Probably the most important question and possibly the hardest to answer is “is this the right thing to do”? This, of course, is the question only YOU can answer and it depends a lot on your family. If you’re single then there are your parents, siblings, and other close family and friends you may miss who have to be informed. If your married (or separated) with a family then it’s a totally different scenario. If your kids are old enough to understand then they have to be fully informed and you have to listen to them. Both partners need to be 100% committed to the idea – a half hearted attempt or negative attitude will make the transition even harder.
This is a deeply personal subject and we experienced it first hand. Before we had kids we had visited Canada and I wanted to go for it – my wife wasn’t sure and didn’t want to leave her parents. About 3 years later after another visit to a different part of the country everything changed, we had a son and the town that was visited was everything we had dreamed of to raise our kids. The lifestyle available was vastly superior to the way we were living and obtainable by ordinary people. My wife came back to the UK and announced that she was 100% behind a move and we set the ball rolling straight away – the rest they say is history!!!!
So, once you are all in agreement, then you are past the first step. The real “fun” starts here!!
You need to consider your options very carefully -which Visa class do you qualify to apply for and if there is more than one that fits, which is the best for you? In Canada there are 6 standard classes of visa and then a seventh separate class if you are applying to live in Quebec. All of the main 6 visa types are administered by the Citizen and Immigration Canada (CIC) department which was established in 1994 to handle all the Citizenship and Immigration procedures. Quebec runs its own immigration system!
Read each of the types of visa and go through them in great detail – always err on the side of caution and be conservative in your assessment of your case. I was applying for the skilled worker class under the old system (70 points – the latest system is a pass mark of 67) and assumed that with my wife’s sister living in Canada (married to a Canadian) I would score an extra 5 points and bring my total to 74. After several months of assumptions I checked it and found that I wouldn’t be entitled to the points and so failed to meet the pass mark. Then we hired Kerry Martin of Access Migration to act on our behalf and she eventually secured the permanent residency for us.
The skilled worker class is by far the most popular choice of application and is currently taking 18 – 24 months for applications to be processed. (This is always changing so check www. For the up to date info) The CIC site has an excellent self assessment tool for you to use – if you pass easily then you shouldn’t have a problem with the application. If you don’t reach the pass mark or are close/don’t want to do it on your own; then I would recommend hiring an Immigration professional (Lawyer or consultant). Do ensure they are registered with the CSIC AND in good standing before you hire anybody to represent you. Both Kerry Martin and Phil Mooney offer free, no obligation assessments and are qualified consultants registered with the CSIC. Kerry can only represent UK nationals and Phil offers his services to clients worldwide.
If you are short of points there are several ways of earning more – learning second language skills (English or French) is possibly the quickest method. Gaining work experience will take the appropriate number of years as will any educational improvements you may need. Definitely don’t submit your application until it is complete and check it over several times to avoid submitting an application with mistakes. They will most likely be found and will then delay your application while they are sorted out. Always give EVERYTHING that you are asked to provide and to be honest try to give more – extra evidence of work history, personal character references, other qualifications or skills – to give too much info shouldn’t affect the application, not enough definitely will!!
Okay, you have chosen the visa, compiled the application and submitted it – what next? Well, depending upon the type of visa you have applied for you can check the CIC website for the approximate processing times and see how long you have to wait. This time could be several years so you can spend it very proactively and improve your chances of a successful resettlement.
If your educational levels are in need of a boost you would be able to complete some fairly high level courses in 2 years. The major problem is that whatever course you do – make sure it can be transferred to Canada. The chances are the process will be lengthy with a fair chance it won’t work. The best option would be to enroll on internet courses with Canadian colleges – then the resulting qualification is Canadian.
Another option is to learn new skills (typing. Welding, electrics, auto maintenance) most skilled trades are in very short supply in Canada and even if it isn’t your chosen career, they pay well and would give you an excellent start in the Canadian workforce. It is always easier to find the career you want from a well paid job. It is most unlikely that your trade skills will transfer directly across to the Canadian system as there are separate legislative/licensing agencies for most trades across each Province so expect to have to retrain and/or sit exams prior to be allowed to work in that profession.
A huge step forward is to identify the area you wish to settle in and then tie in your (and your partners) skills to see if any of the local industry is likely to hire you. You can easily research any of the local companies by using the yellow pages (link), town/city chamber of commerce and the main job searching sites and see who is in commutable distance and whether they are likely to be hiring. If the area of your dreams does not have the industry that applies to your skills is there anything you can offer the companies that are there or do you need to change your plans and move to where the work is?
To be honest, we moved to the area of our dreams and now I have a lengthy commute to work – this becomes an issue in the winter and provides a longer work day. Would I change it? No, but I think plenty of other people would.
All this is in YOUR control before you move and forewarned is forearmed as they say. It is always better to know what lies ahead, if your qualifications transfer (do you have to retrain) will there be a chance of work in my chosen profession. Etc. so you can plan for it. Once you have moved, you are at the mercy of the local job market and if your settling funds diminish as fast as ours did then it won’t take long for the panic to set in!!
Another vital aspect of your move is the budget – the chances are you will be selling most of your possessions and moving with your life savings. Choose a conservative exchange rate to work out your settling funds and make sure you account for all of your expenses to move (legal fees for house sales/purchases, shipping/storage, house deposits, replacement of goods you sold to move, flights, hotels, pet shipping costs, rented accommodation, insurance.)
This is where your research will pay extra dividends. If you know the area you want to settle in, housing costs, local taxes, which are the most likely employers and what they are paying, then you can fairly accurately forecast your budget. The following table demonstrates our average monthly outgoings for an 1800 square foot family house:
Life insurance ($250,000 on each parent) = $60
Pet Insurance (for a Dog) = $30
Local taxes (approx 1% of house value) = $215
Cell Phone (family plan 2 phones) = $55
Local town bill (water, recycling, sewage) = $65
Gas (heating + hot water) = $75
Electric (power and cooking) = $70
House phone (long distance + features) = $80
Cable TV and high speed internet = $110.00
Total monthly = $760.00
Then add your mortgage/rent (allow $1,000 for a family house) and living costs (family of four about $250 per week) and it soon adds up. Your wages will see the Canadian Pension Plan, EI and federal/Provincial taxes deducted along with any Provincial healthcare premium that may be applicable. Total deductions will be around 45% of your salary (depending upon the Province you move to) so always bear that in mind too. This is a conservative estimate with everything rounded up but is an honest picture of the level of outgoings you can expect to see. Add in activity costs if you have kids - hockey equipment is expensive with the season ice fees normally in excess of $500.00 and you see the picture.
This is an illustration based upon our experience and will be different for each area – believe me, the effort involved with this research will pay you back and then some!!!
More detailed information and links to great resources can be found at http://www.onestopimmigration-canada.com/immigration.html
Tampilkan postingan dengan label immigration. Tampilkan semua postingan
Tampilkan postingan dengan label immigration. Tampilkan semua postingan
Minggu, 11 November 2012
Kamis, 24 Mei 2012
Immigration Fuels Canada's Multi-Cultural Growth As A Nation
Immigration, the entrance of people into a country for the purpose of settling there, has always played a central role in Canada's history. In comparison to many other nations, immigration into Canada has generally been viewed as being much easier than in other countries. Canada as whole seems to be a favorable place for immigrants to gain naturalization. Since Canada is a relatively new country, the goal of Canadian officials for some time was to infuse the land with many different cultures and peoples, and its lenient immigration process played a key role in this.
Thus far, this system has worked as Canada has a very diverse group of ethnicities, including 200 ethnic groups total, of which 34 ethnic groups boast at least one hundred thousand members each. Of those 34 groups, 10 have over 1,000,000 people, or 13.4% of the population. According to the 2001 census, the breakdown was Chinese (3.5% of the population), South Asian (3.1%), Black (2.2%), and Filipino (1.0%).
As one can see, Canada is a truly multicultural nation that cannot truly trace their heritage to just one cultural background, race. Each current crop of Canadians can trace their heritage to someone that wasn’t a true Canadian national. The whole country is built upon immigrants. Thanks to centuries of immigration, Canadians are a very multicultural and diverse group of people. Although the progress was positive for many years, attitudes toward immigration are changing, and restrictions are beginning to be placed on who may enter the country.
Mostly, immigrants also have higher levels of educational attainment than people born in Canada. Yet, in virtually every urban region, a far higher proportion of recent immigrants were employed in jobs with lower skill requirements, than the jobs held by Canadian-born citizens. The level of equality has yet to permeate into everyday society.
Although most immigrants are pleased to be in Canada, most still have difficulties finding adequate jobs, and dealing with the language barrier. The majority of people immigrating into Canada remain positive about their decision to come into Canada, in light of the better standard of living. They are extremely pleased with an increased quality of life, overall peace and happiness, and the opportunity to offer their families a brighter future with more hope for success.
According to Wikipedia, in 2001, there were 250,640 immigrants into Canada. These elevated numbers are the reason that Canada has the highest per capita immigration rate in the world. At no time has immigration played a greater role in Canadian history than during the twentieth century. In fact, without the immigrants who have settled in all areas of the country since the turn of the century, Canada would not be the culturally rich, prosperous, and progressive nation that it is today.
So much so is the lure to gain entry into Canada that people sometimes take extreme measures, even if those measures are against the law. Illegal immigration into Canada is one problem that is deeply affecting this country. So big is the problem that recently, police discovered Chinese immigrants being illegally smuggled into Canada inside shipping crates at a Vancouver, British Columbia port. Such incidents go to highlight the measures and risks that some immigrants are willing to take to get into Canada. There is a growing business of trying to smuggle immigrants into the country, many of which are hoping to gain political asylum. Unfortunately, the fate of most of these illegal immigrants is usually deportation. For most of the illegal immigrants, their only option is to prove to Canadian officials that they should be protected under refugee status, and most illegal immigrants often apply to be granted refugee status when they are captured.
In fact, an estimated 18 million Chinese look to immigrate out of the China, and they will take any risk to achieve this goal. A majority of these illegal immigrants come from China's eastern coastal province of Fujian and most flock toward Canada and the United States. Once in Canada, many of the illegal Chinese immigrants can disappear into a massive underground network, where they must work to pay off their indentured servitude to the smugglers. This Chinese smuggling system is a $10 billion business.
Each year, approximately 600 illegal Chinese immigrants arrive on Canada's west coast seeking refugee status through legal channels, after having promised smugglers $60,000 per person to get them into the country.
For illegal immigrants migrating to Canada, Vancouver, British Columbia is a popular destination. Vancouver’s metro area is home to more than two million residents, and the high population makes it very easy for illegal immigrants to blend into the environment unseen and unnoticed.
For legal immigrants, Vancouver is also a popular destination, because several major publications consistently rate Vancouver as one of the three most livable cities in the world.
The huge waves of immigrants that have entered Canada over the last couple centuries have helped the country develop a much more multi-ethnic outlook and a much richer and more vibrant culture. Going forward, it is expected that immigrants will continue to play a vital part in influencing Canada's social, economic, and political culture.
Thus far, this system has worked as Canada has a very diverse group of ethnicities, including 200 ethnic groups total, of which 34 ethnic groups boast at least one hundred thousand members each. Of those 34 groups, 10 have over 1,000,000 people, or 13.4% of the population. According to the 2001 census, the breakdown was Chinese (3.5% of the population), South Asian (3.1%), Black (2.2%), and Filipino (1.0%).
As one can see, Canada is a truly multicultural nation that cannot truly trace their heritage to just one cultural background, race. Each current crop of Canadians can trace their heritage to someone that wasn’t a true Canadian national. The whole country is built upon immigrants. Thanks to centuries of immigration, Canadians are a very multicultural and diverse group of people. Although the progress was positive for many years, attitudes toward immigration are changing, and restrictions are beginning to be placed on who may enter the country.
Mostly, immigrants also have higher levels of educational attainment than people born in Canada. Yet, in virtually every urban region, a far higher proportion of recent immigrants were employed in jobs with lower skill requirements, than the jobs held by Canadian-born citizens. The level of equality has yet to permeate into everyday society.
Although most immigrants are pleased to be in Canada, most still have difficulties finding adequate jobs, and dealing with the language barrier. The majority of people immigrating into Canada remain positive about their decision to come into Canada, in light of the better standard of living. They are extremely pleased with an increased quality of life, overall peace and happiness, and the opportunity to offer their families a brighter future with more hope for success.
According to Wikipedia, in 2001, there were 250,640 immigrants into Canada. These elevated numbers are the reason that Canada has the highest per capita immigration rate in the world. At no time has immigration played a greater role in Canadian history than during the twentieth century. In fact, without the immigrants who have settled in all areas of the country since the turn of the century, Canada would not be the culturally rich, prosperous, and progressive nation that it is today.
So much so is the lure to gain entry into Canada that people sometimes take extreme measures, even if those measures are against the law. Illegal immigration into Canada is one problem that is deeply affecting this country. So big is the problem that recently, police discovered Chinese immigrants being illegally smuggled into Canada inside shipping crates at a Vancouver, British Columbia port. Such incidents go to highlight the measures and risks that some immigrants are willing to take to get into Canada. There is a growing business of trying to smuggle immigrants into the country, many of which are hoping to gain political asylum. Unfortunately, the fate of most of these illegal immigrants is usually deportation. For most of the illegal immigrants, their only option is to prove to Canadian officials that they should be protected under refugee status, and most illegal immigrants often apply to be granted refugee status when they are captured.
In fact, an estimated 18 million Chinese look to immigrate out of the China, and they will take any risk to achieve this goal. A majority of these illegal immigrants come from China's eastern coastal province of Fujian and most flock toward Canada and the United States. Once in Canada, many of the illegal Chinese immigrants can disappear into a massive underground network, where they must work to pay off their indentured servitude to the smugglers. This Chinese smuggling system is a $10 billion business.
Each year, approximately 600 illegal Chinese immigrants arrive on Canada's west coast seeking refugee status through legal channels, after having promised smugglers $60,000 per person to get them into the country.
For illegal immigrants migrating to Canada, Vancouver, British Columbia is a popular destination. Vancouver’s metro area is home to more than two million residents, and the high population makes it very easy for illegal immigrants to blend into the environment unseen and unnoticed.
For legal immigrants, Vancouver is also a popular destination, because several major publications consistently rate Vancouver as one of the three most livable cities in the world.
The huge waves of immigrants that have entered Canada over the last couple centuries have helped the country develop a much more multi-ethnic outlook and a much richer and more vibrant culture. Going forward, it is expected that immigrants will continue to play a vital part in influencing Canada's social, economic, and political culture.
Sabtu, 07 Januari 2012
One step closer to immigrating to the US: submitting your application
One step closer to immigrating to the US: submitting your application
So, you're ready to jump through some hoops to immigrate to the United States, huh? Well, it really isn't all that daunting a process if you're prepared for it. Unfortunately, a lot of technical requirements and miscellaneous tasks await a person who is ready to migrate to a new country, especially one with the intense border control of America. Don't you think you should know what they are?
Remember that as you go through the immigration process, your embassy or consulate will have a lot of power and so will the American immigration officer; in fact the latter will have the final say. Evidence, documents, and attitude aside, you aren't ever in total control of your immigration. So make sure you cross your t's and dot your i's! Try to be as accurate and complete with your application process so that you don't encounter any obstacles on the road to your new living arrangement.
Before submitting your immigration application, there are some things to keep in mind. In order to avoid pitfalls that often haunt others trying to accomplish the same goal, follow the tips below:
· Your passport will be important when applying for a visa. Make sure it is up to date and has accurate information about you
· It's easy to download an immigration form online; just make sure it's the proper one and you have Acrobat Reader for viewing – also, when you go to print, you may be required to print it out back to back and with certain dimensions
· Fill out the form as extensively and deeply as you can, otherwise put “N/A”
· An up to date, face-fronting photo with high contrast is a must for your application so have this on hand
· Your host in the U.S. can start putting the process in motion by sending in all necessary, up-to-date documents to the embassy you are dealing with; you'll want to be sure that there are no inconsistencies with the information your host and you give the embassy
· Prepare to answer questions during your interview about why you are immigrating to the U.S.; there are certain qualifications to do such a thing and you must be careful that you don't disqualify yourself on accident!
You can easily obtain a visa application visiting U.S. government Web sites on the World Wide Web. UnitedStatesVisas.gov and the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services are tremendous resources for you.
Now, in order to submit your visa, you must locate the appropriate embassy to submit it to. Make an appointment with the consulars office and ask about fees ahead of time.
What you will need is: a passport, important documents, visa application forms (of course), and payment for whatever fees. Once the consulars office “okay's” you, you'll then greet an immigration officer in America. Essentially, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security will determine the length of your stay and all those other important details about your immigration status.
So, you're ready to jump through some hoops to immigrate to the United States, huh? Well, it really isn't all that daunting a process if you're prepared for it. Unfortunately, a lot of technical requirements and miscellaneous tasks await a person who is ready to migrate to a new country, especially one with the intense border control of America. Don't you think you should know what they are?
Remember that as you go through the immigration process, your embassy or consulate will have a lot of power and so will the American immigration officer; in fact the latter will have the final say. Evidence, documents, and attitude aside, you aren't ever in total control of your immigration. So make sure you cross your t's and dot your i's! Try to be as accurate and complete with your application process so that you don't encounter any obstacles on the road to your new living arrangement.
Before submitting your immigration application, there are some things to keep in mind. In order to avoid pitfalls that often haunt others trying to accomplish the same goal, follow the tips below:
· Your passport will be important when applying for a visa. Make sure it is up to date and has accurate information about you
· It's easy to download an immigration form online; just make sure it's the proper one and you have Acrobat Reader for viewing – also, when you go to print, you may be required to print it out back to back and with certain dimensions
· Fill out the form as extensively and deeply as you can, otherwise put “N/A”
· An up to date, face-fronting photo with high contrast is a must for your application so have this on hand
· Your host in the U.S. can start putting the process in motion by sending in all necessary, up-to-date documents to the embassy you are dealing with; you'll want to be sure that there are no inconsistencies with the information your host and you give the embassy
· Prepare to answer questions during your interview about why you are immigrating to the U.S.; there are certain qualifications to do such a thing and you must be careful that you don't disqualify yourself on accident!
You can easily obtain a visa application visiting U.S. government Web sites on the World Wide Web. UnitedStatesVisas.gov and the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services are tremendous resources for you.
Now, in order to submit your visa, you must locate the appropriate embassy to submit it to. Make an appointment with the consulars office and ask about fees ahead of time.
What you will need is: a passport, important documents, visa application forms (of course), and payment for whatever fees. Once the consulars office “okay's” you, you'll then greet an immigration officer in America. Essentially, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security will determine the length of your stay and all those other important details about your immigration status.
Jumat, 16 April 2010
Choosing a Lawyer
Choosing a lawyer can be a tough decision. The most important part of the decision is what type of attorney you will require. If you are going to court for a possession charge, you need a criminal defense lawyer. If you are going for a divorce, naturally you want a divorce lawyer. Choosing specialized representation is always a good idea because the person you choose as your attorney will have a vast wealth of knowledge on that particular subject, instead of a small amount of experience in many different fields. You don’t need your personal injury lawyer to know anything about divorce law right?
So where do you find a reliable lawyer? The most convenient way it to look online. There are a few reliable web sites out there for finding an attorney in your city or state. Generally you want to search based on the type of representation you require, followed by your state or closest major city.
What are you looking for in a lawyer? Well you definitely want him to be an honest, warm person. Don’t waste your time with people who seem like your not worth theirs. You also want someone with experience. Inquire about experience : how long he/she has been practicing, what school they graduated from, etc. Most attorneys will happily show you their credentials. If they hesitate, they likely don’t have many credentials and you might want to stay clear of that particular person.
Overall, when looking for the right attorney you just gotta use your judgement. The same rules apply to choosing a family doctor or a psychologist; you want to feel comfortable that you are being taken care of. Never be afraid to ask questions, and most importantly keep yourself involved in your case. If you are filing for bankruptcy, read up about the laws and exemptions of your particular state.
So where do you find a reliable lawyer? The most convenient way it to look online. There are a few reliable web sites out there for finding an attorney in your city or state. Generally you want to search based on the type of representation you require, followed by your state or closest major city.
What are you looking for in a lawyer? Well you definitely want him to be an honest, warm person. Don’t waste your time with people who seem like your not worth theirs. You also want someone with experience. Inquire about experience : how long he/she has been practicing, what school they graduated from, etc. Most attorneys will happily show you their credentials. If they hesitate, they likely don’t have many credentials and you might want to stay clear of that particular person.
Overall, when looking for the right attorney you just gotta use your judgement. The same rules apply to choosing a family doctor or a psychologist; you want to feel comfortable that you are being taken care of. Never be afraid to ask questions, and most importantly keep yourself involved in your case. If you are filing for bankruptcy, read up about the laws and exemptions of your particular state.
Rabu, 24 Maret 2010
Canadian Immigration Documents
Your Personal and Financial Documents are very important when you submit your application for the Canadian Permanent Residence visa.I recommend sending with your application NOTARIZED copies of all the documents that I will describe the following weeks of the program, except for the following (which should be ORIGINAL):
- Immigration Forms Academic Transcripts - Police Certificates - Bank Statements - Letters of reference - Language test(s) results - Photos Some of the Personal and Financial Documents you must gather ASAP are:
a) Identity and Civil Status Documents
- Birth certificate - Marriage - Final Divorce - Annulment or Separation - Death certificate for former spouse should - if applicable - Citizenship certificate or permanent resident visa (copy) for any family members who are Canadian citizens or permanent residents of Canada b) Children's Information
- Children's birth certificate (showing the name of their parents) - Adoption papers (if applicable) - Proof of custody (children under 18 years of age) and proof that the children may be removed from the jurisdiction of the court - Proof that the principal applicant has fulfilled any obligation stated in custody agreements (only if the children will not be accompanying the applicant to Canada) - Proof of full-time studies (only dependent children 22 years of age or more). You should include: i. School transcripts (since 22 years of age) ii. Letters from each school indicating numbers of days attended per week and number of hours per day
- Proof of financial support by parents (since 22 years of age)
c) Travel Documents and Passports - Passports / travel documents for:
- Principal applicant - Spouse or common-law partner - Dependent children (Only pages showing passport number, date of issue, expiry date, photo, name, date and place of birth)
- Copy of visa of the country where you currently live (only if you live in a country different from your country of nationality)
In my next article, I will explain more about your Personal and Financial Documents. However, if you want to start gathering your supporting documents TODAY, I recommend downloading Step-by-Step Immigration to Canada, which covers the entire Canadian immigration process.
- Immigration Forms Academic Transcripts - Police Certificates - Bank Statements - Letters of reference - Language test(s) results - Photos Some of the Personal and Financial Documents you must gather ASAP are:
a) Identity and Civil Status Documents
- Birth certificate - Marriage - Final Divorce - Annulment or Separation - Death certificate for former spouse should - if applicable - Citizenship certificate or permanent resident visa (copy) for any family members who are Canadian citizens or permanent residents of Canada b) Children's Information
- Children's birth certificate (showing the name of their parents) - Adoption papers (if applicable) - Proof of custody (children under 18 years of age) and proof that the children may be removed from the jurisdiction of the court - Proof that the principal applicant has fulfilled any obligation stated in custody agreements (only if the children will not be accompanying the applicant to Canada) - Proof of full-time studies (only dependent children 22 years of age or more). You should include: i. School transcripts (since 22 years of age) ii. Letters from each school indicating numbers of days attended per week and number of hours per day
- Proof of financial support by parents (since 22 years of age)
c) Travel Documents and Passports - Passports / travel documents for:
- Principal applicant - Spouse or common-law partner - Dependent children (Only pages showing passport number, date of issue, expiry date, photo, name, date and place of birth)
- Copy of visa of the country where you currently live (only if you live in a country different from your country of nationality)
In my next article, I will explain more about your Personal and Financial Documents. However, if you want to start gathering your supporting documents TODAY, I recommend downloading Step-by-Step Immigration to Canada, which covers the entire Canadian immigration process.
Selasa, 23 Maret 2010
Canadian Immigration and Real Estate
Living Quarters: Canadian Options
As with most countries, Canada offers a wide variety of options when it comes to choosing a place to call “home.” The choice you make will depend on several factors, including your budget, your space needs, and your desired location.
Below are some of the options you may want to consider:
- Room for rent – Some individuals who own a house or an apartment may rent out separate rooms in those dwellings. All of the tenants share the bathroom(s) and the kitchen.
- Studio apartment – These apartments are small and were primarily designed for just one person. Most consist of a single large room – that contains the kitchen and bedroom – and a separate bathroom.
- Apartments – Larger apartments are also available. These can range in size from one to three bedrooms. They also have separate living rooms, kitchens, and bathrooms.
- Duplex – A duplex is a single home that has been divided into two separate living areas. Each area is completely separate from the other, but residents may share a yard or driveway.
- Townhouses – Townhouses are small houses which are built in rows, so that they form a chain. Most of the homes in the chain are similar in appearance.
- Houses – Homes of all shapes and sizes are available throughout Canada. You can also choose to have a home built specifically to your specifications on an available lot.
- Condominiums – Condos are essentially apartments or townhouses that are owned, not rented. Owners are responsible for all of the internal upkeep on the property and must pay property taxes. They also pay a condo association fee which covers the costs of outdoor maintenance, such as lawn mowing.
Besides these options, there are also two other important choices you need to make: furnished or unfurnished and rent or buy.
Furnished or Unfurnished
In Canada, you can find homes and apartments that are furnished. This means that all of the necessary furnishings are included in the living area, such as beds and chairs. Furnished apartments and homes may be a good option when you are first moving to Canada, especially if you are immigrating from a distance. The cost of transporting your own couches and beds could be quite expensive.
Most people, however, choose to live in an unfurnished dwelling so that they can decorate in a manner they see fit. Some unfurnished homes and apartments will still come with kitchen appliances, such as refrigerators and stoves.
Rent or Buy
This is an important decision because it will also influence which types of property from the list above you focus on during your search for a place to live. Most new permanent residents choose to rent an apartment or home initially, so they can get a feel for the area, find a steady job, and do some leisurely research on the real estate available in their price range. However, there are also many newcomers to Canada who jump right in and purchase a home.
If you do choose to buy a home, townhouse, duplex, or condominium, then be aware that you will need to have money for a down payment. Most banks and mortgage providers will require a down payment of at least 10% of the total cost of the house. That means if you want to buy a $100,000 home, you'll need a $10,000 down payment.
If you opt to rent an apartment, a room, a home, or a duplex, then you will also need to be prepared to pay some money upfront. Most landlords in Canada expect you to pay first and last month's rent after you sign the lease. Many landlords will also require you to provide a reference's contact information. The reference MUST be someone living in Canada. Your employer, for example, may be a good reference.
Regardless of whether your rent or buy, you can expect to pay between $350 and $2000 a month depending on the living quarters you select. As a general rule, you shouldn't spend more than 50% of your income on housing costs, including your utility bills and mortgage/rent payments. That means you'll want to establish a budget before you start house/apartment hunting in Canada.
Also, keep in mind that housing costs vary considerably, even within the same province. You can save money on your housing if you do some research and focus on areas outside of major cities.
As with most countries, Canada offers a wide variety of options when it comes to choosing a place to call “home.” The choice you make will depend on several factors, including your budget, your space needs, and your desired location.
Below are some of the options you may want to consider:
- Room for rent – Some individuals who own a house or an apartment may rent out separate rooms in those dwellings. All of the tenants share the bathroom(s) and the kitchen.
- Studio apartment – These apartments are small and were primarily designed for just one person. Most consist of a single large room – that contains the kitchen and bedroom – and a separate bathroom.
- Apartments – Larger apartments are also available. These can range in size from one to three bedrooms. They also have separate living rooms, kitchens, and bathrooms.
- Duplex – A duplex is a single home that has been divided into two separate living areas. Each area is completely separate from the other, but residents may share a yard or driveway.
- Townhouses – Townhouses are small houses which are built in rows, so that they form a chain. Most of the homes in the chain are similar in appearance.
- Houses – Homes of all shapes and sizes are available throughout Canada. You can also choose to have a home built specifically to your specifications on an available lot.
- Condominiums – Condos are essentially apartments or townhouses that are owned, not rented. Owners are responsible for all of the internal upkeep on the property and must pay property taxes. They also pay a condo association fee which covers the costs of outdoor maintenance, such as lawn mowing.
Besides these options, there are also two other important choices you need to make: furnished or unfurnished and rent or buy.
Furnished or Unfurnished
In Canada, you can find homes and apartments that are furnished. This means that all of the necessary furnishings are included in the living area, such as beds and chairs. Furnished apartments and homes may be a good option when you are first moving to Canada, especially if you are immigrating from a distance. The cost of transporting your own couches and beds could be quite expensive.
Most people, however, choose to live in an unfurnished dwelling so that they can decorate in a manner they see fit. Some unfurnished homes and apartments will still come with kitchen appliances, such as refrigerators and stoves.
Rent or Buy
This is an important decision because it will also influence which types of property from the list above you focus on during your search for a place to live. Most new permanent residents choose to rent an apartment or home initially, so they can get a feel for the area, find a steady job, and do some leisurely research on the real estate available in their price range. However, there are also many newcomers to Canada who jump right in and purchase a home.
If you do choose to buy a home, townhouse, duplex, or condominium, then be aware that you will need to have money for a down payment. Most banks and mortgage providers will require a down payment of at least 10% of the total cost of the house. That means if you want to buy a $100,000 home, you'll need a $10,000 down payment.
If you opt to rent an apartment, a room, a home, or a duplex, then you will also need to be prepared to pay some money upfront. Most landlords in Canada expect you to pay first and last month's rent after you sign the lease. Many landlords will also require you to provide a reference's contact information. The reference MUST be someone living in Canada. Your employer, for example, may be a good reference.
Regardless of whether your rent or buy, you can expect to pay between $350 and $2000 a month depending on the living quarters you select. As a general rule, you shouldn't spend more than 50% of your income on housing costs, including your utility bills and mortgage/rent payments. That means you'll want to establish a budget before you start house/apartment hunting in Canada.
Also, keep in mind that housing costs vary considerably, even within the same province. You can save money on your housing if you do some research and focus on areas outside of major cities.
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