You have successfully obtained both your visa and acceptance into a Canadian education program and you’re officially moving to Canada! Exciting times are ahead of you and most of the hard work has already been done, but it is important that you fully prepare yourself for the journey ahead. There will be a definite culture shock, a time when you are homesick and perhaps lonely at first, but if you are well prepared, these feelings will soon pass.
Each year, Canada welcomes more than 130,000 foreign students from around the world, so you will not be alone on your new adventure. Local visa experts have helped numerous students take this big step and we would like to help you by outlining three essential considerations for moving to Canada.
1 – Money, money, money
You may have already paid for your visa and educational program, but have you considered the extra expenses of moving? Current Canadian student visa requirements state that applicants must have ‘proof of funds’ to support themselves during their stay. At present this is CAD10,000 for every year of your stay in Canada. There are also extra requirements for having sufficient funds for tickets back to your home country in case your trip doesn’t go as planned. Fully understanding all of your visa obligations can be difficult and getting Canada visa assistance will reduce the risk of you being stopped at the port of entry for failing any of these conditions.
2 – Working in Canada
A study by the University of Toronto in 2013 found that recent immigrants were almost twice as likely to be unemployed as the Canadian-born population. This is because every country has its own style of writing CV’s and resumes, and Canadian employers will overlook applicants who don’t follow the traditional Canadian style. Therefore, it is vital that you research Canadian job seeking practices and update your resume so that you won’t be hampered by any unnecessary barriers. Again, it is important that you double-check your visa conditions to ensure that you are eligible to work in Canada.
3 – Health Care
This topic can be a minefield for anyone that isn’t familiar with the Canadian Health Care System. Government health insurance is not available to all foreign workers or students so it is crucial that you check both your visa requirements and the provincial rules before you enter Canada. Some visas require applicants to obtain health insurance before entering Canada, while some provinces will provide health cover, depending on the status of your visa. This is an issue that your Canadian visa agent can help you with, along with answering any other visa questions you may have.
These three considerations are key when planning your trip to Canada. If you overlook any of your visa requirements or fail to prepare for the Canadian job market then you may suffer in the long run, and possibly be prevented from entering the country.
One final point to remember is that if you plan to study in Canada for less than six months, then you do not need a study permit.
Bevan Berning is an Immigration professional and owner of Pathway Visas, an Immigration Agency dealing mostly with skilled immigration to Canada and Australia. Bevan’s enthusiasm for the industry has kept in the Immigration field for the past seven years. Bevan is South African by birth and has been residing in Dubai for the past eight years. You can connect with Pathway Visas on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.
