NEW BEGINNINGS – STARTING A NEW LIFE IN CANADA – PART 1
The start of a new life in a new country is also the beginning of a new chapter in the life of a person. A lot of hope and promise exists in these chapters along with apprehension and fear of dealing with the unknown.
The best way to approach such a situation is plenty of advanced preparation. When moving to a new country, apart from a change in physical location, there is a change in language, culture, rules and regulations. Some prior preparation or reconnaissance will smoothen the transition process to a large extent especially for families with very young children.
Canada is one of the most common migration destinations for Indians apart from USA and UK. An Indian family moving to Canada will usually be worried about the 3 C’s namely:
Culture – The language spoken as well as general lifestyle
Community–The people living in the surroundings
Cooking– Availability of familiar ingredients for cooking meals
Indians comprise a sizeable chunk of the Canadian population which usually takes care of these basic 3 C’s for any Indian family moving to Canada. Hindi and Punjabi are the predominantly spoken Indian languages while there are small pockets where other Indian languages are also spoken. A large Indian presence has prompted the emergence of many Indian Stores selling all kinds of Indian foods and ingredients for Indian cooking. This also helps to reduce the culture shock
While it is possible to move to Canada by getting permanent residency, some people move there on a work permit and apply for permanent residency after reaching there.
Canada comprises 13 provinces and territories and it is important to decide on which specific one works best for you. The 3 Cs below can help with that decision:
Climate – British Columbia is a hot migrant destination primarily due to its weather and scenic splendor. Winter lasts from November to February where subzero temperatures might be encountered. The weather is usually bearable for the remaining parts of the year provided the right kind of jackets, caps and gloves are used. Most Indians are easily able to adapt to the climate here. Other provinces like Alberta and Ontario have extreme weather conditions making the transition difficult.
Conveyance – Public transport is available in almost all provinces making mobility a lot easier for people. New migrants usually need time to get a driving license and then purchase a car. Buses and trains connect almost all parts of every city making life a lot easier for new migrants.
Career– Finding a job is the next item on the list for any new migrant in Canada. The good news is that there are many small and mid-sized companies all over Canada and there is plenty of short-term as well as long-term work available. Your first job is most likely going to be a temporary or a contract job. The good news is that it is possible to find contract jobs in almost any field. Temporary jobs help in gaining the required Canadian experience in order to get a full-time permanent job.
In the first part, we have covered the basics for any new migrant to Canada. In the next part, we will do a deep dive into other family requirements like issues for new immigrant parents of young children in Canada.
mrspooja@outlook.com
Pooja Rajeendranath
