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Moving to another country can be challenging.
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If you are immigrating to Canada, this video will help you make a checklist of the
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things you should do to be prepared for your move.
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To start off, English and French are Canada’s two official languages.
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Being able to speak in one of these languages is absolutely essential
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for day-to-day living.
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We know that it takes time, energy and commitment to improve your language skills, but
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communications skills may be the most important tool that will help you successfully
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settle in Canada and find a good job.
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If you have a limited ability in either English or French, you should consider improving
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your language skills before you come to Canada.
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Which language should you learn?
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This is up to you, but it will depend on where in Canada you intend to settle.
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In short, English is the most common language in the majority of provinces and
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territories, while French is the main language spoken in Quebec.
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But with Canada being a bilingual country, there are also well-established
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French-speaking communities in Ontario, New Brunswick, Manitoba and most
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other parts of Canada.
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And Quebec has a large minority of English-speaking residents.
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So, do some research on the place where you’ll live to see which language is most widely
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spoken in the region.
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Next, be sure that you have all the proper documents that you and your family will need
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once you’re in Canada.
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Examples include birth certificates, passports, education diplomas and transcripts,
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medical and dental records, marriage or divorce certificates, driver’s licenses, adoption
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records for adopted children and other official documents.
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A word of advice: it can be much more difficult to get these documents after you have
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left your country of origin, so take the time to gather them before leaving.
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If any of your family members are immigrating at a later date, make sure to bring copies
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of their documents with you as well in case you need them for any reason prior to your
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family members’ arrival.
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Another thing to do before leaving for Canada is to translate your documents into either
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English or French.
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Be sure to get a certified translation.
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This means you need to choose a translation agency with a good reputation.
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The translator should also give you an affidavit.
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This is a document on which the translator has sworn that the translation is accurate.
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The affidavit must be sworn in front of a person authorized to administer oaths in the
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country where the translator lives.
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Record the name and contact information of the translation agency in case you need it
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once you’re in Canada.
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You must keep the original versions of your documents as well.
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One of your first needs after arriving in Canada is, of course, finding a temporary
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place to stay until you find long-term accommodation.
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If it’s convenient, you can arrange to stay with family or friends
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for your first days in Canada.
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Or if that’s not possible, search for a hotel or hostel in a central location.
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Try to book your hotel or hostel at least several weeks before flying to Canada.
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By booking in advance, you will likely save money and have a better chance of finding
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available rooms.
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To help you choose, most hotels and hostels have websites with prices, photographs, a
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location map and a description of the services they offer.
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A word of caution: beware of very cheap hotels or hostels.
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They may be located in unpleasant areas or be of very low standard.
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One of the most important tasks is preparing to find work in Canada.
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Providing for yourself and your family will depend mainly on being able to find a
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suitable job.
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For many people, the first job in Canada may not be the most satisfying.
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But, keep in mind it can take time to build your qualifications and gain Canadian
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experience before finding the job you really want.
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There are a few things you can do before you arrive in Canada:
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Gather all your educational diplomas and certificates and get letters of reference from
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your past employers
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As mentioned, be sure to get these documents translated into English or French.
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Learn how you can get your educational and professional qualifications officially
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recognized in Canada, and begin this process.
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Being accepted to immigrate to Canada doesn’t mean that your education, work experience
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and professional qualifications will automatically be recognized in Canada.
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There are processes you have to follow to make sure the education, training and job
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experience you obtained in another country are equivalent to the standards applied to
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Canadian workers.
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The Foreign Credentials Referral Office can provide you with valuable information on how
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this process works.
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As part of this, find out if your profession is “regulated” or “unregulated” in Canada:
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Regulated occupations—in fields like health care, engineering, skilled trades, and
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others—have set standards for how the profession is practised and require a certificate
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or license.
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Standards can be different across Canada.
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Most jobs in Canada are non-regulated occupations,
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which don’t require a license or certificate.
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In these professions, requirements vary between employers, so always be ready to show you
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have the education or experience to do the job.
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Knowing which category your profession falls into will help you determine the
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requirements for your occupation in the province or territory where you’ll live.
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Lastly, take some time to learn about searching and applying for jobs in Canada.
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There are many job search websites in Canada you can use, including the Working in
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Canada website.
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If you need to return to school or have school-aged children, do some research on the
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education system before coming to Canada.
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Throughout Canada, education is the responsibility of each province or territory, and
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the various English and French language school boards are publicly funded.
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There are different schools for children of different ages, but all boys and girls must
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attend school between the ages of 5 or 6 and 16 or 18, depending on where you will live.
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There may also be private or religious schools in the area where you’ll settle, and the
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same rules apply, but these schools could be outside the public system.
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For the most part, the educational systems are similar across the country, but there are
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some differences between provinces and territories.
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For this reason, the ministries or departments of education in each province or
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territory are your main sources of information on anything related to education.
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They all have websites, which you can visit to learn about the system before you arrive
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in Canada.
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At the very least, take note of the deadlines for applying and registering at schools,
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colleges and universities, so that you’re ready once you arrive.
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This will make sure you don’t miss important dates!
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Another step you can take to prepare for your arrival in Canada is
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to buy private health insurance.
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Canada has a universal healthcare system.
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It is designed to provide citizens and residents of Canada with access to health care,
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which is paid for by money collected through taxes.
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But, you should be aware there is a waiting period before
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you’re eligible to benefit from it.
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For that reason, you should buy private insurance to cover
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your first three months in Canada.
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This will take care of any emergency medical costs, should they arise, until you have
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access to government health insurance.
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And if you’re unsure whether you’ll be eligible to apply for government health insurance
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once you arrive in Canada, check with the government of the province or territory where
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you plan to live.
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There are a few more things you can do before you leave for Canada to prepare yourself …
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Learn about the province or territory and the city or town where you will live.
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Many of these places have websites with information that will be practical for you to
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know prior to your arrival.
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At the same time, get ready for Canada’s weather!
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The climate varies across the country, so do a bit of research to find out what you could
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expect upon arrival.
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It’s a good idea to buy some warm clothes to keep you comfortable during the first few
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days if you’re arriving in Canada during the fall, winter or spring.
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You should also take some time to learn about Canada’s laws and your rights as well as
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civic responsibilities.
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It’s important to know that in Canada every individual is equal under the law ...
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without discrimination based on your race, national or ethnic origin, colour, religion,
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sex, sexual orientation age, mental or physical disability.
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Knowing what to expect before you arrive will help make your settlement and integration
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into Canadian society that much easier.
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Preparing to move to another country is no small task, and there is much more to know
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and consider before immigrating to Canada.
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The Citizenship and Immigration Canada website is a one-stop shop for information.
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It has a wealth of resources that are tailored to your needs to help you
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adjust to life in Canada.
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The site also includes our Welcome to Canada Guide.
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For links to everything mentioned in this video and more, visit
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immigration.gc.ca/settlement.