Compilation of landing experiences

Tips for prospective immigrants to Canada

Start early and start planning even earlier.
Start young. If you are recently married, plan the migration before you have kid/s.
Start saving, you will never have too much money.
Be wise in choosing an agent. An agent can only help you in selecting the correct form and filling it up. There is no involvement after you receive a PER (positive eligibility review) from CIC. Therefore, while hiring an agent, you must clarify their role after PER or after submitting documents. Do not allow them to replace your email address with theirs. If you do so, you will be at their mercy at every stage of application.
Your source of information should be http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/immigrate/index.asp. Don't believe everything that an agent says. If the Canadian govt. decides not to include your NOC, it will be first listed in the URL above. Cap for every year usually starts on 1st May. Don't pay a penny to any agent before this day.
Create a new email address only for this purpose and configure it on your mobile. By creating this new email address, you can be sure that any email from CIC does not get mixed up with non important ones.
Get global certifications and gain relevant experiences. Look for jobs in your field in jobsearch websites and see what the employers are expecting.
The coaching and certifications could be much inexpensive in your home country than in Canada.
Be prepared to work in a job below your expectation.
Get immunization records for kids in place.
Kids can join school at any time of the year. Don't have to time your visit that way.
Try landing in warmer places. It is better to time your visit on a summer. I say this because the transition from say a warm country like India to a cold country like Canada can be terrifying when the weather is extreme. For example, if you are from Kerala in India that has temperature ranging from 25 °C to 40 °C, you move to Canada where the temperature is -25 °C you will not be able to cope this kind of cold. Gradual transition to this kind of weather will help you settle better. Moreover this will avoid a negative initial impression.
Watch English movies and TV series, you will be able to get at least a faint idea of customs in a developed country.
Get your credentials evaluated. Go through the FAQs (frequently asked questions) in the link below:
http://www.wes.org/ca/immigrants/faq.asp
Go through popular discussion boards and forums like the one below:
http://www.canadavisa.com/canada-immigration-discussion-board/index.php
If you are thorough with this website, you may not even need an agent.
Read about the country you are migrating to.
Above all, Trust your self, your spouse and God.

Since the forum has limited my ability to edit and maintain my post, I chose to create a blog of my own to have more control of what I can post and not.

Like I mentioned in my post in CanadaVisa.com, I have spent some time looking for landing experiences in Canada regardless of the fact that they were positive or negative.

I intend to give all of us a real feel of what we need to expect from this life changing decision to move to Canada. One might have a wrong notion about the whole fact of migrating, thinking that his or her acquaintance has moved to this country and brought a sports car, done bungee jumping, visited Niagara falls, played ice hockey, etc. in a short span of time and would expect that all of that will also come to him or her without any hard work or dedication or homework.

Keep in mind, at this hour I am also an aspiring immigrant to the wonderful country called CANADA. I had more or less an impression that all of the above will come easy. But as I read experiences of many, I realized that maybe, it would be better that I don’t migrate at all.
But then even wilder beasts of Africa, does not give up on the urge of crossing river laden with death traps and here I am, with a PER in hand and Canadian dreams at heart and valuable knowledge of all those lovely people who has spent their precious time to put across their experiences.

Once again, in the interest of all who wants to immigrate, I intend that you learn from others mistake or foresight and imbibe all that you learnt while planning for this amazing migration.

Caveats/Admonitions:

I have only put these together. I have no control over any content submitted after the original post.
It is not possible for me to validate any claims made my members in the forum.
I am a novice at creating blogs, but I guess it will serve the purpose. Pardon if it does not look polished.
And yes, you may not like what is written in there.

Request:

Do not abuse or post anything unprofessional that may hurt individuals, community or a country in the forum, better still don’t do it anywhere else as well.

This compilation is work in progress and anyone who wishes to add an entry can visit the forum listed below and leave a comment and I will do the needful. http://www.canadavisa.com/canada-immigration-discussion-board/compilation-of-landing-experiences-t164507.0.html

These experiences are not posted in any order whatsoever.

1. Quote from: CharlotteJ on September 13, 2010, 11:27:57 pm

http://www.canadavisa.com/canada-immigration-discussion-board/my-expriences-so-far-first-two-days-in-toronto-t53118.0.html

2. Quote from: balakri on January 09, 2010, 08:16:05 am

http://www.canadavisa.com/canada-immigration-discussion-board/my-landing-experience-nov-30th-2009-t32214.0.html;msg198544#msg198544

3. Quote from: i2canada on May 09, 2012, 04:11:41 am

http://www.canadavisa.com/canada-immigration-discussion-board/my-landing-experience08th-may-2012-t104426.0.html

4. Quote from: hmisabpk on May 08, 2010, 11:23:38 pm

http://www.canadavisa.com/canada-immigration-discussion-board/my-landing-experience-and-observations-t41271.0.html

5. Quote from: imran7799 on August 04, 2011, 02:39:47 pm

http://www.canadavisa.com/canada-immigration-discussion-board/journey-to-canada-landing-experience-and-an-amazing-start-t78943.0.html