Why Filipinos Chose to Leave for Canada?

[VOS]

^ as told to me by an ex girlfriend who lives in Vancouver

[VOS]

Vancouver is a wonderful place. Mountains everywhere, fresh air, nice and disciplined people, great government services. I've been almost 15 months here, still struggling, After just two months in Canada, I found a high paying temp clerical job through a friend's referral. I thought I would not go through what immigrants went through - to do survival jobs. I thought I would be absorbed by the company, but lo and behold, my contract with the hiring agency prohibits that within one year. I worked there for 6 months and lived good. When my contract was finished, I wasn't worried because I felt I already had Canadian experience. I'm now 7 months jobless. 7 months I did nothing but send out resumes and availed of job search help done by NGOs funded by the government. 7 months. NOT ONE FUCKING INTERVIEW. I'm a CPA with less than 2 decades of experience, with a canadian equivalent of CGA level 4. I already rearranged my darn resume every which way I can. Still nothing. It's good that I received EI for 6 months. I'm still receiving Child Tax Benefits, Quarterly GST/GST/Environmental Tax refund, and I'm waiting for BC Housing rental subsidy. Next week I'll start getting our groceries at the Food Bank for free.

I worked as a milkman's assistant carrying crates of milk. I thought I'd die of exhaustion. Real back breaking work. I quit after 4 days. Next week I'll start training at Tim Hortons.

With that I'll still pursue my CGA studies while working. It's home study so there'll be less pressure. If I had more money now, I'd move to Alberta or Toronto to try my luck. I know I'll still find the job I want with the help of my network. Networking is important.

Honestly, I feel dejected, but hope is still there. Most newbies go through this phase, I just tell myself.

"fresh air, nice and disciplined people, great government services" apply to the whole of Canada, not only Vancouver/BC. in Western Canada, Alberta has better government benefits than Vancouver/BC because the provincial government is rich.

in Vancouver, 95% of the jobs are not advertised. that's the "hidden job market". most of the 5% jobs that are advertised will go to someone the head of HR knows. in Vancouver/BC, "networking" is another term for "its not what you know, it's who you know". my ex girlfriend, who graduated with a degree in business from UBC (she's Vancouver born and bred), told me. nyahahaha

anyway, good luck to you. You'll need it if you're in Vancouver. nyahahaha

[BALAKUBAK]

VOS, I already know all the info you posted but thanks anyway.

As I am sitting in front of my laptop, it amazes me how some people could just blatantly laugh at other people's misfortune.

[VOS]

VOS, I already know all the info you posted but thanks anyway.

As I am sitting in front of my laptop, it amazes me how some people could just blatantly laugh at other people's misfortune.

i know you know. and to top it off, you learned first hand. nyahahaha

[VOS]

^ i'm not laughing at your dilemma (it's more like there will be more challenges in vancouver than elsewhere so you'll need luck). i didn't mean to sound unsympathetic but let me put it this way, at least the poor saps who haven't been to vancouver who think it's just peachy there will get some first hand info from you and some second hand info from me about the job situation,

and i do sincerely mean good luck to you.

[pappylips]

Alberta is still an option Tony.... just hang on in there, I can't say much about Vancouver but yes, even jobs not in your line of work pays higher here in Edmonton. And your plan of getting upgrades through CGA will open doors for you. Goodluck and PM if you need more information...

VOS, I already know all the info you posted but thanks anyway.

As I am sitting in front of my laptop, it amazes me how some people could just blatantly laugh at other people's misfortune.

[BALAKUBAK]

Alberta is still an option ... just hang on in there, I can't say much about Vancouver but yes, even jobs not in your line of work pays higher here in Edmonton. And your plan of getting upgrades through CGA will open doors for you. Goodluck and PM if you need more information...

Pappy, magbura ka naman ng messages mo sa inbox at di ako makapag pm sayo.

pappylips has exceeded their stored private messages quota and can not accept further messages until they clear some space.

[knorr]

Sa Toronto, kahit saan sulok ka pupunta, puro pinoy makikita mo. Sa convention center, lahat pinoy nag wo-work, sa hotel, naglalakad sa daan tulak tulak stroller or hila hila aso, sa mall, anywhere. Di mo ma miss ang pinas.

[pappylips]

ayos na sir, nakapagbura na... pasensiya na ha, medyo naging bisi bisihan hehe

Pappy, magbura ka naman ng messages mo sa inbox at di ako makapag pm sayo.

pappylips has exceeded their stored private messages quota and can not accept further messages until they clear some space.

[harryw]

Itong immigration kasi ng mga pinoy, particularly in Canada and Australia is pure business, especially after it became even more difficult to go to the US. Filipinos have become more desparate, and business opportunists saw the business potential. They pay big amounts of money to go abroad and when they get there, they do menial jobs they would not do in the phils, and they stay there just so they can say they are there.

A lot of people go to these countries thinking they hit the jackpot and when they get there, they work in a fast food restaurant or gas station and struggle to pay the bills. It is so sad, to go to these countries and enter a fast food restaurant and be served by a kabayan, or walk down the mall and see a kabayan pushing a stroller of a white baby.

There's nothing wrong with the working in a fast food restaurant or being a maid, we all do what we have to do. But if you are educated and highly skilled, then ask yourself if you deserve that. These countries like it when they turn us into slaves, so they wouldn't do the dirty jobs themselves.

I hate it when pinoys fall into this trap over and over.

[mapagmahal24]

guys, do you know where to apply ng job for canada? kahit anong job po.. undergard ako ng college

[marie121479]

harryw, kaya nila nagagawang magmigrate e para na rin sa mga anak nila, dito mo talaga makikita kung hanggang saan ang pasensya at tyaga ng isang tao

sabi ko din dati, kung ok ka na super ganda na ng trabaho mo sa pinas ex. doctor ka na sa mmc, kelangan mo pa bang magmigrate sa canada? I don't think so.

[BRANZ]

meron na po kaming visa for canada kaya lang next year sa april pa kami pupunta doon but peak season pala yun? ang mahal nang mga plane tikets manila - toronto...saan po ba tayo maka kuha nang low fares?? sino po merong alam na pwedeng puntahan??

[harryw]

harryw, kaya nila nagagawang magmigrate e para na rin sa mga anak nila, dito mo talaga makikita kung hanggang saan ang pasensya at tyaga ng isang tao

sabi ko din dati, kung ok ka na super ganda na ng trabaho mo sa pinas ex. doctor ka na sa mmc, kelangan mo pa bang magmigrate sa canada? I don't think so.

Well there's lots of doctors and professionals who still go abroad. So saying they're doing it for their family is just a small part of the picture. But that's ok, people are never satisfied, that's true anywhere.

Pero ang sinasabi ko lang naman is may mga tao na kumikita out of this desperate situation. They give you a fake dream and when you get there, life is tough. And with all due respect to some posters here, we've seen that very same example right on this thread and throughout this forum.

[jester5]

Well there's lots of doctors and professionals who still go abroad. So saying they're doing it for their family is just a small part of the picture. But that's ok, people are never satisfied, that's true anywhere.

Pero ang sinasabi ko lang naman is may mga tao na kumikita out of this desperate situation. They give you a fake dream and when you get there, life is tough. And with all due respect to some posters here, we've seen that very same example right on this thread and throughout this forum.

Canada is not a bed of roses. Unless you are willing to study again even if you are in your 40s or 50s or 60s, you can expect to be eligible only for menial jobs. Doctors, lawyers, company presidents in the philippines work as warehousemen, janitors and kitchen help there. And it stays that way unless they are ready to study. It's pathetic how they say they are willing to sacrifice for their children to convince themselves that it's worth it. Then they retire and their kids put them in old folks' homes.

[jester5]

Well there's lots of doctors and professionals who still go abroad. So saying they're doing it for their family is just a small part of the picture. But that's ok, people are never satisfied, that's true anywhere.

Pero ang sinasabi ko lang naman is may mga tao na kumikita out of this desperate situation. They give you a fake dream and when you get there, life is tough. And with all due respect to some posters here, we've seen that very same example right on this thread and throughout this forum.

Yes, it's a fake dream that many desperate filipinos grab. They entice people to come but don't tell them how tough it is. I'm glad that many of the comments here (i particularly noted the ones about vancouver) are enlightening many of our countrymen about what to expect when they get there.

[mimi_hk]

^It's really relative and not absolute.
Ang opinion ko naman, upper/ middle class ka nga sa Pinas, andun naman ang fear of kidnapping, carnapping, mugging, random crimes, etc. . .wala din masyado peace of mind. Plus, pollution, politics, healthcare, education are also problematic.
I know it's not crime free here, but at least the crime index (or the chance of having you become a crime victim) is significantly lower. Pansinin niyo: even banks, malls, subways don't have security.

So for me, the quality of life is better, and maybe this is one of the considerations that offsets the negative ones. You see where your taxes are going, you have nice healthcare, and your kids get better education.

BTW, not everyone is in this bind. . .may mga Pinoys din na nagkaroon ng rags to riches story.

You know what's sad though: whenever some Pinoys sees that a fellow Pinoy is doing well, the "crab mentality" kicks in. I think that negative energies like this contributes to the "success ceiling" of some Pinoys.

[harryw]

^^
I think you may be lucky, but this thread is not about you and me. It is about the general reality that does not get a lot of attention.

Puro lang maganda ang sinasabi ng media and people who live overases. Some say they "made it" by mere fact na nakarating sila duon, but look around you. Go to Toronto for example, my god nagkalat ang pinoy sa fastfood restaurants, at pag kinausap mo sila, ang iba sa kanila is professionals in the phils and highly educated. Ito ang nakakalungkot na sitwasyon.

So I guess my post is about balance of information. Its always good that pinoys are always reminded of the reality.

And also, itong rags to riches is true in the phils too. Marami akong kilalang yumaman out of their own pawis in the Phils than overseas. In fact, yong mga yumaman sa overseas is only mayaman in comparion to the standard of living in the Phils, but not in comparison to the locals of the country of where they are staying.

I do not think this is negative energy. This is an honest and open discussion. In a way this is public service for telling people the truth, hindi false advertisement.

At itong "crab mentality" ay hindi magandang label sa pinoy. And unfortunatley, pinoy din ang nagle-label sa kapwa pinoy na crab sila. See the unfortunate irony there? Pero para sa akin, kahit saan ka magpunta, kahit anong lahi, kahit anong nationality merong ganyan. So to describe pinoys this way is an insult to pinoys. I believe Filipinos in general are very helpful to each other. If you feel this way then maybe you should surround yourself with the right people.

[pappylips]

Hey Mimi,

I can see where Jester is coming and from his posts, he seems to be not in Canada or have not experienced Canadian life at all. Tama siya but sabi nga nila at alam natin yan, Canada is not for the faint hearted. Just sad for him in saying na Pinoys come to Canada because of desperation. In some cases it might be true but not in all of them.

To qualify , just be prepared when you migrate to any country for whatever reasons you have. Bring lots of funds to upgrade to your desired level so funds for it won't be a problem anymore. Prepare to start from the ground up, at times take any job to survive for the meantime. For your kids, they can take student loans for university or colleges which are interest free and portion of which are tax deductible to achieve their desired degree. I bet no place in Philippines could offer that. . Be also prepared for the weather and cultural differences. Mind your own thing and try to reach out and extend it forward once you get there so newcomers will find it easier to adapt.

Also, kahit naman sa pinas ka kung busy ang mga anak mo malamang maiiwan ka ring mag-isa pag retirable ka na so for migrants out there, put some funds for your retirement. It doesn't matter kung nasa pinas or Canada ka for that matter. Advantages ng migrants dito, they are well taken cared of in terms of health care as mentioned by mimi and you can even work part time regardless of your age..

Well choices are yours to take but there is never an easy path to success wherever you may be.

^It's really relative and not absolute.
Ang opinion ko naman, upper/ middle class ka nga sa Pinas, andun naman ang fear of kidnapping, carnapping, mugging, random crimes, etc. . .wala din masyado peace of mind. Plus, pollution, politics, healthcare, education are also problematic.
I know it's not crime free here, but at least the crime index (or the chance of having you become a crime victim) is significantly lower. Pansinin niyo: even banks, malls, subways don't have security.

So for me, the quality of life is better, and maybe this is one of the considerations that offsets the negative ones. You see where your taxes are going, you have nice healthcare, and your kids get better education.

BTW, not everyone is in this bind. . .may mga Pinoys din na nagkaroon ng rags to riches story.

You know what's sad though: whenever some Pinoys sees that a fellow Pinoy is doing well, the "crab mentality" kicks in. I think that negative energies like this contributes to the "success ceiling" of some Pinoys.

[harryw]

^^
I don't think Jester generalized pinoys, he said "some". Which is truthful, because a lot of pinoys are sold on the idea of living overseas that they stop thinking straight. Some sell their properties and give up a good life in the phils because they're sold these false ideas.

Heck, this entire thread is created by an advertiser! This entire thread is an advertisement. People will say anything para pagkakitaan ang mga pinoy.

So, our posts are just words of caution and reminders, and then people can decide. Balance of information is always good.

We all know that life in the phils is difficult. Going overseas is still a very attractive and rewarding option. I myself live overseas. But you know when someone tell me "uy, dalahin mo naman ako dyan, tulungan mo naman ako". I will help them! But not before telling them the hard facts, the reality, para pag dating nila dito walang sisihan.