Hello All, hope you are fine and in the best of your health. My name is Ahsan Iqbal and live in Pakistan. I have done my MBA and have 8 years of experience in Marketing/Sales with reputable companies in Pakistan.
So hows the experience of living in Canada. Hope you all are doing well. Please tell me about yourself. Also please guide me that if i want to apply for Canadian Immigration what is the most reliable in quick way to get it.

Looking forward to your reply

...a site visitor

In answer to your questions, allow me to relate to you my personal experience of coming to Canada. Since I am a Mining Geologist, our basic qualifications are somewhat similar. Please bear in mind that this is what I know personally. Other's experience might be different. If I were in your position I would weigh all responses to your questions carefully, especially responses that sound mature and based on verifiable facts, not opinions and unsupported generalisations.Then it is upto you to make up your own mind.

I graduated from the Geology Department, Panjab University, did my Ph.D. from University of London,
taught at Panjab Univ. for 10 years and worked in operating mines in Zambia for 25 years. After
finishing in Zambia, we had a choice of staying in Zambia, going back to Pakistan or coming to Canada.
Since my only daughter got married in a Canadian muslim family we decided to take a chance to come to
Canada. My other reason for coming to Canada (Ontario) was that about 30 percent of Ontario economy is based on mining and given my skills I anticipated no problems getting a job and practice my profession for another 5-10 years. After all, my degrees and experience was considered by Canadian immigration and they did approve my application. It was reasonable to assume that my qualifications and experience had value in Canada.

So we came in 1998. I invested my life savings in Toronto to buy a house (on mortgage), bought a car and all household effects to the standard of living we were used to. Before coming to Canada, I did send some job applications to mining companies in Canada. When I did not receive any response I put it to the fact that I was still outside Canada.

Once I had my family settled down here I applied and applied (approximately 150 applications), and used my past contacts to get jobs in my profession. In five years I got two interviews, both jobs went to someone else. To other apppications there was hardly even an acknowledgement. One of my past Canadian born associates who works at a University told me that their instructions were to employ fresh graduates and Ph.D's from Canadian Universities. Of all my non-Canadian born associates from Zambian mines (about 25), only one got a mine job in Canada. So what was going on?

Through research I discovered that my educaion and experience was of no value for the job market here
although it had value for approval of my application for immigration. This discrepancy is the mystery of
the Canadian immigration policy.

It must be said on the positive side that, unlike my own experience, my sons who graduated from Canadian Universities had no difficulty in getting a job in their professions.

While looking for a job in geology, my savings from Zambia dwindled to a point where in three month's time I would have been unable to pay my mortgage. So I looked at local wanted columns for any job. Most employers thought I was over qualified, but one gave me a job in seasonal golf course maintenance, mainly to cut grass at $8.00 per hour close to minimum wages in Canada. In three years my wage has increased to $11 and my job content is gradually changing to environmental management through recognition by my boss of my technical knowledge. In winter I apply for Employment insurance payment that is not enough to put food on the table. So my sons help fund some of my needs.

This in brief is my experience. Much more can be said.As for you my brief advice is:

If you are below 40 and willing to enroll in a Canadian University for graduation then on qualifying
you may have a good chance of getting employment in your profession in Canada. Otherwise your chances are probably better if you continue to make the best of what Pakistan has to offer. Give some of your time to voluteer for correcting whatever you feel is wrong; in other words become a part time politician with right motives. It does not have to be fighting an election.There are plenty of local issues that deserve attention.

For me at 64 I think I have played my innings or may be I am a 'hypocrite' as someone so passionately put it. I spend my spare time in helping to change immigrant settelment policy in Canada so that what
happened to me does not happen to others like you.

May Allah give you the wisdom to make the right choice. Good Luck.

Fuzail Siddiqui 

Assalamu Alaikum,

I enjoyed talking with you over phone today. It was good to know that you also got your Ontario License here which is an additional proof of your capabilities but in spite of such high qualifications and having an Ontario License, it is indeed very difficult to find a job in this tough Canadian Job market. You are very right in saying that any one who is planning to immigrate should be informed about the difficulties in landing a job in one's professional field and expertise. There are very many good things also about life in Canada so it really depends how far someone is prepared to sacrifice. Still in my personal humble opinion availing this opportunity of getting an immigrant visa pays in the long run if not very soon. Most people who do succeed in obtaining some kind of License or local Canadian credentials do succeed in getting a reasonable job. I think , I may be wrong that as more of our compatriots would come here our community will grow stronger and at least our second generation will be highly successful and that would be good for our country Pakistan also.

I wish all those intending to come here good luck.

With best wishes and regards,

Muzaffar Ahmed Khan