2 new avenues for Caregivers to move to Canada- News

The caregiver program in Canada has undergone several revisions so far.

In the past caregivers did not have much flexibility to change jobs quickly . There were several barriers that prevented family members from coming to Canada. These will be removed in the new pilot program announced by immigration minister Ahmed Hussen on 23rd February 2019

Caregivers will soon have access to 2 new 5-year caregiver immigration pilots. These will replace expiring programs.

Under the new pilots, applicants will be assessed for permanent residence criteria before they begin working in Canada. The caregiver just needs their work permit and 2 years of work experience. They will then have access to a direct pathway to become a permanent resident.

The Caring for Children and Caring for People with High Medical Needs pilots will be phased out.

The new plans will include

Occupation-specific work permits for caregivers. This will provide them the freedom to change jobs quickly when necessary.
Open work permits for spouses/common-law partners and study permits for dependent children. This will permit the caregiver’s family to accompany them to Canada.

The Interim Pathway for Caregivers will be open from March 4, 2019, until June 4, 2019. This will allow caregivers already in Canada to apply for PR.

The current government has some impressive numbers to show off regarding caregivers. They have reduced 94% of the backlog and reduced the processing time to 12 months.

Quotes

“Caregivers provide care to families in Canada that need it, and it’s time for Canada to care for them in return. We are providing them with both the opportunity to bring their family members here and access permanent residency to demonstrate our commitment.”

– The Honourable Ahmed Hussen, Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship

Canadian culture- Blog

Canadian Culture

Canada offers a lot of help for the elderly

volunteers are welcomed in Canada

Darren was only 16 when he was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis. He could no longer walk without using a cane or a walker. When his doctor Raoul, in Newmarket, Ontario, learned of Darren’s diagnosis, he connected him to the MS Society of Canada. This is run by dedicated volunteers like Peter and Michelle in Newmarket, Ontario. Here you find love and support and sense of community shared by their chapter. This can be seen at every support group meeting. About 35 people affected by MS gather there to laugh, discuss their problems and share stories. Sometimes they might host a dinner or throw a party – but they always grow their relationships and even now consider each other family.

Canadian culture- What is it?

Those looking to immigrate to Canada want to know what the “culture” in Canada is. The culture of kindness or ‘giving back is the most important lesson to learn. Canadians believe being nice includes helping and taking care of others. Many of them have deeper reasons to participate. There are some volunteers at the food bank, for instance, who have once used the services themselves. Now that they are in a position to help, they do so wholeheartedly.

Canadian schools impose 40 hours of volunteer work in all High schools. This helps teach students the value of giving back to their community.

Newcomers can use volunteer hours to rack up ‘Canadian experience’ that is required by Canadian employers. Visit Volunteer Canada to find opportunities to participate. Don’t know where to begin? Start on volunteer week, held in the second week of April each year.

Pay it forward

Canadians also constantly “Pay it Forward”. This is a concept which means the opposite of paying it back. Instead of just repaying a good deed, you “pay it forward” by doing a good deed for someone else first. In 2013 a Tim Hortons in Winnipeg Manitoba was the setting of one of the best examples of paying it forward. On December 21 employees of the Tim Hortons witnessed a chain of 228 customers paying for the order behind them. They called this the ”..avalanche of kindness ”

It is an honor to call yourself Canadian when you hear stories such as these. In such a busy world that we live in, we can rarely stop and reflect and remember to put good into the world.

This is the most important part of Canadian culture. Canadian society is highly dependent on a culture of kindness. Without it we lose the very essence of being Canadian.

Imagine a country that is accepting, a country that is generous and one that is kind to total strangers. This is the country we call home. There are many out there who also hope to call this country home someday.

Zig Ziglar once said, ‘You can have everything in life you want, if you will just help other people get what they want.”’

That is a great quote to sum up Canadian Culture

Blog Authored by: Guest Blogger- Amanda Piron

8 steps to buying a home in Canada- Blog

Cindy and Ben are finally ready to make the biggest investment in their lives. Yes, they are choosing their first home in Canada! Since this is their first property purchase they are unsure what homes are worth and whether to invest in detached homes, semi-detached homes or town homes. We helped them with 8 easy steps to buying their first home. They are here for your reference.

Here are 8 steps to consider when buying a home

Step one: Financing

First Cindy and Ben will need to visit their bank and maybe mortgage broker too to consider financing options – most homeowners require a mortgage and it is good sense to know what you could be approved for. They brought along recent tax returns and proof of income for their appointment to obtain pre-approval for a mortgage and the amount they are pre-approved for.

Step Two: Location,Location,Location

The next step is to decide on some factors that will form the basis of your home search – proximity to well ranked schools, hospitals and major highways. Of course this would need to be matched to the price range in that area and the type of house you are considering. Apart from homes, which are out of reach for many, condominiums are becoming a preferred choice for those with limited budgets, however, the condo corporation owns the land and monthly maintenance fees can range from $300-900 per month!

Once Cindy and Ben had determined their pre-approval they decided to go for a detached home in East Gwillimbury as the listings were showing an average price of $650,000*** Although a detached home commands a higher premium over a semi or a town, they wanted the extra space to accommodate their growing family. They also wanted to own their home outright so they decided against a condo.

Step 3: Choose a Real Estate Professional

Once you understand your budget and the options available to you for financing,and type of home/location you want you can begin the search for your home. This is where a real estate agent steps in.

As experts in their field, an agent will look for options in your price range. They will also arrange viewings and take you to open houses. Once you want to make an offer, they suggest the offer price and handle negotiations. Overall, a good real estate agent becomes the hub for communication throughout the process.

Step 4: The home for you

Your agent will usually provide options but do not hesitate to suggest properties you would like to view while searching for a home. Attend open houses, book viewings through the sellers agent and consider the advice your real estate professional provides. Bring friends and family to view the space too – it can help to get someone else’s opinion that your trust!

Step 5: Negotiation Begins

Once Cindy and Ben had decided on the property they wanted to buy, their agent arranged an inspection of the house to be done by all three of them: The agent, Cindy and Ben. Since the home inspection went as planned, Cindy and Ben put down a deposit that was necessary to secure the listing and their agent negotiated the closing date.

Step 6: Inspection

Once this step is reached, a property inspection must be scheduled. Inspections are non-invasive examinations of the home you will be purchasing and they are conducted by licensed professionals. Keep in mind this comes at an extra cost – approximately between $400-$700 depending on the size of the home.* Note that findings of an inspection can lead to further negotiations. Often conditions are applied to an agreement that will help determine the grounds for these negotiations or how to proceed.

Step 7: Financing pt 2

We are almost at the final step. With all the confirmed information for the sale you can now re-approach your bank to firm up the mortgage agreement and get the exact terms of the mortgage.

Step 8: Insurance, Lawyers and paperwork.

After you have everything in place you can obtain home insurance (always a requirement by mortgage lenders), obtain signatures from the lawyer’s office, collect ownership documents and get the keys to your new home.

And with 8 easy steps you too can buy your first home in Canada!

The Actor Will Rogers said “Don’t wait to buy real estate. Buy real estate and wait.” If you are already in Canada you can act now and start building towards the future you want to see.

* See https://www.solexgroup.ca/home-inspection-fees for more info

**See our education blog for more information about Cindy and Ben

***valid as of January 2019. Information anecdotal and available homes searched via https://www.homefinder.ca/homes-for-sale/1742-mount-albert-real-estate

General note: names and stories are not specific to any individual. Any resemblance is coincidental, the stories give an idea of possible paths for buying a home in Canada

Blog Authored by: Guest Blogger, Amanda Piron

This job is in demand in Canada right now- Blog

Immigrate to Canada and find work quickly as a cook or a chef. Restaurants are facing closure due to a severe shortage of trained staff.

Everyone loves pizza

Photo by ELEVATE on Pexels.com

Canadian Chefs are in demand

At a time when Chefs like Gordon Ramsay and Susur Lee are household names and shows like Top Chef and Masterchef are as popular as soap operas , you would not be too surprised to hear that the demand for Cooks & Chefs has increased sharply over the past few years in Canada. From classy restaurants to large hotel chains, from resorts to cruise liners, those who are well trained and experienced in different cuisines have rewarding careers waiting for them in Canada.

The Federation of Chefs and Cooks of Canada have highlighted an urgent need for expert chefs and cooks in Canada – there is a severe shortage of skilled workers as millions of baby boomers hit retirement age and exit the workforce. A restaurant in Victoria, BC has just shut down operations for the whole month of August due to a shortage of line cooks.

Chew on this:

Canada’s various multicultural restaurants employ 520,000 young people under the age of 25 – that’s one in five youth jobs.
Restaurants provide more first jobs than any other industry. 22% of Canadians got their career start in a restaurant or foods ervice business. This industry directly employs more than 1.2 million people, or 6.9% of the Canada’s workforce – making it the country’s fourth-largest employer.

3.A greater percentage of Canadians will be living in retirement homes, which will need cooks trained to recognise and prepare food according to specific dietary needs.

The average wage : CAD 15.13 per hour (CAD 11.75 – CAD 20.67) with an additional hourly tip of CAD $ 1.8. Overtime can fetch you CAD $ 24. Total annual pay ranges from : CAD 26,099 – CAD 47,333. This is set to rise with the minimum wage increase in January 2018.

Blog Authored by: Rini Dalal

Reference : Job Vacancy Data, Stats Canada, July 2017