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Getting ready before you leave for Canada
Essential
documents
When you
travel to Canada, you will need to have the following
documents with you:
- a Canadian
immigrant visa and Confirmation of Permanent Residence for
each family member travelling with you;
- a valid
passport or other travel document for each family member
travelling with you;
- two copies
of a detailed list of all the personal or household items
you are bringing with you; and
- two copies
of a list of items that are arriving later.
Note: The lists should state how
much your personal and household items are
worth.
- You must
also bring with you enough money to cover living expenses
such as rent, food, clothing and transportation for a
six-month period. You may be asked to show proof of your
funds.
Do not pack
your documents in a suitcase. You will need to have them
available to show to immigration and customs
officials.
Important documents
Depending on
your personal situation, you should bring the following
important documents with you to Canada:
- birth
certificates or baptismal certificates;
- marriage
certificates;
- adoption,
separation or divorce papers;
- school
records, diplomas or degrees for each family member
travelling with you;
- trade or
professional certificates and licences;
- letters of
reference from former employers;
- a list of
your educational and professional qualifications and job
experience (this is also called a résumé);
- immunization, vaccination, dental and other health
records for each family member;
- driver's
licence, including an International Driver's Permit, and a
reference from your insurance company;
- photocopies
of all essential and important documents, in case the
originals get lost (be sure to keep the photocopies in a
separate place from the originals); and
- car
registration documents (if you are importing a motor vehicle
into Canada).
What you should know
about health care
Canada has a
public health-care system known as "medicare." It provides
insurance coverage for health-care services to all Canadian
citizens and permanent residents. (You will be a "permanent
resident.") The federal government sets health-care standards
for the whole country, but the programs are run by the
provincial ministries of health.
Note: British Columbia, Ontario,
Quebec and New Brunswick have a three-month waiting period
before you become eligible for medicare coverage. If you are
planning to settle in any of these provinces, you should buy
private health insurance coverage for the first three months.
Insurance companies are listed in the Yellow Pages of all
Canadian telephone books, under "Insurance."
What you can bring into
Canada
There are
strict laws about what you can bring into Canada.
Cars must meet
Canadian safety and pollution control standards. Many cars are
not allowed into the country. Contact Transport Canada for
more information before you ship your car.
Transport Canada, Vehicle Importation
330 Sparks Street, Tower C
Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0N5
Telephone: 1 (613) 998-8616
(when calling from outside Canada)
1 800 333-0371
(toll-free, from inside Canada)
Web site: www.tc.gc.ca
(follow the link to Vehicle
Importation)
The following items cannot be brought into
Canada:
- unauthorized firearms, explosives, fireworks and
ammunition;
- narcotics,
other than prescription drugs;
- meat, dairy
products, fresh fruits and vegetables;
- plants,
flowers and soil;
- endangered
species of animals or products made from animal parts, such
as the skin, feathers, fur, bones and ivory;
- cultural
property, including antique and cultural objects considered
to have historical significance in their country of origin
(you may, however, bring family heirlooms);
- more than
200 cigarettes (you must pay tax on the excess amount) per
person over 18 years of age if you are immigrating to
Quebec, Alberta, Saskatchewan or Manitoba, or per person
over 19 if you are immigrating to Ontario or any of the
other provinces; and
- more than
1.5 litres of wine or 1.14 litres of commercial
alcohol (you must pay tax on the excess amount) per person
over 19 years of age.
If you are not
sure about an item, you can write to or telephone:
Canada Customs and Revenue Agency
Customs, Excise and Taxation
Information Services
2265 St. Laurent Boulevard
Ottawa, Ontario K1G 4K3
Telephone: 1 (506) 636-5064 or
(204) 983-3500
(when calling from outside Canada)
1 800 461-9999
(toll-free, from inside Canada)
Web site: www.ccra-adrc.gc.ca
Getting ready to look for
work
If possible,
have your documents translated into English or French before
you leave for Canada. Essential documents for looking for work
include:
- a résumé of
your education, work and volunteer experience, and your
skills and qualifications;
- diplomas,
degrees, certificates and other qualifications;
- letters of
recommendation; and
- school
records or transcripts.
Research the
labour market in the part of Canada where you plan to settle.
The following federally funded Web sites will be
helpful:
- www.workinfonet.ca: This is a national Web site for career and labour
market information. It contains job information for each
province and territory. It also contains information on
self-employment, education and training.
- www.workdestinations.org: This Web
site contains information on various jobs, working
conditions, labour market trends, living conditions, and
training and educational opportunities in different regions
of Canada. It also lists regulated jobs in Canada. You can
find out whether your job is regulated and what you will
need to do to get a licence to practise.
- lmi-imt.hrdc-drhc.gc.ca: This Web
site offers labour market information, which can help you
search for work and make general employment, training and
career decisions.
- www.theworkplace.ca:
This Web site offers links to Canadian newspapers' on-line
"Help Wanted" advertisements.
Getting ready if you are
a business immigrant
If you are
coming to Canada as a business immigrant, use the Internet to
find out about sources of financing, business opportunities,
export and investment services, self-employment assistance and
information for small businesses. There are many rules for
starting a business in Canada. The following Government of
Canada Web sites will help you get a head start in your
planning:
- www.cbsc.org: The Canada
Business Service Centre's Web site is your single point of
contact for information on government services, programs and
rules for business.
- www.strategis.gc.ca: This
Industry Canada Web site has business information to help
you find partners, do market research, find new
technologies, and learn about financing opportunities and
growth areas in the Canadian economy.
- www.bdc.ca: This is the
Web site of the Business Development Bank of Canada. It
provides financial and consulting services to Canadian small
businesses, especially those in the technology and export
sectors of the economy. It also offers information on how to
start a business and make it succeed.
- www.strategis.gc.ca/sc_mangb/smallbus/engdoc/sbla.html: This is the Web site of the Canada Small Business Financing Program. The program can help you finance your own business.
- www.contractscanada.gc.ca: This Web site has
information on how and what the Government of Canada buys
(both goods and services).
- www.cic.gc.ca: This is the
Web site of Citizenship and Immigration Canada. It describes
the Business Immigration Program. You will find many answers
to your questions at this site.
Communities across
Canada
Most newcomers
to Canada tend to settle in the three biggest cities --
Toronto, Montréal and Vancouver. But many newcomers and many
Canadians choose to live in the medium-sized cities, which
they feel have as much to offer as the larger cities with a
better quality of life.
Among the
medium-sized cities are Halifax, Québec City, Ottawa, London,
Windsor, Sudbury, Winnipeg, Saskatoon, Regina, Calgary,
Edmonton and Victoria.
All of the
medium-sized cities have diverse, multi-ethnic populations
ranging in size from approximately 100,000 to one million
people, and all have the variety of public and private
institutions and services found in the largest
cities.
Some newcomers
like the idea of living in smaller cities or towns like
Moncton, Fredericton, Red Deer and Kelowna, or prefer to live
in a rural area. Depending on your skills or professional
qualifications, some regions may have better job opportunities
than others.
Visit the Web sites of each province and territory to see what each has to offer. To find these Web sites, visit canada.gc.ca/othergov/prov_e.html.
Each Web site
has a list of government departments and agencies. In the
bigger provinces, some government departments may have their
own Web sites, with more detailed information. You may also
find a directory of on-line services, a link to educational
institutions, and a link to major cities and towns. Most of
the Web sites also have a tourism section, where you can
discover the special attractions of each province and
territory.
The Web site www.workdestinations.org has
links to information on the labour market and the housing
market of communities across Canada. It also has useful tips
and information about moving within Canada.
You can also visit a Web site called Canadian Government Information on the Internet at http://cgii.gc.ca/muni-e.html.
It is another useful link to federal, provincial and municipal
government information.
Francophone communities -- French is the mother tongue of 6.6 million Canadians. Most Francophones live in Quebec, but almost one million live in Canada's other provinces and territories. The Atlas de la francophonie at http://franco.ca/atlas/francophonie/english/index.cfm has information on the francophone communities in each of Canada's provinces and territories. Or check out interesting links to official language organizations at www.ocol-clo.gc.ca/links_liens.asp?Lang=English.
The Canadian climate: What to
expect and what clothes to
bring
Most of Canada
has four distinct seasons: spring, summer, autumn and winter.
The temperatures and weather in each season can be different
from one part of the country to another. Here is what you can
expect:
Spring: Spring is a rainy season
in most parts of Canada. Daytime temperatures rise steadily,
but the nights remain cool. Average daytime temperatures are
about 12°C in March, April and early May.
Summer: Summer officially begins
on June 21, but July and August are summer for most
Canadians. In summer, the weather is very warm in most parts
of the country. In southern Canada, daytime temperatures are
normally above 20°C and can sometimes rise above
30°C.
Autumn: The autumn season, or
fall, as it's often called, begins in September. The weather
cools and the leaves on many trees change colour and fall to
the ground. It can also be very rainy at this time of year. In
some parts of Canada, especially northern or mountain regions,
snow may begin to fall by late October. Average daytime
temperatures are about 10°C to 12°C in most of the country.
The autumn months are September, October and
November.
Winter: During the winter months
(December, January and February), the temperature in most of
the country usually stays below 0°C, day and night.
Temperatures in some parts of the country periodically drop
below -25°C, while along the West Coast, the temperature
rarely drops below 0°C. In most of Canada, snow will be on the
ground from mid-December to the middle of March. The higher in
elevation and the farther north you go, the longer and colder
winter becomes.
Schools and universities
There is no
national school system in Canada. Schools and universities are
run by the provinces; therefore, education varies somewhat
from province to province. Most elementary and secondary
schooling is public, meaning it is free and open to
everyone.
Depending on
the individual province, primary eduation 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 to 12). Normally, students
must complete the required academic courses in high school in
order to be admitted to university or college.
The regular
school year runs from late August or early September until
mid- to late June. New students can usually be registered
throughout the school year. Most schools are closed on
national holidays. Also, all schools are closed between
Christmas Eve and New Year's Day, and most are closed for a
week in March for spring break. The longest school holiday
occurs over the summer months of July and August.
Universities
and community colleges hold their regular classes from late
August or early September until April, although some courses
are offered from January to April and a smaller number are
available over the summer months. University and community
college courses are not free and the costs vary among the
provinces.
When you
register your children at the local school or school board
office, you must take with you:
- Canadian
immigrant visa (Record of Landing);
- birth
certificate or baptismal certificate;
- vaccination
certificate;
- any
previous school records.
Your
children's language and mathematical skills will be assessed,
if necessary, and they will be placed in the program the
school thinks is best for
them.
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