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When I see jib offer and IELTS in the same sentence I do worry though. 😉

Hey, guys, it's been a while. Work has been happening and life as well... I see I haven't noted much since 2 years ago. In case we've lost count, this is how 6.25 years in Canada affect you. First off, you didn't read it here first. 🙂 But if you totally missed reading it elsewhere on the forums, we were sworn in as Canadian citizens last year. Wonder if Canada really understood the repercussions of that decision? Haha. It was really a big thing for us. It's almost the "we made it" version of climbing Mount Everest, except it's on the ground, Canadian grounds anyway. It's kinda feeling like we've come full circle right? There was even that window where we were totally undocumented for 2.5 months before we eventually got sworn in and got our new Canadian passports. Okay, I exaggerate. We weren't undocumented. Our PR cards validity expired after we wrote the citizenship test, but before we could be sworn in. So we sat with no Canadian status (implied status, does that apply to us?) for that time. We were still South Africans, so there was that. (P.S. don't worry. I knew what we were getting into. The risks of not having a valid PR card is very real, I tell you. Very, very real. 🙄) So what do we do with our new travel docs when we get them? We head East and visit China. Yep. It's been on the bucket list for years. The funny thing is that getting a passport that needed no visas to travel to 170 destinations did not really deter us from booking a trip to a country where we actually needed a visa to get in. Perhaps I've just gotten used to getting visas to go anywhere. Great trip and can't wait to do more. The language barrier in China was really crazy. I had to brush up on my Mandarin. Luckily I could say "Is this pork? Is this chicken? Is this beef?" LOL. Always good skills to have around when it's chow time. No story is complete without talking about work. It's been a busy time. In fact, busy hasn't stopped since I got this job. You can blame the job if my forum habits have been more erratic than norm. Last year was especially stressful. Company decided to go public so here we come TSX..... Finance professional in a listed company, need I say more? 😫 And hey, I finally have a graduate at home. My eldest finished university late last year. And to top it all, she's found a job after 4 weeks' hunting. Here I thought I was going to be anxious and worrying for the next 6 months just because the market is what it is and I have a millennial on the way. In 2 years time, I've got a Gen Z going through post-secondary. I'm definitely feeling old these days. Is it alright to start screaming for the fire trucks now? So as a parting comment for this post, I just want to stress that all is still good. Can't say I haven't been on the forums as much, because I still visit most of everyday. Yes, I still "see" what you guys are doing. Did the atmosphere suddenly just become stalker-ish a bit there? Don't worry, big sister is watching.

If you are coming over on a visitor visa then it is my understanding that you cannot work or even look for work. If they inspect your bags and find evidence that you are going to be looking to get a job offer you may end up banned from Canada for 2 years. One other thing that I have noticed and this is not necessarily directed at you so please don’t take offence, but when ever something happens in SA (Gupta, load sheading, maybe something bad happens to a friend or family member) people suddenly have a sense of urgency to leave. I got that that feeling when you said you are looking for a job “ANYWHERE in Canada”. What I can tell you is that pretty much everything to do with getting/staying here moves slowly. From the PR process, finding work, building up a credit score to getting citizenship (I am going through this now) and so on. There are exceptions but for the most part these things take time. So my 2c is take your time and decide where you WANT to live and work and then go for it. Have a plan B, C all the way to Z but set a specific goal and go for it. One other thing I have noticed is that the HR field in Calgary is rather saturated. When I was struggling to find work I was looking at doing a course to at least get a foot in the door and HR was one of them because I performed most of the HR functions at my job in SA. I quickly realized by looking on LinkedIn that the “applications submitted to jobs offered” ratio for these jobs was huge. Granted that many of those applicants were probably newly qualified people without your level of expertise but I’m just saying that it appears to be a very competitive field.

+1. We also took photos here. Its easy going because they have the pre-set formatting on their digital photo machine. Expect to pay around R 70.00 an applicant.

I used Photo First in Rosebank, I read here on the forum that they take photos to specification and they do. After your photo is taken they already have pre set options for EE/PR application and for citizenship application as well (the sizes are slightly different apparently). They have other branches but not sure if they do the same in all of them. I think as long as you take that specification sheet along with you any good photographer/photo place will be able to do it properly.

We did ours at Kodak Express at The Grove Mall in Pretoria in 2016. They knew exactly what to do and we had no problems with our photos.

@jimmyThanks for the feedback, we requested new ones again last week. It doesn't seem to make any difference if you've had one done before. Good luck with your trip and meeting.

Adapted from the Canada visa forum: " Visa OfficeThere has been an obsession of finding which visa office the application is at. Many threads on this forum start with explaining how to find your visa office. Let's get to the crux of it. Finding the visa office was very relevant pre- express entry. Even after the introduction of express entry in 2015, the same practice was followed which usually was for the paper based application, but that is no longer the case. Earlier all application followed the following trajectory:Central Intake Office - Case Processing Centre - Local Visa OfficeHowever, this has radically changed and for all express entry, all application follow the following: 1. Central Intake Office - The R10 (completeness check) is done at the Central Intake Office for all classes (FSW / PNP / CEC). Now even the criminality and medicals are done at CIO.2. Case Processing Centre - There are 4 case processing offices of IRCC, which are as follows:Sydney, Nova Scotia - deals with the following: provincial Nominee Program (PNP) – Non-Express Entry applications Centralized Intake Office – Immigrant Investor Program (IIP) Centralized Intake Office – Quebec Skilled Workers (QSW) Centralized Intake Office – Start Up Business Class Centralized Intake Office – Self Employed (SE) Centralized Intake Office – Quebec Business Class (QBC) Centralized Intake Office – Atlantic Immigration Pilot Program Now has started doing eligibility for EE applications in limited numbers.Vegreville, AlbertaDeals with Specialized permanent resident application. Those following in the category of Medical needs, work permits, work permits for spouses, study permits, co-op permits. EE applications which have a downgraded category.This is the place where you EE application will land if any of the members in the application have a medical condition. This is where determinations of refusal, monitoring etc are made.Now has started doing eligibility for EE applications in limited numbers.Mississauga, OntarioOnly deals with family class PR applications.No EE applications are dealt here so far.Ottawa, OntarioThis is the most important processing office for all EE, and it is also the Local Visa Office for in-land applicants and those applying from USA.This is based on the most recent information. IRCC has officers across Canada and some temporary offices that are used to process application based on workload distribution. Local Visa Office - This is the office where you will be asked to submit your passport after your application has been approved. Usually the consulate in your home country.These days all application after starting at CIO (where R10 is met), either start the processing of eligibility at CIO itself, or move to CPC (wither Ottawa, Sydney, or Vegreville), or are straight sent to the LVO. The trend has been to complete most of the processing between CIO and CPC. Since the applications are electronically stored, there is no movement of physical files. SUGGESTION - There is no point sending emails to ask which VO your application is at, as that process is moot since the eligibility can even start at CIO. So save yourself some time and efforts and also save the human resources of IRCC and stop sending emails. Even if you know which VO your application is at, it means nothing. Most applications which are processed within weeks and get PPR, are processed at CIO, and this is a much faster way. A few applications will see eligibility passed, and then go to not started when the application is sent to the LVO. This is because the final review is done at the LVO, and the local agent may decide to conduct additional review, or identification before the eligibility is finally set to PASSED. "

I’ve never been asked for it in any of the jobs I applied for. I myself as a hiring manager don’t look for it. I’ve only ever used it on the PR application. This is my experience. It may be different for other profession.

@NW18, we ended up received PPR 2 days shy of 5 months: 9 March (and just when I was about to request notes...). There does seem to be slow but steady movement. Holding thumbs for those who are still waiting.

I look forward to each working week...........praying and waiting for that email. A blessed week to you all. All the best.

Hi @4DEE I registered as a EIT with the Professional Engineers Ontario at the beginning of 2018. I just completed my 1 year of Canadian engineering experience, which was the final requirement for me to complete my P.Eng registration, so I am very familiar with the process. Technically speaking, BTech holders are Technicians, and may fall under a different class of registration completely, such as certified technician. Nevertheless, here is a pamphlet from the PEO that outlines their process: http://www.peo.on.ca/index.php/ci_id/22546/la_id/1.htm , other regulators have similar requirements but do differ is some areas.

50 in-demand jobs in New Zealand that South Africans can apply for: (Article date 1 March 2019) https://businesstech.co.za/news/lifestyle/302738/50-in-demand-jobs-in-new-zealand-that-south-africans-can-apply-for/?fbclid=IwAR05SQTXWQxVItcOqLNzwogiOF2zb-wbfOOjJ0kn4LNIiXWNHhxvY4s_wRU

Lol i am sure you will get your response before mid March lol.

Judging by myimmitracker.com you should have a good March!

Hi Feto Congrats on the good news and good luck with the remainder of the process. We also received good news earlier this month and received our passports back yesterday. For everyone else still waiting, hang in there - the wait is agonizing but it does seem like they're getting through the approvals quicker now.

Thanks for the words, we have looked at it every way and gotten advice from an immigration lawyer Section 4.10.1 of the Immigration Operational Manual Severe autoimmune disease which may require treatment in New Zealand with immune-suppressant medications other than Prednisone, Methotrexate, Azathioprine or Salazopyrin Whilst she does use Methotrexate, it is not the 'major' drug in her treatment. I haven't thought about phoning NZ immigration directly, maybe I'll give that a shot as well. PS. When we spoke to one of the approved doctors when we started looking at Canada, he said it wasn't a problem as long as it was under control with the medication, which it is. And Aus only worry if you have Aids or TB, so we good on that count

Boy, that sucks. I don't know how far you looked at the medical waiver (and forgive me if you have looked at this six ways to Sunday), but it seems that depending on the severity of her case, it may not be automatically disqualifying. This company lists the automatically disqualifying cases: https://www.new-zealand-immigration.com/immigration-points-guide/health-requirements/ Earlier rules (don't know if it still applies) state that you should not cost the system more than NZ$41,000 (I believe this is lifetime, but somewhere I read 5 years). If you haven't yet, it may be something to discuss with a NZ immigration lawyer and see if you can get a definitive yes or no or maybe. NZ immigration officials are also generally fairly responsive to queries, it might not be a bad idea to phone them and check before you completely give up on NZ. Either way, sterkte (I have yet to find an English word to convey the same sentiment).

In my experience Canadian employers do not care about the experience in my field. They want the papers (qualifications) first and then you can get your Canadian experience. It's like being a new grad who needs experience for the job. (It's just the opposite from other places I've worked and lived.) Especially, being from SA is often a deterrent to employers because they have no clue what your background is. I was going to say @Annique that if you're husband is the main applicant, you could probably start your own business and market yourself as a Life Coach, which is gaining momentum in North America. However, I see you're the main applicant and companies will definitely want Canadian experience, before they offer you a position in Leadership Development. This is because the Canadian job market is so different and believe me, you'd like to have that experience too, before stepping into a leadership role in Canada. We were also not sure where we were going to get work, but we had a plan and that was to make Ottawa our destination. Like you, we would have gone anywhere for a job. However, you want to convince your prospective employer that their job is the only job you want and their company is the only company you want to work for and their city is the only one you want to work and live in. This is why each resume and cover letter is different for each position. You need to sell those points to land an interview and then know enough about the company and city, areas to live in, during the interview. They will ask why their company and why their city out of all the other options out there. It is correct that you cannot enter Canada, the UK or the US on a visitor visa and look for work. I'm not sure about New Zealand and Australia. Best of luck with the process.

I agree with @MaryJane. 440 would be a good score. Did your husband/partner also do the IELTS? Or get his credentials assesed? Maybe look into doing some serious TEFL (french) courses? Good luck out there.

@Liezelleroux FYI

I disagree with BC not being a good option, it is an absolutely beautiful place with the southern parts having some of the mildest temperatures in Canada and there are many job opportunities. Yes, Vancouver and some larger cities are expensive, but you have the option of living outside the city or in smaller places and you will be earning Canadian dollars. Many people live here and get by just fine.

@Shado can it really be that bad to get HOLY chicken OK just ignore me

We have adapted pretty easily here in Canada. And there are plenty of work for skilled professionals. You have to do your homework about what is available and where. You can browse through some job sites like monster.ca to get an idea. Do a google search on some cities and read about them. It's not all easy sailing for a lot of people, but most South Africans so far seem to have made it work. You also have to keep in mind that in many of the medical fields people have to requalify if they come from certain countries. My doctor is from India and she had to write two or three exams here before she could practise medicine. It could very well be that all these highly qualified people from Asia just didn't want to bother with requalifying or maybe couldn't afford to do it. So now they aren't able to work in their field of expertise and get disgruntled because of it. As to why they stay, maybe they just can't afford the trip back home. It's never wise to judge someone if you don't know all of their circumstances.

I agree with macdonlg, but where are you going to move to that there are not going to be difficult issues? Canada is the 8th country that I have lived in, and I think there is no where that you have a smooth ride. You are starting a new life, and integrating into a society where Canadians, by virtue of the fact that they were born here, have a head start on you. You need to come adequately prepared with a plan on how you are going to integrate and hit the ground running. I don't think you should expect though that a red carpet will be rolled out because you are arriving. There are a lot of immigrants here, and there are a lot of support networks available to newcomers to help them find their feet, but finding the job you want, the house you want, the school you want, etc. is up to you. To answer your question - I have been here, in ALberta, almost 8 months, and I have found it very easy to settle in.