possible move to area

[Jane Fitz]

28th March 2008 10:56


I wish! no it doesn't include flights etc , we have been told that we will have to pay modest govt fees that was the wording used ! We are aware the costs will mount up, and to some extent agree when people say do it yourself "it is easy" , but they have used such services and it is easier to say that after the event but at the time it's a different matter.

[Crowphonic]

28th March 2008 11:03


Hmm it just seems really expensive when you could do it yourself. You spend some of that money on a 2/3 week visit and sort work out when you get here.

Mind you, each to their own!

[tracie107]

28th March 2008 13:51

We were going to use a Immigration Company but only used them to calculate our points £29.00 is all we paid for this. Once we found out the points they gave us a quote of £9,000 It was at this point I realised whatever they can do I can do myself and so I did.

I emailed hubbys CV (English format not Canadian) to a number of companies - heard back from two, got a phone call the next day, 4 days later they offered him the job. The company arranged for us to go via the PNP route and it has only taken us 6 months in total. If you go via the PNP route the paperwork required is very little indeed. It is all really self-explanatory and not at all difficult. But it will take you a weekend to complete the forms but if it saves you ££££££'s then it is worth it!!!!! Just complete the forms and read what you have to do - on http://www.cic.ga.ca" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;.

Colsgirl explained about the exams you will have to pass, so I am not sure what you will have to do on this for the PNP route.

Good Luck..............Oh and welcome to the forum!

[LynnUK]

28th March 2008 15:28

Hi, and welcome

We applied to the CiC 4 1/2 years ago under the skilled worker route, we did our own paperwork and wish that we had at least taken advice before doing so. We had to have 67 points to qualify, we had 69. After 2 1/2 years of waiting we received a letter from the CiC, it was not the letter that we had expected. It turns out that the CiC do not recognise a Cambridge University diploma as being a Masters degree, so they deducted 3 points and refused us on lack of points.
We took advice from many different people, who all said the same thing: We could appeal and we would win the appeal, but it would have cost us a lot of time and money to do so. We were also advised that if we did appeal, there would be little chance of any future application being successful.

We are now applying under the investor route, we are using an agent called Avatar based in Vancouver. Our fees are £1500.00 in total and they are offering a full refund if we don't get as far as passing an interview.

My OH is 59 and works in the IT industry. He plans on retiring unless a job should turn up when we are there.
So my point is, take advice, take plenty of advice so that you don't end up wasting time like we have ( it has now been 4 1/2 years). I do think that you could get a much better deal from another agent if you don't want to do it alone.
Had we used an agent the first time, we would almost certainly have been living in Canada now and would have also saved a whole lot of money.

Good Luck

[einselec]

28th March 2008 16:34


Hi there

I am an electrician that found a job in Kelowna over the internet. I was offered a job and applied with the employer for BC PNP sponsorship. This route will take about 6 to 9 months before we will have PR and will be able to move to Kelowna. I could have been there earlier if I applied for a TWP but due to our unique situation we will be waiting untill we receive PR.

I did not spend thousands of Pounds and we did not even have money to come over on a reccie. In total I have spent 1875 pounds for all my immigration costs of which 625 pounds went to my immigration consultant. The rest is the CIC immigration fees that they are telling you will only be a small amount!!

My immigration consultant only asked for a deposit of 50% when we started the process and I only have to pay the other 50% once I have the PR visas in our passports.

My timeline and that of Tracie107 is almost the same although it seems that CIC London is a lot quicker than Pretoria because I have been waiting for two months now and have not even received my medical request yet. Tracie107 was sent for medicals less than a months after their AOR date!!

I would advise that you go on a reccie and do a door to door job hunt. Otherwise phone a couple of Electrical Contractors in Kelowna beforehand and set up a few interviews by yourself. (I visited my MIL in the USA and had a job-offer within 1 day from arrival just by phoning contractors and asking them if they were currently hiring! Went for an interview and was offered the job on the spot!)

I also think that you are going to be paying way too much for this lawyer when you can do all the paperwork yourself. The only reason why I used a consultant was because I underestimated my own abilities to complete the forms correctly and this lady helped a couple of my South African friends in the past and came highly recommended.

I found this job over the net without even setting foot in Canada and Tracie107 also managed on her own so you guys can surely do it too.

I have been working for myself as an Electrical Contractor here in SA for the past 10 years so it will be a bit of a new thing for me to work for a boss again. I will have to challenge to write the red seal exam and the second test too, but I believe that we will enjoy Canada and I will do my utmost to adapt to the Canadain way of live a.s.a.p.

It will be a blessing when we receive PR because SA is not a place to raise my boy anymore and we are looking forward to live in a sociaty where most people adhere to the law and where human life is still worth something.

Good luck with the job hunting and we are looking forward to the post in which you are going to tell us that you received a job offer.

Regards from SA
Einselec

[maurice401]

28th March 2008 18:56

The cost as I mentioned isn't cheap 1st payment £455 thats for detailed report & making up canadian stylle cv & presenting to labour market , 2nd £1200 they set up 2 week visit with interviews, 3rd payment £1200 if you still go ahead with sponsored employer 4th payment £1200 . This is for fast track immigration full service relocation program with work visa & temp residence for all the family - as we have 3 teenage sons

Oh my dear, this is just a "bill of goods" they are selling you. DIY, as we say back in the UK. This is just "money for old rope". You can do all of that work/planning yourself and save a fortune. It may take a little longer but you can get the same outcome. Just how desperate are you to spend $x,000?

There is no 'fast track immigration that you cannot arrange yourself or work with an employer to arrange. No employer charges you any fees and anything a recruitment agent does is (well, should be) billed to the employer, not to you.

Be careful, I have seen good friends waste thousands on immigration lawyers and I won't waste my own cash on these scoundrels.

Maurice.

[NICHOLLS]

29th March 2008 05:20


Hi Same as you Lynn we have used Avatar. Russel Monsurate dealt with our case and I must admit not cheap but dealt with everything for us. Good luck with yours.

[stewart&debbie]

29th March 2008 11:10

Hi
When I was over in February I had an informal interview with a great guy at Keldon Electric, they were looking for electricians, he said he had sponsered a guy previously to move out to Kelowna. Wrong line of work for me, although he still spent over an hour with me giving loads of tips and ideas for other companies.

Send me a PM if you want his details?

Stewart

[Jane Fitz]

1st April 2008 07:34


Hi again - and thanks all for your replies & info it is nice to know there is help out there!

We are in a similar situation to Einselec as my husband has also been self employed for the past 7 years and thinking about working for someone else and taking more exams is daunting - but it is a price he is willing to pay.

Although we have visited BC before we have decided to come over in the summer hols for a 2-3 week visit of the area to get a better feel for the area rather than as a tourist! anybody know of any holiday rentals or basements going for rent ?

anyway, thanks again
Jane Fitz

[MisplacedCanadian]

1st April 2008 07:38


Hi Jane,

Check out some of the other area on the forum - I know that holiday rentals is a thread that's on here, possibly in the Research and Info section.

Sounds like a great holiday!