Did you know that as an outgoing Filipino immigrant to another country, on your first one-way outbound flight to land in your new country of residency, you can get a significant discount on your airfare?
Well, if you didn't know that, then I hope you haven't already bought your ticket.
The travel agents do not readily advertise this, but if you ask, they will quote you.
Here's what you will need:
* Photocopy of the info page of your passport.
* Photocopy of the immigrant visa page of your passport.
The discount for me was significant, I think 35-40%. It was definitely enough for me to decide on a one-way ticket, rather than a round-trip ticket. The discount is only valid for a one-way ticket for your first landing as an immigrant.
My recommended travel agency is
Uni-Orient Travel Inc. (Makati)
G/F I-Care Building
167 Legaspi Street, Legaspi Village
Makati
(02) 818 9585 to 89
Whenever I get a quote for PAL (international flights), they always give me the best prices in town!
Thursday, September 30, 2010
Tuesday, September 28, 2010
Get In Touch With Other Aspiring Immigrants - Forum Pages
I'm a member of a particular Canada Immigration Forum.
I recommend this forum particularly because it is very active.
You will get a lot of information, and a certain amount of peace (if you choose to see things in that perspective because I must say that there are others who seem to be getting more agitated with the long wait) knowing that there are others in your same position.
Go through various topics .. there is a wealth of information out there from others who have done the research. Touch base with them.
For Filipino (Pinoy) immigrants, there is a Filipino thread! Go join that and begin interacting.
At the end of the day, it's about making connections, building your network, helping others. While you're waiting you might as well connect!
I recommend this forum particularly because it is very active.
You will get a lot of information, and a certain amount of peace (if you choose to see things in that perspective because I must say that there are others who seem to be getting more agitated with the long wait) knowing that there are others in your same position.
Go through various topics .. there is a wealth of information out there from others who have done the research. Touch base with them.
For Filipino (Pinoy) immigrants, there is a Filipino thread! Go join that and begin interacting.
At the end of the day, it's about making connections, building your network, helping others. While you're waiting you might as well connect!
Sunday, September 26, 2010
My Daily Reading - BC / Vancouver Online News and Happenings
In preparing for my move, I asked myself one day, what will it be like to live there -- not as a newcomer, but as one who had already assimilated into the community and culture. I recalled how it was when I was a teenager growing up in the U.S. There came a point when I became a local, no longer feeling separate, but part of my new community.
So, about two months before my scheduled departure to Canada, I started a daily morning habit of reading online news publications. I wanted to get a feel of Canada, and more specificallly, Vancouver and B.C. What happens there on a daily basis? What are the people interested in or concerned about? What are the issues that preoccupy or invade their daily lives? What do they celebrate and is a source of pride and identity.
Here are the publications I read daily:
Vancouver Sun - www.vancouversun.com
The Province - www.theprovince.com
Vancouver Courier - www.vancourier.com
The Georgia Straight - www.straight.com
Happy reading!
So, about two months before my scheduled departure to Canada, I started a daily morning habit of reading online news publications. I wanted to get a feel of Canada, and more specificallly, Vancouver and B.C. What happens there on a daily basis? What are the people interested in or concerned about? What are the issues that preoccupy or invade their daily lives? What do they celebrate and is a source of pride and identity.
Here are the publications I read daily:
Vancouver Sun - www.vancouversun.com
The Province - www.theprovince.com
Vancouver Courier - www.vancourier.com
The Georgia Straight - www.straight.com
Happy reading!
Thursday, September 23, 2010
FSW Applicants: Fist Steps - Are You Eligible Under the New Rules?
On June 26, 2010, Canada's immigration rules changed for applicants under the Federal Skilled Worker category. Where there were 38 occupations that qualified for fast track processing, meaning 6-12 months to determine acceptance or rejection, these were trimmed down to 29 effective that date.
List of 29 Occupations for FSW:
The official list of 29 occupations and additional notes regarding qualification and eligibility can be found here.
http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/immigrate/skilled/apply-who-instructions.asp#list
Below is a quick listing :
0631 Restaurant and Food Service Managers
0811 Primary Production Managers (Except Agriculture)
1122 Professional Occupations in Business Services to Management
1233 Insurance Adjusters and Claims Examiners
2121 Biologists and Related Scientists
2151 Architects
3111 Specialist Physicians
3112 General Practitioners and Family Physicians
3113 Dentists
3131 Pharmacists
3142 Physiotherapists
3152 Registered Nurses
3215 Medical Radiation Technologists
3222 Dental Hygienists & Dental Therapists
3233 Licensed Practical Nurses
4151 Psychologists
4152 Social Workers
6241 Chefs
6242 Cooks
7215 Contractors and Supervisors, Carpentry Trades
7216 Contractors and Supervisors, Mechanic Trades
7241 Electricians (Except Industrial & Power System)
7242 Industrial Electricians
7251 Plumbers
7265 Welders & Related Machine Operators
7312 Heavy-Duty Equipment Mechanics
7371 Crane Operators
7372 Drillers & Blasters - Surface Mining, Quarrying & Construction
8222 Supervisors, Oil and Gas Drilling and Service
General Information About Migrating to Canada
General information regarding migrating to Canada can be found on this site:
http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/immigrate/
That site shows a lot of information about the different ways one can migrate to Canada. So, remember, too that if your occupation does not appear in FSW list (above), then you might want to consider the other categories of applying to Canada.
Points System
Canada works on a points system in their eligibility process. At the time of this writing you need to get 67 points out of a possible 100. It's relatively easy to gauge if you have enough points. Here's a website provided by CIC: http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/immigrate/skilled/tool/index.asp
More in my next post. See you soon!
List of 29 Occupations for FSW:
The official list of 29 occupations and additional notes regarding qualification and eligibility can be found here.
http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/immigrate/skilled/apply-who-instructions.asp#list
Below is a quick listing :
0631 Restaurant and Food Service Managers
0811 Primary Production Managers (Except Agriculture)
1122 Professional Occupations in Business Services to Management
1233 Insurance Adjusters and Claims Examiners
2121 Biologists and Related Scientists
2151 Architects
3111 Specialist Physicians
3112 General Practitioners and Family Physicians
3113 Dentists
3131 Pharmacists
3142 Physiotherapists
3152 Registered Nurses
3215 Medical Radiation Technologists
3222 Dental Hygienists & Dental Therapists
3233 Licensed Practical Nurses
4151 Psychologists
4152 Social Workers
6241 Chefs
6242 Cooks
7215 Contractors and Supervisors, Carpentry Trades
7216 Contractors and Supervisors, Mechanic Trades
7241 Electricians (Except Industrial & Power System)
7242 Industrial Electricians
7251 Plumbers
7265 Welders & Related Machine Operators
7312 Heavy-Duty Equipment Mechanics
7371 Crane Operators
7372 Drillers & Blasters - Surface Mining, Quarrying & Construction
8222 Supervisors, Oil and Gas Drilling and Service
General Information About Migrating to Canada
General information regarding migrating to Canada can be found on this site:
http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/immigrate/
That site shows a lot of information about the different ways one can migrate to Canada. So, remember, too that if your occupation does not appear in FSW list (above), then you might want to consider the other categories of applying to Canada.
Points System
Canada works on a points system in their eligibility process. At the time of this writing you need to get 67 points out of a possible 100. It's relatively easy to gauge if you have enough points. Here's a website provided by CIC: http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/immigrate/skilled/tool/index.asp
More in my next post. See you soon!
Tuesday, September 21, 2010
Guide Books and Travel Books
I put up a video on my mymovetocanada Youtube page of the two (2) travel guide books I have been using to learn more about Canada and Vancouver. These are over and above the websites that I listed and will list in this blog.
Living Abroad In Canada by Carolyn B. Heller is published by Avalon Travel books.
You can learn more about the entire series at www.moon.com
I would have preferred to also buy the smaller book called Moon Metro Vancouver, but it wasn't available in my bookstore. How I wish they had it!
Anyway, Living Abroad in Canada is a great book for anyone who is considering to or is moving to Canada. It has valuable information about Canada itself -- their customs and norms, including amusing facts about differences in pronunciation, spelling, and expressions. It includes enough historical information to keep you interested, but leaves out the in-depth discussion so you keep on reading. It's very practical in discussing things that are different between the U.S. and Canada, and for me (coming from the Philippines) clarified some questions such as 110V or 220V? U.S. Standard 2-prong or European standard 3-prong plugs? Should I even consider bringing my car (Answer: No! Buy one there so that you are sure it meets the Clean Air regulations!)? Very practical stuff.
One of the most valuable sections is the one on Daily Life. Here everything is discussed from How to Migrate to Canada. It gives you the steps you need to follow depending on the type of immigrant application you are making, as well as useful websites. With regard to immigration, if you haven't filed your papers yet, this will give you a general overview of what will happen and what you need to do. However, be warned that immigration rules have changed since this book was published in 2008. So for specific instructions that are UP TO DATE on the IMMIGRATION PROCESS, go to the official CIC website.
This book contains information on how to obtain your Permanent Resident Card, you Social Insurance Number (this is like the U.S. Social Security Number), and also important, your Medicare coverage. Medicare is important because the Canadian system is different wherein all residents and citizens are covered by the Government.
You'll also find information about primary and secondary schools for children, the cost and financial burden of college or university. That's a big difference between Canada and the U.S. (and I think most of the world). Apparently in Canada, the word "college" refers to vocational studies, and "university" refers to a degree program.
There is an entire section on housing. Buying? Renting? Where to go? Communities and neighborhoods.
Lots and lots of useful information for the person moving to Canada.
The other book is Loneley Planet's Canada guide.
I found this useful because it has printed maps of Vancouver (remember I couldn't find the Moon Vancouver guide?). So, I really needed one that had a good map. This guide proved useful. It discusses the various neighborhoods in Vancouver, which is important, too, because Vancouver has a rather diverse ethnic community.
You'll find information about good restaurants, and places to see.
For the tourist, you'll find this useful because it gives you sample one-week, two-week, and one-month vacation itineraries.
You'll also find the major festivals to look out for when planning your trip.
I'll continue to post information as I get around to it. In the meantime, this is what I've done and the tools I've used.
Living Abroad In Canada by Carolyn B. Heller is published by Avalon Travel books.You can learn more about the entire series at www.moon.com
I would have preferred to also buy the smaller book called Moon Metro Vancouver, but it wasn't available in my bookstore. How I wish they had it!
Anyway, Living Abroad in Canada is a great book for anyone who is considering to or is moving to Canada. It has valuable information about Canada itself -- their customs and norms, including amusing facts about differences in pronunciation, spelling, and expressions. It includes enough historical information to keep you interested, but leaves out the in-depth discussion so you keep on reading. It's very practical in discussing things that are different between the U.S. and Canada, and for me (coming from the Philippines) clarified some questions such as 110V or 220V? U.S. Standard 2-prong or European standard 3-prong plugs? Should I even consider bringing my car (Answer: No! Buy one there so that you are sure it meets the Clean Air regulations!)? Very practical stuff.
One of the most valuable sections is the one on Daily Life. Here everything is discussed from How to Migrate to Canada. It gives you the steps you need to follow depending on the type of immigrant application you are making, as well as useful websites. With regard to immigration, if you haven't filed your papers yet, this will give you a general overview of what will happen and what you need to do. However, be warned that immigration rules have changed since this book was published in 2008. So for specific instructions that are UP TO DATE on the IMMIGRATION PROCESS, go to the official CIC website.
This book contains information on how to obtain your Permanent Resident Card, you Social Insurance Number (this is like the U.S. Social Security Number), and also important, your Medicare coverage. Medicare is important because the Canadian system is different wherein all residents and citizens are covered by the Government.
You'll also find information about primary and secondary schools for children, the cost and financial burden of college or university. That's a big difference between Canada and the U.S. (and I think most of the world). Apparently in Canada, the word "college" refers to vocational studies, and "university" refers to a degree program.
There is an entire section on housing. Buying? Renting? Where to go? Communities and neighborhoods.
Lots and lots of useful information for the person moving to Canada.
The other book is Loneley Planet's Canada guide.I found this useful because it has printed maps of Vancouver (remember I couldn't find the Moon Vancouver guide?). So, I really needed one that had a good map. This guide proved useful. It discusses the various neighborhoods in Vancouver, which is important, too, because Vancouver has a rather diverse ethnic community.
You'll find information about good restaurants, and places to see.
For the tourist, you'll find this useful because it gives you sample one-week, two-week, and one-month vacation itineraries.
You'll also find the major festivals to look out for when planning your trip.
I'll continue to post information as I get around to it. In the meantime, this is what I've done and the tools I've used.
Research Your Neighborhoods
It isn't as simple as saying I'm moving to Vancouver. Just as in any big city, you want to know about neighborhoods. Or, perhaps you might consider a neighboring city to live in to save on rental expenses or gain in matters like safety. Generally, as with any city, you will find that downtown neighborhoods are more convenient at the cost of higher rent, busier streets, and higher incidences of crime (they could be petty, but generally, that's how things go, right?).
So, I did some research and found an interesting resource at Vancouver.com. Here's the link to their Neighborhoods page at vancouver.com. What's great about this is you get neighborhood demographics (population, age distribution, primary language, average salary, type of dwelling). For families with children, you will also find schools in each of these neighborhoods.
Another Neighborhoods page at HelloBC.compage can be found at the HelloBC.com site. This page is more experiential in terms of information. It'll tell you the bounds of the major neighborhoods. You will also find things to do and special events listed on there ... maybe the occasional video, too!
The objective here is to narrow down your search effort. Then, when you've settled on a number of choices, start narrowing down even further.
Keep in mind that you'll make your ultimate decision when you arrive. So, in the meantime, just gain knowledge so that you aren't starting completely from scratch.
Catch you later!
So, I did some research and found an interesting resource at Vancouver.com. Here's the link to their Neighborhoods page at vancouver.com. What's great about this is you get neighborhood demographics (population, age distribution, primary language, average salary, type of dwelling). For families with children, you will also find schools in each of these neighborhoods.
Another Neighborhoods page at HelloBC.compage can be found at the HelloBC.com site. This page is more experiential in terms of information. It'll tell you the bounds of the major neighborhoods. You will also find things to do and special events listed on there ... maybe the occasional video, too!
The objective here is to narrow down your search effort. Then, when you've settled on a number of choices, start narrowing down even further.
Keep in mind that you'll make your ultimate decision when you arrive. So, in the meantime, just gain knowledge so that you aren't starting completely from scratch.
Catch you later!
Monday, September 13, 2010
Read A Lot!
Before I actually filled out an application, I read a lot ... and I don't mean going through a bunch of sites ... I mean some major research.
When I applied, there wasn't a lot of information on the net. Now, there are tons! Literally! You have blogs, forum pages, immigrant consultant sites. Canadian immigration has taken a positive turn, and I believe this has to do with the pro-active stance the Canadian government has taken to help out newcomers. Also, in 2008, new rules were released for skilled workers that effectively sped up the process.
I remember doing my initial research. We were getting conflicting reports. Immigrant consultants were everywhere trying to solicit new applicants. I visited a couple in the malls, but never applied through them. Basically, I wanted to know more because I was hearing news about how people were flying to Canada, and after 6 months or so, decided to come back home, dejected that their Canadian dreams didn't prosper.
Well, my research led me to my introduction to the efficiencies of the Canadian government that I mentioned in my first post. I found the CIC Website.
I found most useful these sub-links to answer my questions: (Because the actual process has changed since my initial application, I'm putting links to the current pages instead, rather than having to put a disclaimer on every post.)
Question 1: Am I eligible?
Question 2: What is the process of applying to be an immigrant?
Question 3: How much will it cost? Can I afford it?
Question 4: Can I afford the move?
When I applied, there wasn't a lot of information on the net. Now, there are tons! Literally! You have blogs, forum pages, immigrant consultant sites. Canadian immigration has taken a positive turn, and I believe this has to do with the pro-active stance the Canadian government has taken to help out newcomers. Also, in 2008, new rules were released for skilled workers that effectively sped up the process.
I remember doing my initial research. We were getting conflicting reports. Immigrant consultants were everywhere trying to solicit new applicants. I visited a couple in the malls, but never applied through them. Basically, I wanted to know more because I was hearing news about how people were flying to Canada, and after 6 months or so, decided to come back home, dejected that their Canadian dreams didn't prosper.
Well, my research led me to my introduction to the efficiencies of the Canadian government that I mentioned in my first post. I found the CIC Website.
I found most useful these sub-links to answer my questions: (Because the actual process has changed since my initial application, I'm putting links to the current pages instead, rather than having to put a disclaimer on every post.)
Question 1: Am I eligible?
Question 2: What is the process of applying to be an immigrant?
Question 3: How much will it cost? Can I afford it?
Question 4: Can I afford the move?
Introduction (and Disclaimer)
Disclaimer: I am not an immigration expert or licensed consultant. If you are reading this looking for advice, I recommend you go to a licensed professional or the proper authorities. Anyone reading this should not expect that his/her experience will be the same or similar to mine -- not in time frame, process, contacts, or resources. The purpose of this blog is simply to share my personal experience with others who are doing some personal research on this subject, or who are interested in sharing from their own experiences.
One thing that I realized is that Canada's policy welcoming immigrants is apparent in the online systems they have put in place for potential immigrants, newcomers, and citizens. Everything is online. Everything is easily found. There is a vast amount of information out there to help us.
There are various tracks to migrating to Canada. I am by no means an expert and I do not claim to be one. I obtained my immigrant visa as a Federal Skilled Worker, a class that has recently undergone a number of changes, and recently has been capped to a fixed number annually.
If you are interested in knowing more about migrating to Canada, here's the link to the Canadian Immigration website.
Citizen and Immigration Canada (CIC) Website - http://www.cic.gc.ca
Do your research. There are a lot of scammers out there. Don't be a victim. Be informed.
If you finally decide to apply for immigration, then I wish you my best! It will be the start of a new adventure, a new life, and experiences! Enjoy the journey!
One thing that I realized is that Canada's policy welcoming immigrants is apparent in the online systems they have put in place for potential immigrants, newcomers, and citizens. Everything is online. Everything is easily found. There is a vast amount of information out there to help us.
There are various tracks to migrating to Canada. I am by no means an expert and I do not claim to be one. I obtained my immigrant visa as a Federal Skilled Worker, a class that has recently undergone a number of changes, and recently has been capped to a fixed number annually.
If you are interested in knowing more about migrating to Canada, here's the link to the Canadian Immigration website.
Citizen and Immigration Canada (CIC) Website - http://www.cic.gc.ca
Do your research. There are a lot of scammers out there. Don't be a victim. Be informed.
If you finally decide to apply for immigration, then I wish you my best! It will be the start of a new adventure, a new life, and experiences! Enjoy the journey!
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