By now you may feel you know Canada well, from surfing the internet, or from travel books and news items you’ve read. You’ve applied for your Permanent Resident (PR) visa and know it could take up to two years to receive it. You’ve been waiting what seems like an eternity and you don’t feel like waiting any longer. So you’ve decided to throw caution to the wind and leave early to start your new life in Canada.
If this sounds like a plan you’re making, then you’re not alone. It would appear there is a strong desire and a growing trend among people who have submitted their visa applications, even if they do not have their PR visa in hand, to get to Canada as soon as possible.
Although the excitement of making your move up to six months earlier than anticipated can be a strong motivator to sell all your worldly goods and go, making your move prematurely could potentially be a costly mistake.
Citizenship and Immigration advise people not to make any major life changes, such as leaving jobs or selling property, prior to receiving visas. Until you actually have the appropriate visa in hand, there is no “100% guarantee” that you will be approved for immigration.
In some cases, individuals purchase property in Canada before securing their visas. Property ownership does not guarantee a visa, and if your application is rejected, you risk investing a large sum of money in a property you are unable to inhabit on a full time basis.
The waiting period can be agonising, but the experience of many immigrants shows that it is a good idea to devote at least one or two years to properly preparing and planning for your move. This waiting period is the perfect time to make one or two exploratory trips to Canada, which may be a more cost-effective and less risky alternative than an early departure without a visa!
Exploratory trips will give you a chance to acquire first-hand knowledge about living, working and doing business in Canada, knowledge which will certainly benefit you when the time comes to proceed with your permanent move.
Here are some suggestions for things to do while you are in Canada on an exploratory visit.
Resist the urge to “fast track” your arrival in Canada! Don’t leave home without a visa. But if you are considering doing so, ask yourself seriously: Are we properly prepared for our move to Canada? Do we have realistic expectations of what we will face? Are we knowledgeable about the area we will relocate to? Do we know what the job market is like? If you answered no to any of these questions, then you are not properly prepared and it would be more beneficial to you to devote your energy and resources into finding out the answers before making any drastic changes to your life or departing early for Canada.
Thelma O' Connor, B.A., CERC Relocation Specialist, emigrated to Canada from London in 1995 and now runs Canada Wise http://www.canadawise.com/
Canada Wise provides relocation support, and cross-cultural training/coaching for newcomers to Canada.
Contact Thelma via her web site or by phone: +1 (403) 226-4999.
Follow Canada Wise on Twitter - @CanadaWise
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