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   Hussain
Saturday, January 24, 2009 01:41 PM 
Reply: >
Although not property related but I have an important issue to discuss with my fellow pakistanis particularly those living in Canada.
I am a landed Canadian immigrant. I made landing in sept. 2006 and now I have to decide to live in Canada for 3 years continuously to get Canadian Passport or I will loose status.
I am a married person having 2 sons and 1 daughter. My children are all school going.
I am a Hospital Pharmacist and presently working in one of the leading hospitals of UAE. I am enjoying very good life in UAE and after meeting my monthly lavish expediture I am able to save pak. Rs 22 lakh per year.
Besides I have invested heavily in realestate in Pakisan. So saving money is very good for me here in UAE.
I am in a fix in deciding about my living in Canada. To work as a Pharmacist in Canada I must be registered with PEBC canada. I have passed only the first exam the equivalent exam of Pharmacy examining board of Canada.
My only purpose presently is to get Canadian Passport, if I go to Canada, which can be of benefit for my children in future regarding their higher education.
For me to decide to go Canada after resigning my job in UAE is becoming very difficult day by day as time is passing very quickly and I must enter Canada in sept. 2009 other wise I will loose status although my PR card is valid till sept 2011.
I request my fellow pakistanis and particularly those living in Canada to help me with their views which can help me in deciding my decision to go to Canada.
Thanks

Hussain
take what comes to you. replied on Saturday, January 24, 2009 01:55 PM 

dear hussain,i live in states i am also in medical field though i am not in pharmacy.but to give you a good advice. go to canada get you passport .once you have the passport you will have whole world in your hand you will be even more respected in uae will get better pay even you want to return back,for you kids they will hate you if you will not take this oppurtunity.i invest lot in pakistan and have invested in uae.but you can do it better if you are here.i mean in canada.
we love paksitan i visit and invest in pakasitan every year only been living here.so from my heart go to canada dont think twice and one more advice dont listen to people who are living in uae and pakistan.
Hamid, Toronto replied on Saturday, January 24, 2009 02:16 PM 

Your message went to this website very loud and clear after repeating so many time. Just kidding :)

There are lots of ifs and buts, but at the end I would suggest say, "Welcome to Cananda". My wife is also in medical field, send me an email at , I will give you as much information as I can.

In my opinion, kids ages can be an important factor in your decision.
Khan Baba replied on Saturday, January 24, 2009 02:51 PM 

I know most of the peoples wont like my responce but I will gave in my two cents anyway... Dont Do IT...Situation is NOT Good at all anywhere and My honest suggestion is to keep your Job.... If You can afford, migrate your family to Canada for three years....and let them obtain the Passport First... Your wife can sponsor you later and NO Canadian Law can stop that.... been there done that so I am talking with experience here.

Canadian Life style is NOT Easy and especially since your Kids and Family are use to of good life style based on your current income, they will have more hard time then urself.

Again, please completely ignore all suggestions including mine and follow your own heart however more importantly, speak with your family and let them be part of decision.

All the best
limo replied on Saturday, January 24, 2009 03:02 PM 

Hussain,it looks as if you did not do your homework well before taking this step.One needs to look into so many things before taking such a step. Like cultural clash - whether you would be able to digest that culture,present job - like in your case you seem to be working on quite good payroll as saving 22 lakh per year and in such a case one does not need to take such risks(i take canadian immigration as a big risk as few of my friends who got the immigration,spent a couple of months there and when things did'nt work their way, they just came back saying goodbye to canada), Job prospects - whether you will be able to integrate yourself in that job market and how fast, kids ages - if adolescent, you need to monitor them more vigilantly specially girls, cash in hand - that tells how long you can self support yourself there, living place - whther you have someone there who could lend you a couple of months in his appartment till the time you find some reasonable appartment and some work too to run your kitchen atleast,etc etc.
But since you have already got immigration so now the only way is to keep moving forward and don't look at what you have left behind.Both the fellows have given good suggestions, now till the time you get your citizenship, you will have to live up with whatever situation comes your way with patience.I don't know the rules now a days, but before you were not supposed to live continuously there for 3 years, instead lot of my friends left their families there, came to middle east and continued with their jobs here.This way they pased this time and got the citizenships.Job market is pretty tight there and they are happy working here on almost double the salaries of what they used to get before having canadian citizenship.So this is the way life would be for you in the coming time.Wishing you a happy life there.
Dr. Haider replied on Saturday, January 24, 2009 03:05 PM 

Dear Hussain
It depends what you want for your family and how supportive your family is? I left Pakistan in 2004 that time I was in a best university teaching hospital with very good job and salary.Keep in moind that life will be very difficult at first. Now after 5 years now I have two homes, childrens are studying well even they are getting Quran teaching at home from one teacher every day, I have nosaving only one plot in Lhore but I have no regret either. I am in UK. I hope this will help you to make your mind.
Jameel replied on Saturday, January 24, 2009 04:25 PM 

If your eldest Kid is about 10 years I think you should goto Canada, Enjoy a long 3 years holiday get some light Job you will get some money as Children allownce as well then see if it was good for your Kids etc.If good Stay otherwise start looking here and there again. If You are working in UAE on Good Govt Job. It is right you save 80% of Your salary, but here systems are not stable. Here all the asset you have is Job agreement the moment it is terminated you have nothing in Hand. Healthcare system is very unstable in UAE at the moment Govt is not happy, People are not happy and soon there will many changes mostly privatization. In 3 years time there are only 50% chance that you will be on same Job.
Naveed Yaseen replied on Saturday, January 24, 2009 07:01 PM 

> My only purpose presently is to get Canadian Passport, if I go to Canada, which can
> be of benefit for my children in future regarding their higher education.

I think this reason alone isn't enough to make this move. They can still get good or better higher education without limiting their and your options.

And I think besides good schooling, some other factors like motivation, aptitude, effort and balanced learning are also very important.
Waqar Khan replied on Sunday, January 25, 2009 12:18 AM 

Dear Hussain Sahab
Assalam-o-Alaikum

To maintain your living standard in U.A.E and save the amount which you are saving there, you must be making C$150,000 in Canada.

Also, the society and schools are not that great. My kids go to private schools and even then they cannot compete with their cousins in Pakistan who are going to private schools there. I am talking about education up to Grade 12, which is horrible here.

If you have money, you can send your kids to school here after their Bachelor's degree for Masters. I will not even recommend to send kids for Bachelor's level education here. I have seen so many kids going other ways here.

This is my sincere advise to you as a muslim brother.
abj replied on Sunday, January 25, 2009 07:21 AM 

We all have our own opinions based upon our individual life experiences, and our surroundings in which we grow up shape our priorities. No right or wrong answers, but different answers. Being an expat for alomost 20 years in US, I will agree more or less with Limo's comments.

There are good examples and bad ones. The culture shock will be significant. Good jobs are scarce in Canada. Taxes are high. You have to pay for a lot of things you may not be used to. You may find the cost of living compared to your earnings, extremely high. saving money will be a hard thing to do. A lot of people get stuck in Canada, as they quit their good jobs back home, sell their homes in pakistan, and end up depleting that money in the first 12-18 months, while trying to figure out where to start. With time, they ultimately get a half way decent job which may or may not be as good as the one they initially left, and then struggle to buy back a similar property they initially sold to get to this point. This is the story of most, Of course not all. There may be some other good examples too.

My kids are not college going yet, so cannot comment on that part. I would probably try to get them an MBBS or under grad degree from paksitan and then get their Masters or complete their USMLE in the US,as college education is extremely expensive in US and this strategy would cut down on time and money to a great extent. Canada may have cheaper or free college education, am not sure about that. I would recomend to look into the cost of education as well. Just my 2 cents there.
Azad replied on Sunday, January 25, 2009 11:31 AM 

I think you have to decide what is more important to you, the money? or the Canadian citzenship? I don't think you will be able to save 22 lakh rupee a year in Canada after paying all expenses. You cannot have both.

However if I were in your shoes I would compromise on the money and go to Canada if nothing else it will be a new life experience, but it would be a tough move and expect to struggle a bit.
khan from canada replied on Sunday, January 25, 2009 05:49 PM 

Hi Hussain

A lot has been said above by distinguished participants. Here is my my penny advise.
Donot miss the chance to get Canadian passport. I have been in Canada since last 10 years and am doing great , though have to start back from scratch when you land here. In your case you have done part 1, after doing part 2 you will be having second thoughts to go back from professional point of view. I know few Pakistani pharmacists who are doing great. Remember once you have completed your required education/ upgradation you can open up your own pharmacy practise here in Canada.

Also donot forget that now the processing time for Canadian immigration under professional class has been extended to 6-7 years with no guarantess that you will be interviewed after all that time. Life here is good in Canada. More taxes as compared to other countries no doubt, but in case any untowrd incident happens, you and your family is taken care of modestly. From your family's point of view, its your own decision but myself with family of 3 kids, I would prefer to live here than in Dubai (from what I have heard about it). I would say Welcome on board.
Advise replied on Monday, January 26, 2009 02:38 AM 

Try this

a) Made new passports.
b) At the time of landing tell a lie that we just leave Canada three months back.Beleive me they have no record with them when you left Canada.
c)Claim Canada passport after few months of stay.
d)Try to get leave from current employer & after getting Canadian passport join back your employer in UAE.
e)Must fill Canadian tax return every year & claim low income benefits.
MQ replied on Monday, January 26, 2009 03:51 AM 

Well...
A bird in hand is better than 2 in bush...

Most of my life is in the west and I mosly work with youth in my community. I personally think your kids are more important than any thing. The most important thing is the ages of the kids. If you will be sending them in high school, then I would say stay where you are. Most of the kids go ashtray from grade 7 to grade 12. So this thinking that we are sacrificing for the kids, could be decieving. God forbid, if the kids are distroyed in high school age, then everything is lost.
I hope this helps.
Finally, evaluate everything and then pray 2 rakat Istikhara and do whatever come to the heart.
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