Close Reading

In the US, it seems it is way more difficult to elevate yourself if you are born to a poor family. In Canada, there seems to be more equality in that respect, in that if you are from a low income family, there is still a chance to get ahead.

Carrying a knife is stupid. People can't just claim it's their religion if it is a danger to others. There's nothing loving or godlike about a weapon, and yes, I understand the full spiritual significance to the Sikhs of the Kiran, but it's still stupid.

you took good decision but still it is possible only if your parents and relatives support you. i know the same case where one boy went to canada and struggled alot and he was even not having enough money to pay rent so he stayed in shelter home for almost 3 months and then he decided to come back to india. He came back to India but his real sister and some relatives used to taunt him by comparing others who were staying in canada. His sister used to quarrel with him everyday and used to say that he should die because he wasted his parents money. Unfortunately, he committed suicide after listening harsh words from his sister everyday. Now he is not among us but he was really great and hardworking guy who worked hard in canada but due to lack of support from his own family he committed suicide. Therefore return is not the only option , one's decision should be welcomed by family members also.

1) Toronto is poor value. Getting housing of any kind (buying or renting) is stupidly expensive. And the quality you get for the price is lousy. Especially the newer builds, which are just thrown up as quickly as possible and sold to investors. Policy measures generally all seem to serve to just inflate the price of housing further. The occasional lip service given to affordability is amusing, but ultimately sad. There are lots of people who really do not want the housing bubble to pop. They will fight against it with all they have.\n\n2) It has become kind of boring. There is lots to do if you have money, but it’s harder to find entertainment on a budget. Even the free stuff like parks are filling up. Stuff like sporting events, eating out, going out is very costly across the board. Even the “cheaper” stuff is expensive. It seems like a lot of local culture is disappearing. Even the cool neighbourhoods are filling up with the same chains. I think the high commercial rent and bureaucracy is deflating a lot of would-be entrepreneurs. Most landowners seem to just be banking on cashing out their land for condos.\n\n3) Canada overall has a high cost of living compared to salaries. In the US you can find lower cost of living areas that still give you a real city experience. And in Europe you can be poor but still live a decent, if no frills, life. In Canada the basic necessities are all expensive. Phone bills, grocery bills, rent, insurance are through the roof. Domestic travel is expensive. And the dollar sucks if you want to travel abroad. Health care is free but good luck finding a family doctor or waiting 8 hours in the ER these days. It’s expensive to be poor, or even middle class.\n\n4) Most of the Greater Toronto Area, outside the core, is soulless suburbs with awful transit - very “American” except with worse traffic congestion. You will need a car, which is another huge cost. Row upon row of old cookie cutter suburbs with the same crappy houses. Good luck walking anywhere, and if you do you will need to walk down boring, treeless arterial roads with cars zooming past right beside you, and cross giant eight lane intersections that were never built for humans on foot. In a rainstorm or on a fall evening you have to be really careful not to be run over by aggressive drivers.\n\n5) It is hard to raise a family in an apartment here. You can do it but it’s not very easy, and also you are still kind of judged for it. Lots of young people are feeling stuck and are deferring or avoiding starting a family. Buying any type of house, even a basic townhouse, requires pledging your soul to a bank by taking a massive mortgage with eye watering debt in a volatile market. But few apartment buildings have the kind of sensible gentle density, the family unit sizes and the common amenities, like little courtyards with jungle gyms, that you might find in Europe. No one ever contemplated that anyone would ever desire to raise kids in an apartment. It’s just a cultural thing that has worked its way into how things are planned and designed.\n\n6) The transit system is ok by North American standards but awful by international standards. There are only two real subway lines, one stub line, one line that is permanently out of service after a derailment, and another line that was supposed to open a couple years ago but still has no date for opening. The subways go out of service frequently, sometimes for the dumbest reasons, and then it is a zoo of shuttle buses. The streetcars are nice but so slow. The buses are fine if you find yourself dreaming about riding a daily herky jerky rolling tin of sardines. They are building a lot of transit but it will take decades to get done.\n\n7) There is still a lot of cool multiculturalism and opportunities to experience different foods and cultures - one of the best things about Toronto. Increasingly though it seems to be losing the fun vibe of the 90s, when everyone celebrated each other’s backgrounds and was chill. It seems the immigration is not as broad based anymore and also people are importing a lot of their “old country” grievances here. The immigration system also kind of preys on people abroad by selling them a false fairy tale, so they end up dejected when they arrive and see how things really are.\n\n8) This one might be controversial but it’s kind of an ugly city. There’s nothing particularly of historical meaning or value. Some of the older neighbourhoods are kind of nice, but the last 25 years they have only built giant glass skyboxes, one after another. There aren’t the cool “missing middle” walkups like in NY, Chicago or Montreal (or even LA). There are very few buildings with much architectural character. Some of the buildings they deem “heritage” here are an embarrassment.\n\n9) For safety, honestly on this score I think Toronto is not bad. There are not too many real “ghettos” and it’s night and day compared to much of the US. With that said, there is more vagrancy and social issues these days, with tents and such. It’s very sad but the shelters are full, lots of homeless go into the libraries, parks and transit system. It does make it harder to enjoy these public amenities safely. It is nowhere close to Europe where you might let your kids run free around town. Canadian parents still helicopter their kids and the place again is not designed to really be safe for kids, in the same way as Europe.\n\n10) Finally, a bit of a double edged sword. Toronto had a lot of youthful energy - people coming here from all over. It is definitely not as sleepy as many parts of the world. With that said, it is becoming a bit of a transient place (minus the world class experiences like London or NY). If you are from elsewhere you might find it hard making and keeping friends. I’ve seen lots of people struggle because it’s is hard to build a strong social network. We have a very “shallow” culture here - people are extremely polite but not overly warm and hospitable. We treat one another kind of like neighbours - meaning we’d like to have a cordial, drama-free coexistence and otherwise kind of stick to ourselves.

Don't deceive Africans to move to Canada Infact they should acquire some funds to start a business or study to go back to Africa and move back to Africa entirely. Fix your countries in Africa stay there US and Canada ain't gravy more many African Americans are moving back To Africa as a matter off fact. In Canada u will be stuck in doing cheap labour jobs with your higher education if not security to look after your children and family in Africa. U are not a full citizen in Canada just a citizen in application and benefits but still told u are an immigrant why not go back to Africa. Houses are expensive in Canada and your children ends up growing up in a social system that is systematic racist.the Aboriginal Indians are a majority on drugs, alchahol and in jails now many Africans caught up in the lie to the melting pot u talk off in the US and Canada. Africa has everything if u have a chance to leave Canada and US with some sort off education and some monies to start something in Africa u better off despite the ongoing Tribal and religious violence u need to monitor.

This topic you really nailed it I came to Germany 12 yrs ago and still have not achieved a lot

After the application, how does the applicant get documents for his biometric? And after the biometric, does the applicant still need to upload any other documents?

LOL, you are still letting the wrong people in..... you reap what you sow...

This is nothong the same things r still happening even today in 2023 with the fake work permit system

... And here is why:\n1. Insanely expensive housing with next to none disposable income left in the pocket. \n2. Inability to get into the real estate market unless $$$ was brought in as an investment. This will leave locals and people who were born in Canada left out for good even further. \n3. Extremely competitive job market. Newcomers will have to suffer for a long time to break-in. \n4. Depression and drug addiction is everywhere. It's more deadly than covid but the government can't address the problem because they lose control for good. \n5. Canada is far away from many other places, which makes things worse as you feel trapped in a workcamp with no place to escape. \n6. The cost of living is getting much faster with the salaries significantly behind year after year. \n7. Canada became the country of failed government, failed multiculturalism, too tolerant as a result. \n8. Retirement in Canada will be impossible for 95% unless you agree to live in the middle of the nowhere until depression kills you. \n9. Many who came to Canada 25+ years ago and still around felt trapped. Canada's source of immigration will likely be the poorest communities who will agree to put up with everything listed above just to get out of where they live right now. \n10. Sad, but true. I have seen a steady decline in Canada since 1998. Things get worse every year.\nAmen to that. I'll be visiting Lviv in 2025 for the first time since 2000 to check on my apartment in the city centre, not far from my Alma Mater LPI. I THANK GOD every day I didn't sell it and so I have a place for retirement!

The government still thinks with 750 dollars welfare money a human being can live in canada. Single guys have to live in dumps called rooms in basements and couples have to give away 75 percent of their combined income to rent a half decent apartment. So much for the canadian dream life! Looking back after 28 years living in canada i think i was better off living as an alien in usa than living here. I am still lucky to have a house otherwise i would have been in a mental hospital now. Dirty cities, over crowded hospitals, freezing temperatures, high taxes and many more issues. Still canada is better than 90 percent of the world but to have a little better life you have to sacrifice a lot, almost all your life.

Or maybe they're leaving because they immigrate barely knowing english or french, immersed in a new culture, and are hit with a -30 degrees celsius winter. Moving to a country like Canada is a huge decision, one that some cannot follow through. I say let them go, Canada is still a first world country, much better than a lot of others. Things are expensive yes, but that's because the quality of life is better. You can immigrate to Mexico sure, do as you please, but there's a reason there are far more Mexicans immigrating to Canada than the other way around.

I live in a small rural Northern community, East Indian immigrants have bought out or taken over nearly every business in the community, our car wash, both grocery stores, both Hardware stores, subway, pizza place, two of the three restaurants, only motel, nearly all the rental properties, and they are shifting their investment now to homes, as we can still buy homes up here for reasonable prices, they are buying them, doing some cheap renovations, and trying to flip them for large amounts. All these local small businesses in the community used to employ young people from the community, they used to be places of employment for summer jobs for students and for the elderly people who retire here to have jobs to keep busy. Since the influx of people from India, all of the jobs in these stores that have been bought out by them are now done by Indian people, nearly everyone who used to work these jobs in my community has lost the opportunity to do so because since the businesses were bought out by Indians they only hire their own kind as employees. I know at least 10 people directly that have lost their jobs due to this, and there are certainly more. We allow foreign investment in our business and real estate market, and these people come in, completely take over and dominate these small communities, and fill them with their young people from India and take away all the jobs from the local people living here. Its horrible. My wife and I are planning on moving to Eastern Europe, Canada in another few decades will be nothing more than a province of India.

Totally agree on your analysis....we are here in Canada and still fighting :) for better opportunity

I'm assuming it's the highly skilled ones that are leaving. No matter how it has declined, Canada is still an advanced and highly developed country. Many across the globe still dream about starting a new life in Canada. The living standards are still much higher than the US. Of course there are problems but I don't believe it's as bad as some make it out to be.

Best Pizza's in Toronto but sadly it was time to move away to Meaford. Quiet, everyone friendly but not much work in terms of jobs - still worth it !!

For skilled trade don’t require education! We already work to your country for 4yrs and yet you still asking us for education to get PR.

Omg we can't even house are born and raised and yet we still keep taking refugees ??? VOTE BLUE BABY. I used to be a liberal and because of who the blue have runing for office he's got my vote ? Conservatives

Good. Look as a product of an immigrant father myself, we simply can't afford to take care of the Canadians we have, never mind all these people who come to Canada with no jobs, no housing, no money, possibly no ability to speak English or French. Like it or not, our taxes are going up and our services are going down. The government is focused on GDP numbers as opposed to GDP per capita, which essentially means while our production numbers are artificially enhanced the quality of life per person is rapidly declining. We're talking about flooding Ontario with 500,000 new immigrants, God knows how many Indian paypigs... I mean students for colleges and universities, as our government is giving tax breaks to Atlantic Canadians and torturing everyone else for going greener with natural gas. We're living in a country where it is very possible to hold down multiple jobs and still be homeless in 2024 and we're talking about more immigrants? We can't afford the people we have now and we're talking about bringing in more? Who's building the homes for these people? The last couple million of immigrants who were supposed to build homes didn't build anything so now we're bring in more to build homes for the last couple million who were supposed to build homes plus Canadians who has been here for more than a July on a sidewalk.

Canada is not perfect. If it was the case, the population will be booming. Cost of living is cheap compare to NYC or California but is still high compared to other countries. If you think that you can make a new life within 5 years, it really depends on your skillset and capacity. If you are from France, England or any western world it will be easier as your degree will be probably recognized, there will be no language and cultural barriers. Otherwise, you will need to start from bottom. You will notice that immigrants like to show off their success in the community or back in their countries, and this make false idea of the North American dream is easy. Absolutely not.

The same reason I had to move back in with my folks as an adult. Laid off, no prospects and even if there was, housing would still be unaffordable. I love being with my folks but it is a bit embarrassing like I’ve failed in some way. ?

Canada’s still better and safer than 95% of the world.

And worst scenario people will still vote for JT!!!

Cause before we came, when we had very solid work history and sought after credentials ( teachers, doctors, nurses) we were told that our credentials would be recognized. It turns out that there is endless redtape, overworked or incompetent institutions, and after 4, 5, or 6 years we are still dealing with bureaucracy and unable to work in our field and paying insane living costs. By the time we get our credentials recognized we have bern out of our field so long that our CV looks like crap. The smart ones leave before that, the dumb ones like me leave after, worse off, angry, and after having wasted their own money along with Canada's money fir years

My first visit to Canada (the so called Province of Quebec) was in 1972. If you've had asked me at that time where was paradise, I'd have answered to you that it was right here in Quebec and particularly in Montreal. I spent two years and went back home in 1974. I came back five years later in 1979 with the intent of staying and I did. I've spent decades of wonderful years here, and although I will leave next year, I will still remember with nostalgia the lost best decades (70s, 80s and 90s) I'd have spent in Montreal. I will remember the most beautiful city of the world and what it has become in the years 2000 amd counting. I remember how clean and well maintained that city was; how its people were among the most polite and civilized in the World; how life was so easy and affordable; how tolerant as a society the French Canadian one was and so on. Today, all that is gone, and when I take a look at the pile of trashes and garbages on the Ste-Catherine street and Saint Laurent Boulevard, it makes feel sick. In fact, Montreal has become a huge Third World city, and it is not better on a social point of view : you can't walk one block or two without being dragged by a homosexual or a lesbian. Speaking of lesbian and homosexual, you can't keep your work if you don't support the LGBT and or willing to date your boss. I am leaving next year to go back to my country where there is still a seemingly willingness to normalcy, but since the LGBT has managed to sneak its power everywhere, I am not holding my breath of a bright future overthere, but it's my home and I prefer to be there and deal with it.

It is funny that we have mass immigration. But still don't have enough for minimum wage workers. What about AI that is coming. Companies will use AI for the future. We need tax breaks for more AI. The liberals are in the past.

Canadian immigration system is no longer the same. It is a new slavery system. No matter what education or licences you have, they will never recognize it. I m a new proud Canadian, have master's degree in education from America, still unable to get a teaching license. My doctor friend who came here as a PR is doing Uber. Other mechanical engineer friend doing construction. Don't come to Canada hopping to have a decent job to have a nice life.

Gawd I hope they all leave. Unless Canada starts taking care of the people that have been living here all their lives! Immigrants come here and push our vets out of housing and still have the nerve to complain

Its the greatest city in the world. I was born and raised here it has changed but still a great city.

I am 10th generation Canadian and plan on leaving one day too just not sure when and where to go. Affordability is not good, no special things for the long term generations that their whole family grew up here, nothing with banks, nothing with education, nothing to advance careers for myself or my children, non allied people getting in. I remember when there was stricter immigration laws. I remember when one man could support a whole family. I remember when citizens would walk on one side of the street and allow others to pass on the opposite side walking from the other direction on the streets as well as in the stores, when people had more courtesy. I remember when people could joke and not get offended, when people would stand up for one another. When a community was a community. When you could be Christian and not considered offensive. When it was safe to say bless you and not be told to shove it etc... when you did not have to witness riots on the streets and a people divided and it was not believers and non believers either as the non believers would still be peaceful in the past. It is much more than that now. Now it is you are white and racist, which I am far from but have been accused and am very baffled at that statement because never in my life would I in the past ever be accused of that. I am now like, wow what am I witnessing? I just feel something much greater is going to come, but not knowing when. ONe thing I fear is there will be an all out war and it will be whites or Christians being the target one day.

Mr Peter come back home..why are you still there? Come back home since your country is better.

I have met immigrants in Canada who told me that they wanted to immigrate to America and couldn't, but their goal is still to move there. They are trying to use Canada as a stepping stone.

I am Canadian citizen I came to canada in December -1980and still homless cannot find affordable place my government cheque only 1359 apply for government housing last8years ago but in vain whole life work as labour

Meanwhile, Global Edmonton does not deal with serious issues of their own staff of how they mistreat not only immigrants but minorities. People are leaving and no only immigrants because press is still acting in same patterns they assure publicly is wiser. They have also hid a number of secrets for decades and taken part in rewriting history to protect certain clubs abusing their positions. Some pretty deep secrets relating to Monarchy were grossly interfered with since 90s. Most embarrassing is that the rest of the world remembers and came forward with what Canadian press was kept blacklisting like a bunch of cowards. So yeah, exposing Nazi in our parliament, privately hiring contractors to hire digging up children's skeletons, and following through on strong suggestion to make that change seems to have not taught some people when they still stick to old patterns that ultimately affected our Countries economy and image on global scale. That should also be added to why people in general are leaving.

Very nice vlog but i still feel you did not reveal the real reason.

400,000 new Canadians in one year is a huge number compared to the population !?\nWas the government prepared for this number?!\nAnd we'd still wondering why we are in jobs, health care and housing crisis !?

Been living in canada for 7 years, have master's degrees in education from American, still have not recognized as a teacher in canada. THATS WHY WE (NEW CANADIANS) LEAVE CANADA

So you know how many leave and still collect benefits? Like the child benefits? GIS? They come back once a year to do taxes and nobody is really looking into it too hard. With those benefits they have a nice life in their poor, cheap cost of living countries.

Acceptance of international work experience and qualifications has been an issue since I arrived here in 2002. It has all been false promises and a smoke screen by the government and these politicians in all these years. Canada is still far behind when compared to US which is more welcoming to immigrants and which is why it is still one of the most desirable places to live on the planet.

When you walk on streets of any big city you will be confused - are you still in Canada or in a third world country?

I’m moving to Pittsburgh in January 2024… turns out I have worked hard enough to own a 4 bedroom home with a backyard! …. Just not in Kitchener…. ? \n\nI’ll still root for the Leafs, but other than that I can’t wait! ??

That´s 100% accurate. I myself am being slowly priced out of Canada. I have left, temporarily, due to very low living costs AND availability of health care in my homeland. I still want to go back to Canada, but high rent prices and a over 2 year waiting line for my medical treatment is preventing that... Even though I have to pay WAAAY more for my treatment in South America. Really tough.

For people that keep their ear close to the ground, this is not even close to a surprise. Canadians could have seen this same problem over a decade ago. Canada is new age communism, there is nothing fun or free about canada and its getting worse. Get out now while they still let you leave.

Half the planet is trying to migrate to western countries both legally and illegally. Thousands and thousands each month! No surprise that foreigners, and the born and raised, are now having to compete for homes/jobs. Best advice: be grateful if a country is still trying to help u leave the place that u wish to leave. And don't expect white collar jobs asap too. And please don't be USING Canada as your country-of-convenience.

What is canada good for? Its not safe anymore. The medical departments sucks and the justice system suck, getting a job is hard and cannot afford house, rent or food. Most of us live onlg basic and in debt. The extrem cold winters and short depressing days dont help. All this said im still gratefully to God and know people live far worst.

There's a reason the US is still a top destination for students, immigrants and businesses. After 1812 one became the superpower and other one ?

I love Canada, especially Toronto, my home for 20+ years. But I totally agree, in the past 5+ years, since 2015/2016, I noticed lots of changes to terrible, and never the same anymore. Although, I'm still very positive, there are still things that are amazing (i.e. events, volunteer opportunities), with extra caution, and visit other cities. Just living day-by-day, count blessings, focus on positivity, appreciate, and be thankful.

when a company keeps lowering its hiring standard but old and new employees are still leaving, you know this company is failing quick.

It is impossible to live comfortable anymore in Canada with all these prices rises. And Canada is still doing it to make it even higher.

Our birth-rate is low, so we do need immigrants, that being said, housing needs to keep up and so do appreciation of foreign experience. \nSome of the Ukrainian refugees that we welcomed in NL were doctors and nurses and they really wanted to start working, but were not allowed because they were not trained in Canada. This isn't even a foreigner issue, if a doctor/nurse wanted to move to a different province there are still obstacles, which doesn't make sense to me! Sure healthcare workers from other countries should be brought up to speed on the system, but at the end of the day, they still acquired the education and work experience to do their job and can provide proof of their credentials, it should not take years to work in Canada.