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Canadian employers and often hiring managers are very very conservatives and risk adverse. Both as someone who grew up here, worked abroad and came back, the whole process for getting a job (as well as seeing how my colleagues behave as hiring managers / HR), it feels we are decades behind most countries in how we hire. \n\nIf not for my previous Canadian experience before going abroad, it would've been much harder for me to get any employment here. Moreover hiring managers are insanely close minded relatively, I've had countless discussions with people who would rather go with a worse candidate that they know from previous or referral than someone who's obviously more qualified / knowledgeable. It's also possible that the hiring managers have no confidence in their own ability to gauge skills (long LONG rant in this regard...), so they always prefer to go the safest route (for themselves) rather than take any risk on someone who's more skilled.\n\nCanada is (well.. used to, 10 years+ ago) great to live but it's horrendous to make a living.\n\nwith everything going to a shitshow over last decade... we can't even have the first half of that sentence anymore. I now fully expect my kids to leave the country when they look for work and it's probably best for their careers / entrepeneurships (ANOTHER part canada is just hostile to SMBs).\n\nTransportation... yeah, anyone who's lived abroad will consider Canada public transport to be very very low tier. however, you tell that to life time Canadians and they'll be super offended, aggressively defensive how great it is, etc.

As a Canadian I feel we all need to stay and fight for our Country. And by that, I mean educating those around us as to why we should vote against certain political views ie: communism/marxism and socialism, as we see being practiced by the Liberals and ndp. Vote for those who respect Canada's Traditions and Values and our National Identity. None of us want to live in a Post-National State, as Trudeau promised when he was elected!! Vote for those who believe in Freedom for all Citizens. We are still a Democracy and everyone's vote counts! Stay with us and Vote!

Excellent video. I am a 29 years old Canadian with high education. I make 125K/year and yet after 2-3 years of looking actively I still can't manage to buy a house near the city as a first time buyer. I made many offers but lost every time. The demand is so high and the offer so low that many people bid way above the asking price even though the prices are sky high. Most of those people sold their previous house for a lot more than they bought it many years ago and therefore, are able to do so. First time buyers like myself don't have this advantage and the ones with lower salaries might never have the chance to have a house except if they move far from the city. Our government does not slow down on immigration because there is a labor shortage due to the older generation retiring but they don't build enough houses and allowed foreign investors for too long which results in the housing crisis we are currently in. My father bought a decent house near the city for the equivalent of 2 years of his gross salary at the time... Now the equivalent is more than 4-5 times my gross salary even though I make more than him at the time (taking inflation into account). Our healthcare and education systems are falling apart as well. Both are currently on strike in the province I live in due to terrible work conditions and salaries from our government. The cost of living has increased considerably in the last few years as well, especially the food even though the companies are making record net profits this year. Yeah... Canada is not doing well right now.

Housing is very cheap for those that bought and/or rented and stayed 15+ years ago. Rent controls keep rents cheap (for them) and people in place as they do not want to move and take a higher rent and/or higher mortgage payment. This hides the problem until you find yourself evicted , break up or some event forces you into the housing market and then you get clapped.\n\nThis is an issue around the world in most developed countries. This is because the rich have optimized the system. Basically if you compare the world economy to a game of Monopoly. Being a young person is like joining the game with your $200 of start money and going against the winning player that owns all the properties and basically won but has not yet driven everyone to bankrupt or a rage quit! \n\nRich people are finding the way to underdeveloped countries to take safe haven from the mess they caused, only to start the cycle all over again driving up land prices in placed like Mexico. We have an issue when the Canadian, Australian etc dream is to buy property, get renters and move to central / south America.

I am a Canadian citizen who moved to Bangkok, Thailand, 26 years ago as I had a professional job there. At that time, I was attracted by the Thai culture, the weather and the quality of life. I have been married to my beautiful Thai wife (S.E. Asian ladies are stunning?) for 23 years and we have two grown up children (one is studying in Canada!). I feel that I have more personal freedom in my daily life here, under a military government, than I would in Canada. There is also fast fibre optic internet, reasonably priced phone plans, the low cost of living (I bought an apartment after the 1997 financial crisis), affordable and world class private hospitals. I have learned the language and this is the perfect country for me to retire in. I could not clearly see the future years ago, but I asked myself, where do we think the future is? With creditor nations or with debtor nations? I am so glad that I made the decision to leave Canada in 1997!

As a Canadian i have to say: it's cold most of the year,, expensive, health care is an illusion, Dr's are business men, justin Trudeau is awful, crime is top 10 in the world, poverty, became socialist and communists nest, criminals heaven, only good side is 4 months of the year we have beautiful nature to look at.

A South African who lived there a few years. Nothing felt better than getting on the plane to leave, and knowing I will never have to return. Even South Africa with the crime and load shedding is by far better. In many ways a man is more free here even if i have to live behind security systems. I can speak my mind without fear of some PC police and censorship, which is far worse prison. My standard of living is also far better here. I can ride my bikes as I please where in Canada I can only ride a few months and would lose my license in a month due to BS fines. And the people here are much more open and truly hospitable, not some fake politeness. I even missed the blacks here, who at least i can joke and chat with far easier than with canadians. I found I have more in common with black africans than with white canadians who look like me and speak the same language. We may have the same skin colour but are totally different in culture. It made me realise I am more african than western, proud of it, and I would prefer to live and die with the african sun on my face with wide open space, than in some dark, cold, gloomy place living in cramped quarters in some libtard paradise constrained by so many laws. Of course black south africans will not like to hear that whitey has no plans to leave, but this is my home as much as theirs, I contribute to making the country somehow still function, and my kids are also more interested in making the nation run than running off to Australia, or even worse, Canada.\n\nI am so glad I didn't meet a woman there and get stuck. Canadian women are very unappealing and too feminist. I am grateful I had my kids with a proper traditional South African woman, and can live in traditional Afrikaner society where men are men and women are women, and there is no place for PC, gender confusion, and other libtard ideas. And i could raise my kids as proper south africans that the liberal world loves to hate. \n\nI can understand why north americans turn to asian wives, although that could never have been an option for me. \n\nHope Canada works out for you. If you are introvert then you have a chance.

My family came to Canada 5 years ago. The main reason was because my dad had been busy setting up a branch of his European company here for two years. He wanted to launch this new branch and then retire early. Canada as he knew it was a good option for him to do this. We even had a house long before we came to Canada. And we now live on the west coast of Canada. \n \nFor us, the transition to feeling at home here wasn't particularly difficult. We also had enough experience of what it was like to live in other countries. Canada actually turned out to be a very easy country to quickly settle in. \n \nI've heard that Canadians can be reserved, but my personal experience is completely different. \n \nNevertheless, I got to know fellow immigrants who didn't find it easy to get started in Canada. In my experience, they were not very or only rudimentarily informed about what to expect in Canada. Their expectations were very high and they failed because of the reality of everyday Canadian life. \n \nOthers had similar experiences, but they persevered and ultimately arrived in Canada. Some of my fellow students are international students who are also considering leaving the country because Canada doesn't offer what they were hoping for as a better life here. \n \nThe reasons are really too individual in nature to really generalize. I think there should be a lot more help given to people who are struggling with their fate in Canada, because there are enough programs that they could take advantage of but that they never hear about. \n \nUltimately, it may help if someone just listens to them and perhaps has some advice, no matter how vague it may be. Those who finally arrive in Canada after years of a long odyssey and find this country something like home are, in my opinion, those who never gave up.

I immigrated to Canada in 2010, and here are my experiences inside and outside Canada. I am grateful for a good education; having a Canadian passport opened up many opportunities in other countries to build a higher-level career. However, if I had known the amount of stress, health, and financial damage that I had to endure, I wouldn't have chosen to come to Canada. I would have remained in the US or EU countries where I could achieve even more without suffering to the level I did here. \n\nMisleading immigration promotion: The government-sponsored Canadian immigration program oversells what Canada can offer. It withholds information on the cost of living, chicken-and-egg problems like Canadian work experience is required to get a job at the same level as you are in, Canadian credit history is required to rent a proper apartment, Canadian education is required to secure a high-level job, etc. \n\nHiring process: I knew the Canadian system was not ideal for immigrants over a decade ago, but it got so bad now that even the born citizens are unable to survive. The Canadian government and employers lack a basic understanding that ambitious, high-achieving people immigrate to other countries for high-level positions using proper channels. It's ridiculous to see that Canada uses a point-based system to choose highly qualified personnel to enter their country yet expects them to pursue low-paying entry-level or labor jobs just because they have brown/black skin. At first, I thought having a Canadian degree and experience might help me get high-level jobs, and I didn't think how I spoke or looked would matter when I had high credentials to show off. So, I got my masters & Ph.D. from the Univesity of Toronto, which consistently ranks #1 in Canada. I have a bachelor's from a prestigious university in Asia and had a high-competitive, well-paid federal government job in another country. Still, none of that was recognized in Canada, and I had to volunteer for over 6 months, 10 to 12 hours/day, in a research lab that led to a funded PhD program. I worked even harder during my Ph.D. with many accomplishments, like 40+ research and leadership awards, internationally recognized scientific discoveries, and innovative technologies. I checked all the above and beyond in various domains (research, teaching, leadership, business, engineering consulting, collaborations, etc.). Yet, employers couldn't see past my race, gender, age, etc., and refused to give me the opportunity at the level of my qualifications. Luckily, I managed to secure short-term work in the UK & the US, and it changed even how I see myself. I was highly respected for my credentials, given higher positions than I applied for, and paid 3-4 times more salary and benefits. Of course, bias is an integral part of every society, but my race, gender, age, etc., were not as big of an issue to begin my career at the mid-career stage in these countries as opposed to Canada. \n\nHealthcare: Access to healthcare was another big challenge for me. When I moved to Canada in 2010, due to extremely low temperatures, I developed hives all over my body, my eyes got red, and I coughed for many months. The doctor said there was nothing wrong with me and refused to give me any medication. It took us years to get a family doctor, and we got one through my personal network. In 2015/2016, I developed an autoimmune disease, and my eyeballs popped out. As of today, I did not get to see an eye specialist as they have only 1 specialist in the area, and the waiting time is for years for the first consultation. Every time the family doctor told me that I had iron deficiency, even when I insisted that they should run additional tests and they cleared, they were flagged. The doctor never diagnosed my autoimmune condition. Luckily, during my short-term work in the UK, I saw competent interns who completed my care. NHS is poorer than the medical system in Canada... they are understaffed, don't have hospital beds after surgery, or don't have stock of paper gowns, yet the staff are highly competent and caring. Within 1-2 years, they did complete diagnosis by sending me to various specialists, completed eye surgery, and even found a lifelong condition that was preventing me from realizing my full potential. Following, in the US, the doctors confirmed the diagnosis of all the conditions within 1-2 months and put me on two small pills for life. It has dramatically changed my life, and I have even more admiration for the medical profession. While in Canada, I suffered for over a decade, and every time, I was treated as a hypochondriac and never given a single prescription. \n\nQuality of life: Big cities like Toronto are mainly affected by high crime rates, overpopulation, cost of living, low employment, low salaries, etc. A few months back, there was a huge auto theft, and one of my contacts lost their Lexus car within minutes of parking. Despite being a scientist, I have no faith in politicians or individuals fixing these problems. The salaries are not increasing, but the taxes and cost of living are on the exponential growth curve. The ridiculous part is that Canada expects you to pay taxes even when you are not employed or living in Canada! I lived in London and Boston, and they offer a much higher quality of life and pay. \n\nGrowth potential: No wonder Canada, being a G7 country, falls at the bottom of the list in innovation, equal opportunities, economic growth, etc. It has a decent education system but, due to its inherent bias in the hiring process and monopoly of certain businesses, loses talented immigrants and highly qualified Canadians to the US, the UK, and EU markets. Unless there is a dramatic shift in policies, Canadians, especially new immigrants, cannot expect any positive experience in Canada except for being discriminated against and losing valuable time and money by being there.

***National Post***\nMuslim leaders should've condemned Hamas instead of fomenting hate\nIf they had spoken out against terrorism, their advocacy of the Palestinian cause would carry much more weight. \n\nPart of the reason we are seeing division, hatred and unrest in the streets of Montreal, Toronto and other communities across Canada is due to the collective failure of Muslim leaders, in Canada and around the world, to condemn the despicable Oct. 7 terror attack by Hamas on Israeli civilians. \n\nIt was a horrific and cowardly attack by a terrorist group — not by all Palestinians, Arabs or the wider Muslim community. It should have been condemned and contained immediately. Muslims who pride themselves as followers of a peaceful religion should have empathized and consoled the grieving Jews. \n\nThere was a lot of time to do this. There was a lengthy delay between the attack and Israel’s ground offensive in Gaza. Instead of taking this time to condemn Hamas’s slaughter, Arab and Muslim politicians and government leaders promoted anti-Jewish hate to shore up their political support. This is nothing less than encouraging antisemitism. \n\nMuslim political and religious leaders, barring rare exceptions, chose to contextualize, equivocate and, in most cases, justify Hamas’s barbarity. What we have, as a result, is widespread hate bordering on violence in Canada — a country where communities have historically lived side-by-side in peace. \n\nThe situation got worse due to the statements made by community leaders like Amira Elghawaby, Canada’s special representative on combating Islamophobia, who did not hide her partisan and divisive outlook by clearly siding with the protesters on Canadian streets, characterizing them as “peaceful demonstrations,” even though we have seen people supporting Hamas, calling for genocide against Israeli Jews and harassing and intimidating Jewish-owned businesses. \n\nOn Twitter, Elghawaby approvingly cited a quote from a Toronto Star column reading, “The stories I have heard are both fantastical and true. Muslims (and others who silently sympathize with the loss of Palestinians lives) are being disciplined, maligned, isolated and targeted at work.” \n\nInstead of reaching across the aisle and consoling the Jewish community, she has instead chosen to focus her public comments on rising Islamophobia. \n\nSeriously? Remember the Muslim family who were killed in a hate-related attack in London, Ont., a couple years ago? All communities, including the Jewish community, across the political and religious spectrum unambiguously condemned that hate crime. And it brought a sense of relief and security to Muslims in Ontario. \n\nRemember how, after more that 50 people were gunned down while worshipping at mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand, in 2019, political and religious leaders from all faiths stood behind Muslims and consoled them? \n\nAlso, after the Quebec mosque attack, almost all communities in Canada chose to stand with Muslims. There were images of people in Alberta who formed a human chain to protect Muslims. Similar scenes were witnessed elsewhere in the country. Jewish community leaders spoke out, loud and clear, in support of Muslims and against hate and bigotry. \n\nBut that is not what Elghawaby did. Instead, she makes it sounds as though it is Muslims who are the victims, while failing to mention the barbarity unleashed on Oct. 7. This is not leadership. This is not her mandate. Her job is to promote tolerance as enshrined in Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. \n\nNow imagine a scenario in which Muslims did what they ought to have done in the first place: condemned the Hamas attack, sided with the Jewish victims and dissociated themselves from terrorism. Their voices for the Palestinian cause would have carried much more weight. \n\nWhat we are seeing instead is a rising tide of anti-Jewish hate on our streets, promoted and peddled by Muslim leaders themselves, either by gaslighting the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, or wallpapering it with the political colours of the Palestinian cause. \n\nLet us all come together, not to let hate be poured onto the streets of Canada, but to stand united for a secure and prosperous country. \n\nNational Post \n\nRaheel Raza and Mohammad Rizwan are members of the Council of Muslims Against Antisemitism.

To be honest, Canada really isn’t a remarkable country, we are not a knowledges-based economy like in the US, we do not have a good health care system compared to how much money goes into it (as a Canadian with a health care plan and family doctor) and our housing market is..well you know \n\nLove my country but it is not remarkable in anyway

What has happened in Canada is actually quite simple. Companies sell products and services. Companies require employees in order to sell those products and services. The difference between what the companies can those products and services for and what they pay the employees is profit. The owners of the companies want to maximize this profit, therefore want to pay employees as little as possible. Scarcity is labour is one of the driving factors behind what employees are paid. One way to decrease scarcity of labour is to bring in massive amounts of immigrants. That is exactly what Canada has been doing for decades. The owners of the companies take profits and invest it in real estate. This makes real estate unaffordable for the employees whose wages have been suppressed. Lower wages also means less money from taxes available for services like health care. We allowed our politicians to be bribed into allowing massive levels of immigration. Stagnant wage growth resulted in lowered consumptive capacity in the economy. This lead to stagnant economic activity and lowered investment into things that would make the Canadian economy more productive. What we have now is unaffordable housing. Lack of jobs. A failing health care system. An educational system where the bar was lowered to accommodate the lowest common denominator. Increased crime and substance abuse resulting from the subsequent hopelessness. Several families living in a single house. People working several low paying jobs just to try to get by. People with full-time jobs that are forced to choose between being homeless or starving to death. The immigrants that are still coming here are sleeping on the sidewalk in front of homeless shelters, or maybe scraping by delivering UberEats.

Many recent immigrants I have known have left Canada because the cost of living is too high. From my experience they work very hard, usually working 60+ hours a week. After some time they crunch the numbers and realize no matter how hard they try they will not get anywhere so they leave. For those born in Canada we find ourselves being chased out of our hometowns because it is too expensive to live there. For myself it was either stay in Vancouver, surrendering more than half of your income to rent or move out of the city to buy an apartment. In the major cities there is a mass exodus of young people and the strategy has been to replace that exodus with immigration. The problem is that is not sustainable as now new immigrants, seeking a better life are not finding it in major Canadian cities. For those who already own property in the lower mainland the selfish mentality is to do whatever you can to deny construction, thus maintaining the scarcity and value of what little land/housing there is in desirable areas. Zoning laws are beginning to change but progress is slow and municipalities have failed to keep up with infrastructure so the growing pains is going to be immense. It's beautiful here now doubt but if I had no ties and a solid financial footing I would have left long ago. Generations ago you could show up to Canada with no money and thrive if you were willing to work hard. Now hard work won't get you anything.

Wow! I’m Canadian born and just came across this. 100%. Totally agree. Great review. Things are definitely broken here, slowly deteriorating for the past 20 years, but especially escalated since Trudeau in 2015, and the BS and lies and propaganda since the start of COVID. This country is deteriorating as a direct consequence of our fascist government and broken institutions. Don’t know where this goes, but we are definitely a nation in decline, and the takeover of government by corporate interests and corrupt politics is the reason why. We do not live in a democracy. Don’t let anybody tell you we do. Everything is a lie, and people are figuring it out and no longer wish to participate in a society that has become hostile towards the middle class. The entire system is a pyramid scheme, and the Jenga blocks are crumbling.

Similar problems are faced by those who choose the 'Australian Dream' as well as the 'Canadian Dream'. The impacts of bad policies are also felt by those who are retired - the real value of their savings is dropping a huge rate, impacting their ability to buy essentials or live a happy retirement greatly. In reality $1,000,000 of savings last year is now worth only around $930,000 and falling. We get what we vote for!

I absolutely as a Canadian agree that high immigration is certainly adding to our housing and Medical crisis. We need to stop bringing more people into our country until we deal with the crisis we have. Also I read that 40% of the immigrates that come to Canada leave due to those 2 crisis and no employment for professionals, I.E Doctor, nurses etc. I also noticed in the News there are increased in Hate Crimes

As a born and raised Canadian I can tell you I agree things have changed \nMy pros and cons\nPros - clean, low crime, multi cultural, subsidized but declining healthcare, lower cost tuition for Canadian citizens compared to USA, polite but not friendly people \n-\nCons \n- bad weather for many months of the year. Lots of gloomy rainy and snowy days \n- high cost of living. Rent, housing taxes , heat are all high and rising \n- competitive job market especially for immigrants \n- \n- we are polite but not friendly or personable \n- most incompetent government in G7 \n- government trying to add censorship bills

Canada-\n\n It's not highly educated immigrant... they are English speaking labourer who come with hope no good industry nor high paying jobs... Timmy's and warehouse labor.. \n\njust a English test?\n\n The skill the talent run south as the system is unwelcoming as hypocrisy and superiority is embedded in system!\n\nFor far too long, too many people arriving in Canada have been funnelled toward dead-end jobs .\n\nThis is the definition of modern day hypocrisy and superiority!\n\nOECD estimates-By 2050, we will no longer qualify for the G7 and could find our standard of living in the range of Spain and Greece, rather than the U.K. and France.\n\nIn Canada Canadian. Experience is required - a false claim because of which talented skilled technology driven people never stay for long...\n\n\nThe world does not value Canada because Canada itself feels it's superior; somehow!!

1) Toronto is poor value. Getting housing of any kind (buying or renting) is stupidly expensive. And the quality you get for the price is lousy. Especially the newer builds, which are just thrown up as quickly as possible and sold to investors. Policy measures generally all seem to serve to just inflate the price of housing further. The occasional lip service given to affordability is amusing, but ultimately sad. There are lots of people who really do not want the housing bubble to pop. They will fight against it with all they have.\n\n2) It has become kind of boring. There is lots to do if you have money, but it’s harder to find entertainment on a budget. Even the free stuff like parks are filling up. Stuff like sporting events, eating out, going out is very costly across the board. Even the “cheaper” stuff is expensive. It seems like a lot of local culture is disappearing. Even the cool neighbourhoods are filling up with the same chains. I think the high commercial rent and bureaucracy is deflating a lot of would-be entrepreneurs. Most landowners seem to just be banking on cashing out their land for condos.\n\n3) Canada overall has a high cost of living compared to salaries. In the US you can find lower cost of living areas that still give you a real city experience. And in Europe you can be poor but still live a decent, if no frills, life. In Canada the basic necessities are all expensive. Phone bills, grocery bills, rent, insurance are through the roof. Domestic travel is expensive. And the dollar sucks if you want to travel abroad. Health care is free but good luck finding a family doctor or waiting 8 hours in the ER these days. It’s expensive to be poor, or even middle class.\n\n4) Most of the Greater Toronto Area, outside the core, is soulless suburbs with awful transit - very “American” except with worse traffic congestion. You will need a car, which is another huge cost. Row upon row of old cookie cutter suburbs with the same crappy houses. Good luck walking anywhere, and if you do you will need to walk down boring, treeless arterial roads with cars zooming past right beside you, and cross giant eight lane intersections that were never built for humans on foot. In a rainstorm or on a fall evening you have to be really careful not to be run over by aggressive drivers.\n\n5) It is hard to raise a family in an apartment here. You can do it but it’s not very easy, and also you are still kind of judged for it. Lots of young people are feeling stuck and are deferring or avoiding starting a family. Buying any type of house, even a basic townhouse, requires pledging your soul to a bank by taking a massive mortgage with eye watering debt in a volatile market. But few apartment buildings have the kind of sensible gentle density, the family unit sizes and the common amenities, like little courtyards with jungle gyms, that you might find in Europe. No one ever contemplated that anyone would ever desire to raise kids in an apartment. It’s just a cultural thing that has worked its way into how things are planned and designed.\n\n6) The transit system is ok by North American standards but awful by international standards. There are only two real subway lines, one stub line, one line that is permanently out of service after a derailment, and another line that was supposed to open a couple years ago but still has no date for opening. The subways go out of service frequently, sometimes for the dumbest reasons, and then it is a zoo of shuttle buses. The streetcars are nice but so slow. The buses are fine if you find yourself dreaming about riding a daily herky jerky rolling tin of sardines. They are building a lot of transit but it will take decades to get done.\n\n7) There is still a lot of cool multiculturalism and opportunities to experience different foods and cultures - one of the best things about Toronto. Increasingly though it seems to be losing the fun vibe of the 90s, when everyone celebrated each other’s backgrounds and was chill. It seems the immigration is not as broad based anymore and also people are importing a lot of their “old country” grievances here. The immigration system also kind of preys on people abroad by selling them a false fairy tale, so they end up dejected when they arrive and see how things really are.\n\n8) This one might be controversial but it’s kind of an ugly city. There’s nothing particularly of historical meaning or value. Some of the older neighbourhoods are kind of nice, but the last 25 years they have only built giant glass skyboxes, one after another. There aren’t the cool “missing middle” walkups like in NY, Chicago or Montreal (or even LA). There are very few buildings with much architectural character. Some of the buildings they deem “heritage” here are an embarrassment.\n\n9) For safety, honestly on this score I think Toronto is not bad. There are not too many real “ghettos” and it’s night and day compared to much of the US. With that said, there is more vagrancy and social issues these days, with tents and such. It’s very sad but the shelters are full, lots of homeless go into the libraries, parks and transit system. It does make it harder to enjoy these public amenities safely. It is nowhere close to Europe where you might let your kids run free around town. Canadian parents still helicopter their kids and the place again is not designed to really be safe for kids, in the same way as Europe.\n\n10) Finally, a bit of a double edged sword. Toronto had a lot of youthful energy - people coming here from all over. It is definitely not as sleepy as many parts of the world. With that said, it is becoming a bit of a transient place (minus the world class experiences like London or NY). If you are from elsewhere you might find it hard making and keeping friends. I’ve seen lots of people struggle because it’s is hard to build a strong social network. We have a very “shallow” culture here - people are extremely polite but not overly warm and hospitable. We treat one another kind of like neighbours - meaning we’d like to have a cordial, drama-free coexistence and otherwise kind of stick to ourselves.

The question is, where are they going and why? Solid evidence, not conjecture. Many may be using Canadian citizenship as a stepping stone to their ultimate destinational goal. With any fast tracking of citizenship, we are making it easier and quicker for them.

We can’t lump all immigrants into one single group. But there is one group that are admitted I find repulsive. This group have no intention whatsoever to become Canadians. That is to stay, work, raise family, integrate into Canadian culture and be contributing citizens of the country. This group would spend the minimum required time to become eligible for Citizenship, park their dependence here, utilizing all our social services, including health and education for children. The head of the family then returns to the home country to earn money without paying our taxes as they are deemed non-residents. At retirement age, these non-resident “Canadians” would return as retirees to claim our social services , including “free” healthcare. There are at last count approximately 250,000 “Canadians” in Hong Kong, I am sure there are a lot more in other countries. Whenever there are political or war trouble these people would scurry back, sometimes even demanding Ottawa to send airplanes for them.\nI don’t believe in “a Canadian is a Canadian is a Canadian”. You are a Canadian only if you fulfill the responsibilies of a Citizen.

Truth is that the immigration system has been a source of income and financial gain for the system but gives little back. Sadly many Canadians think the opposite is true. They think because refugees are given shelter while waiting for processing that means they receive support more than the locals. Truth is immigrants come here mostly on loans, spend years working and spending to support families back home, it takes years to understand the taxing, credit, wealth, education and many other resources that drives the Canadian community. This put immigrants in a position where they work more than the local just to meet the bare minimum life standards. If many of the immigrants knew the ins and outs of the system, then they would really take over and appreciate being in canada. \n\nCanadians and canada as a whole are welcoming. You might meet a few who have little knowledge of the global system and standard against immigrants, something that their countries economic system depends on. Remember your countries have never lived without immigration. From the day the first white personal stepped onto this lane, immigrants have continued to come in more different colours. It’s our duty to focus on making life better not on how we can make life harder for others. Wanting to live in canada with your own specific community and wanting others to stay away from a land that has been shared for decades is just a selfish stand. We all love canada because we all find peace here.

It’s been 5 years for me here and I honestly can say I have achieved nothing in my life yet. It scares me when I think I can’t return whatever my parents had invested in me. The fact is you’ll never have a good paying job in Canada being an immigrant. When I say this trust me I mean it. Most you’ll get is a minimum wage job which can make you survive the life here. Taxes are high definitely and what I feel is you’re working to make someone else’s life easier. \n(P.S: people who’ve stayed in Canada will understand who I’m implying to)\nNo one wants to be your freind, scope of socializing is zero coz mostly it’s cold round the year so everyone hardly come out, especially in Northern provinces like Yukon, Saskatchewan, Manitoba.\nHealthcare is a joke. If you feel sick and not well and you wanna see a doctor be prepared to wait for hours and hours. I once had stomach infection and I had to wait 5 hours till someone could see me. I asked for painkiller at-least so I could bear the pain but they refused that as well. You might well see someone you love dearly and with whole heart die in-front of you and you could do nothing. (I’ve experienced it myself hence saying)\nYou’re a lone survivor who’ll always keep fighting. \nThe only person who can make money here is businesses and high paid jobs which are reserved to Canadians. That’s how Canada’s job market is. Canadians’ first and if there’s something left they’ll look at you. By the amount of money people invest here they can establish a nice business back in their country itself and earn accordingly on own terms. \nMost importantly you’ll cut yourself from all emotional supports like family, freinds etc.\nI was social person back in India who liked making new freinds and memories but it’s nothing like that here. \nAnd it’s the same life, no different.\nYou wake up, dress, eat, go to work, come back, eat, sleep. No different.\nNo fun and nothing. You actually don’t live in present, you live in an expectation of a better tommorow.\nYou’ll always have a smile when you greet someone but I guarantee you no one’s gonna check on you to if you don’t start a conversation even with a simple “Hi”. Mostly Canadians are nice but again some will systematically judge you and say nothing but you’ll see in their actions, the way they’ll talk in a twisted way etc.\nYes I’m not saying that Canada’s bad or it’s no good but trust me it will take forever to build a life here especially with the number of people moving here from round the world. \nIf you’re well off financially from back home Canada’s a paradise for you. Indeed it’s a beautiful country with lots of beauty and lots to explore but remember everything comes with a cost here. Everything comes with a cost. People need to stop believing in this fake illusion and come only if they got a purpose here. The only reason why they’ll let you in the country is for money and once you’re in you’ll have to keep spending, doesn’t matter if you’re broke or whatever you have to.\nOnce I earn I’ll happily give up my PR status and go back to India as i very well know what the situation is how it’s gonna be in future.\nSo just one piece of advise to every middle class person like me, guys please invest and spend your money wisely coz we know how hard it is to earn and it’s high time Canadians start appreciating what immigrants like us do for them by burning ourselves day and night and start realizing that their past generation once came from some other part of the world as well and settled here. Being white doesn’t make you a nice Canadian, you’re actions defines you more than your words. \n90% of this country is built by immigrants and that’s how it’s gonna develop in future, so if they keep treating us the same way good luck to them ?.\nAlso a plus note to anyone thinking that Asians are stealing your jobs, go get outside and have the balls to face them and take it away from them. Staying home and ranting and abusing us that we’re taking your opportunities and blah blah isn’t gonna work. We are so successful round the world because we are hardworking, honest and respectful to everyone. Even if we’re earning minimum and barely surviving here we always make sure we’re not burden on the government or anyone else and won’t keep crying.\n\nA big shoutout to all you guys who came here in the hope of a better future but are still struggling.\nKeep hustling and you’ll reach there, if not step down and go back and start your life again on your home soil. There’s no shame in experimenting continuously rather than sitting ideally and crying about future. \n\nAll the very best my people and lots of love to you ❣️

As a Canadian who never lived in the US but visited often, gojng back again. There are p!aces in the US that we love i.e Arizona on the top. Of course I would keep well secured weapons in my house if we retired in AZ. No p!ace is completely safe especially major cities. Keep this in mind as well that Canada is sparsely populated compared to the US. I would not raise my kids in any major city in Canada either. I have no problem with our friends in America. We choose not to hide but experience life even at some risk.

If immigrants come here because they want a better life I fully support their goals. If they come here expecting Canadfa to provide them a better life, they should stay home. We as Canadians born and raised are not given anything .We work for what we get. If an immigrant expects to be provided a job upon arrival that is not realistic. Buying a house takes the average Canadian years of working and saving to afford it. What makes it any different for an immigrant to Canada?

Canada is quickly turning into a 3rd world country because that’s where the majority of them came from, as refugees NOT IMMIGRANTS. Canada is no longer screening for EDUCATED, PROFESSIONAL people who can contribute to Canadian society. Canada has made it so difficult for those who are educated and are professionals to receive accreditation to contribute to Canadian society. Canada no longer ensures there is a Canadian sponsor who pays for the immigrant, to ensure that the immigrant is not a burden on society. When teachers can not make change while volunteering at a food stand for a local craft show, this explains that our education system is junk. Our health care system is run like a well oiled corporation where money stops at the top/administration and never finds it’s way to those who need health care. I was the first generation of latch key kids to go to school with Italian, Croatians, Serbians, Armenians, Jews, Palestinians, Asians and we never saw our classrooms full of sanctioned hate. We never saw the neighbourhoods of any of these ethnicities look like open toilets. There was no gang violence amongst these ethnicities. They had their own community centres, churches, synagogues and anyone was welcome. They were active in the community, they were fantastic neighbours. Decades later we have “no go zones” in our cities and rural communities because of the danger of some ethnicities. Churches and synagogues are locked. Their community centres are locked and monitored for entry. We have lost our way. We have allowed chaos agents into our country and we are paying the price and will continue to do so.

Canadian ruling class markets the country as a bastion of freedom and equality. We immigrated, believing in that notion . Then, slowly came to realize that that belief is false .\nTruth is, canada is a fake democracy. The capitalist ruling class possesses all the rights and power in this country, and we immigrants are not seen as equal, but are being used to keep wages low . For canada to become the country it says it is , there needs to be an expansion of true democracy, into the workplace where we spend most of our time, and where the same ruling class invests very little of there's. \nSo say no to capitalism for a better canada. And yes to real democracy!

Because of Trudeau’s socialist liberal policies and the national media support of such policies,we as Canadians don’t have anyplace to go. But as an “irregular traveller” you can become a citizen of our land and go back to where you came from. As long as the Canadian taxpayer will look after you wherever you are and whatever you need. I wish as a Canadian we would have that kind of support in our own country.

The Canadian government has not updated it's Stats so what New Comers see when they look up housing prices and labour market. It still reflects 2016. They never let those coming here know how difficult it is to get their credentials recognized or the lack of housing. So a Dentist or a Director from a University end up working at Super Store. Also, as soon as they arrive they are told these short certificates that they take will get them an excellent job when in reality it's a cash grab and they don't end up getting hired anywhere as the course and school is not recognized. Totally ripping them off. Basically we have set up a system where a nurse from another Country can't even become a care aid. Ridiculous how many road blocks there are. And then of course there's the lack of housing not just the price. (I am from BC so this is coming from a BC perspective)

So u want to be a U .S or Canadian citizen but want to carry a daggar to school?? That daggar..is meant to be worn as part of ur religious uniform. I dont see u wearing the rest of ur religious uniform thoe..\nu come to our Country because u want the freedom & opportunities , then maybe u should be more understanding & act accordingly .\n Otherwise stay in a country where everyone carries their weapon to school. Their are crazy ppl in every religion..just bc this young man is peaceful doesnt meann we all can assume the next guy will be.

I'VE NEVER CHALLENGED YOU BUT ON THIS TOPIC, LET THE OGs TALK ABOUT THIS PARTICULAR TOPIC AS A HOLDER OF CANADIAN/DUTCH/GHANAIAN PASSPORT WHO LIVED AND WORKED IN 11 COUNTRIES ACROSS 3 CONTINENTS - YES THERE'RE MORE OPPORTUNITIES IN THE NORTH AMERICA BUT ALSO IN EUROPE AND THE SCANDINAVIA - DO YOU KNOW HOW MANY STORES ARE OWNED BY AFRICANS IN THE BIJMEER AMSTERDAM? DO YOU KNOW HOW MANY PROFESSIONALS WE HAVE AT THE CORPORATE LEVEL IN THE UK? THIS IS REALLY NOT YOUR TOPIC - YOU MUST LIVE IN EUROPE TO SHARE YOUR EXPERIENCES - THERE ARE AFRICANS ALSO MAKING IT IN EUROPE/SCANDINAVIA - WE NEED TO HAVE A PODCAST TO SHARE EXPERIENCES - YOU CAN EASILY BUY PROPERTIES IN USA/CANADA BUT ALSO STAGNANT AS ALL DEPENDS ON THE INDIVIDUAL - CONTACT ME AT info@kwamekuewor.com THANKS!

I am a Canadian exasperated with the wait times for medical care here. There is a lot of prejudice in Canada against America. Our politicians are ruining our economy and many Canadians are more interested in sensationalism about American politics than they are about problems here. Everyone living in peace and safety can afford to criticise others. But Canada was safer, friendlier and more economically responsible in the past. There are unsafe neighbourhoods here, too. There is poverty here, too. Those who don't see deterioration are not looking closely. We battle the same demons as any people group and are just as vulnerable to calamity as our American neighbours. I don't want to leave my country. The people I love are here. The rising cost of living gives me fears about future homelessness. I grew up as a patriotic Canadian and believed America was our friend. We thought maybe Americans were more prone to bragging while Canadians were more modest. My nearest city used to be vibrant and friendly and now it is colder, more dangerous and there is visible ruin from addiction.

As a Canadian I will say most of these are lies or are hard core libby cucks. I would give my left nut for a chance to live in the US. We have zero freedom in this sh*t hole country.

I was really offended by this video! I am Canadian, live in Canada and absolutely HATE CANADA!! \nEverything said about USA and how bad certain things are, it’s the exact same here in Canada! Canadians can’t have a normal conversation about politics or religion! Look at what’s happening here? Locking up pastors or anyone preaching the bible! And don’t get me started about politics here! Absolute disgusting politics here and the insane amount of bat shit crazy left wing people that believe everything on msm as if it’s golden. Liberal government here has got to be the worst government in the entire world! Once upon a time they were normal and like all other political parties but now since the plandemic they are all insane! These left wingers think that the vax was a good thing and line up to get pics done with our top criminal Justin Trudeau! It’s sickening! \nSo there is absolutely no difference between Canada and USA! We have horrible cities that are dangerous just like USA. We have horrible pathetic cops that are power hungry and out to destroy lives. I know cops in Canada who were put through hell because they stood up for doing the right thing against other corrupt dangerous cops! They are a gang that wear uniforms and have the rights to abuse their powers. \nThis bothered me so much as it’s certainly calling the kettle black! People thinking they are better than others! \nIt would do the entire world some good to pick up the bible, read it and repent! Every single person on this earth needs to!

Sooooo.. here is my own side of the story .. i am happy he said *if you are stable*… well for most ppl in a situation like mine.. jobless here in Nigeria or living on 50k salary, no connection to get good jobs, nobody willing to help, getting a canadian visa is like winning the lottery.. its hard dere but i bet we will b able to cope nd cnt complain bcos it already is hard here too(worse)… we cn start small and grow… as for the racism honestly the tribalism here too is real.. all i am trying to say is what can they throw at us that we havnt already experienced, i mean ppl in my class… so was i happy when i got my visa some months ago? 100%.. also 100% ready for the new challenge.. long story short there are two sides to being an immigrant… please correct me if i am wrong ?

Hey there, you fine American... Just to let you understand, our system is FAR from perfect, but it's still easy access and quick service IF you don't need a rare specialist or a not so rare one). The thing is, it's ALL priority based, so if you wait, it's because someone needs your resources even MORE than you do. Sometimes, it ends up in a tragedy, but MOST times, it allows for the neediest to get it first. \nAs far as having children here, we have a NEGATIVE birthrate, so our government PAYS us to have children. My son grew up in Quebec, and they have a double everything. Double taxes (not that bad after the tax deductions and credits), but they also Double the safety net and services, compared to the rest of Canada. Not only was childbirth free, so were the pre-natal courses and everything else, AND we got around 1000$/mo in childcare benefits, until he turned 18, with full of tax credits per kid. Plus, daycare was 5$/day back then, it's 7$/day almost 20 years later.. Pretty citizen friendly. \nThings MIGHT be changing though. Our conservatives are taking their talking points from the US GOP since COVID, and they are all-in to please their Oil lobby overlords and donators out in our prairies region. The Alberta Premier is a far-right conspiracy nutcase and her new pet-project is Capitalist healthcare (among her trolley of lunacies). SAME place the far-right rednecks always come at us from. It's like they binge-watch FUX nonnews and get their ideas from the dumbest idiots there. Disgraceful Canadian MAGAt wannabes are the result of Trump polluting everything since 2016. He made shameless individuals get some traction in this new, crazy world we live in. And it infected the whole Western world. Canada is not immune to idiocies, Q , conspiracy nuggets, and belly-button Anarchists everywhere.\nSorry a bout this little rant, but things are getting steadily worst as the year goes on. \nAnyways, YOU give me a sense that what we SEE about Americans isn't all there is to see. Some of you are decent, so keep it up and don't let the ranting morons give your whole country a bad rep.

I’ve been privileged to actually live and work for long periods of time in USA, Netherlands, and China…and in a variety of locations in each country. Until recently, I’d have chosen Canada without hesitation. Canada has been rocketing into an ideological cesspool rivalling China, but so has USA and the Netherlands. As for the future…if I were middle aged (as opposed to OLD!) I would go to southeast USA Fla or Tx. Not because they are ‘better ‘ right now, but I believe USA still has a chance to sort itself out but Canada is simply too screwed up and corrupt (morally, politically, socially, & financially) to recover at least in my lifetime. I was living in northern China (Harbin) when that idiot Trudeau became PM and hoped he had a chance to improve things in general. But it is clear he (or whoever is pulling his vapid strings) has been a disaster and his current opposition shows signs of being equally awful. I believe US citizens care far more for their constitution and freedoms and more aware of the perilous situation they’re in than Canadians, many of whom still believe we have a functioning health care system. All this is coming to you from a Canadian septuagenerian, highly educated by what was (decades ago) the best educational system in the Western Hemisphere. One who benefited from a wonderful health care system before it got farmed out to private corporations and became a haven for niche specialties while starving out the family physicians who were the front line for proactive family care. Can u tell I’m cranky yet? ?? Might as well laugh about it at this point. P.S. When the history of Canada is written I suspect an unabashed plagiarist will begin with the line, “It was the best of times; it was the worst of times.”

I'm Canadian. I was born here, raised here, and have lived here all my life. However, my parents are American (they came during the Vietnam war), and I have full dual citizenship. I could cross the border into the U.S., get a job, start working and live there for the rest of my life if I ever chose to do so.\n\nHowever, I will never live in the U.S. Why? The cost of healthcare insurance and healthcare in general is definitely a part of that, but another huge factor is the socio-political atmosphere down there that is very unappealing to me. Everything from politics, the gun issue, much higher violence than we have in Canada, more racism issues, the media, and from what I have observed from decades of visits to the U.S.: there just seems to be a lot more people that are on edge and hostile than I am used to compared to Canada as well. For me, the general culture and mindset is just not something I want to live amongst.\n\nThere are some things I enjoy in the U.S., and there ARE wonderful people there too. I have several friends in the U.S. (born and raised), not to mention my entire extended family is American. But for me, the U.S. is a nice enough place to visit, but it's not somewhere I'd ever want to live.\n\nNo matter what kind of trip I take to the U.S., whenever I get back home to Canada it's always like a deep sigh of relief. I feel safer. I feel more relaxed. I feel at home. No matter how good my trip was, when I set foot back on Canadian soil again I always get a feeling of humble gratitude that I live here. For me, other than the warmer weather and some of the sights the U.S. has to offer, I'm much, much happier in Canada. I feel very fortunate to live here.\n\nAs a side note, I have never found our public healthcare system here in Canada to be lacking whatsoever. Any healthcare I, or anyone else I know that has received any, has always been prompt, of excellent quality, and reassuringly delivered in a professional manner.\n\nAs an example, in 1994, my father had a seizure and it was discovered that he had a benign brain tumour that had to be removed. Not even a week later, he was booked for his surgery and he had his procedure. He was operated on by one of the top two neurosurgeons in North America at the time, he spent three weeks in recovery at the hospital, and he had months of rehab afterward. About 2 weeks later, he had another seizure (the last one he ever had), he stayed in another hospital for an additional two weeks.\n\nHowever, all of what I just mentioned, and I mean ALL of it, was paid for by our public healthcare system. All he had to do was show his healthcare card and sign a release form for his surgery, and that was it. Nothing more. There were literally ZERO bills, no insurance companies, no paperwork, no phone calls, and ZERO hassle. Nothing.\n\nAnd no, our family was NOT rich or privileged either. Just an average middle class family. However, my dad's neurosurgeon told us his surgery and all the months of care he received afterward would have cost $180,000 (in 1994!), and our family would have been out on the street if it wasn't for our healthcare system. My dad also had a very minor heart attack in 2007 which didn't require surgery, and he didn't have to pay a dime or do anything else other than show his healthcare card for that either. Since those two events, my father has lived a healthy, normal life thanks to our public healthcare.\n\nIn Canada, EVERYONE receives that kind of care, regardless of if they are a billionaire or they are homeless. Because that's the moral and ethical thing to do, and is just one of the many reasons why I plan on staying here.

11 years ago a trip to the ER in Texas cost close to or more than the cost with insurance than a the cost for an ER visit in NS (for those out of country who are not covered by our provincial program). \n\nWe would pay $50 copay at the ER, then over. The next few days we would receive a bill for the physician, then from pharmacy, then from the facility, then from X-ray, etc, every separate department would have its own portion. \n\nAnd then there was the unpleasant surprise when the doctor who saw you in the ER was not an “in network” doctor even though the hospital was “in network”. Our insurance paid 70% of (approved) in network costs, but only 50% of out of network costs. Keep in mind that “in network” hospitals and providers had lower negotiated rates with the insurance companies. Which meant you would have coverage of 70% of a negotiated lower rate for in network but out of network was 50% of a higher rate.\n\nMy neighbours were lovely people. The culture was much different than I expected. The gun culture really hits you in face. For the first while it seemed to be so obvious - signs on pharmacies, hospitals, and schools that state that guns were not allowed, even with a conceal and carry permit. Very quickly, that became “normal”….\n\nFood was amazing. Gas was cheap. Politics was everywhere. Christian mega churches were everywhere - along with some very vocal overbearing people who force their beliefs and opinions on anyone who is near them. \n\nI was surprised with the number of people who felt it was appropriate to discuss religion, politics, and money with virtual strangers. A lot of very personal questions as well. I am guessing it is the difference between what is considered extremely rude in Canada, vs what is just a regular question in the US (or that area of Texas). \n\nAnd another very different thing was how hardly anyone swore. I had the bottom drop out of a bad carrying glasses when I was in San Antonio, the glasses broke, and I said “Shit.” I have never seen so many heads turn towards me. Most of the females looked at me with complete disgust and a lot of the males laughed. I expect that the American who heard me swear, were thinking I was the rudest person. One of my children’s friends was from Australia and when their mom came over one day, she said something to the effect of “so glad you are Canadian” because she sis not have to worry about offending me if she said fuck. That was a relaxing afternoon.

The problem with Canadian health care is a lack of doctors. It's not that Canadians don't become doctors, it's that many doctors move to the US because they can make more money there. \nI live in a small town that has a large hospital and it has pretty short wait times and the hospital has lots of space. We could easily accommodate overflow from surrounding communities, but we have a lack of staff to do so. So there are a couple wings of the hospital that are completely empty as a result. The hospital itself is well maintained, new looking, lots of art on the walls and mood lighting. It's a very pleasant place to visit. Every time I've gone in for an emergency, they've been able to get me into surgery within a few hours, but booking a surgery for something that's not life threatening takes about 3-4 months. But that's because they have to leave space just in case there are emergencies that come in. With more staff, they could easily cut wait times in half.

I mean no offence by this but my wife and I love your content because you really seem like the average American and we are super interested in all the gaps in your education and experiences. no insult at all but as a Canadian I am baffled by how you guys just don't talk about things that need to be discussed.

Great job n great research by the Nitish Rajput's team. This is 100% true, most of the people migrated to Canada in 80s-90s remember punjab negatively. Most of the news these people hear is through the indian media houses which very negative. They expect the same rights from indian government as they get from Canadian government. Most of the Khalistani supporting got active because of ruling party politics where a regular sikhs whose son, brother n father served in indian army and marines is called Khalistani without any reason. This has definitely created a divide in society, and media houses are also spreading the negativity towards a community. \n\nWahi baat h ki Modi is not india n humei ni pasand uski politics. Doesn't mean ki hum anti nationalist hogye or we hate modi. Bhai nahi pasand humei politics jo society mei divide kre. First thing a sikh child is taught is that everyone is equal. Ab tum fundamentals attack kroge toh humei ni pasand ayega.

I must say you have a good skill of spreading Indian govt propaganda in a way like it was out of great research. We are are fed up of all these sharma verma and rajputs sitting in Delhi spinning conspiracy theories against sikhs. According to your rogue analysis the entire NDP party is infiltrated with Sikhs and sikhs are holding canadian govt to ransom. Is it not true that successive hindu majoritarian govt have done genocide and extrajudicial killings of sikhs in 1980s and 2000s for muslims to appease the hindu majority voters. After pannu made a video to threaten hindus to leave India entire Canadian parties condemn it and assured safety of hindus in Canada. In comparison every single day a hindu leader of Indian parties calls muslims to go to pakistan and labells sikhs as terrorists and no judicial system or political parties and so called independent journalists like you have guts to call it out. Its not the sikhs to want so much khalistan its the treatment of India and its majority with sikhs that creates the demand.

In my opinion if you move to Canada without taking the proper steps and expect everything to work out for you then you are very naive and cannot complain. First off a lot of Kenyans are applying for visitor visas instead of work visas which are harder to get and thinking once they are in Canada they can look for work. You are not allowed to work on a visitor visa and most employers will not even consider your applications if you do not have either a work permit, refugee status, or permanent residency/ citizenship. Work experience is also very important here and many employers will not consider someone even with canadian education that has no experience. Another thing is Canadian benefits such as subsidized health care etc is only available to people that are on long term work permits with no conditions, refugees, and permanent residency holders and government housing is only open to refugees and permanent residency holders/ citizens. So in short if you move there without a plan, the correct papers, and the willingness to work even lower income jobs until you get Canadian work experience and expect the government to help you just because you landed then you are sorely mistaken and will very easily end up on the streets. Another thing is just because you are granted refugee status does not guarantee you a home as we have seen, the government housing waitlist is very long and even Canadian citizens that cannot afford their rent end up on the streets because there are too many people applying for housing. So please do not think just because you were allowed to stay as a refugee life will be sweet. \nHowever if you do your research and take the right steps so you are fully prepared, put in the time and effort even though things may not be happening immediately then you can have a success story.

Pricing is not a Canadian specific problem. Look at anywhere people actually want to live in the US, it's essentially the same. LA and NY are just as expensive as Toronto. Only difference is there's less people in Canada that live in rural states like Iowa where everything is cheap because there isn't major city for hundreds of thousands of miles. This is all part of late stage capitalism and our inability to see past the short term. Corporations eventually take over if we don't do anything about it and everything becomes too expensive. People stop having kids so the government needs to increase immigration to support what few social systems we have left. I'm so tired of seeing these anti canada when it's no different than anywhere worth living in the US

Thanks Lynn for bringing this up. I am a Kenyan living in Canada. You highlighted the most important thing- due diligence. There are a lot of people that come here with a promise of a better life and the notion is that it’s instant. I want to confirm to you that it’s better life, but it’s not instant. You have to put in the work and prove your worth. You have to gain Canadian experience to get a decent job. Also be ready to go back to school and upgrade your skills. There are jobs here zinaitwa Trades. These are the jobs that we don’t value at home but pay amazingly well here. Construction, Electricians, Plumbers, Mechanics, Carpentry, Welding, Hairdressers, Tailors.. Those are very valued skills here- if you can invest in learning these trades but pia ukikuja hapa you have to convert your certs to Canadian ones by doing an exam or going back to school . If you are into office jobs, make sure you have market relevant skills that align to this country. Be ready to embrace the digital revolution and mpende hesabu. Accounting is very much valued here. The secret is be ready to start from the bottom, be ready to upgrade yourself, be ready to work like you’ve never worked before… You will make it eventually .. Mungu mbele! \nI am confirming that we are going through a recession here and as per the market trends, it’s only going to get worser until we get to a point of stabilization. The housing market is crazy, food costs and gas (fuel)costs are off the roof .. it’s not easy. So if you have a good job in Kenya, hold onto it for now until things get better ( due diligence /research) .. Make sure you have the right visa that allows you to work here. That visitors visa theory is not working anymore. \nOverall Canada is a good country with lots of opportunities but it’s not for the faint hearted. \nLastly, be prepared for the harsh winters and days of severe loneliness- Si lakini ni life? Kila nchi ina challenges zake. God bless!

Basic tip : if you travel legally, with the right channels into Canada you will not have to struggle. The government will even ensure you are getting support while at it. Once you 'cheat' your way in please expect repurcussions. The canadian government is as transparent as you'd like it to be. I came here with no agent, followed the guidelines from the government immigration website, got a visitors visa for 6months, immediately applied for temporary workers visa got it within 45days, upgraded to permanent residency and got it within 60days. My point is usidanganye kwa makaratasi. Where its not clear what they are asking, they will walk you through it. Am now a citizen bila hustles. Once you breach the guidelines of Canada immigrations don't expect mteremko. The laws here are the most friendliest and yes Canada is made of immigrants. If you can come please do it the right way. Wacheni kulipa agents your savings jameni. Agents live off your hard earned money and they provide no guarantees. You are protected when you do the right thing huku. Currently Alberta is loking for pharmacists, nurses, doctors and caregivers for kindergarten age. Its all on the website for Alberta government. Its straight forward. Bottom line do not expect magic to happen. Once you make into Canada you must get a mind shift, Be willing to start over and have laser line focus. Hukuu hakuna party after party ni kazi after kazi. Hata we don't know our neighbours..

I immigrated from Africa to the US then I made my way to Canada 20 years ago. Life has changed from the time we first moved here. Before with 5k Canadian dollars you would put down for a mortgage and get into the housing market. From 2015 when the Liberals came in power housing market has gone downhill for most even those earning middle class income. \n\nIf you desire to come make sure you have the right paper work. If you are coming as a foreign trained professional. You are okay. Otherwise, make sure you have immediate family willing to help you untill you get on your feet. DON'T COME as a visitor without family to ask for refugee status. You will suffer. Most of those stranded in Toronto are those seeking asylum and shelters are full with those who came from newyork when the borders where shut.\n\nOtherwise if you can pay your bills in Africa just stay there, atleast you have morals. Our elementary schools ? are terrible here with those LGB****%$# stuff pushed on children.

Hi Lynn, this is a very interesting conversation. I moved to Canada in 2003 went to college and became a nurse. First of all it was not easy paying for college I was lucky that husband was supporting with the bills as I went to school. So I would say that I have skills that are very marketable. Our combined family income was over $100,000 CAN. We mortgaged our first home which was very basic for a LOT of money. We had our kids and we had to struggle with childcare as most young families do. By North American standard, we were doing good. We each had a good car ( loaned), we made trips to Kenya every so often but in 2016 we decided we wanted to move back home and we sold our home and we did. I HAVE NO REGRETS. There were several things that made us reach our decision. First, I truly believe that for the Canadian system to work as it does, it has to entrap its residents. Even after 10 years of work we did not have money in the bank. Everything we owned really belonged to the bank. The light bulb moment for me came when I evaluated my net worth. A primary school teacher in Kenya after 10 years of work with good financial management will own a plot, a simple house and will start to invest for retirement. After 10 years of work, there wasn't much in the account, our house would need 25 years to finish paying mortgage and to be honest there wasn't much to show for those years of work. Quality of life really sucks the amount of stress will definitely send you to the grave sooner. This is the case for most first generation immigrants. You might say you are sacrificing and building a future for your children but, my observation was since our diaspora children have not grown in Kenya to see the need for money and what life really looks like without the comforts they are used to, they do not have the same drive as the parents so they often do not excel they are just ordinary. There is also the struggle of growing up as a minority group. A lot of our children because they are seeking acceptance will struggle with self esteem, will have depression or will join the LGBTQ community where they get sense of belonging regardless of their colour. The morals are also different from their parents and they are shaped by the society they grow up in. When I looked at what my life would look like if we kept living there, lets say we eventually pay off our mortgage, when we are old and requiring care, our children will not be able to support themselves and support us because they have to work to sustain themselves so we would to move to assisted living or nursing homes. The cost of senior care is not covered by the government unless you have no money. so we have to sell out home which would be old and outdated but still very expensive and we would have to pay $5000-$10000 per month depending on the type of care we need. so as you can see if we ended in a nursing home for 5 years we will have depleted all the money we made from the sale of our home. So by the time we die, we would not have money to leave for our children. So we worked really hard, supported the economy, and die leaving not much at all for our children, we sacrificed our quality of life, and ended up with children who don't think much of themselves or have very distorted morals. I still remember in my mind as we drove to the airport on our way back to Kenya, I thought of the story of Lot. He was pretty successful in Sodom but I'm very sure on his death bed he had lots of regrets why he ever went there. I know its tough being in Kenya but if you have a job or any way to make ends meet, be like Abraham. God will bless you regardless of whether you are in the dessert.

Due to Trudeau's policies the standard of living for a LOT of people has rocketed downwards...his gas tax has made food and gas unaffordable, his mass printing of Canadian currency plus his massive deficits from year to year have cause rampant inflation, we have a massive housing shortage due to his policies coupled with the lack of proper infrastructure in this country (Canada is the ONLY G7 nation with high speed rail, plus we have no plans to build that)...as a result rents in cities like Toronto and Vancouver are ridiculously unaffordable...there is a massive crime wave happening in the country because of Trudeau's policies to release criminals from jails, coupled with his policies to use taxpayer funds to provide drugs (like cocaine, and meth) to users...stay away from Toronto, it has been ruined by the policies of the government run by Justin Trudeau and backed by Jagmeet Singh. :(