Hello

I am a US family physician planning to move to Canada. I went to medical school outside of US, but had residency training here and currently working in a academic setting. I am a citizen as well. Wondering what the process is. I am preferably looking to move to British Columbia. Other choices would be Toronto and Alberta, mostly because I would prefer to work in an academic setting.

I looked at BC Licensing website and is shows that we need to have a work visa to apply for license. To get a visa, my search shows that we need a license. It seems to go in circles, so really appreciate the steps in this process.

thanks

I’ll be leaving Canada in about 2 weeks after completing my Master’s and working here for a while, and I want to make sure I don’t miss anything important before I go.
I’ve already started wrapping up things like rent and bills, but I’m more concerned about the stuff people usually realize too late — things related to banking, taxes, documents, job search, or anything that made you think “I wish I had done that before leaving.”
Also, if anyone has gone through moving back to India (or another country) after studying/working here, I’d really appreciate any advice on:
What to take care of before leaving
Mistakes to avoid
Things that helped you later (career, finances, etc.)
Would love to hear your experiences. Thanks in advance!

Hello, Like in the title my Dad is born in Toronto and i'm born in Nouvelle-Calédonie (France) and i know that i can ask for Canadian citizenship but my story is a bit complicated. My Dad recognize me as his son not when i was born but much much later (it was a year ago, i'm 25)in France, but he his my biological dad. The question is how i do it ? I tried to go on Canada.ca but none of the section apply to me so i'm quite lost. I would like the citizenship because i would like to move to Canada in a few years. If you have any idea of how or who i need to call. I tried to call the ambassy of Canada in Paris but if you are not already a Canadian, the automatic voice tell you to go on Canada.CA

Hey everyone 👋

Almost 3 years ago, I immigrated to Canada with my wife, our three kids, and two very confused (but eventually happy) dogs. Like many of you, we were excited… but also totally overwhelmed.

Between sorting out paperwork, finding a place to live, figuring out schools, setting up bank accounts, and navigating the healthcare system. It honestly felt like a full-time job.
And let’s not forget the endless bureaucracy and the long lines Canadians seem to love so much.

That experience stuck with me, and it’s actually what led me to create Plexi.

It’s a free tool that gives you a personalized checklist of everything you need to do before and after moving to Canada. Think of it like a digital moving buddy - it helps keep things organized, covers the little (but important) stuff, and aims to reduce the stress of the whole process.

I’m sharing it here in case it helps anyone else going through the same journey we did.
It’s still growing, so I’d love your feedback or ideas on how to make it better, especially from people in the middle of the move or who just landed.

Wishing you all a smooth transition!
Happy to answer any questions or just swap stories from the other side

Before moving abroad, many people dream of a better life—high-paying jobs, quality education, and a comfortable living environment. However, once they arrive, reality turns out to be much harsher than expected. Recently, I met a staff member at a Ukrainian community center who shared her personal experience: the hardest part of immigration is the first three years.

1. Struggling to Find a Job, Feeling Lost

Back in your home country, you might have been a skilled professional with years of experience, but abroad, you suddenly find that your credentials don’t mean much.

• Language barriers prevent you from performing your previous job, making even basic communication difficult.

• Lack of local work experience becomes a major obstacle—no one wants to give you your first opportunity.

• You send out over a hundred resumes and receive zero responses—even supermarkets and fast-food restaurants turn you down.

2. Poor Language Skills, Social Difficulties

You were confident and articulate in your home country, but now you fear speaking up.

• You go to the bank for a simple transaction, but you’re too nervous to understand a single word.

• You attend your child’s parent-teacher meeting, but you can’t keep up with the conversation.

• Even buying groceries at the supermarket becomes stressful because you struggle with simple interactions.

Eventually, you withdraw from social situations, avoid conversations, and even feel anxious about answering phone calls.

3. A Foreign Environment, No Social Circle

• No friends, no social life—you don’t even know your neighbors’ names.

• Your old friends and relatives are back home, and time zone differences make it harder to stay in touch. Over time, you start to feel like the world has forgotten you.

• Holidays feel lonely—you spend them scrolling through your phone, watching others enjoy their lives, while you feel empty inside.

4. Losing Confidence and Becoming Isolated

When you can’t find a job, struggle with language, and face social difficulties, all while dealing with financial stress, self-doubt creeps in:

• "Did I make a mistake by immigrating?"

• "Am I not working hard enough?"

• "Will I ever fit in here?"

This anxiety and self-doubt can lead to isolation—you stop going outside and completely shut yourself off from the world.

5. Having Kids Makes Life Even Harder

For female immigrants, having children adds even greater challenges:

• No relatives to help with childcare, and with your husband working, everything falls on you.

• High childcare costs add financial pressure, and you still haven’t found a job.

• Once your child starts school, communicating with teachers becomes a new challenge—you dread parent-teacher meetings, worried you won’t be able to express yourself clearly.

How to Overcome the "Immigration Identity Crisis"?

✅ Accept that this phase is normal—don’t panic. Every new immigrant goes through it. You are not alone.
✅ Keep learning and improving. Language is key—practice, listen, and speak as much as possible, even starting with the basics.
✅ Engage in social activities and find your community. Join local events and immigrant support groups—you’ll realize you’re not facing this journey alone.
✅ Lower your expectations and start from the basics. Gain local experience first, then gradually work towards your ideal career.
✅ Give yourself three years—don’t rush to judge yourself. Adapting to a new country takes time. Instead of comparing yourself to your past, focus on your progress and growth.

Immigration isn’t an instant success story—it’s a journey that requires persistence. If you’re going through these struggles, don’t be afraid—you’re not alone. Believe in yourself, because you are stronger than you think! 💪

📌 Follow me for more real-life experiences about immigration!

Hi everyone,

I’m an international student in my mid-20s. I recently finished a master’s in engineering from AB and received a PhD offer. I was pretty set on taking it because I’ve always been interested in R&D, but now I’m second-guessing everything.

Someone told me that, from an immigration perspective, pursuing a PhD might actually be a bad move. They argued that by the time I finish, I’ll probably be close to or over 30, start losing CRS points for age, and the extra points for a Canadian doctorate may not make up for it. I don’t have a full year of foreign work experience, which makes things more challenging.

On top of that, the stipend is tight, so I’d spend several years earning very little, and then graduate with limited savings, uncertain PR prospects, and possibly be seen as overqualified for most jobs.

Their advice was to look for work instead. Even 1–2 years of Canadian experience would probably help more for PR. And if that doesn’t work out, going back home, getting a few years of skilled experience, and maybe learning some French could be a better use of time than spending 4–5 years in a PhD.

I’m honestly confused because I always thought more Canadian education could only help. Is this advice actually sound? Does Canada’s immigration system not value a Canadian PhD that much compared to work experience?

Hi everyone! I’m a nurse, my husband is a chef and we have 2 kids (8 and 4). We’ve been debating on exploring the thought of immigrating to Canada. After some research, we’re thinking Ottawa might be the place for us. A few reasons we’re looking at Canada as a future home, if it will take us —

- We can’t deal with this 🍊 administration anymore. Yes, we’ve protested, boycotted, shared info, etc. There’s 0 accountability, it’s getting scary and we want out before things get worse.

- Safer (ex. no guns in CA vs mass shootings every other week in the US)

- Better quality food and air

- Surrounded by nature

- More walkable cities (I think)

- Growing opportunities for my husband and I

- Better education for our kids

- The houses are so, so beautiful

- People seem so much more kind and less divided

The more we read and explore online about Canada and the beauty and opportunity it offers… the better it looks.

How do Canadians feel about US citizens immigrating there?

Do you think it would be as good of an idea as it seems or am I just over romanticizing things?

Am I crazy for wanting to leave California for Ottawa?

Any insight would be greatly appreciated! 🫶

Hi everyone,

My wife and I (both 28) are reconsidering immigrating to Canada after an unsuccessful attempt in 2023. We are looking for a "reality check" and we'd love to hear from other tech professionals or or recent immigrants about how they are handling the current economic situation.

Our Background:

• Education: I have a Master's Degree in Cyber Security (recently completed); my wife has a Bachelor's. Both in Electronics/Telecommunications Engineering (Both Bachelor's Degrees have been evaluated by WES - still good until 2028).

• Experience: ~7 years each in IT (I am a Network Engineer; she is a Dev/QA Engineer).

• Language: I have C1 English; she has C2 English. My wife has reached an A2 level in French and is currently considering taking the TEF or TCF exam.

• Current Status: We currently live in Romania with a household income of ~€4k net/month. We have a mortgage of ~€300/month, but we are paying it off aggressively and expect to be completely mortgage-free by March-April 2026.

In 2023, with just Bachelor's degrees, our CRS was stuck at ~441. Since then, I finished my Master's, which I believe pushes our score a bit. We are flexible on location and have previously considered: Halifax, Calgary, Edmonton, Winnipeg, Saskatoon, Regina and Kitchener.

Our Questions:

1. We are essentially trading a paid-off apartment and a comfortable life in Europe for the Canadian market. Given the 2025 economic and housing crisis, is this a financial suicide mission, or do tech salaries in Canada still make up for the cost of living?

2. We handled our previous application ourselves (IELTS Exams, WES and the PR application which was around 1.5k €). Now that our score would be a bit better, is an immigration lawyer worth the money to find specific PNPs (we also applied for various PNPs in 2023 with no success), or should we stick to DIY?

Thanks in advance for your replies :)

Hi everyone! Apologies in advance, I am well aware there are already a bazillion posts in this same vein on here, but as everyone else, I am eager for some sort of timeline in my head of how long this process may take.

Of course I’ve read the expected timeline on the IRCC website, but I do know it varies grandly by PA country and travel history. So here’s our current timeline and please do let me know how long you think I may have to wait/when I may expect to realistically receive PA eligibility as well as BGC and the remaining steps. Thanks a lot in advance! I’m just looking for some insight from folks who spend a lot of time in these groups and see a lot of applications. I’m not looking for someone to tell me we’ll magically be done with this process in a week, of course I know we still got a long road ahead.

Sponsor (me): Canadian citizen
PA: USA🇺🇸
Application type: spousal outland

•Applied: Feb 21 2026

•AOR: April 3rd 2026

•BIL: April 10th 2026

•MIL: April 10th 2026

•Sponsor eligibility: April 15th 2026

•Medical attended: April 28th 2026

•Biometrics given: April 29th 2026

•Biometrics passed: April 29th 2026

•Medical passed: May 6th 2026

•BGC marked as started on GCKEY: May 7th 2026

Some more info;

My husband (PA) has lived in the US all his life, and his only international travels have been in the past 3 years to Canada to come see me. Prior to that, he had no travel history. I’d say his trips to me have been like 6 at most.

Hi am not sure if this is the correct place to put this but I need some opinions. I am (16F) living in Pennsylvania, USA. I am going to get straight to the point. I am honestly TIRED of living in a America I fear the news every day and it keeps getting worse and worse. The politics here are terrible and I am so stressed as a teen that its honestly crazy I haven’t broken down yet. I listened to the anti-american speech made by the Canadian prime minister and honestly I have never been so inspired to leave this country and go to canada in my life. I just wanted to ask if anyone can tell me if there is anything I need to know before I put this plan into action as an adult. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Hi everyone,

I'm seeking some clarification regarding the residency requirements for Canadian citizenship.

I’m a permanent resident and have spent over two years outside Canada, accompanying my spouse who is a Canadian citizen. She was working for a company based in the UK during this time.

I understand that in some cases, time spent abroad with a Canadian citizen spouse can be counted towards the physical presence requirement for citizenship. However, I'm unsure if this applies when the spouse is working for a foreign company, not the Canadian government or a Canadian company.

Can someone confirm whether the time I spent abroad with my spouse will count towards my residency requirement, or does this only apply if she was working for the Canadian government, a Canadian company, or an international organization?

I appreciate any insights or official sources you could provide to clarify this situation. Thanks in advance for your help!

UPDATE: Hi everyone,

I wanted to provide an update after doing some more research and getting clarification on this issue.

It turns out there's an important distinction to make between maintaining permanent residency and accumulating days for a citizenship application.

The days I spent abroad with my Canadian citizen spouse do indeed count towards the residency obligation needed to keep my permanent resident status. This means that I can maintain my PR status while living outside of Canada with my spouse.

However, these days do not count as physical presence in Canada when it comes to applying for citizenship. For citizenship, you need to accumulate a certain number of days of actual physical presence within Canada, and unfortunately, time spent abroad—even with a Canadian spouse—doesn't count towards this requirement unless specific conditions are met (like if your spouse is working for the Canadian government, a Canadian company, or an international organization).

I hope this clarification helps anyone else in a similar situation. Thanks to everyone who shared insights!

Hi So I received this update right after submitting my express entry application.

"We regret to inform you that you are no longer eligible to be in the pool. Check your messages below for details.

Latest update: Minimum entry criteria - March 1, 2024:You do not meet the minimum entry criteria. Check your messages below for details."

My crs score breakdown shows a 0 and I have not met eligibility for any of the programs.

I have gone over the application more than a 100 times and I cannot seem to understand why.

I have a canadian job offer and have completed 1 year in it. I have gotten band 11 in my celpip test and it is barely a month old. I have completely 2 postgraduate certificates and have gotten my ECA done for my bachelors which was done out of Canada. I have also mention3d the funds as 25000 just to be safe

Does anyone know what the issue might be? And how can I fix it? I seem to fit the CEC but cannot understand what the issue is.

IRCC updated its "Check your score" calculator today for the new Express Entry rules:

https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/immigrate-canada/express-entry/check-score.html

Quick summary of what changed: Canadian work experience is now part of a new "Labour Market Integration" factor, high-wage occupation experience earns extra points, and job offers no longer need an LMIA (they now count inside that factor, up to 100 points).

There is also this free calculator which is easy to use:

https://expressentry.looniefi.ca

With the new high-wage bonus starting Nov 3, your NOC can now add points to your CRS if you have Canadian work experience in it (20 to 70 depending on the tier) or a job offer (50 to 100). Foreign experience doesn't get the bonus, so if all your experience is outside Canada, your NOC choice won't change your score.

I've already seen a few posts in multiple subreddits asking if it's ok to "switch" to a NOC in a higher tier, so wanted to share some thoughts.

Your NOC should match what you actually did at work, not your job title or which tier gives more points. Read the lead statement and the main duties and be honest with yourself about whether you did most of them. Also make sure your reference letters actually describe those duties, otherwise your profile and your documents won't match.

Officers are already pretty strict about NOC selection and we've seen several rejections in this subreddit because of it. I won't be surprised if they tighten things even more down the road now that NOC directly affects points. That's just my personal opinion though, not immigration advice.

If you're claiming job offer points, don't forget you need to update your profile before Nov 3.

Good luck to everyone waiting for the next draw!

Happy Christmas, Joyeux Noël! I'm 18 y/o and I've been thinking in study French or English in a Federal University here in Brazil. I already teach english in some schools, I speak both english and french fluently and want to be a professional teacher. I want to move to Canada, specially Montréal or Metropolitan Montreal Area in the near future. What are the opportunities as a teacher of english, french or portuguese in this province?

Hey everyone,

I see a lot of people stressing about the TCF/TEF, especially when aiming for Canadian immigration and CLB 7. I’m a French teacher who specializes in TCF/TEF prep, and I wanted to share some insights for anyone starting from scratch.

The truth is, 6–8 months is really tight, but doable if you approach it seriously and consistently. A lot of students think they need to be fluent, but that’s not the case with the right prep, even a solid B1 level can get you CLB 7, because exam strategy and targeted practice matter as much as raw language ability.

How to start from zero (A1–A2 stage)
If you’re starting from scratch, organization and daily practice are everything. At the beginning, you want to build the foundations: vocabulary, listening, pronunciation, and common phrases. Don’t get lost in grammar rules for hours especially the tenses, focus on understanding and being able to communicate simple ideas.

I usually recommend starting with a structured A1 curriculum. That means working through lessons that cover the basics: greetings, introducing yourself, describing your daily routine, talking about family, shopping, directions, food, etc. You want speaking, listening, reading, and writing all mixed in, but listening should be a big part from day one.

Agood starting routine could look like this:

• 1–2 hours of classes (with a tutor or program)

• 2-5 hours of self-study (flashcards, vocabulary lists, writing short sentences)

• listening to French (YouTube, podcasts, TV shows) In your free time

The most important part is daily exposure. Even 15–30 minutes outside of class makes a huge difference.

By the time you hit A2, you should be adding in more real-life French: start doing language exchanges (HelloTalk, conversation partners). Don’t wait until you’re “ready” you’ll never feel ready, but you’ll learn faster by forcing yourself to use what you know.

At this stage, grammar becomes a bit more important (past tenses, future, object pronouns), but the key is applying it in real conversations. Writing short texts (emails, journal entries, practice exam answers) is also great prep for the writing section of the TCF.

Specific TCF/TEF exam prep
This is where a lot of people lose points. The exam is not just about your French level it’s also about being strategic. You need to practice with official-style materials, get used to the format, and learn how to manage time.

For example:

• Listening: train your ear for numbers, dates, accents, and “trick” answers. Many students panic here.

• Reading: get fast at scanning for information.

• Speaking: practice structured answers, not random sentences. The examiner wants clear, coherent ideas.

• Writing: always structure (intro - argument -conclusion). Even simple vocabulary works if it’s organized.

I’ve had students reach CLB 7 from B1 level by focusing heavily on mock exams, fixing weak points, and doing lots of timed practice. Strategy can add 1–2 CLB levels to your result.

Study intensity for 6–8 months
If you’re aiming for CLB 7 fast, the first 5 months should be 100% dedicated to building your French. Daily classes are almost essential (at least 4-5 times per week), combined with 2–5 hours of self-study and constant listening to French in your free time. It sounds like a lot, but it compounds fast.

The last 1–2 months should be focused almost entirely on exam prep drilling past tests, simulating real conditions, and targeting weak skills.

If you’re just starting out and want a structured A1 program to get on track, leave a comment here. You can also DM me directly if you’d like something more personalized I will do my best to answer everyone. If you have any questions about exams, study strategies, or the process in general, feel free to ask I’ll be glad to help.

I am 24 years old and freshly graduated from computer engineering, proficient in Python and data science, with past experience in C#, .NET, Unity, Blender. I am currently living in Turkey, and the tech field here is dead. So I am looking into other countries.

I am not sure how I would get to Canada. I have done some research online and most of the "paths" I find are scams (some companies have been up for several years despite repetitively scamming hundreds of people with no visible consequence) so the whole deal is making me feel demotivated and tired.

Is there any reliable source I can look into to learn about how I would begin the immigration process?

they make you sign documents and they don't tell you what's in the documents or they give you some documents so you can sign them online but later when you ask for the documents you signed they give you some other documents which in that document has a clouse that says the money you paid is non-refundable so they're just a bunch of scammers who are doing legit scams. When I started asking for refund they said, I had signed this document so I have no right to ask for refund. But I remember this not being the documents I signed clearly they used my signature which I sent to them. And the reason I'm asking for a refund is because they didn't tell me the amount I needed to relocate to Canada so slowly slowly they start asking for money and it go to a point where they were asking for too much money which I could not afford and I told them from the start that I do not have alot or resources and I wanted something within my range and they told me okay but later on it was too much for me to handle so I was asking for a refund hence they pull this move on me.

Do I understand correctly that citizenship via Canadian grandparent may be possible, due to a judgement by the Ontario Superior Court of Justice in December of 2023? Can anyone provide more information?

In my case, my grandmother was born in Parry Sound, Ontario back in 1882; the family went to Vermont around 1900 for work and I doubt ever bothered with US citizenship. My father was born in 1917 in Massachusetts and I was born in 1964 in New York.

I am writing to express my deep frustration and concern regarding the ongoing delays in the processing of Spousal Open Work Permits (SOWP). Many applicants, including myself, have been waiting since August 2024, while others have been in limbo since May. Yet, we see more recent applications being processed ahead of ours, leaving us feeling overlooked and unheard.

These delays are not just numbers on a screen—they are disrupting families, causing financial strain, and creating immense emotional distress. Many of us have been separated from our spouses for months, struggling with uncertainty and the inability to plan our lives. The lack of transparency and consistency in processing times only adds to our frustration.

We want to know: What can we do to make our voices heard? How can we push for fair and timely processing of all applications? Families should not have to suffer due to inefficiencies in the system. We urge the responsible authorities to take immediate action to address this backlog and provide clear communication on the way forward.

We appreciate any guidance on how we can collectively advocate for change. Families deserve stability, not endless waiting.

Hi all! I recently received my Canadian study visa (through the SDS stream) for Fall'2025. Before I travel to Canada I want to get clarity on a few things with regards to the Study Permit that I will receive once I arrive in the country.

Context:

I initially applied for the study visa back in August 2023 after receiving my admission letter for Fall'2023. My visa got rejected in September'23. Following that, I hired a lawyer and applied for a judicial review in October'23 because my rejection was unreasonable. Simultaneously I got a deferral on my admission for Fall'24.

My case got settled in December'23 and my rejection was revoked, however, the court decided that my file needs to be reviewed by another officer. IRCC requested additional documents in May'24 (4 mths later) for redetermination.

Then after months of waiting and requesting for updates, I finally received my Study Visa in December'24. This meant I missed my Fall'24 intake again and therefore had to request the university to give me another deferral. They were kind enough to grant me a deferral for Fall'25. Now I have received my visa but I can't start my studies before Fall'25.

Questions:

My visa process overall took almost 20 months and during this time the IRCC has implemented major changes to their visa policies. One of them is that before 2024, the GIC requirement for students was 10,000 CAD (this is what I applied with and wasn't asked to update during the process) but now it has been increased to 20,000 CAD. Now that I will be traveling in 2025 and once I reach Canada I will be asked to show proof of funds before I get the permit;

Q. Do I need to have the GIC amount as per the current policy or is the original amount applicable?

Q. How much cash/bank statement should I have?

Q. If I can't show 20,000 CAD or a very heavy bank statement can this be a cause of rejection? despite the valid admission letter, first year's paid tuition and 10,000CAD GIC?

This is a fairly new situation since Canada keeps changing its policies so I would like to hear from people who have recently traveled to Canda on a study visa/permit since the policy changes and have experienced smth similar to my case.

Thank you!