Canada

Canada provides good hope to the professionals. That's why we, me & family, landed on May 18th, 2010 at 4.30 PM in Pearson International Airport, Toronto. We found good people, who help us to reach our rented apartment and provided dinner.

Summer season is very attractive here. An amazing fact is that Sun will not set until 9 PM. When we reached our home, Sun still in horizon and the time was almost 8 PM. We shared our two bedroom apartment with a family. Morning also bring new lesson to us, as the Sun was rising at 5.30 AM. Day went on as we are struggling with Jet lag.

The first few things we have to do is to collect our Landing paper. Then to register for SIN (Social Insurance Number). You have to wait till you get your PIN number (that will take around 7 weeks) to register for Health Card. You also need a bank account and a Driver's license.

One have to do classes conducted by the Government of Canada to know about the present situations in the job market and to apply for that. They have provided free internet access, printouts, photocopies and so on for the new comers.

Bus service, an adaptable example here. Buses will lean to get passengers with disabilities or old aged. Toronto Transit Committee (TTC) is one of the fine examples of 'how to operate bus and subway trains in profit'. With an initial ticket or CAD $3 one can travel as long as he wants within the TTC area. But it had its own disadvantages too; you will not get change of your currency from the bus. If you put CAD $5, 10 or 100, you will not get back the remaining money. So keep the change to travel.

One more thing you have to be in mind is to understand the coin & currency system here. You will have to learn the exact coins. You cannot access its value by its size. Color difference will be with one cent, in copper color.

Never Forgive... Never Forget.

When to go to Canada

Weather and geography dominate any visit to Canada. The vastness of the country means that most trips will be centered on one or the other of tha major cities, Vancouver, Toronto, Ottawa, and Montreal, although it is possible to stay in remote areas such as the isolated Inuit settlements dotted west and north of Hudson Bay. Depending on each visitor’s individual interests, the best time to go will be dictated by local climate and the time of year.

In general, the climates on both the west and east coasts are temperate, while harsher weather occurs in the center of the country, in Saskatch-ewan, Manitoba, and Alberta, where the summers are fine but winters long and hard. Northern Canada is at its most welcoming during July and August when the land thaws, and the temperature is more likely to climb above zero.

In eastern Canada, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, and Prince Edward Island, there are four distinct seasons, with snowy winters, mild springs, and long, crisp falls; summer is still the best time to visit the provinces’ resorts. Quebec and Ontario have hot, humid summers and cold winters, with snow lingering until late March. Spring and fall are brief but can be the most rewarding times to make a visit.

The northeastern province of Newfoundland and coastal Labrador have the most extreme temperatures, ranging on a winter’s day from 0ºC (32ºF) to -50ºC (-41ºF) in St. John’s on Newfoundland’s east coast. Winter visitors to British Columbia and the Rockies can enjoy some of the best skiing in the world. This region is also noted for its temperate weather but can be very wet in spring and fall as Pacific depressions roll in over the mountains.

Canadian Entry Requirements

All visitors to Canada should have a passport valid for longer than the intended period of stay. Travelers from the UK, US, EU, and all British Commonwealth countries do not require a special visa to visit Canada. Tourists are issued with a visitor’s visa on arrival if they satisfy immigration officials that they have a valid return ticket, and that they have sufficient funds for the duration of their stay.

Visitors can stay up to six months, but to extend their stay they must apply to Citizenship and Immigration Canada in Ottawa before expiration of their authorized visit. As visa regulations are subject to change, it is wise to check with the nearest Canadian Consulate, Embassy, or High Commission before leaving home or buying tickets.

Anyone under the age of 18 who is traveling unaccompanied by an adult needs a letter of consent from a parent or guardian giving them permission to travel alone.

Time Zones in Canada

Canada has six time zones spanning a four-and-a-half hour time difference from coast. Between Vancouver and Halifax there are five zones; Pacific, Mountain, Central, Eastern, and Atlantic Standard Time, with an unusual half-hour difference between Newfoundland and Atlantic time. Every province except Saskatchewan uses Daylight Saving Time to give longer summer days, from the first Sunday in April to the last Sunday in October. Clocks go back an hour in October, forward an hour in April.

Canadian Electrical Appliances

Canadian electrical appliances come with either a two-prong or three-prong plug, and most sockets will accept either. The system is a 110-volt, 60-cycle system. You need a plug adaptor if you are visiting from outside North America. Batteries are universal and are readily available for all appliances. Bear in mind that bargain electrical goods purchased here will probably need modification for use in Europe.

Travel Insurance in Canada

Travel Insurance is essential in Canada and should be arranged to cover health, trip-cancellation, and interruption, as well as theft and loss of valuable possessions.

Canadian health services are excellent, but if you do not wish to pay you will need insurance. If you already have private health insurance you should check to see if the coverage includes all emergency hospital and medical expenses such as physician's care, prescription drugs, and private duty-nursing. In case of a serious illness, separate coverage is also required to send a relative to your bed-side or return a rented vehicle.

Emergency dental treatment, and out-of-pocket expenses or loss of vacation costs also need their own policies. Your insurance company or travel agent should recommend the right policy, but beware of exclusions for pre-existing medical conditions.