Canada immigration, immigration to Canada, emigrate to Canada, Canada immigration

CONGRATULATIONS!

You have taken a big step. Planning to move to a new country takes courage. It also creates exciting opportunities and new beginnings. Taking the time to learn what to expect and what is expected of you will help you succeed. This guide tells you a little about what it's like to live in Canada. It also lets you know who can help if you need more information. 

SOME MAIN INFORMATION:

Location: North America
Status: UN Country
Capital City: Ottawa
Main Cities: Toronto, Montréal, Vancouver
Population: 34,147,000   Area [sq.km]: 9,976,140
Currency: 1 Canadian dollar = 100 cents
Official Languages: English, French
Main Religions: Roman Catholic, Protestant 

Your first year in Canada will be emotional and full of change. You may be looking a place to live, a job, and schools for your children. You will probably make many new friends. Some of them will know how it feels to move to a new community or new country.

In the weeks, months and years ahead, you will have many opportunities to participate fully in Canadian life. Take them. You and your family can grow together, side by side with other Canadians, and make a better life for everyone. This will be your new home.

Canada is an immense country. It is very diverse in its people, its landscape, its climate and its way of life. However, Canadians do share the same important values. These values guide and influence much of our everyday life. These are values of pride, a belief in equality and diversity and respect for all individuals in society. Women, men, children and seniors are all equally respected in Canada. Canadians may be different from each other but it is these shared values that make Canada a friendly, caring, peace-loving and secure society in which to live.

ARRIVAL

When you arrive, you must present your immigrant visa to a customs/immigration officer. The officer will check your visa and travel document and ask you questions similar to those on the immigration application form to verify that you are of good character and in good health. The officer may also request proof that you have sufficient funds to settle in Canada. Then, the officer will authorize your admission to Canada as a permanent resident. If you arrive as an entrepreneur immigrant, terms and conditions will be imposed. This means that you will have two years to meet the business requirements and that you must report your progress.

LANDING

After the landing you can leave Canada the same day in case you need to.

After having landed, you must maintain your Canadian PR status. There is a 183-days rule. You shall not leave Canada for more than 183 days during one year. If you need to complete your education or contract, you may apply to waive the requirement of this half a year stay in Canada.

CITIZENSHIP

You may become a Canadian citizen after you stay in Canada for three years. You may apply for the Canadian citizenship after 3 years of physical residence in Canada. Time spent outside of Canada beyond what may be expected for vacations, etc. may not be added.

SETTLEMENT

It is your responsibility to find a job when you arrive. You should have enough money to support yourself and your dependants until you get a job. Various kinds of settlement services are offered to immigrants by private organization or Canadian Employment Centers.

Permanent residents have right to live, study and work indefinitely in Canada, and are entitled to all social benefits accorded to Canadian citizens.  After three years of continuous residency in Canada one can apply for Canadian citizenship and a Canadian passport.

PUBLIC EDUCATION

Good education is more important today than ever before. It is the best thing you can do to build a better future for your children and yourself. Public education is managed by the provincial governments and paid for by taxes, and is available to every child. By law, children must attend school until the age of 15 or 16, depending on the province.

Depending on the individual province, primary education starts at pre-kindergarten and continues to the end of grade 6 or 8. This is followed by secondary education or high school. In some provinces this may be divided into junior high (grades 7 to 9) and senior high (grades 10-12). Normally, students must complete the required academic courses in high school in order to be admitted to university.

Generally the language of instruction is either English or French. If a student has difficulty with the language, he or she is usually given extra language training. In Quebec, almost all newcomers attend French language schools. Children language and mathematical skills will be measured, if necessary, and they will be placed in the program the school thinks is best for them.

You must pay fees to attend college or university. Tuition costs range from $3,000 to $9,000 for an eight-month term, depending on the province and the program. Living expenses, books and supplies etc., are additional costs. Tuition fees cover about 25 per cent of the costs of higher education; the rest comes from taxes. Medicine, science and business programs generally cost more than the humanities and arts. To help with university costs, scholarships, bursaries or student loans may be available, depending on how long the student has lived in Canada. Many university students have a part-time job. Many graduate students support themselves financially through bursaries, scholarships, loans or by working as teaching assistants.

You can continue to improve your education. Continuing education or lifetime learning is an important part of many Canadians' lives. Many people continue their education on a part-time basis at universities, colleges and through courses offered by public school boards or through their jobs.

LANGUAGE

 If you are interested in expanding your knowledge of French or English, there is a program paid for by the federal government which may be able to help you or a member of your family. This program is called Language Instruction for Newcomers to Canada (LINC). To qualify for this program you must be a permanent resident or someone who has been allowed to remain in Canada waiting for permanent resident status and who has not become a Canadian citizen. An immigrant service agency or your local immigration office should be able to help you enroll in a LINC course.

JOB AND SKILLS TRAINING

In addition to language training there are a number of other ways that you can train for a new job or improve the skills that you already have. Universities and colleges are some of the places where you can improve your skills or learn new ones. There are also private schools that allow you to complete a degree faster than at a university or college. An immigrant service agency or your local Human Resource Center should be able to give you a list of educational institutions in your area.

HEALTH

Canada has one of the finest health care systems in the world. Excellent hospitals, clinics or doctors' offices are located in most communities. Their services are usually available free of charge to all residents of Canada registered under the national health insurance program. This program is funded by governments (and paid for through taxes) but it is very costly. It is important to use it wisely.

Canada's national health insurance program, sometimes known as Medicare, pays for most necessary medical services. You must have an official health card from the province you live in to qualify for medicare. To get one, you should take an application form from a doctor's office, hospital or pharmacy. Your medicare card will be accepted throughout Canada. However, you must register again if you move to another province. Your medicare card allows you to get to medical services from a licensed medical doctor (MD). Medicare does not pay for prescription medicines. Medicare coverage is a little different in each province. There may be a fee for getting medicare in some provinces.

Canada Immigration, Immigration to Canada, Emigrate to Canada, Canada Immigration