Here’s a look at my first year in Canada after immigrating to Canada under the federal self-employed stream.
This is another post I created before the pandemic situation overtook everything.
I clocked my first year in Canada in mid-April. I would have missed it too if it weren’t for the reminder I set on my phone when I arrived last year. lol.
It’s been over a year since I dragged myself from the eternal warmth of the Dubai sun into Canada. So, what are my thoughts so far after a year here?
You already know what I think of winter in my earlier post – My First Winter in Canada.
As with everything in life, there are pros and cons.
My Living Environment in Canada
I’m not happy with my living situation and I don’t see the possibility of improving soon.
My current apartment was only supposed to be a temporary stop but the pandemic has brought apartment hunting to a grinding halt.
I’ve been looking at innovative ways to get around having to look at apartments in person but that’s not going well so far.
My City
Mississauga is a nice and peaceful city but it was supposed to be a temporary stop as well.
The plan was to move further out in the GTA after getting a driver’s license and buying a car.
Unfortunately, DriveTest Mississauga canceled all tests and closed centers.
Shot of Mississauga from my Apartment Building
Traveling in Canada
I have been fortunate to visit some lovely places in the short time I’ve lived in Canada. I was in Blue Mountain, Collingwood, and Niagara region late last year.
I took a quick work trip down to Toronto and stayed at the Sheraton where I snapped some great pictures.
I also took a trip down to Ottawa for a personal errand. I almost wished I’d landed in Ottawa too. It’s my kind of city.
And I stopped by Grimsby for a coffee on another work trip and really loved the serenity.
Canada is huge and there are still so many places to explore once humanity finds a cure for Coronavirus (fingers crossed).
Working in Canada
The Canadian workplace is very different from what I’m used to and I found people are wound up a tad tighter.
From a self-employed perspective, I will write a comprehensive comparison post between self-employment in Dubai vs Canada in another post.
Overall, being self-employed in Canada has more benefits for me vs being self-employed in Dubai as a sole proprietor.
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Making Friends
I mostly reconnected with people I went to school with and people I met professionally when I arrived in Canada so I already had a sort of network.
I also made one or two friends at the place I worked at for a bit but before I could really get into this, hello, pandemic.
Not sure how making friends in a post-pandemic world is going to look like.
However, there are lots of community centers where you can connect with people from your background.
Benefits in Canada
Canada has a lot of benefits such as funded health care, unemployment insurance, worker’s compensation, old age security, etc.
While I am yet to access most of the social benefits, it is a comfort to know they are there for when I need any of them.
Am I 100% happy with the move?
It’s hard to tell right now because I’m still mid-settling and a lot of my stuff is still in moving boxes. Plus the pandemic has most people in lockdown.
However, there were a few reasons I made the decision to immigrate to Canada. I still stand by those reasons and I’m happy with that decision.
So, happy belated one year in Canada to me!!!
Come join us soon if you’re looking to move to Canada and we can all enjoy winter together. lol.
More About Life in Canada
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Thoughts on My First Winter in Canada
What my first winter felt like and all the ways I plotted bailing out every time I got hit with a blast of cold air. lol...
Abi Goes to Driving School……Again!
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Tips for Renting an Apartment Without Credit as a Newcomer to Canada
My top tips for renting an apartment without credit as a newcomer to Canada. This is a huge challenge a lot of newcomers face...
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