'd reply to give you a current estimate of costs and timeline. We just applied by ourselves, the process is fairly straight forward and the documentation on their webpages is quite comprehensive, the cost of using an agent just didn't seem justified. Run ins with crime, professional opportunity abroad and wanderlust contributed to my wife and I deciding to apply for PR visas. We were lucky enough to get enough points for ITA off the bat but we also didn't exactly rush the process, so it could probably be done a bit faster. Based on the stats from myimmitracker, we should have our PR by September if all goes well. All the best with your journey! Step Date Days from today Cost (2 people) IELTS booked 2 Sep 2018 292 R3,460.00 IELTS written 27 Oct 2018 237 IELTS results 9 Nov 2018 224 WES documents sent via courier 7 Dec 2018 196 R420.00 WES received documents 16 Jan 2019 156 R6,140.00 WES evaluation completed 4 Feb 2019 137 Express entry submitted 19 Mar 2019 94 Express entry invitation (ITA) 20 Mar 2019 93 Police clearance application 26 Mar 2019 87 R228.00 Medicals (Hatmed Pretoria) 9 Apr 2019 73 R5,300.00 Police clearance completed 29 Apr 2019 53 Permanent residence application (AOR) 8 May 2019 44 R24,899.28 Medicals passed & biometrics letter 17 Jun 2019 4 Biometrics submitted and shown as complete 19 Jun 2019 2 Total: R40,447.28

I doubt that will ever happen. Quebec brags about its french heritage etc... when they want to hire, companies massively go to france hoping for french people to come and settle in quebec, why?? cos they believe french is only spoken in france. Lots of African countries are french speaking and can easily fill the voids in quebec, but the quebec soicety is racist and has a fear of seeing their "culture" disappear; So they only want to hire whites and only french from France. French is my first language and i came through the CSQ, with two MScs, my wife and i would have struggled in QC. It is beautiful, but that's it. How often have we heard abut QC wanting to dettach from the ROC?? Everything is QC is different from the ROC, from your taxes to your schooling to everything else. If i were to move to QC now, though i'm canadian, i will pay different tuiton fees from quebecquers because i'm not a QC resident. Sorry, but not sorry, the QC society is not very inclusive and thus they will always have the issues they have. They think immigration is going to solve their low birth rates, shortage of skills and other issues ?? Let them keep being exclusive, they are only shooting themselves in the foot, and soon in the head.

@PiperWe also love Quebec and would stay here if we could - it just causes massive headaches if you are applying for PR after working in Quebec temporarily as you run a very high risk of being rejected from the EE PR programme. This is something we only found out after living temporarily in Quebec for a year when we decided to apply for PR, and is something not a lot of people are aware of. However, if you apply as straight FSW, I would highly recommend considering Quebec, it’s a lovely place to live and we have loved our time here. Montreal will forever hold a very special place in our hearts - honestly I wish we could stay! But unfortunately our PR now has conditions, and one of those conditions is leaving Quebec.

Pretty much anything in southern canada would be close to the US, Vancouver is super close to the US, people live in Vancouver and fill up their cars in the US, but everything in canada comes at a price, winnipeg is cold, vancouver housing is expensive etc... This country is not set up for win-win situations.

We are all in search of this sought-after town!!!