Here at Visto, we love to showcase real success stories of people who went through the process of relocating to Canada to start new lives. Read the interviews with our users and mentors to learn about what the process was like for them, and how they’re settling in to Canada!
Meet Zoya
Zoya Khan is currently employed as a Blockchain Consultant in Toronto Canada. Previously, she worked as a Program Manager in New Delhi, India, for three years before taking the plunge and relocating to Canada. She is an MA graduate in Psychology with a Post-graduate diploma in Industrial Relations & Personnel Management.
She has been in Canada for 3 ½ months – let’s learn more about Zoya and what it was like for her to settle in Canada:
How did you find out about Canada’s immigration programs?
I first learned about the programs available to me through word-of-mouth from friends who were considering it and friends who were in Canada. Then I did some research, was able to land a job and worked with Josh (CEO of Visto) on my application. He made the whole process pretty smooth, and he was always available which was great because I troubled him with a lot of questions. Josh was also assisting my Canadian employer so it was nice knowing someone who understood the process.
What difficulties did you face during the application process?
Initially I didn’t face any difficulties per se. I think the hardest part was gathering all of the necessary documents Josh asked for. I needed to get reference letters from previous employers, which took the longest because it’s dependent on the companies, and some were difficult to get a hold of. Once I passed that difficult step of bureaucracy, the rest was easy enough.
How long did the process take until you were approved?
Once I had all of the necessary paperwork and with Josh’s help I was able to get my work permit in 3 months. I was a little worried during the processing, but I was happy when the papers came through successfully.
What was a challenge you experienced when you arrived?
The biggest challenge I experienced was flying from India to Canada with my little daughter. She is 4 years old and since we didn’t have a car, it was a little difficult at first to move around with her to find a place to live – especially while navigating transit in downtown Toronto.
The process for applying for a Social Insurance Number (SIN) was surprisingly smooth and fast but managing living expenses was more difficult than I thought it would be.
What was something about Canada that surprised you?
Taxes! I didn’t expect the taxes here to be so high! Of course with the taxes comes benefits like health care but it was a big surprise at first. The cold was also surprising.
Did you have any community ties or know anyone when you first arrived?
Yes, I was lucky to have friends who live here. They really helped me to settle down and provided comfort and helped ease my stress, especially with my daughter.
What would’ve been a valuable resource for you while you were going through the whole process?
I think the process was easy enough – Josh was really helpful! I think the hard part was settling in and dealing with transit. I wish I knew more about how transit works and how transit and bus lines are connected.
What is some advice you would give to prospective people wishing to relocate to Canada?
The biggest piece of advice I would give is related to the calculations of monthly expenses. I know that the Government of Canada has the tables which say approximately how much is required per person but in my case, I found I needed more liquidity in terms of monthly expenses and initial costs of settling in. I think budgeting more would be good advice.
Zoya has kindly volunteered to become part of Visto’s Mentor Network which aims to help newcomers with the transition of moving to Canada and answering any questions they may have. If you’re interested in moving to Canada or learning about our Mentor Program, make sure to sign up and join the community here!
Are you interested in changing the lives of skilled newcomers? We’re always looking to expand our network! Send us a message here and we’ll get in touch!
