Skip to content
Canadian Immigration Dashboard [ CID ]
Research Tool

Close Reading

Click a comment to load its sentiment categories, AI rationale, and reply thread.

Clear

Comments

Page 4 of 6 · filtered
Published Reply likes Comment
2024-02-13 0
I was born and raised here. I am doing my exit plan as I cannot afford to live here as young-adult living on my own. The government knew exactly what they were doing when they allowed 9 million people to come here in a short amount of time. How can you provide billions for foreign aid but can't provide basic necessities to your own citizens? I have cut EVERYTHING extra out of my life and even while working a full-time job I cannot survive in my own country. Canada is a country for the elite, cliche style immigrants, and for the ultra wealthy who pass down intergeneration wealth. A failed health care system that provides little to no services at which you pay out of pocket to get access with private health care providers. You can't depend on transit as it is the mercy of the corrupt transportation/commissioners aka unions and the cost of gas is out of this world. I AM SO LUCKY I went to university and graduated when I did because the same degree would have cost 15k-20k more...food is super expensive...renting an apartment is seen as a form of luxury....you have to know someone to get basic things done. What a shameful society...a society that treats immigrants with upmost respect only to turn around looking the other way when it comes to homelessness...the housing crises...lack of employment oppts, gosh I can go on. My brother was lucky enough to move to Dubai and cash in on his savings by investing it into his properties where he pays 0 tax on his salary from his job.
2024-02-11 0
Maybe if our own prime minister didn't flood the country with millions more people who got payed to come here and given free schooling while Ontario was already in trillions of debt then allow them to use most of the beaches around the country as waste disposal and a porta potty... and don't dare try to argue me its a culture thing go do your animalistic BS in your own country don't come destroy mine, The worlds largest freshwater beach on the planet Wasaga Beach, Collingwood's harbour and sunset memorial have turned to wasteland and the smell is horrid, it has been polluted and destroyed due to the immigrants doing the same thing that destroyed there country here and its despicable....It hurts knowing that I could never bring my child to the beach anymore because I've had friends tell me there children has dug up human feces trying to make a sand castle.....We are on the brink of WWIII and our own prime minister wants to laugh at our struggles and help the same people destroying, taking and pushing us from our home, I wonder what's going to happen when the outside forces realize they don't even need to fight us to win we are at a point where we would just give up the country there's no reason to fight for it anymore there's no such thing as Country pride hell Trudeau changed the anthem to be more inclusive what kind of power does that present :/
2024-02-04 0
What is the benefit of coming to Canada now? \nWhen Canada opened up in the seventies, there were many advantages to coming to Canada. Back then there was a lot of work in the lumber industry in western Canada and big factories in eastern Canada. In those days, if you were willing to do any work, you would get a job within 8-10 days. \nIn 1990, a bachelor apartment went for $500 a month and a one-bedroom was $600 a month. \nAlmost all would get their 3-4 bedroom house within 10 years. \nGroceries used to be so cheap that $200 a month could support the entire family. The telephone bill was $10 per month. A Vancouver-Toronto bus ticket was only $100. \nSchool education was good, children had to give exams. It used to be very easy to see a doctor. Buses were less crowded. \nNow the standard of education has gone down so much that children become like robots after finishing school. If you have to go to the hospital, you have to wait for 8-10 hours to see the doctor. \nNew immigrants find basements for shelter. Getting your own house has become a dream now. Those who have bought houses will have to pay the mortgage for a long time. Many homeowners are paying interest only, there is no reduction in the principal. \nBus service is so sparse that sometimes more than 100 passengers wait for a 38-seater bus. \nInternational students are in a very bad situation. Spend 25-30 lakhs, live 4-5 together in basements and do hard labor jobs (warehousing, retail cashier, security). Even if they do 2 years diploma they do not get any good job, only minimum wage jobs. \nThose with good jobs or jobs (income of eighty thousands or more) should come to Canada with a lot of thought, because when they come here, they are all considered workers and they have to find low-paying jobs and have to live in often in basements. \nProf. Kuldip Pelia \nSurrey, Canada
2024-02-03 0
Toronto resident here. I do agree with everything that Alina pointed out. Those thing exist. But the only REAL problem is the high cost of rent. It now equals and even surpasses the cost of a mortgage. If the rent problem were resolved, and they can do this by simply building more housing (which they are now starting to do - with government programs and incentives), then most of these problems Alina reported on would recede or disappear completely. \n\nAlso, the homelessness is not visually worse than anywhere else I've visited. Homeless encampments are visible in every city I've been too. However, in Toronto, a LOT of homeless people come from other parts of Canada. \n\nThe violence that Alina referred to was just a snapshot in time. She made her video around 4 months ago, and at that time there were several truly shocking incidents on the subway (which even made international news). Those incidents have not continued. The subway system, and Toronto, is still a very, very safe city. We are the third largest city in North America, after LA and NYC, and we had something like 50 homicides last year. Chicago has like 500. Just by way of example. \n\nI love Toronto, even though it is very expensive to pay rent here. But there is so much to offer that I wouldn't consider living somewhere else. Not a chance. It's great that you can live somewhere else if you work remotely, but when you're not working, what do you do?...Toronto is safe, clean (except in tourist season), with limitless opportunities for career and lifestyle. Wouldn't live anywhere else.
2024-01-24 0
I have visited the United States many, many MANY, MANY times over the years. I've loved every single visit. The people are warm and lovely....some of your scenery and historic things were more than a joy to behold Would I ever want to move there ? Not even for a second. In fact, sadly, my husband won't even go back for a visit anymore. This is sad to me, but I understand where he is coming from. \nWas sad to say good-bye to our dearest friends who moved to the US, because the job pay and promotion was impossible to say no to. They lasted 2 months and settled for less pay and no promotion to come back home. They found it so weird, that all the new friends they made, thought they were freaks because they didn't own guns. The final straw was when they learned these people were packing when they came to summer barbeques. That was the final straw, and they high-tailed it home. \nIn recent times, a country run by someone I see as a loose cannon, psychopath...makes it a most emphatic NO.
2024-01-20 0
What I would like to know myself as a Canadian resident for 60 years where is the financing coming from the students coming in from their perspective countries or is it Canadian financing. The next question please would be would these students actually contribute to Canada's society and not be like the last 20 years of nurses being trained and doctors also guilty of this of leaving the country and laughing at the Canadian taxpayer by not even paying back the student loan which is not forgivable by any means I would really appreciate someone to educate me on this it's just an unknown I feel almost ripped off.
2024-01-20 0
STEP-in FED. END this *madness*. As far as what that woman said, that's a LIE! Why would I own a business and pay you MORE than a (regular) Canadian with the same credentials? The guy saying he may be homeless, lol. When he rooms with 10 people!?! Another LIE! TRUE Canadinas NEED jobs/ careers too! And HOMES!!!...And...AND! Your (country) *isn't* even WAR TORN....?
2024-01-19 0
People think its an easy thing as a full stop on students would do. Its not as easy because that inflow of cash should be replaced with somewhere in the economy, if not citizens will have to pay for it by increased taxes and goods of all products would still rise including housing. Then yes housing will be sufficient but even though demand reduces, prices wont be budging.
2024-01-19 0
I totally agree that this country will break your spine and test your ultimate willpower. Me and my wife came here 5 years back and we decided that we will shut ourselves like a tortoise. Forget about savings and forget about everything else. Only and only one goal we had in mind is that we will live in the basement and earn top dollars. Just to give you a perspective. My first pay was 19 dollar per hour and my current pay is 87 per hour. My wife started with 16.5 per hour and now earning 69 per hour. Even though our income grew substantially, we never raised our expenses. Answer to all problems in Canada is income. Now after 5 years we bought house worth of 1.4 M. We moved out of basement and felt immense pride. We paid 37% down payment and 3 banks approved our mortgages in a heartbeat. No debt at all. We paid up our car in full. Just a regular new suv nothing fancy. \nEveryone is different, we all are unique and I believe you took a right decision. Each and every word you said in the video is true. \nWe cried , we fought , we felt that our life is ruined but we both thought that ek bar to Canada ko harana hai. Itni income generate karenge ki sala CRA shock ho jaye progress dekh ke. We literally cried when we saw our YTD on Dec 31,2023. We crossed 300k and lately to be honest we got a kick in living in basement. People around us thought of us as a regular poor couple but from inside we knew that we are earning in top 3% of Canadian population. \nI would highly recommend that understand the job market of Canada. Work on your soft skills. Power on the language is MUST. It is even more important than your technical knowledge. Make meaningful connections. Stay away from negative people. Once you understand your inner strength then now body can stop you.\n\nThanks for this amazing video. Love the narration and information.
2024-01-15 1
I lived in Western Europe, Japan and at the moment, Canada. I lucked out getting a well paying job in Vancouver when I moved back a few years ago and my average tax rate is actually the exact percentage you stated in the video - 28%, which includes income tax, pension and employment insurance. I'm actually doing better in terms of quality of life now but I do miss being able to travel around Europe for cheap. (e.g., quick train ride to Paris for the weekend) Now, I take cheap flights (e.g. Flair Airlines) to Mexico instead.\n\nJust to state some data points: when I was in Europe, I paid a total average of 39% income tax on a lower salary than I have right now in Canada. Things like utilities (e.g., gas/electricity), restaurants, certain grocery items and electronics (e.g., iphone/PS5/computers) were significantly more expensive because European VAT (inclusive) is usually 20%+. \n\nI don't have the exact numbers but on average I believe I was paying 70 - 90€ ($100 - 130 CAD) just for electricity each month for a small flat, but I am now paying $30 - 50 CAD for a decent sized 1 bedroom. I believe my housing gas bill was about the same or possibly a bit more. In addition, automobile gas prices were much higher (about $2€/L on average which is $2.90 CAD/L) and I think they could go even higher right now. \n\nHowever, rent is definitely more expensive in Vancouver, but I believe that is true for many West coast cities in North America. Right now I'm paying $2300 CAD a month for a 1BR, and I split that amount with my partner. In comparison, it would have been about €1300 ($1900 CAD) for something similar in the city where I was living previously. In a more expensive city (e.g. Amsterdam) a 1BR would easily cost €1800+ ($2650 CAD).\n\nFor me, the difficulty of making friends in my late 20's stays about the same. I think it is difficult to make new friends after graduating from school, and you have to put yourself out there by joining groups and events. (e.g. Meetup or volunteering?)
2024-01-15 0
The obvious way to fix all our problems is to bring in 100 million more refugees in the next year or two. Apparently Africans have built every empire the world has ever known. They've also invented everything that's ever been invented. How would we ever survive without them?\n\nPlus the booming refugee industry would make even more money and landlords could charge $10,000 a week for a studio apartment because those refugees don't care what things cost. It's Canadian taxpayers paying for it all.
2024-01-09 1
I came to Canada in Jan 2022 on permanent residence from India and returned back to India in November 2023. My reason to move to Canada was, I moved back to India for personal reasons after living in USA for 10 years (studies + work). I moved to Canada because I missed US, and thought it was difficult to adjust in India, and US would never give me green card anyway (due to country of birth quota). I moved to Canada with a job in hand, but opportunties are limited here. On top salaries are low, even compared to India. Healthcare is a disaster. In US, I could see a doctor next day. I had 4 surgeries done in US, multiple CT scans and countless X-rays. Never had an issue. In Canada, despite paying high taxes I fear of not able to get medical treatment and wait for months to see specialist. \nSlowly I realized, this country is not USA anyway and was naive of me to think of it as a viable replacement. I ended up returning back to India, as in end I realized India has issues, Canada has different ones but in India at least I can earn well (70 to 80K CAD while 2 BHK costs me like 500 CAD per month, 300,000 CAD for luxurious 3.5 BHK) and I can be close to my parents, the reason for which I left US. I will always miss US though. As long as I have family in India, I will never think of settling anywhere else. But the only country I would ever consider in future is USA.
2024-01-07 0
high cost of living it makes sense to leave Canada all together . You are taxed to death in Canada every thing cost more Canada is a great place if you all ready have lots of money . But if you don’t it’s hard. I find it so weird when they ask for Canadian experience when you just came to Canada I blame the employer they make it difficult for people to get hired and in return people leave to find a job in a different country I did the same thing came to Canada to look for work working in IT and I didn’t get IT job because I did t have any Canadian experience. After two years of working at a job that was not even what I studied I left Canada and found a job that I studied for I got a good job in America Long island New York and never looked back……. I get paid double then I would have if I had gotten a job in Canada any way ….. forget Canadian experience it’s not worth moving to Canada the country has changed. You pay more for everything in the states you get things for a lot less . Car insurance in Canada is so expensive……… do t get me started on the winter ?
2023-12-30 0
Main difference between Singapore and Canada is the latter has been trying to suppress wages of the working class effectively turning the working class into the working poor. \n\nThis, based on idiotic economic theories coming from central bank economists who think profiting private banks which produce nothing and creating a slave labor force in perpetual debt is good for the economy.\n\nIn Singapore, the govt has done the opposite. i.e. enabled purchasing power of the average citizen to rise along with standards of living. Its created the belief that hard work, innovation and enterprise on the part of the individual actually leads to personal success. \n\nThat dream has faded away in Canada and the young people see a bleak future. Its sad to even have to write this.\n\nWhen central bankers, govt..etc. step in to steal the productive output of the working class, it destroys Capitalism and suplants it with Crony Capitalism. FIRE (Financial, Insurance, Real Estate) speculation prospers while the working class producing real goods and services is financially destroyed.\n\nThe real estate prices are deliberately kept high by artificially restricting supply of housing through all kinds of bureaucratic means. Its main objective is to keep people in debt and working to pay off mortgage debt. A fall in housing prices would undo a lot of the leveraged bets that depend on housing prices staying high -- as happened in 2008 in the US. Main losers of that are banks.\n\nYou can then understand why Canada keeps pushing for more and more immigrants. All pyramid schemes (in this case a debt pyramid scheme) has to expand their base or collapse. It also serves the purpose of wage suppression of the working class so they remain in debt.\n\n\nI don't understand why you came from a prosperous country like Singapore to a lower standard of living in Canada. What did you hope to achieve here that you could not have achieved in Singapore.\n\nUnfortunately, people come to see Canada as a stepping stone to going some place else. \nBut in truth, I'm not sure whether other places are any better.\n\nOne great strength of Canada which Singapore does not have is the vast natural resource base of the country. \nIt remains the one shining star the country can fall back on despite incompetent economists and govt.
2023-12-26 0
I cant blame you for the cold. I dont love the winter either. I moved back to the cold winter from the coast and boy do you get spoiled on either coast of canada for weather! I just dont like to be cold. If I could move to the USA, preferably texas. I would go. In terms of living costs, its sad how many canadians dont understand that places like BC and ON have been pricey for a long time. Its new in other provinces to be this expensive and AB, SK, MB, QC. While some of those provinces are more expensive than others, they're new to the super high prices and many refuse to recognize how ON and BC have been paying these prices far longer then inflation right now, which isn't new either. While I'm not muslim, I am LDS and we are not a favourite religion in society either. We get chastised all the time and nobody bats an eye. I've been insulted by employers, our church buildings have been set on fire. I still have to explain why my faith doesn't believe in working on sundays (as employers want that these days). I think some religions or non religious dont want to recognize what we get put through too. Even though we can relate to muslims in our own way. My faith enjoys serving communities with the muslims, I have worked with muslims and many are just the kindest people! The first president of our church got murdered and our people got chased within the USA and americans seem to believe that this doesn't happen in their own country but the same hate has and continues to happen in my faith. So I can understand, we face a lot of rejection when we speak about our faith. I can understand in my own way how you feel.
2023-12-18 0
Noone wants to live in Canada anymore because spineless liberals sold this country down the river while telling everyone with a straight face the cons did it. 44 billion dollars spent on Ontario Healthcare this year, a budget decided by the premier, and liberals are complaining about the state of the Healthcare system. Have you ever heard of a time when 44 billion dollars went into one provinces Healthcare system for one year? \n\nNewsflash: it didn't give us the great healthcare system 44 billion dollars would have because most of that money had to be funneled into paying off liberal policy expenses. Then the same people will tell you Doug Ford is responsible.\n\nYeah Doug Ford is responsible for a sustained overspending effort by the liberals, and especially so when he had to pay their debts. Liberal debts just aren't necessary to pay I suppose, unless you're conservative. Liberals currently have no plan even because they realize their voters are hateful, spiteful people who will cut off their nose to spite their face so the plan is sink the upcoming conservative government in debt and come back in 8 years pretending to not have been the original problem.
2023-12-18 0
Even if I had 600K I would never pay that much for a tiny studio apartment. I don't see the value in it, and I don't understand why people actually pay that much
2023-12-14 0
This is mostly the marginal explanation. What is actually causing the problems in Canada is PRECISELY the expectations of a high standard of living absolutely everyone has, including brand new immigrants. Who as if they were owed a palace immediately begin complaining about the work they have to do and the fact they're not immediately appointed the king of Canada. To put simply, we have an incredibly spoiled population, a population that expects low prices for everything and has a terrible productivity overall and does not wish to work in the kinds of jobs that every economy needs in order to fuel everything else. Food production is the so-called inceptive value. The more food you produce, the more people can consume it, and this in turn flows through the economy to enable all the other kinds of economic activity. We have to bring in hundreds of thousands of temporary foreign workers from Mexico just to be able to harvest. In the past, Canada allowed immigration from all over the world of people who were mostly poor, refugees, and those desperate for a new life. They worked all the time doing every kind of imaginable job in every kind of condition. They built this country with their perseverance and hard work. The immigrants today, are selected on a points-based system, and the idea behind this is that someone with two university degrees, or trained in a profession, even if they don't work in their field in Canada because they're all sorts of barriers to transferring your education, are not very likely to be criminals or antisocial types. Criminals or antisocial types. In other words, Canada has chosen to attract high quality candidates on the assumption that they would be less likely to become criminals, while they in turn, having been picked from the best in their society, arrive in Canada with very high expectations, and discover that actually they're going to have to work in all sorts of other kinds of jobs and will probably not work in their field, even though that's what got them the points to come to the country. The country. This is the brilliant system brought in by Stephen Harper's conservatives, which brings in people with high education, and allegedly high skills, especially high language skills, so the government doesn't have to pay for their language training, but it doesn't consider the fact that these are very often people with other choices, who are not willing to work in construction or farming or service or retail or all those kinds of things that we desperately need workers in. The reason why we can't build enough housing has nothing to do with local governments and property values. It has to do with lack of labor. This education system, for some unbeknowned reason, is absolutely terrible, and provides basically no skills, training or education for the vast majority of high school students such that when they graduate high school, their forced to go to university or college. Since they have absolutely no training. In most parts of the world you finish high school and you have a trade, or you have some skill to begin working, the kids here know nothing. Nothing. Other than emotional safety, intersectional language, and wokeism. On top of that, the government has brought in every kind of environmental restriction and regulation on account of incredibly loud, but actually small minority of enviro lunatics, who most of the time use these environmentalism as a cover precisely for protecting their high property values in very luxurious and special places around the country, and they oppose logging and all sorts of resource extraction under the guise of environmentalism. But it's actually to preserve their special privileged position often in some wilderness or island, where they might be the only one or a handful of families who got lucky to somehow own a property. Property and so they oppose everything on account of environmental reasons. But it's just to keep people out and preserve their own privileged place. This country also as most others suffers from the illness of dishonesty and lack of integrity brought about by a culture of marketers where nothing is the way it is said to be. Everything is a fine print. And we have gotten used to this as normal. We've gotten used to having credit cards, charges, 25% interest, we've gotten used to being ripped off constantly by all the corporations for everything, and nobody complains and they just borrow more and they just bottle it in and now it's finally coming out. Out. People are fed up of the enviral lunatics. They're fed up of people who complain and bitch one moment about the pipeline and then complain and bitch the next moment about the high cost of gasoline when the pipeline is temporarily shut down for servicing. The problem with Canada is Canadians.
2023-12-13 0
I stopped visiting Canada 40 years ago because of insane or corrupt border control policies. I traveled to Canada from California to record an album for a popular rock star. My crew number 4 people and we had reserves a month for basic tracking in a studio there. We bought our own reels of 3 inch wide recording tape because the studio wanted twice the rate as normal and since my studio was a distributor for the mastering tapes we brought from my own inventory. Each reel of tape was 3 lbs and brought 30 reels. We got to customs and they said we owed money for importing the tape. Normally a reel would have been $180, and customs wanted $38,000 x 20, and would not let us retrieve it to take it back to the US side of the border. How can a tape worth $180 suddenly have duty of $38,000?\nIt was explained to me as the Potential Value of the tape which meant AFTER a hit song was recording in it. Most recordings are total losses and the tape cant used on a new project even if properly bulk-erased. They expected me to pay on the spot $760,000 in duties. I gave up and left the tape with them. I called the artist and said we could not do the project in Canada and we went back to California. The artist came to us a few months later and the result was a minor hit, and probably barely made its production cost since the label only distributed it in Canada. I talked to an international trade lawyer about what happened and he said customs officials were wrong in Canada but they are given full latitude with no appeal so his advice was never take anything over the border that I did not mind being confiscated. Sometimes they would let it in because it was going back out in a month, but likely they sold it off and pocketed the money. The US is corrupt on a federal level but Canada is corrupt on the local level. I moved out of the US 24 years ago have a much higher quality of life than is even possible in the US, and live very cheaply. Total cost of living with a very active social and cultural life impossible to duplicate in the US which as some of the least options for culture. And my cost of living is $1500 a month, less than utilities alone for one house in California, and that is for 2 people. Last month for example I attended world class opera, ballet and symphonies 9 times, and went out to dinner, in jazz clubs or dance clubs, visited12 top museums, and it was still under $1500 for the month. A pair of tickets to the MET in NYC for lower grade performance, sets, orchestra ad theater, was $1800!! $600 for tickets to drama for 2. Here there 237 drama theaters within walking distance of my city center home, and can walk anywhere at any time of day and be safe due to VERY low crime rates. Free medical is good. I am not citizen but still I had an operation and 10 days in a vip single room for $5300 and despite my insurance I had been paying back in California $824.month, it was going to cost me out o pocket $500,000 and one day in a recovery 12 bed room, and require paid nursing attendant for 30 days. The results were great and was treated like king.\nCanadians have lost control of their government but Americas are screwed regardless, with lower than international standards for everything, with crime, corruption in Washington, extreme cost of living, no access to culture, few if any safe parks. My adopted city is not only far more beautiful than any US city, my GF can walk, alone, anywhere in a city of 7mil at any time of day through any of the 600 beautiful parks open 24/7..at 3am. There are no homeless, and 80% of those over 20yo own their home clear of debt. No college debt despite twice the % of people having degrees. The rest of the world caught up and has surpassed the US and Europe in quality of life. \n\nI have only been back to the US 5 times in 24 years and each time I am shocked by how much the entire society has declined while most of the world outside of Europe, Canada, US, UK or Australia have dramatically improved.\nEvery year since 2008 more Americans leave the US to live elsewhere than legal immigrants arrive.
2023-12-12 0
I immigrated to Canada in 2010, and here are my experiences inside and outside Canada. I am grateful for a good education; having a Canadian passport opened up many opportunities in other countries to build a higher-level career. However, if I had known the amount of stress, health, and financial damage that I had to endure, I wouldn't have chosen to come to Canada. I would have remained in the US or EU countries where I could achieve even more without suffering to the level I did here. \n\nMisleading immigration promotion: The government-sponsored Canadian immigration program oversells what Canada can offer. It withholds information on the cost of living, chicken-and-egg problems like Canadian work experience is required to get a job at the same level as you are in, Canadian credit history is required to rent a proper apartment, Canadian education is required to secure a high-level job, etc. \n\nHiring process: I knew the Canadian system was not ideal for immigrants over a decade ago, but it got so bad now that even the born citizens are unable to survive. The Canadian government and employers lack a basic understanding that ambitious, high-achieving people immigrate to other countries for high-level positions using proper channels. It's ridiculous to see that Canada uses a point-based system to choose highly qualified personnel to enter their country yet expects them to pursue low-paying entry-level or labor jobs just because they have brown/black skin. At first, I thought having a Canadian degree and experience might help me get high-level jobs, and I didn't think how I spoke or looked would matter when I had high credentials to show off. So, I got my masters & Ph.D. from the Univesity of Toronto, which consistently ranks #1 in Canada. I have a bachelor's from a prestigious university in Asia and had a high-competitive, well-paid federal government job in another country. Still, none of that was recognized in Canada, and I had to volunteer for over 6 months, 10 to 12 hours/day, in a research lab that led to a funded PhD program. I worked even harder during my Ph.D. with many accomplishments, like 40+ research and leadership awards, internationally recognized scientific discoveries, and innovative technologies. I checked all the above and beyond in various domains (research, teaching, leadership, business, engineering consulting, collaborations, etc.). Yet, employers couldn't see past my race, gender, age, etc., and refused to give me the opportunity at the level of my qualifications. Luckily, I managed to secure short-term work in the UK & the US, and it changed even how I see myself. I was highly respected for my credentials, given higher positions than I applied for, and paid 3-4 times more salary and benefits. Of course, bias is an integral part of every society, but my race, gender, age, etc., were not as big of an issue to begin my career at the mid-career stage in these countries as opposed to Canada. \n\nHealthcare: Access to healthcare was another big challenge for me. When I moved to Canada in 2010, due to extremely low temperatures, I developed hives all over my body, my eyes got red, and I coughed for many months. The doctor said there was nothing wrong with me and refused to give me any medication. It took us years to get a family doctor, and we got one through my personal network. In 2015/2016, I developed an autoimmune disease, and my eyeballs popped out. As of today, I did not get to see an eye specialist as they have only 1 specialist in the area, and the waiting time is for years for the first consultation. Every time the family doctor told me that I had iron deficiency, even when I insisted that they should run additional tests and they cleared, they were flagged. The doctor never diagnosed my autoimmune condition. Luckily, during my short-term work in the UK, I saw competent interns who completed my care. NHS is poorer than the medical system in Canada... they are understaffed, don't have hospital beds after surgery, or don't have stock of paper gowns, yet the staff are highly competent and caring. Within 1-2 years, they did complete diagnosis by sending me to various specialists, completed eye surgery, and even found a lifelong condition that was preventing me from realizing my full potential. Following, in the US, the doctors confirmed the diagnosis of all the conditions within 1-2 months and put me on two small pills for life. It has dramatically changed my life, and I have even more admiration for the medical profession. While in Canada, I suffered for over a decade, and every time, I was treated as a hypochondriac and never given a single prescription. \n\nQuality of life: Big cities like Toronto are mainly affected by high crime rates, overpopulation, cost of living, low employment, low salaries, etc. A few months back, there was a huge auto theft, and one of my contacts lost their Lexus car within minutes of parking. Despite being a scientist, I have no faith in politicians or individuals fixing these problems. The salaries are not increasing, but the taxes and cost of living are on the exponential growth curve. The ridiculous part is that Canada expects you to pay taxes even when you are not employed or living in Canada! I lived in London and Boston, and they offer a much higher quality of life and pay. \n\nGrowth potential: No wonder Canada, being a G7 country, falls at the bottom of the list in innovation, equal opportunities, economic growth, etc. It has a decent education system but, due to its inherent bias in the hiring process and monopoly of certain businesses, loses talented immigrants and highly qualified Canadians to the US, the UK, and EU markets. Unless there is a dramatic shift in policies, Canadians, especially new immigrants, cannot expect any positive experience in Canada except for being discriminated against and losing valuable time and money by being there.
2023-12-12 0
You're spot on with your points. I would like to add one more consideration, focusing on the state of elementary and high school education. \nWhile I acknowledge that teaching is a high-paying profession, it's disheartening to see that teachers, along with nurses, are frequently involved in protests. \nI understand that nurses are often overloaded with their work, but the practice of leaving students unattended to participate in protests can pose challenges for the education system. \nIt's concerning that, in the last three years, my kids' teachers haven't been able to complete their subject curricula even once.
2023-12-06 0
As a Canadian, I looked into becoming an auto mechanic. Its going to take a year of school, tuition and then, in your first year, you'll make entry level wage and have to pay $3000 in tools. You might even need a truck to haul your tools around. They keep saying how they need tradespeople in Ontario, but the licensing/ apprentice process takes so long for people to transition into. Every trade is so complicated to get involved in. There is a situation where there are willing and capable people, but the admin process is too expensive and bars people who are in need of paying groceries, rent and bills. They can't find enough millrights either. Its the same problem.\n\nYou've got a surplus of willing and capable workers and employers seeking talent, but the admin process inhibits the entire process. \n\nIf I could start apprenticing on-the-job today as a mechanic or millright I would. But, I need to support family, so instead I am working readily available joe-jobs. \n\nAll trade positions will continue to be unfilled on job posting boards, while potential candidates will be busy working low pay jobs in warehouses etc. just trying to survive. Ontario is idiotic! Back in 2014 they introduced the Ontario College of Trades which only sought to take admin fees from every conceivable profession. The old bureaucratic established people in Ontario have a way of keeping everyone as peasants and minions. This is also why people are leaving for Alberta (a wise decision).
2023-12-03 0
Do I still need to show my personal bank statement even if I will be fully sponsored by my aunt who lives in Canada, sir? Like she pay will for my tuition, food, and accomodation since my aunt owns a house in Canada. I would appreciate your response. Thank you. ?
2023-11-30 0
If you move away from your home country, it takes half the time of your actual age to understand, & get used to the country you move into. \n1) Ikea also offers assembly service for which you have to pay. \n2) home owner/landlord didn’t improve noise isolation issue of their floorings. It’s normal practice of most lazy landlords who only rents their basement for reducing their mortgage cost. Or probably didn’t even know that it is doable.\n3) Employment- I am glad to see you found a skilled workplace somewhat related to your career. If you had to go through odd jobs, you would have left Canada within a month. \n4) Hospitals- Indian Government hospitals works the same way. Priorities go to life threatening patients first. But as an ex-Indian, we love spending arms and legs of money. Our loved ones survive going in private hospitals without insurance. \n5) socializing & jokes- I think you should’ve moved to Brampton so you can be part of the ghettoized community we have created there. so what day by day their crime rates are going high, we can at least understand the joke we can laugh on there. And there is no home sickness feeling.\n6) Weed!! - India has legalized alcohol, tobacco consumption. It does not mean anyone can go buy this. Even to buy legal weed in Canada you have to show your ID. At least that process is followed properly here.\n7) Vegetarian- if you want to follow a diet like this, all you have to request the restaurant to swap the meat with either potato hashbrowns, or if they have soya bean patties. \n8) Struggle- struggle is part of life. There is no requirement of whining about it. What do you need to be concerned is that you are getting an opportunity to go ahead, if you can’t get that that’s an issue. \n\nAnyways , I’m glad you made a video regarding your point of view on leaving Canada. Maybe you are not ready to mentally grow yourself being around people with different community and cultures & co-exist.
2023-11-26 0
I am born in Canada and love the USA.I would love to move there someday. Every year I go on vacation there with my family.The best parts of USA is that its so much more beautiful then Canada, Groceries restaurants clothes electronics stuff is cheaper there, there are more things to do there then Canada, the cities I go to in USA pay more minimum then Canada and most cities there don't have snow or even cities that do get snow don't get cold anywhere near as Canada in Winter.
2023-11-26 0
the freezing of bank accounts is a bigger issue than just the Trucker rally freezing. To anyone who owns a business in Canada that has ever been through an Audit with the CRA, you know these kids have no idea what they are doing and and way too much power. In my case they actually said they wont accept half my receipts because of the format they were saved in. I had two formats, and they said I could only pick 1 format for them to work with- so immediately from the start the AUDIT would be incorrect, I called it out and refused to pay the fake amount and they froze my bank account--with employees not getting paid. It is clearly irresponsible to operate a business in Canada under that kind of behaviour. Keeping a business in Canada is dangerous. I left. Dont even get me started on what my Doctor said about not treating my low functioning kidneys until they fail!
2023-11-05 1
Having to pay for healthcare is a huge detractor for me. I would never move there because of it. I got breast cancer a couple of years ago. I had many rounds of chemotherapy, surgery, radiation & I can’t even tell you the amount tests were done. MRIs, CT scans, frequent doctor & specialist appointments, Scans of all kinds. I’m still in awe of everything they did for me & of course, thankful (is an understatement). \nI can’t imagine what all that would have cost. I didn’t have to pay anything. It was all covered by the government. I ham now over one year out and currently cancer free. ???
2023-11-04 0
tried to get funding from WorkBC for a program.....the lady with an east indian accent told me they prefer to give funding for people who have disabilities and immigrants only....as a born and raised tax paying Canadian i was perplexed by the people i pay with my taxes would treat me as though i'm not even worth being treated like way less important than people who are not even paying into the program im applying for
2023-11-04 0
We can’t lump all immigrants into one single group. But there is one group that are admitted I find repulsive. This group have no intention whatsoever to become Canadians. That is to stay, work, raise family, integrate into Canadian culture and be contributing citizens of the country. This group would spend the minimum required time to become eligible for Citizenship, park their dependence here, utilizing all our social services, including health and education for children. The head of the family then returns to the home country to earn money without paying our taxes as they are deemed non-residents. At retirement age, these non-resident “Canadians” would return as retirees to claim our social services , including “free” healthcare. There are at last count approximately 250,000 “Canadians” in Hong Kong, I am sure there are a lot more in other countries. Whenever there are political or war trouble these people would scurry back, sometimes even demanding Ottawa to send airplanes for them.\nI don’t believe in “a Canadian is a Canadian is a Canadian”. You are a Canadian only if you fulfill the responsibilies of a Citizen.
2023-10-16 0
Canada was good, but it has gone downhill immencely in the past decade or so. We are now in the top 5 countries on earth for housing cost to income ratio. Many Canadians can't even afford a home or rent here any more. A one bedroom apartment in Toronto where I live can go for 2,400 a month. Millions of immigrants arriving and the economy has largely stagnated despite all these new people. Lots of blindly partisan Liberals here though that will never admit the country is in serious decline. Don't let them lecture you about healthcare and social safety nets either there are literally MILLIONS of people in Ontario our largest province where I live that can't even access a family doctor even if they were willing to pay for one. With the number of people not being able to access basic medical services here I would not call it unviersal any more.
2023-10-13 0
I'm Canadian. I was born here, raised here, and have lived here all my life. However, my parents are American (they came during the Vietnam war), and I have full dual citizenship. I could cross the border into the U.S., get a job, start working and live there for the rest of my life if I ever chose to do so.\n\nHowever, I will never live in the U.S. Why? The cost of healthcare insurance and healthcare in general is definitely a part of that, but another huge factor is the socio-political atmosphere down there that is very unappealing to me. Everything from politics, the gun issue, much higher violence than we have in Canada, more racism issues, the media, and from what I have observed from decades of visits to the U.S.: there just seems to be a lot more people that are on edge and hostile than I am used to compared to Canada as well. For me, the general culture and mindset is just not something I want to live amongst.\n\nThere are some things I enjoy in the U.S., and there ARE wonderful people there too. I have several friends in the U.S. (born and raised), not to mention my entire extended family is American. But for me, the U.S. is a nice enough place to visit, but it's not somewhere I'd ever want to live.\n\nNo matter what kind of trip I take to the U.S., whenever I get back home to Canada it's always like a deep sigh of relief. I feel safer. I feel more relaxed. I feel at home. No matter how good my trip was, when I set foot back on Canadian soil again I always get a feeling of humble gratitude that I live here. For me, other than the warmer weather and some of the sights the U.S. has to offer, I'm much, much happier in Canada. I feel very fortunate to live here.\n\nAs a side note, I have never found our public healthcare system here in Canada to be lacking whatsoever. Any healthcare I, or anyone else I know that has received any, has always been prompt, of excellent quality, and reassuringly delivered in a professional manner.\n\nAs an example, in 1994, my father had a seizure and it was discovered that he had a benign brain tumour that had to be removed. Not even a week later, he was booked for his surgery and he had his procedure. He was operated on by one of the top two neurosurgeons in North America at the time, he spent three weeks in recovery at the hospital, and he had months of rehab afterward. About 2 weeks later, he had another seizure (the last one he ever had), he stayed in another hospital for an additional two weeks.\n\nHowever, all of what I just mentioned, and I mean ALL of it, was paid for by our public healthcare system. All he had to do was show his healthcare card and sign a release form for his surgery, and that was it. Nothing more. There were literally ZERO bills, no insurance companies, no paperwork, no phone calls, and ZERO hassle. Nothing.\n\nAnd no, our family was NOT rich or privileged either. Just an average middle class family. However, my dad's neurosurgeon told us his surgery and all the months of care he received afterward would have cost $180,000 (in 1994!), and our family would have been out on the street if it wasn't for our healthcare system. My dad also had a very minor heart attack in 2007 which didn't require surgery, and he didn't have to pay a dime or do anything else other than show his healthcare card for that either. Since those two events, my father has lived a healthy, normal life thanks to our public healthcare.\n\nIn Canada, EVERYONE receives that kind of care, regardless of if they are a billionaire or they are homeless. Because that's the moral and ethical thing to do, and is just one of the many reasons why I plan on staying here.
2023-10-13 0
11 years ago a trip to the ER in Texas cost close to or more than the cost with insurance than a the cost for an ER visit in NS (for those out of country who are not covered by our provincial program). \n\nWe would pay $50 copay at the ER, then over. The next few days we would receive a bill for the physician, then from pharmacy, then from the facility, then from X-ray, etc, every separate department would have its own portion. \n\nAnd then there was the unpleasant surprise when the doctor who saw you in the ER was not an “in network” doctor even though the hospital was “in network”. Our insurance paid 70% of (approved) in network costs, but only 50% of out of network costs. Keep in mind that “in network” hospitals and providers had lower negotiated rates with the insurance companies. Which meant you would have coverage of 70% of a negotiated lower rate for in network but out of network was 50% of a higher rate.\n\nMy neighbours were lovely people. The culture was much different than I expected. The gun culture really hits you in face. For the first while it seemed to be so obvious - signs on pharmacies, hospitals, and schools that state that guns were not allowed, even with a conceal and carry permit. Very quickly, that became “normal”….\n\nFood was amazing. Gas was cheap. Politics was everywhere. Christian mega churches were everywhere - along with some very vocal overbearing people who force their beliefs and opinions on anyone who is near them. \n\nI was surprised with the number of people who felt it was appropriate to discuss religion, politics, and money with virtual strangers. A lot of very personal questions as well. I am guessing it is the difference between what is considered extremely rude in Canada, vs what is just a regular question in the US (or that area of Texas). \n\nAnd another very different thing was how hardly anyone swore. I had the bottom drop out of a bad carrying glasses when I was in San Antonio, the glasses broke, and I said “Shit.” I have never seen so many heads turn towards me. Most of the females looked at me with complete disgust and a lot of the males laughed. I expect that the American who heard me swear, were thinking I was the rudest person. One of my children’s friends was from Australia and when their mom came over one day, she said something to the effect of “so glad you are Canadian” because she sis not have to worry about offending me if she said fuck. That was a relaxing afternoon.
2023-10-13 0
Our emergency rooms are always packed and a normal wait time is 6 to 12 hours. Often longer than that. Millions without a family doctor too. These things make it horrible. Ppl RANT about a possible co pay for your family doctor when in fact if you paid only $10 to $20 per visit to your doctor he or she could afford to employ a nurse practitioner for less severe cases, another person to fill out the many forms your doctor spends hours on, etc. I don't know why Canadians won't bend on SMALL changes. It would improve our top notch health care system even more.
2023-10-07 1
1. I'm a ??can who moved to Europe 22yrs ago through recruitment agency - the employer paid for my professional REGISTRATION with the nursing board, for my work authorisation permit before I even left, sent me a written 2 yr work contract, the flight(return), a taxi pick up from airport & accommodation for 2 the 1st weeks bnb.\n2. I had worked in ?? for 15yrs, 3 diplomas and a post grad degree, I and had bought myself a small property 4yrs into my career on a 60% government subsidy.\n3. I was in a management position for over 7yrs. \n4. Looking back now, the people I went to college with got millions of Rands at age 60 for their retirement pension. \n5. I am waiting to be 65 for a mere €32 000 retirement lump sum and a weekly income of about €400 plus. \n6. I bought myself a small property after renting for 9yrs here, it was not easy to raise funds while paying rent which is HALF YOUR SALARY, but it was worth it. I still have a balance on my bond which my pension lump sum wont even shift\n6. The regrets I have is that:\ni) I missed out on family, friends and christianity quality life, \nii) I spent too much money flying home every yr and sometimes 2 X a yr to keep my sanity and to bond with my family - adult kids and siblings & now grandkids\niii) I could have had a fair and equal opportunities to improve have more accademic and work status in my own country than in a foreign land & my experienced would have been not only recognised when it suits the employer, but it could have been openly VALUED and NURTURED if I was serving in my own country\niv) I could have retired 3 yrs ago and had a paid up bond and a nice retirement car\nThe POSITIVE side is that: \ni) I have a property in a good area that I can rent out for extra income \nii) I have enjoyed travelling around the world and living in A relatively SAFE COUNTRY for over a decade.\niii) I have come to realise that - \na) There's no place like home - we often take for granted, the standards of practice and quality of education and customer service and the advancement in technology both in both education, work and BANKING in our countries untill we travel and live abroad\nb) it is easy to bring your expertise & work ethics abroad and work like and educated slave for a small price\nc) I have come to realise that, Half the time, most of Our stories as a nation are told by someone else, and the world keeps the narrative going.
2023-10-05 0
I don't like Toronto. Tired of the rude people and too many immigrants and high rent. It is overcrowded. People push you to get on board the train and refuse to wait for the next train. I would rather work remotely and yes it is not worth living in. Transportation is not as reliable and too many people travelling downtown and back uptown especially during rush hour. If GoTransit breaks down, there aren't that many alternative options to travel. There are many issues including Internet service is not stable. Yes the pay is not enough yet to cover the cost for a place. They want to build more housing in Toronto but it is the worst idea and will make it even more unaffordable. Smaller towns and other cities are better. Bramption also is not a recommended place to move to. Immigration should be recommending people to live in less populated places.
2023-10-04 0
THE BIRD FEEDER ANALOGY \n \nI bought a bird feeder. I hung it on my back porch and filled it with birdseed. What a beauty of a bird feeder it was, as I filled it lovingly with seed. Within a week we had hundreds of birds taking advantage of the continuous flow of free and easily accessible food. \n \nBut then the birds started building nests in the boards of the patio, above the table, and next to the barbecue. Then came the poop! It was everywhere, on the patio tile, the chairs, the table…everywhere! \n \nThen some of the birds turned mean. They would dive-bomb me and try to peck me even though I had fed them out of my own pocket. The other birds were boisterous and loud. They sat on the feeder and squawked and screamed at all hours of the day and night and demanded that I fill it when it got low on food. \n \nAfter a while, I could not even sit on my own back porch anymore. So I took down the bird feeder and in three days the birds were gone. I cleaned up their mess and took down the many nests they had built all over the patio. \n \nSoon, the backyard was back to like it used to be…quiet, serene, and no one demanding their rights to a free meal. \n \nNow let us see here… \n \nOur government gives out free food, subsidized housing, free medical care, and free education and allows anyone born here to be an automatic citizen. \n \nThen the illegals came by the tens and hundreds of thousands, millions. Suddenly our taxes went up to pay for free services; apartments are housing 5 families; you have to wait 6 hours to be seen by an emergency room doctor; your child’s 2nd grade class is behind other schools because half the class doesn’t speak English. Illegals squawking and screaming in the streets, demanding more rights and free liberties. When asked why they breed like cockroaches, the reply is that it is a cultural thing. \n \nIt's long overdue for the US government to take down the bird feeder. Otherwise, we will continue cleaning up the poop!
2023-10-02 0
I immigrated from Africa to the US then I made my way to Canada 20 years ago. Life has changed from the time we first moved here. Before with 5k Canadian dollars you would put down for a mortgage and get into the housing market. From 2015 when the Liberals came in power housing market has gone downhill for most even those earning middle class income. \n\nIf you desire to come make sure you have the right paper work. If you are coming as a foreign trained professional. You are okay. Otherwise, make sure you have immediate family willing to help you untill you get on your feet. DON'T COME as a visitor without family to ask for refugee status. You will suffer. Most of those stranded in Toronto are those seeking asylum and shelters are full with those who came from newyork when the borders where shut.\n\nOtherwise if you can pay your bills in Africa just stay there, atleast you have morals. Our elementary schools ? are terrible here with those LGB****%$# stuff pushed on children.
2023-10-02 0
Hi Lynn, this is a very interesting conversation. I moved to Canada in 2003 went to college and became a nurse. First of all it was not easy paying for college I was lucky that husband was supporting with the bills as I went to school. So I would say that I have skills that are very marketable. Our combined family income was over $100,000 CAN. We mortgaged our first home which was very basic for a LOT of money. We had our kids and we had to struggle with childcare as most young families do. By North American standard, we were doing good. We each had a good car ( loaned), we made trips to Kenya every so often but in 2016 we decided we wanted to move back home and we sold our home and we did. I HAVE NO REGRETS. There were several things that made us reach our decision. First, I truly believe that for the Canadian system to work as it does, it has to entrap its residents. Even after 10 years of work we did not have money in the bank. Everything we owned really belonged to the bank. The light bulb moment for me came when I evaluated my net worth. A primary school teacher in Kenya after 10 years of work with good financial management will own a plot, a simple house and will start to invest for retirement. After 10 years of work, there wasn't much in the account, our house would need 25 years to finish paying mortgage and to be honest there wasn't much to show for those years of work. Quality of life really sucks the amount of stress will definitely send you to the grave sooner. This is the case for most first generation immigrants. You might say you are sacrificing and building a future for your children but, my observation was since our diaspora children have not grown in Kenya to see the need for money and what life really looks like without the comforts they are used to, they do not have the same drive as the parents so they often do not excel they are just ordinary. There is also the struggle of growing up as a minority group. A lot of our children because they are seeking acceptance will struggle with self esteem, will have depression or will join the LGBTQ community where they get sense of belonging regardless of their colour. The morals are also different from their parents and they are shaped by the society they grow up in. When I looked at what my life would look like if we kept living there, lets say we eventually pay off our mortgage, when we are old and requiring care, our children will not be able to support themselves and support us because they have to work to sustain themselves so we would to move to assisted living or nursing homes. The cost of senior care is not covered by the government unless you have no money. so we have to sell out home which would be old and outdated but still very expensive and we would have to pay $5000-$10000 per month depending on the type of care we need. so as you can see if we ended in a nursing home for 5 years we will have depleted all the money we made from the sale of our home. So by the time we die, we would not have money to leave for our children. So we worked really hard, supported the economy, and die leaving not much at all for our children, we sacrificed our quality of life, and ended up with children who don't think much of themselves or have very distorted morals. I still remember in my mind as we drove to the airport on our way back to Kenya, I thought of the story of Lot. He was pretty successful in Sodom but I'm very sure on his death bed he had lots of regrets why he ever went there. I know its tough being in Kenya but if you have a job or any way to make ends meet, be like Abraham. God will bless you regardless of whether you are in the dessert.
2023-09-19 2
Winnipegger here who lived in Toronto 2014-2020, moved back to Wpg 2020-2021 and is now back in Toronto. \n\nFirst and foremost, your comments on crime are inconsistent with the data and blown out of proportion. I suggest viewers take a look at StatsCan’s crime severity index which confirms that Ontario is the safest province or territory in Canada (safer than PEI lol). There are also scores for cities and Toronto is safer than almost every other Canadian city, safer than even Ottawa or Calgary, twice as safe as Vancouver, nearly three times safer than Winnipeg. If we start comparing to US cities, it would be even more shocking. Suffice to say, Toronto is not only safe, but it’s the safest major city in Canada and one of the safest major cities on earth. \n\nThe homelessness crisis has certainly gotten a lot worse, sadly. As has the cost of living, but you get what you pay for.\n\nHaving travelled to 35 countries (doesn’t mean I’m an expert, but I have some experiences in other places), I respectfully disagree and think Toronto is one of the greatest cities. It’s one of the greenest cities in this continent, safe, on the lake, super close to other major cities, great infrastructure (relative to Canadian cities anyway), it’s beautiful and there’s a ton to do, not to mention the diversity. \n\nDon’t be turned off by this, if you can afford it, it’s one of the best places you could live on this planet.
2023-09-19 6
I grew up in the states but am a dual Canadian citizen. I'd love to move to Canada one day but the cost of living compared to the low wages is a huge turn off. Even though the US has a host of problems, for my field (tech) all its major cities pay far beyond what any major city in Canada would.
2023-09-15 0
The way to help the homeless people \n\nCanadian people every year welcomed thousand refugees from abroad, and supported them with generous resources to settle down their lives in Canada. There’s no doubt Canadian would do same things to the homeless people in our society, but the same things are not needed by our homeless people.\n\nAs most us know, most our homeless people with mental illnesses and hard bad addictions. They are not capable to make right choices for themselves. But it’s not safe and right for making choices for our homeless people even with our good intentions. As in the past happened so many governments and metal health institutions abused their power over the venerable people.\n\nThe key is the whole country specially the federal government should determined with provincial and municipal governments and many social groups to solve the problems together. To provide the nice, attractive, safe environment places for the homeless people. It would cost more than supporting the refugees and without returning, the refugees after settling would pay back as tax payers. But it would cost much less than mental health institutions, prisons and the damages they cost to the communities. And providing better environment for the people, businesses and communities where the homeless people live now. Most importantly it is our responsibility for the homeless people and the communities where they live.
2023-09-03 0
Beware of the single narrative. He’s speaking from his own experience, but it’s not the same as everybody’s. I’ve lived in Canada now for 4 years…got my citizenship this year. I lived in Nigeria for the 10 years prior to moving to Canada, and I also schooled and lived in the UK before that, so I speak with a wealth of diverse experiences. \n\nBefore you move to Canada or anywhere else for that matter, do the following:\n\n1. Research the country you’re moving to…what jobs are in demand, how that aligns with your qualifications…if you need to recertify or retrain in a different field. Many people move here thinking “oh I was a bank manager in Nigeria, so I’ll move here and become a bank manager”. It doesn’t work that way. The streets of Canada are littered with qualified medical doctors who drive Uber because they didn’t understand how difficult it would be to be certified to practice here.\n\n2. Find role models who are living the life you aspire to, or who have made similar moves and seek advice or guidance, and learn what they did right/wrong. Don’t just assume because your friend moved here, you can also move here and live the same life. You don’t share the same life experiences, history or have the same network.\n\n3. Before you immigrate physically, you have to immigrate mentally…be in the right mindset to live in a new country, understand their culture and learn to adapt. If you’re expecting to leave Nigeria and move to Canada to live a Nigerian lifestyle with “owambe” parties every weekend, or having 4 cars and 3 housemaids, then you’re still living in Nigeria mentally. Even Justin Trudeau does not drive 4 cars.\n\nI work in tech, so I knew that with God’s grace I’d find a way to succeed here. My wife worked in a Nigerian bank, and was able to transition to tech after we arrived here. Our combined annual income is roughly $500k, and we both work less than 40 hours a week, and I believe God will continue to bless us. I have easily 20 or 30 friends and colleagues who moved within a year or two of each other, and everyone is doing fine and working in tech jobs paying 6-figures. \n\nDon’t be discouraged by people’s failures and hardships. With the right planning and mindset, you can achieve your goals in any country. Reach out to people on LinkedIn, build a network and ask for advice (constructively)…many like us are more than willing to help.
2023-08-24 0
Now would probably be the worst time for people to come to the West. Food and housing is really expensive. Regular folks are struggling in this economy. It’s predicted to get even worse. I feel sorry for those who are trapped. Working several hours a day for low pay. Not wanting to disappoint their parents or telling them it was all a scam after their family sold everything to get them an education.
2023-08-13 0
Our son (22 yo) was in a traffic accident 3 years ago. Heavy multi-trauma that necessitated 18 surgeries, the latest was 2 months ago. He still has complications that forces him into long hospital stays. If we were living in the US, not only the whole family would have been bankrupt, but he most certainly would have died from lack of fund to pay for his care. Being Canadians living in Quebec, we didn't pay a dime, and his medical care wasn't even entirely paid for by the universal national healthcare. Most of it was paid by the Société d'Assurance Automobile du Québec (provincially funded, single payer automotive insurance).\n\nEverything, including renovations to the house to make it suitable for a wheelchair user and so much other things he now needs has been paid for. All in all the cost of all the medical care, prothesis, equipments, surgeons (6 of them, diffrent specialies), multiple MRIs, scans, stress-tests, ect. is most certainly in the 7-figure by now. The single payer automotive insurance granted him a pension for life, calculated on the base of the salary he would have made in his future job, had the accident not cut short his university education.\n\nJust typing this to show a very valid reason why it makes absolutely no sense for a Canadian to move to the US, makes me tear up for families down south going through a similar situation, knowing that unless they are millionaires, they're probably going through hell. Each time we hear about the health care system in the US, we have feelings I can't even describe.\n\nEdited to add: Our son is covered by his father's complementary health insurance he has at his job. We didn't have to claim anything there yet.
2023-08-13 0
I hate this so much. I know it’s not these peoples fault that their countries aren’t helping them but America isn’t even helping its own people. Imagine how it feels to be from the US struggling and then these people come and somehow our country has the means to help them when they won’t not can’t won’t help their own. What other country do you know of where you can just decide to cross their boarder demand help and say you know what I’m just going to live here illegally now. And if we don’t help them they have all kinds of ways to sue the state and demand help even though they’re not even citizens. That’s what’s crazy to me. They make you do a bunch of stuff before you can travel and some countries won’t even let you visit let alone live there with or without a criminal record but these people can just walk right in. Any countries borders are important they are there for protection. Ours are not being protected which means the country is not protected. I just don’t see this turning out well for anybody, not them not us. There is a scene from the titanic that I’d like to relate this situation to. The scene where Roses mom is in the boat with that other lady who has new money the chubby one. She wanted to let people on the boat that were drowning around her, and dude wouldn’t let her. It wasn’t because he was being mean it was because if people started holding onto the boat and trying to get on the boat they would panic, and eventually everybody would swarm the boat. The boat would not have been able to hold the weight of everyone holding onto it. Well the same here there’s people who are already drowning, and other people from other countries want to come here, but all they’re gonna do is sink the ship, and then there will be no help for anybody and everyone will be doomed. No I have nothing against people coming here but not this way. I welcome anybody that wants to be here to work but not this way. America has its our own problems and the citizens pay taxes that are never used to help them. Instead the government gives money away to other countries like it’s nothing. I don’t mind helping anyone anywhere but when the money we pay the government doesn’t go to help it’s own citizens first idk that’s not right to me. We should be helping our own people first. Anyway this isn’t the right way to come I to America. This isn’t fair to the rest of us. We pick up the bill not the government. Help your own citizens America we need help too!!!!!!!
2023-08-07 0
Only the uneducated would think Sikhs are Muslim terrorists. \nThey've been here for 8 yrs and it doesn't seem like they know a lick of English or care to even learn. I'm sure when they came they knew the risks of being illegal immigrants. There's a reason why these ppl come here either for medical benefits or working under the table. \nIf they're not paying into the Canadian economy and leeching off the taxpayers they need to be deported back to their country. Sorry if this may sound harsh, but i'm tired of working day and night to pay taxes to support these refugees and lazy welfare Canadians.
2023-08-06 0
Not a chance in hell would I ever consider moving to the US. Hell, I'm not even interested in visiting anymore! I don't have to pay any monthly fee for health care. Nor do I have to pay a co pay. My feelings get hurt, I can visit my doc for free ;) There are literally no reasons a Canadian would WANT to move to US.
2023-08-05 0
Yes, of course, although Canadian views can be true sometimes. Yet, we cannot defend our own Country as you can. That alone makes us ' nice'. We have to be.\nDo you see realness vs manipulation here, even for/against ourselves?\n Not to mention a new thing I've learned through an American. Homeownership & land rights. We have something called mineral rights. Ownership of land under homes is unknown sometimes I am sure. No wonder the government can just get rid of people (paying something of course) off their land.\nIf we considered North America as a whole, America would be the male of the 2 countries. Kinda weird but a vague thought. \nWith all the immigration I am beginning to feel like a stranger in my own country. Dealing with it but, they are not the only ones feeling stress. \n\nIt's hard for anyone to move though when family is important to you.\nBlessings
2023-07-28 0
I work in tech and need to mention the negatives of H1B even though having tons of highly skilled workers would be nice for country.\n\nThe first issue is that H1B workers are happy with accepting lower pay for relevant position so long as they get opportunity to get a company sponsor. This causes a downward pressure on wages obviously.\n\nSecond is they are also VERY obedient Caste like stuff going on between Indians or absolute silence from East Asians on anything that needs to change. This causes management expectations from workers to be skewed against citizen workers.\n\nThird, they are only here short time to earn as much as possible, even some I know shared a 1 bedroom between 2 people just to hoard as much as they make cause when they go back to their country it means they are rich. So they work 24/7 and causing company expectations to be unrealistic for citizen workers.
2023-07-27 0
Stop fighting it...roll over while getting steam rolled and eventually...this will be Venezuela. The government allowed it. Not Americans. You will see. They want the country give it to them. This isn't even a fair fight. If Americans won't break the law to protect the country that's exactly what will happen. They said they steamrolled us and took our country. I wouldn't pay another tax and I wouldn't work at all... To support a single one of them they've been taking our money, resources and extorting us and don't give a f*** what we say so don't support your own demise.... It is unAmerican to sit here and get extorted by your own government and illegals ....why would you participate in your own takeover.... let them f****** support the whole country... I wouldn't do it... All-American should just stop doing anything at all..... they are banking on the fact that we're going to keep working and paying our government..... defund the they are not working on behalf of Americans they are traitors.... And then you'll really see what type of people that you come in here.
Showing 151–200 of 262