# Immigration from Europe : good schools, neighbourghoods, lawyers, business questions



## WBC1978 (Feb 6, 2012)

Hi to all,
My husband and I are seriously looking into immigrating to Canada from Belgium thru the skilled worked permanent resident avenue. What's the difference in applying thru Canada or Quebec ? If you apply thru Quebec, do you have to settle in Quebec or can you live/work in another province ?

We have 2 small children (4 and 2). I'm would strongly prefer to live in an English speaking community but my husband is a native French speaker with excellent command of the English language. But professionally he thinks it would be easier for him to find employment around Toronto.

Any nice family neighbourghoods in greater Toronto you can recommend ? Any realty websites to share ?
I know in the US children go to school in the district they live, and for each school district there is a rating which is usually a good indicator to the quality of the area. Is it the same in Canada ?

Also could anyone recommend any good Canadian immigration lawyers in Belgium ?

I'm currently working in Belgium for the branch of a US company. Once we move to Canada, as I'm the only employee, the branch will close and all business will be transfered to the US. I would still like to continue working for the US company. What would be the best way to do this without opening a new company/branch.

Thanks for your input !


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## EVHB (Feb 11, 2008)

WBC1978 said:


> What's the difference in applying thru Canada or Quebec ? If you apply thru Quebec, do you have to settle in Quebec or can you live/work in another province ?


If you apply as a Federal Skilled Worker, you are allowed to settle everywhere in Canada. 
I don't know a lot about the Quebec selected Skilled Worker program. I know they don't assess you with the six selection factors of the FSW program. But at the end, you receive a Permanent Resident Status, and I think this will allow you to settle somewhere else. 



WBC1978 said:


> We have 2 small children (4 and 2). I'm would strongly prefer to live in an English speaking community but my husband is a native French speaker with excellent command of the English language. But professionally he thinks it would be easier for him to find employment around Toronto.


I do know that, if you settle in Quebec as a Permanent Resident, your kids are obliged to go to the French speaking schools. Only for post secondary education they can choose between English or French.
If you would want to move to Toronto: there are a lot of French Immersion schools here. 
Toronto Catholic School Board says:


> French Immersion was established in 1982 for Senior Kindergarten and was extended by one grade each year. Instruction is entirely in French until the end of grade 2; English-language arts is added in grade 3. From grade 5 to grade 8, instruction is given 50 per cent in French and 50 per cent in English.


Halton Public School Board:


> French Immersion is an optional program designed to give children an opportunity to become fluent in our second official language. In The Halton District School Board, fifty percent of our elementary program is in French, and 50% is in English. There are two entry points: early immersion starts in Grade 1, and late Immersion starts in Grade 7.


This is an example of such a (very popular) school in my neighbourhood, there are a couple of them here: cole Forest Trail Public School


While job hunting, it certainly is an advantage if you are bilingual! 
Maybe this can be a start: Bilingual Job Board - French Jobs - Toronto Ontario employment jobs recruiters careers in the GTA


Information about French speaking communities in Ontario: Government of Ontario - Office of Francophone Affairs: 2001 Central Region Map and Statistics





WBC1978 said:


> Any nice family neighbourghoods in greater Toronto you can recommend ? Any realty websites to share ?


Lots of nice neighborhoods in the GTA, it all depends on your budget.
REALTOR.ca -Welcome can give you an idication about the prices. Use Google Earth to see how the neighborhood looks like!!!



WBC1978 said:


> I know in the US children go to school in the district they live, and for each school district there is a rating which is usually a good indicator to the quality of the area. Is it the same in Canada ?


Yes. You can choose between the catholic schools or the public schools. If you live >3km away from the school, there's the yellow school bus (for free).
To get an idea about how well a school is doing on the standarized provincial tests, the Fraser Institute is a good start: http://www.fraserinstitute.org/uplo...-news/research/publications/70ONEEL11COMP.pdf




WBC1978 said:


> Also could anyone recommend any good Canadian immigration lawyers in Belgium ?


 There are none !!! in Belgium. There are a couple of them in The Netherlands but most of them are only consultants. They can not file your case. Frans Buysse from Culemborg is a 'real' one who can file your case on your behalf. We have worked with him and are glad to recommand him, he did an excellent job! (if I had followed the advise that they gave me on a Dutch message board, we would not have made it because it was wrong! The rules change all the time, and they gave me advise that was not accurate anymore!).



WBC1978 said:


> I'm currently working in Belgium for the branch of a US company. Once we move to Canada, as I'm the only employee, the branch will close and all business will be transfered to the US. I would still like to continue working for the US company. What would be the best way to do this without opening a new company/branch.


I hope you don't have to travel a lot to the US? Because you still are a Belgian, so you need a visa to work there. And if you are abroad, you might not be able to proof your residency in Canada (2 years out of 5).

Hope this info is helpful. If you have any more questions, please ask.

Another Belgian in the GTA. ;-)


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## WBC1978 (Feb 6, 2012)

Hi EVBH !
Thanks for your reply 

Schooling : since you mentioned that in Quebec, the children must attend a public French speaking school, I think that pretty much rules that Province out. Plus we visited my sister in law last August in Montreal and I personally wasn't very impressed with the city. Plus it's too close to my SIL !!!!
Already now in Belgium, my eldest daughter is attending an English/French immersion public school starting from 3rd maternelle (kindergarden), so in September 2012 for her. I speak English to my girls, while their Dad (and family) speak French. They understand both languages and my eldest speaks both fluently. 

Neighbourhoods : On our road trip from MI to Montreal last summer, we spent a night in Toronto both ways. We also stopped at The Wild Water Kingdom as well as at the Vaughan Mills outlet mall. So we didn't see much. 
I've checked REALTOR.ca and do see some nice houses in Brampton. But I have no idea what the commute would be like between there and the Toronto Business center where possible my husband would be working. Is the traffic as bad as in Belgium ? We live near Wavre and my husband's office is near the Zaventem airport, it takes him around 1 hour in the morning ... Ditto to the center of BXL.

Basically we need to find an area we like where the schools are well rated ... and if possible a house within 3Km so they can use the yellow bus.

Job : My husband could benefit from an 18 month exchange program which could be a stepping stone to find permanent employment. This would be teh easiest way to immigrate since its my understanding that there is a limited number of slots available for skilled worker immigration based on your qualifications. That quota is quickly reached. Regarding my job, no need to travel to the US. As I explained below, all the business will be sent back to the head office once the branch is closed. I was thinking of either setting myself up as a self-employed and invoicing my consultant services to the US company, or setting up a small consulting company and also invoicing my services this way. The nature of our business makes it possible to work anywhere in the world (only challenge is the time zones !!). But I have no idea at all about the selfemployed status in Canada or the ins and outs of creating a company. I can only think of what it's like in Belgium, and here there are more cons (paperwork, and more paperwork ...) than pros. The best status is being an employee. The company might in the long run be a better solution if after a few years, my husbands needs to invoice his services instead of being an employee. As a Senior Manager of an ex-big 4 (or 5) in Belgium, becoming an independant or having his own company will already be necessary with his next promotion.

Immigration : I've been on the website, and dowloaded the documents. Lots of paperwork but it doesn't look too complicated. Again I think the easiest / most efficient is immigrating with a firm job offer from a Canadian employer. When you mention 2 years out of 5 is that to obtain Canadian citizenship ?

Would you mind sharing a little info regarding your self ?
So you reside in Oakville, ON., and do you work in Toronto ? Do you have small children ? When did you immigrate ? Why did you choose Ontario ? Why did you choose to immigrate ? to Canada ? Thanks 

Personnaly my 1st choice would have been the States as my mother is American and all my family on my mother's side lives there, but they are making it almost impossible to immigrate. My best bet is thru the diversity lottery if you can believe it ... Family-based immigration (thru my mom) is a minimum 10 year wait !!

Is there any way to send a private message on this website ?

Thanks again for sharing your info !


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## EVHB (Feb 11, 2008)

WBC1978 said:


> as at the Vaughan Mills outlet mall.


 Vaughan has a lot of new developments, and many people commute to Toronto. But I don't think they have a Go Train, and the buses are not as convenient because of the trafic jams. So if you husband is gonna work somewhere downtown Toronto, it very convenient to pick a place that has a Go Train service. (like the lakeshore part of Mississauga (Port Credit), Oakville, Burlington,... and also on the other side of Toronto towards Ajax and Pickering (but that is an area Old Yin is more familiar with).



WBC1978 said:


> Brampton.


 Have never been there because two Belgians 'warned' us that these are Little India. ;-) And we thought it was not 'central' enough for us. Came here as Permanent Residents without a job, and Brampton was not that convenient to live to cover the area where we were looking for a job.



WBC1978 said:


> We live near Wavre and my husband's office is near the Zaventem airport, it takes him around 1 hour in the morning ... .


 Here it is at least the same. That's why, while working in downtown Toronto, the Go train is so convenient!



WBC1978 said:


> and if possible a house within 3Km so they can use the yellow bus..


 Within about 3km you don't get on the yellow bus (except if they have empty spots), it's when you live further away from the school, than you can take that bus. Sometimes nice, sometimes not (son of a friend: if she drives him to school, it takes them 8 minutes. If he takes the bus, he's on the bus for 35 minutes.)

Regarding the PR: the quota is not always a problem if your job is on The List. As you can see here: Eligibility criteria for federal skilled worker applications as of July 1, 2011 not all caps are reached. So if you prepare well and can send your application within the first months after July 1st, don't think you need to worry.





WBC1978 said:


> But I have no idea at all about the selfemployed status in Canada ..


 Much easier than in Belgium, much cheaper too.



WBC1978 said:


> As a Senior Manager of an ex-big 4 (or 5) in Belgium, becoming an independant or having his own company will already be necessary with his next promotion.


 My husband has worked for one of them too, but not as a consultant but in Corporate IT.



WBC1978 said:


> When you mention 2 years out of 5 is that to obtain Canadian citizenship ?.


 Yes. And to keep your PR status valid too. So even if you don't want the citizenship, but want to stay here as a permanent resident, you need to proof 2 out of 5 years. (except if you work for a Canadian company that sends you or your husband abroad)



WBC1978 said:


> Would you mind sharing a little info regarding your self ?


 I will send you a personal message with my e-mail, maybe we can set up a Skype chat.


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## WBC1978 (Feb 6, 2012)

Vaughan - Thanks for the tip about the Go train (like the future RER)
Brampton - I understand you comment, we had that feeling at the water park and vaughan mills. But the houses look great in that area 
Yellow Bus - got it 

Got your email and will be sending you one so you have my email in exchange !


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## WBC1978 (Feb 6, 2012)

Did you get my email ?


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## EVHB (Feb 11, 2008)

Yes. Will reply in a couple of minutes.


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