Common Mistakes Canada International Students Make - And How To Avoid Them

Now, these are some mistakes that even I made and some of my friends made and I would have loved someone To point out these mistakes to me when I was coming to study in Canada. Well, that's why I'm here Hi, hi, hi, my name is Sheree Obasi. Welcome to this channel Um, I share information about how people can relocate to Canada. I'm a Nigerian Living in Canada. I came to Canada as an international student in 2018 And after going through my studies I applied for permanent residence So I came as an international student But I'm a permanent resident and I help people go through these routes study routes work routes permanent residence routes To become permanent residents in Canada. So thank you for stopping by Thank you for all the love that you've been showing liking the videos sharing them I really appreciate it and I don't take it for granted Fall season has started in Canada and a lot of students are resuming school Because September which is the fall term is usually like the most Common term where people resume in schools and people are resuming So I want to talk about some of the most costly mistakes that you should avoid as an international student That is resuming to study in Canada Now these are some mistakes that even I made and some of my friends made and I would have loved someone To point out these mistakes to me when I was coming to study in Canada Well, that's why i'm here to point it out to you So you are not making these mistakes because you know Some of these mistakes could make the difference between you having a nice time or being frustrated Here when you come to study in Canada Now everybody you inclusive must have heard the announcement Of the housing minister in Canada where they talked about capping the number of international students coming to study in Canada Because of a housing crisis. There's such a housing crisis in Canada Yeah, but you is watching this video today I'm going to tell you some things that you can do to avoid some of these errors including housing errors Now i'm going to talk about this in several topics or several headings So that you know, you know, you're not making this mistake. So grab a pen Grab a paper and make sure you're taking notes If you are resuming in Canada or you know someone who is resuming soon They are going to need these notes. Make sure you're watching to the end of the video Because i'm going to be sharing some tips that trust me You don't want to miss it This is coming from someone who has been through that And who has learned from others who has been who have been through it as well and i'm sharing these tips Now the first thing we're going to talk about is the actual study in Canada Now a lot of people who come from outside of Canada to study in Canada, especially for postgraduate studies Are usually surprised at the rigor and the type of studying that you have to do in Canada Some of them are not prepared mentally So the first thing is that you need to prepare yourself mentally You need to know that you're coming for a rigorous study, especially for graduate studies like you're doing master's you're doing phd It's even going to be more rigorous. So be mentally prepared for what you're coming to face You also need to make make sure that you are computer literate If you want to come to Canada to study and you are not computer literate you will struggle Because a lot of things are done online There are a lot of tools that are used for studying that you have to familiarize yourself with So, please be computer literate if you are not computer literate make sure that you are going to Familiarize yourself with basic computer things like microsoft And some of the tools different schools use different tools But make sure that when you come here you find out the tool that your school uses some of them use certain tools to share notes They use certain tools for you to submit your assignments. There are also student portals Which you might have to navigate to check out how to register for courses and all that familiarize yourself with that So, you know They move fast so that you're not left behind And struggling to catch up with others When they move forward another thing when you come studying in canada is that you must try to connect with people from your own country Yeah, so all schools, I dare say all schools have this international group or international student Office where you can go and find out how to connect with people from your country how to network Networking is so important when I came to canada. I had network network network What is all this networking and i've come to understand that networking is important Information is important and information can be there flying around but because you don't have anyone to tell you You will just be meandering and just wasting time for information that you could have gotten so connect with people from your country Join groups a lot of times there are groups for countries. There are groups of towns a group of cities They are good for your department Join those groups and learn learn learn be asking as many questions as you can as you go And a lot of times your tuition that you paid entitles you to certain things find out what you're entitled to your insurance Sometimes your tuition covers bus pass so you don't have to pay a different bus pass You just show your student id card or you're given a bus pass find out if you're entitled to airport pickup Some schools actually arrange airport pickup and some of them will ask you at the point when you're applying for admission Do you need airport pickup? Some people will tick no you understand Even if you tick no then contact the school tell them that you want to be picked up like at the airport It saves you time and it saves you money saves you struggling to settle down They're going to take you straight to your airbnb or your accommodation or whatever wherever you have arranged to stay So make sure you're finding out what you're entitled to if you're coming with family Find out if your insurance covers your family as well or if you need to get extra insurance for them Now that we've covered studying in canada, let's move to accommodation accommodation is a really big one because Number one the number of international students is increasing year on year in canada And then some of the housing That is provided in canada cannot well cope exactly with the number of things that are coming So, how are you going to manage when it comes to accommodation? A lot of people ask me Oh i'm coming to a new country She helped me look for accommodation help me look for accommodation And I always tell them what you need to do if you're coming and you don't know anybody in that place where you're coming to Be very careful about paying for accommodation to someone that you don't know You haven't even seen the place before you come. I would advise you to get an airbnb. It's simple just google airbnb airbnb those one it's like a Meeting place for people who are ready to rent out probably their houses or rooms to people for short time before you can Get an accommodation of your own so get an airbnb Land in an airbnb But before you come make sure you arrange one or two viewing I would advise I actually see the place that you want to rent Arrange one or two views so as you are landing in your airbnb That week starting with the next day You are already viewing one or two places and luckily before that week is over You would have landed somewhere you would have paid so you would stay in that airbnb for one week or less Make sure that's what you're doing Don't pay for accommodation someone you don't know before you land now if you know someone in that place where you're landing And they are willing they can help you look at accommodation It's easier they can check the accommodation for you verify and then they can pay and take the key So when you're landing you're landing in that place, but except that is the case So be very careful about paying for accommodation when you haven't seen the place and where you're not sure who you're paying to Okay Now when it comes to accommodation also be realistic with your budget Don't make the mistake of comparing yourself with the joneses Some people have been here long before you maybe they came two years ago five years ago Don't compare your accommodation with them cut your coat according to the cloth that you have not even according to your size Yeah, you're coming to the new country. You have to be careful with your money So cut your coat according to your cloth look for accommodation that you can actually afford that you're I mean that you're comfortable with If you're a single person one room is enough for you just get one room in a house with other students or whoever Don't go renting like a self-contained or all of that. You don't need that for now. You just need that one room So that is what you should be renting at this point But if you're coming with your family, that's when you're going to need probably a two-bedroom or three-bedroom an apartment Yeah, I would advise you when you're getting accommodation, especially for the one room strand get the one that includes utilities Yeah, so apart from paying for rent There's also bills to pay like gas bills electricity bills water bills and all the other utilities Sometimes there's parking and there's some accommodation the rent comes with all of these things inclusive Some comes with just the rent and then you have to pay all these other bills probably share it with others In the room or in the apartment now, so but if you can get accommodation that includes utilities That would be the best because sometimes these utilities can go high especially when it comes to gas costs In the winter it can go high. So try and get the one that Is inclusive now sometimes you might go and rent a room in a house an apartment and you meet someone from your country Yeah, you like them you meet a lady that you like you people become friends And then you now suggest buying things together like pots and pans. I would not advise that i'm not saying don't be their friend But have your own things yeah buy your own pots buy your own pans Uh, if you people want to buy things together because you're living together Let them buy something and then you buy the others. For example, they might buy pots you buy pans they might buy Plates you buy spoons and the reason why i'm saying that is so that when you guys are leaving And going to your different places you are taking your pot. She's taking her pans You don't have to now start struggling about who uses what but as much as you can have your own things You know how we ladies are. I don't think guys have problem They can share their pots and pans and stuff but ladies we usually like to have our own things to hold on to our own things So try and avoid sharing things if you know it might cause problem You know one wahala you came here to study face your studies youngster You can't be struggling with studies and then struggling with somebody that is quarreling with you about pots and pans cook your own food, too This sharing of food i'm talking about experience. So this cooking we cook together can cost wahala Some people are heavy eaters. Some people don't know how to cook some people You know when you have an arrangement with them for them to cook Maybe you cook and clean people don't meet their own side of the deal just and it's going to cause quarrel So cook your own food eat your own food Let them cook their own you people can be friends, you know and go out and eat together But when it comes to the sharing thing try and avoid as much as you can Also when it comes to accommodation, um, I like to advise if it's possible don't live in the same house with Your landlord or landlady Sometimes you might not be able to avoid it and i'm not saying that there are some landlords and landladies are not great I lived with a landlord when I first came to canada and it was great. It was a great person But i've heard landlord horror stories. It's really those who have female landladies. Oh my goodness There are some they won't let you play music And when you cook they will complain they don't allow you bring visitors. No one can visit you stuff like that. It's just Stressful there's an extra pressure on top of the pressure of studying so if you can avoid Please don't avoid but if you are pressed for accommodation and the one you saw Is somebody who lives in the house going to live in the house with you? Just try and assess sometimes, you know, you get these vibes look at them very well Check the vibes that is coming from them is the vibes fitting with you if your vibes are jamming Then you can take it your vibes are not jamming and I advise you go and check another place It's better for you to get somewhere where you'll be at peace Rather than having to have wahala with landlord or landlady and eventually those wahala will not force you to leave or they will tell you to leave So avoid it from the start as much as you can So when you're coming as a student or as a small family as a lot of times what you will get are basement apartments Basement apartments are good. I'm not saying they're not good, but it can be cold in the winter So if you're getting a basement and you're coming with kids, uh or small children, please be aware that it gets cold So be sure to invest in a good heater. Yeah And and be realistic know that you know This place is going to get cold in the winter and be expect that like know that that would happen So if you can avoid a basement Do that there's some basements that are really great in terms of they are not as cold But in general a basement could be cold. So you need to um, just manage your expectations Now let's talk about work um If you're enjoying this video so far, please leave us a like don't forget click the like button And be sure to drop your comments You know on what i've talked about so far in terms of the rigor of studying in canada If you know someone who has come to study in canada or you yourself have and you understand what I talked about when it comes To rigor and accommodation leave us a comment And like those videos. So let's talk about work Now one of the attractive things about studying in canada is that you can work as a student and study Now but there's a lot of misconception when it comes to working and studying a lot of people have expectations that are Not realistic when it comes to working and studying and i'm going to talk a bit about that Now except you came to canada, um by october 2022 october 7th. So 2022 you cannot work full-time. You can only work 20 hours outside of campus So you can only work 20 hours now, even if you came before october 2022 You can only work full-time up until this this year or next year. It's going to end soon So it's not like a permanent policy. It's a temporary policy However, if you didn't you can only work 20 hours a week now when you get to the airport You're going to be given a study permit and in your study permit They are going to write um that you're entitled to work 20 hours or whatever. Please be checking that study permit Check Check because some of these immigration officers might omit to put that Um, so check now there are some immigration officers that even restricting working hours on the work permits Maybe I don't know. Maybe something entered their head. They might restrict your working hours or say that you cannot work in certain Sectors like healthcare all that check all of that and ask them questions. Don't be scared of them They're human beings ask why they are giving you that And if they have restricted you from working in canada Um, then you can you know, you can appeal it now if you are coming to Study in a dli that that does not that's not eligible for post-graduation work permits. You are not eligible to work You are not eligible to work. That's why I always advise go for a dli that is eligible for pgwp So that you can work in canada Now we have already gotten you've gotten work permits. You got it at the airport now. You have entered into canada. Welcome to canada What kind of jobs can you get how much can you earn and can you pay tuition from No from the job that you're doing now as a student You're working 20 hours a week outside of campus if you work on campus, you can work on limited hours So if you get a job on campus in the library in car park or whatever, you can work more than 20 hours It doesn't affect that 20 hours that you're working but if 20 hours that you're allowed to work But if you're working outside of campus, then it's just 20 hours. Now, can you pay your tuition without money? I've done a video if you check this channel, you see where I thought I talked about I did a video. Um, Detailed video in terms of can you pay your tuition from working in canada? You need to kind of check check out that video. You need to check it out look, uh You probably will get a minimum wage because you're a student now whether you can pay tuition without money. I don't think so Yes, I don't want you to come and suffer in canada and I like to tell the truth I don't like to I don't do clickbait. So it will be difficult Yeah, it may be difficult for you to pay tuition from the work from the 20 hours work that you're doing that 20 hours What can help you pay utilities can help you pay transportation help you pay rent help you buy food stuff like that But you see that tuition better to have a plan b regarding your tuition However, if you're coming to a spouse your spouse can get spousal open work and they can work full-time because it's an open work permit So if your spouse is working full-time in addition to the part-time that you are working If when I combine that money together it might be able to help but you just come into an international student thinking that I will work And pay my tuition I do not advise it Okay, so in regards to the type of jobs you can get also you can get jobs as a bartender Or you can get jobs as a cashier in in a store. You can get job as a customer service Some of you want to work as psws In the factories and all that you can actually do all of those jobs now some of these jobs require that you have certain training or certification If you can do the certifications before you come to canada, it's fine Just that you can also do them here For example, if you want to do if you want to be a psw you need to have your first aid and know how to do cpr They have those trainings here in canada You can pay and do them or you can do them before you can come with certificates If you want to work in a bar or any place that sells alcohol you need to do a smart serve training I know I did that one time when I wanted to work, you know in a bar or so i've done that training I've done the cpr. I've done the first aid. I never ever did that alcohol job, but I did train for it So you can do all of that before you learn you're going to need that and if you have those You have advantage to do those jobs over people who don't have it There are also some jobs that you can do as well as some side hustles that require a driver's license So make sure you're coming with your driver's license renew it Don't allow you to expire before you come and get your driving extracts Yeah, so with your driver's license and driving extracts You can rush to do your knowledge test and then do your drive test the one on the road So that you're prepared for any job that is asking. Do you have driver's license? There are some jobs that require it and they pay quite well You can also do uber if you can get a car and drive uber it's a great side hustle Yeah, it'll get you a lot of money more than just walking in an office Now let's talk about skincare now skincare Applies to everybody whether you're a man or a woman or a child you want to take care of your skin You don't want to be shining now in canada Because you're in canada where your skin should shine but some people come here and notice that the water hair Doesn't agree with their skin, you know, some people come and they notice even people that have kids They notice that oh, there's something about the water that affects their kids Now, this is what I would advise when I was coming. I brought shea butter and I think it's great Especially in the winter your skin can get dry So if you can come with shea butter come with shea butter If you have your own normal beauty regimen that you do back home And there are things that you buy buy them bring as many as you can if you can bring four of those creams Buy as much as you can to last you for as long as you can until somebody's coming again Just in case you don't get that type here You know that sometimes these companies that make this skincare they make one for africa Then they make one for europe or canada or all that So the one that fits your skin might be that one that you've been using in africa and this one here might not so bring it Yeah, bring those ones and then when it comes to sunscreen bring sunscreen sunscreen is a big deal here because in the summer Depending on where you live the sun can be can be bad. Yeah, the sun can be bad So come with your sunscreen and the reason i'm saying that because the one here i've noticed can leave some white Patchments on your skin. So there was one I was using once that even gave me some rashes There was sunscreen and I stopped using it. Yeah, so as much as you can bring your sunscreen Bring your cream and if you're a lady and you want to wear attachment like me make sure you're coming with wigs wigs and attachments Yeah crochet. Yeah, because you might be busy as a student You might be so busy that you won't have time to dance between here you don't want to look like you just came from Yeah, somebody just came from somewhere with impoverished. You also want to look good. You have to keep up, you know appearances and look nice So come with as much hair Attachments wig as you can. It's great. Yeah, because sometimes you do this hair here. It's not easy crochet is not it's not it's not Expensive to me because you just weave your hair and you know, just use needle and thread and make the crochet Some people can do that thing for themselves. Oh, yeah, I've seen people here who make their own hair Can you imagine I can't do that. I have to be paying people money to do my hair But there are people that can crochet their hair. I have a friend. She does her hair. She weaves her hair She braids it and all that all by herself. So she's saving like $900 on people that people like us I don't know how to do these things spending money on yeah, so don't forget to be liking this video leave a comment Thank you so much that it encourages me or it does And share the video as well So that as many people who are coming to canada now or coming whenever sometime in the future Can get this video and learn because these are really huge lessons critical lessons mistakes people make That I wish I myself knew before I came to canada So what about clothes, you know when I wanted to come to canada, I heard the country's good cold That we cannot wear the clothes that we wear back home so I didn't bring a lot of my clothes I was hoping to come here to buy clothes, but then there is summer now this summer So during the summer you can actually wear the clothes that you wear back home. So come with as much clothes as you can Basic colors black brown white and all that try and bring clothes. Yeah Don't forget that you have a limited number of suitcases. I think it's 23 kg two suitcases and your hold all that's where you can bring So manage your space very well. Yeah, don't bring things that you don't need to bring you can bring clothes bring trainers Yeah, people wear trainers a lot here bring trainers bring some a couple of jeans trousers and your tops bring that And then medicine, huh, there's some medicines you can buy here except You get a prescription from a doctor, which is what how it should be. Yeah Not the one you'll go to the pharmacy and say mix for me. There's no mixing here So bring the medicine if you're on the prescription bring that Basic medicines like Canada. They do have Advil and all that here Um, the only one I can recommend maybe bring something for cold. Yeah the malaria medicine Bring it because you can experience some malaria symptoms At first when you come and there's no malaria medicine in Canada. You have to bring those yourself. So bring medicine as much as you can And then food stuff, hey For those who like food, um drink what you can like dry fish a goosey a bono Stock fish anything that you can manage to bring palm oil if you can freeze that put in your suitcase You can bring it out. These things are available in African store. It's not that they are not here They are depending on where you live. There are some places where they have plenty African stuff There's some places where they have a few and so it is a few the thing they cost so bring as much as you can Manage your space some people also cargo their things. Yeah by sea some by air people will like food So you can pack all of those food food. Ghana must go and cargo them to Canada. It's also a good way to do it Now the last but not the least are your documents make sure you don't leave document behind though Bring your all of your certificates from school bring your driver's license Bring your bank extracts your birth certificates Every of your important documents come with it If you have a dumb account get 80 and bring 80 and say like i'm withdrawing from that account and all that But bring all the documents if you're coming with kids bring their vaccination document because they're going to go to school And at some point they will ask for vaccination documents bring all of those their birth certificates All of those sweet Important documents make sure you're coming with them. Don't leave anything behind though You are coming here to stay so bring all your documents along with you So we're rounding down the video and i'm so glad you're giving me the opportunity to talk to you about some of these mistakes Some things you should watch out for as you're coming to canada Don't worry, you might be overwhelmed your first few weeks, but you get you you get your rhythm and you start, you know Flowing with the canada flow. So just take your time pray Pace yourself and know that you are learning there's a learning curve and eventually you get it And who knows you start advising others who are coming to canada as well If there's any topic you want me to expand shit on i'm thinking about that accommodation on before me to talk about accommodation How to find accommodation where to find accommodation what to look out for make sure you're leaving the comments Leave a comment if I see like 50 comments asking me talk about accommodation. I'm going to do a special video Detail of accommodation because I know a lot of people are struggling with that Can you imagine some people are even sleeping outside are here in some provinces because they don't have accommodation I I won't talk about so leave a comment like this video subscribe and share it fan wide Thank you so much for all your love those of you who are sharing this video. You've been sharing. Oh god bless you I'm, so I appreciate it. I'll talk to you in the next video And then take care. Don't forget it's not over until you say it's over. So don't say it's over I'll talk to you in the next one. Take care now. God bless you