8 things to Ponder for Professionals Who plan to Move to Canada

Filipinos are from a developing country.They will have an idea of the huge differences and opportunities that a first world country would have to offer but they tend to focus only on what’s beneficial for them. There are times that they will be ready to pack up and go without even considering the difficulties and hardships that entails the move.

People who will most probably have the hardest time will be the professionals. A professional is someone who earns a living in a specific professional line of work, for example, teachers, doctors and lawyers. Their specific professional activities may be specialized to the Philippines alone. This would mean that the profession they are practicing may or may not be recognized in Canada.

Here are 8 things professionals should know when planning to move to Canada:
1. History is written by victors. What we hear from friends or families in Canada might not be the entirety of the story. All that glitters is not gold. They could just be success stories of Filipinos who have just skipped telling you the hardships they’ve gone through because they are already reaping what they have worked hard for in years.

2. One might be excited to resign right away as soon as they received his/her visa. However, you might want to consider taking a long leave of absence instead of resigning from your job altogether. You can try to get the feel of the life you will be having in Canada first. Think of it as having a safety net or Plan B.

3. Immigrant professionals may or may not succeed in their fields right away. There are regulated professions and trade in Canada that would require further studies and obtain a licence or a certificate or be registered with the regulatory body of the province you plan to move into. There are several steps to take and several years of experience to have in order to continue in your field of work.

4. Prepare to start your career from scratch. You should be ready to accept the difficulty of finding the related job to your profession back home. You may already be a manager or senior practitioner in the Philippines but when you’re in Canada, you might have to start from the entry-level positions first and just work your way up. If you’ve already done some management training in denver (or training local to you), this may boost your chances of a promotion or getting a higher-level job.

5. Be ready for long professional, social, financial and emotional disruptions. It is never easy when you’re starting anew. A new life in a new environment will be full of challenges. These may throw your life off a bit but rest assured that this is normal. If you are having to retrain or start your career from scratch, you may want to find which professions need the most training. If you choose one of those, prepare to invest a lot of time in it. Everyone has gone through the challenges so all you have to do is prepare yourself and stay strong.

6. Back in the Philippines, Filipinos are used to living with other relatives or having them nearby. The social scene back home can be full of night outs or parties every weekend. Here in Canada, you might be surprised to know that people don’t have that much time for others, even family. Everyone goes to work and some might even have multiple jobs. Gatherings are usually reserved for special occasions.

7. Filipino parents will always want the best for their kids. The most commons reason for emigrating is for the sake of children. The objective is to give the kids a better life, better than the life in the Philippines. This should not be the case. As a professional, you should also think of your career because this is how you earn your living to provide for your kids.

8. Social skills are needed to succeed. Filipinos may tend to be shy when thrown into a social gathering with foreigners. One should take any opportunity to be able to meet new people in Canada. The more people you know, the higher chances you have that someone can refer you for a potential employment. Note: Referrals can boost your chances in landing the job you want.

You can never have enough knowledge to be prepared for anything but these 8 things can hopefully help you in making your decisions about moving. As a professional, you have to be fully aware and prepared with regards to what you will probably be giving up for a new life in Canada. However, there are the lucky and hardworking ones who pursued their professions in Canada and are now enjoying their lives. You can be one of them!