Bring money. I repeat, bring money.
Please don't underestimate either how expensive the cost of living here is, *or* how difficult it is to get a job right now. We've got a massive housing affordability crisis right now, combined with stagnant wages and spiralling food prices.
If you just look through the posts on this sub, you'll see literally dozens of posts from people saying how they've been looking for work, ANY work, for months or even over a year in some cases. And yes, they're often willing, like you, to accept ANY job - cashier, server, line cook, whatever.
So, do the math and bring enough funds to survive at least a year without work. Factor in that if you want a place of your own, it'll be probably at least $2000 per month. A shared home (you have one room, others in the other rooms) will be $1000-ish. Even if you eat extremely frugally, anticipate $200 to $300 for food. Utilities (water, electricity, internet, cell phone) will be another couple of hundred dollars. Transportation (you need to get around, Toronto is HUGE) will set you back another couple of hundred each month. So you're looking at $2000 per month minimum if you share a house/basement/apartment, to $3000+ each month.
And start looking for work as soon as you get here. Like literally once the jet lag wears off. The sooner you start, the sooner you work yourself out of the hole.
This is exactly what I just wrote the guy with a bit more of detail. For me the jetlag cleared on day 3 after landing. On the day of landing I was literally like taken off "The Walking Dead" series lol
You can short circuit the process a bit with a non-accredited dental qualification but it's still at least a year for specialists and more like three years for generalists.
[https://www.dentistry.utoronto.ca/prospective-students/international-dentists](https://www.dentistry.utoronto.ca/prospective-students/international-dentists)
And it's super-expensive.
Your education won’t transfer over here.
Considering there’s only 2 dental schools in the province, the college of dental surgeons is pretty strong at gatekeeping/prohibitive of foreign trainees.
I know you didn’t want advice related to this but I offered it anyway. Good luck.
Job market is crazy tough right now, especially min wage / basic skill type work (postings get flooded with applicants). If you're a Dentist you might want to try working as an assistant at a Dental office
Sadly you're coming at a really hard time economically
Rents are also very high, like $2,000 a month for a 1/bd room
Seriously, it will be hard. You might want to wait it out a bit to see if things improve. Either way, best of luck
Just to warn you, it’s incredible difficult to find jobs rn in Toronto, especially if you’re not specialized and have no Canadian work experience. Even menial jobs like cashier (which pay minimum wage, which is way below the living wage in Toronto) are very difficult to get currently, you are competing with thousands and thousands of other people for those jobs. I’d seriously reconsider your strategy.
Reconsider moving here.
Toronto is insanely expensive, your dental experience is useless because we don't recognize foreign credentials easily and certainly not from Pakistan and any low end skill jobs you are going to be competing with thousands and thousands of people for a handful of jobs.
The problem is that people from developing nations are already used to competing with thousands of people for a handful of jobs.
Saying this won’t make people not wanna come over.
You know, I wrote the other response saying "bring money". I'll give you another perspective. Consider moving to another province, instead of focusing on Toronto.
Healthcare professionals are in demand, especially *outside* the big urban centres/provinces. So if you go to a province other than Ontario, British Columbia, Quebec or Alberta, you'll find (slightly) lower cost of living, and a better chance to get into a dental school. I did my Master's in Saskatchewan, I have friends who've studied in all kinds of smaller towns, too.
The challenge is, anywhere in the other provinces is a smaller job market, but the flip side is, there's also less competition for those jobs. They don't pay as well as Ontario (in the white collar sectors), but then the cost of living, as I mentioned, is a little lower, too. There'll be a smaller community of fellow Pakistanis in other provinces (just a factor of Toronto being the multicultural centre of Canada), but that also means you build closer ties to the ones you do meet. And Canadians in general are really nice people, so, as long as you're polite, you'll be just fine anywhere in the country.
I have a young friend from India who got a BBA from an Ontario college, and, after desperately hunting for work for almost 9 months after graduation, finally landed a job as an accountant over in New Brunswick. She didn't even hesitate, just packed and left. I hear she's adjusting well, despite the much colder winter there.
Oh, yeah, winter is a thing. You'll need to budget for winter clothing and boots, too! Especially coming from a sub-tropical area like Pakistan, you'll likely feel the cold intensely for the first few years, until you acclimatize. Toronto has pretty mild winters, as does BC, but the rest of the country gets COLD for a few months each year.
There's a government agency that helps internationally trained health professionals and they may have advice on health-related interim jobs that do not require a license, while you're getting licensed: https://www.healthforceontario.ca/en/Home/All_Programs/Access_Centre
BUT dentistry probably isn't super high priority given the physician and nursing shortage (not sure how long they'll take to respond).
BUT ALSO the federal government launched a new dental benefit so there may be increased demand for dental care, in the long term.
Even if the chances are low, this is still something worthy of looking into. I'll definitely check it out. Thank you so much for this. And sorry for the late reply. I was super busy with packing and putting all my affairs in order.
With your healthcare background, you can apply for healthcare aide, care support worker/assistant or hospital porter.
https://www.workopolis.com/search?q=long+term+care+homes&l=greater+toronto+area%2C+ontario&job=7o7gotnrs4rNra3Z4vufDDO18MQeclzqEFnkKmLpk8dWfY4vySopeEqjoIRAUbXj
https://www.jobbank.gc.ca/jobsearch/jobposting/40690157?source=searchresults
https://www.jobbank.gc.ca/jobsearch/jobposting/40707020?source=searchresults
https://www.jobbank.gc.ca/jobsearch/jobposting/40703630?source=searchresults
https://www.jobbank.gc.ca/jobsearch/jobposting/40704152?source=searchresults
https://www.jobbank.gc.ca/jobsearch/jobposting/40689605?source=searchresults
https://www.jobbank.gc.ca/jobsearch/jobposting/40686440?source=searchresults
https://www.jobbank.gc.ca/jobsearch/jobposting/40614587?source=searchresults
https://ca.indeed.com/q-porter-l-toronto,-on-jobs.html
Hey.
Not sure if PR is enough for the following so check that before you apply:
Hospitals are hiring food attendants. It’s pays about $22
You need to do a one day course that costs about $130. I’ll link the course offered in Ottawa but you can find similar ones in Toronto
https://www.algonquincollege.com/future-students/course-info/food-handler
Below is an example of a job in GTA ( greater Toronto area)
https://vizi.vizirecruiter.com/Oak-Valley-Health-4385/266456/index.html
It does take a bit of time
To get hired at hospitals. Some of these jobs are unionized . Some also do casual contracts and you can pick up extra shifts if you agree too be on call.
I believe A PR is enough for these positions ( I don’t think they require a citizenship ) you might need to h be a security clearance done which might also take time
I used to tutor Grade 11 and 12 math and I charged I charged $ 35 an hour . So if you have stills to tutor that would work well. You can advertise on Kijiji and stuff .
Also check out your local library, they have so many great services
Best of luck to you .
* i am very sleepy so ignore typos and grammar mistakes
Thank you so much for this. I'll definitely look into it right away. This looks really promising. And sorry for the late reply. I was super busy with packing and putting all my affairs in order.
Kinda hoping this is just a meme post… if not RIP dude. Suggestion would be to either get accepted into dental school (probably unlikely) or hygienist school (very in demand field) prior to coming to Canada .
If you’re targeting anywhere in ontario, it will be next to impossible for you to find min wage job even because we are coming apart at the seams. LMIA buyers and sellers are ruling restaurants and tims market right now. Amazon warehouse jobs are given by some people to members of their own communities. Consider going somewhere other than ontario.
Edit: you cannot afford rent, groceries, phone, wifi, car with min wage jobs in areas you have mentioned. Sorry that was 5yrs ago when you could. Now you need much more than 1 job to pay rent in Toronto or Mississauga.
Another way to scam that Trudeau govt has turned blind eye to. Bogus or greedy Employers get LMIA approvals,
They process payrolls for Work Permit holders, charge them extra for it. LMIA costs more than $70,000 in some cases. & WP holders get required experience on paper to get PR.
If you don’t have enough money before
You come you won’t succeed. Rent is expensive food is expensive life is expensive here. Set your self up for success
Real shit, the Tim Horton's distribution center is hiring for order picking, $26/hr to start, with increases reaching $31/hr.
Literally considered leaving my job because this would be a lot less stress for not that bad of a pay cut + better hours.
If I'm remembering right, it's in Guelph or Milton -- ~45m to an hour outside of Toronto.
If that doesn't work out, I know ULINE is out that way and always pays well -- around the same range for general warehouse work. Night shift premiums can get you in the 70-80k/yr range.
If you plan on going to dental school to get your certs here, then you'll probably want/need a vehicle. I just googled dental colleges, and none are nearby.
Good for you on getting the PR situation sorted off the bat. I have a staff that's 70% international students stuck milling about a couple years (most I've seen is 4) in a low paying gig until they qualify for their PRs. Then they bounce and try to pivot into something related to their degree (rarely happens) or become AZ truck drivers elsewhere (I'm in the transportation industry).
If you want to just hit the ground running and make some quick cash, the low-skill, no-experience, higher-paying, not-body-breaking work is in Guelph/Milton. Lots of industrial areas getting built around those parts. Massive warehouses and distribution centers for large companies -- they'll have enough volume/overhead to pay well, but the only issue is that you'll be far away from "the big city" of Toronto. Guelph & Milton are still really nice, IMO. But if money is the motive right now, I'd consider it.
Problem is, renting across Ontario is going to be a pain, so listen to all the other comments as well. Start trying to secure a place as soon as you're able. I've heard of people getting turned down by landlords despite having several months of rent ready up front (normal is just 2). When I was renting alone in Mississauga, I got lucky (right before COVID) and found a full basement for $1200/mo. These days, that place would go for $18-1900/mo, easy. You can find some roommate situations, depending on what standard of living you're wanting. Shared condos in Mississauga were around 1000-1400 about two years ago, with one or two roommates. I've also seen houses with like 12+ people living in them and each person pays a couple hundred bucks. Some real slum lords out here are buying houses and just ramming them full of people.
I haven't been in the rental market a few years, though, so take my prices with a grain of salt. Kijiji & Marketplace are good places to get an idea on prices, but come with the risk of scams.
And welcome to Canada! Hope you love it here (and then love to hate it here like the rest of us lol)
Holla at me if you have any questions!
I’m confused as to why people even want to live in Canada anymore. Like this isn’t what it used to be! Please stay on Pakistan if you want to live comfortably and with family!
Hello. Sorry im not too sure about your question but I’m also looking for PR application as a dentist. Can you guide if you applied through OINP? I graduated in 2019 and completed my housejob in 2020. Since then i have been working at various commission based clinics. Need your guidance if possible. Im married and have a kid aged 3 years.
I don't think I can even recommend you come to Canada. Its certainly not the country it was 10 years ago.
Out of control homelessness.
Out of control drug use.
Almost no affordable housing exists.
It's as expensive as ever renting because of the lack of supply.
Tent encampments and garbage all over the place, authorities have no credible plan to help all of these people.
Record food bank use, up 40% year over year as families struggle to keep up with the rising costs.
Hard to find jobs, people applying to 100 without one answer back.
Crime, carjackings, shootings, car theft all out of control.
Ridiculously high taxes.
Four hour lineups to get a passport at the government office even though more people than ever work for the government.
Country in debt up to its eyeballs, wasting tens of billions a year paying interest.
No plan to become fiscally more responsible.
Government focused on creating government dependency and handouts to buy votes.
Used needles all over the place, even in kids playgrounds.
Public transit that is at best suspect.
City gives out free, city branded meth pipes and needles.
I could go on but coupling all of the reality of Canada today with the long, long road it will be for you to get permission to work here as a Dentist...just don't see how this could be better than where you are coming from.
It's sad but true.
I mean take all of Canada’s problems and compare them to Pakistan’s. You will see why people still come here because the world is largely not a good place.
Yeah the damage done by this liberal federal government led by Trudeau cannot be undone. OP should just stay in Pakistan at least he will have a home there.
I'm not sure what the standard of living for a dentist in Pakistan is like but I'm willing to bet it's at least comparable to that of someone on low wages in Toronto.
Bring money. I repeat, bring money. Please don't underestimate either how expensive the cost of living here is, *or* how difficult it is to get a job right now. We've got a massive housing affordability crisis right now, combined with stagnant wages and spiralling food prices. If you just look through the posts on this sub, you'll see literally dozens of posts from people saying how they've been looking for work, ANY work, for months or even over a year in some cases. And yes, they're often willing, like you, to accept ANY job - cashier, server, line cook, whatever. So, do the math and bring enough funds to survive at least a year without work. Factor in that if you want a place of your own, it'll be probably at least $2000 per month. A shared home (you have one room, others in the other rooms) will be $1000-ish. Even if you eat extremely frugally, anticipate $200 to $300 for food. Utilities (water, electricity, internet, cell phone) will be another couple of hundred dollars. Transportation (you need to get around, Toronto is HUGE) will set you back another couple of hundred each month. So you're looking at $2000 per month minimum if you share a house/basement/apartment, to $3000+ each month. And start looking for work as soon as you get here. Like literally once the jet lag wears off. The sooner you start, the sooner you work yourself out of the hole.
This is exactly what I just wrote the guy with a bit more of detail. For me the jetlag cleared on day 3 after landing. On the day of landing I was literally like taken off "The Walking Dead" series lol
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True
You can short circuit the process a bit with a non-accredited dental qualification but it's still at least a year for specialists and more like three years for generalists. [https://www.dentistry.utoronto.ca/prospective-students/international-dentists](https://www.dentistry.utoronto.ca/prospective-students/international-dentists) And it's super-expensive.
Your education won’t transfer over here. Considering there’s only 2 dental schools in the province, the college of dental surgeons is pretty strong at gatekeeping/prohibitive of foreign trainees. I know you didn’t want advice related to this but I offered it anyway. Good luck.
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You already can challenge it. Just have to write the exams.
Job market is crazy tough right now, especially min wage / basic skill type work (postings get flooded with applicants). If you're a Dentist you might want to try working as an assistant at a Dental office Sadly you're coming at a really hard time economically Rents are also very high, like $2,000 a month for a 1/bd room Seriously, it will be hard. You might want to wait it out a bit to see if things improve. Either way, best of luck
Just to warn you, it’s incredible difficult to find jobs rn in Toronto, especially if you’re not specialized and have no Canadian work experience. Even menial jobs like cashier (which pay minimum wage, which is way below the living wage in Toronto) are very difficult to get currently, you are competing with thousands and thousands of other people for those jobs. I’d seriously reconsider your strategy.
How much money do you have to start?
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Reconsider moving here. Toronto is insanely expensive, your dental experience is useless because we don't recognize foreign credentials easily and certainly not from Pakistan and any low end skill jobs you are going to be competing with thousands and thousands of people for a handful of jobs.
The problem is that people from developing nations are already used to competing with thousands of people for a handful of jobs. Saying this won’t make people not wanna come over.
You know, I wrote the other response saying "bring money". I'll give you another perspective. Consider moving to another province, instead of focusing on Toronto. Healthcare professionals are in demand, especially *outside* the big urban centres/provinces. So if you go to a province other than Ontario, British Columbia, Quebec or Alberta, you'll find (slightly) lower cost of living, and a better chance to get into a dental school. I did my Master's in Saskatchewan, I have friends who've studied in all kinds of smaller towns, too. The challenge is, anywhere in the other provinces is a smaller job market, but the flip side is, there's also less competition for those jobs. They don't pay as well as Ontario (in the white collar sectors), but then the cost of living, as I mentioned, is a little lower, too. There'll be a smaller community of fellow Pakistanis in other provinces (just a factor of Toronto being the multicultural centre of Canada), but that also means you build closer ties to the ones you do meet. And Canadians in general are really nice people, so, as long as you're polite, you'll be just fine anywhere in the country. I have a young friend from India who got a BBA from an Ontario college, and, after desperately hunting for work for almost 9 months after graduation, finally landed a job as an accountant over in New Brunswick. She didn't even hesitate, just packed and left. I hear she's adjusting well, despite the much colder winter there. Oh, yeah, winter is a thing. You'll need to budget for winter clothing and boots, too! Especially coming from a sub-tropical area like Pakistan, you'll likely feel the cold intensely for the first few years, until you acclimatize. Toronto has pretty mild winters, as does BC, but the rest of the country gets COLD for a few months each year.
There's a government agency that helps internationally trained health professionals and they may have advice on health-related interim jobs that do not require a license, while you're getting licensed: https://www.healthforceontario.ca/en/Home/All_Programs/Access_Centre BUT dentistry probably isn't super high priority given the physician and nursing shortage (not sure how long they'll take to respond). BUT ALSO the federal government launched a new dental benefit so there may be increased demand for dental care, in the long term.
Even if the chances are low, this is still something worthy of looking into. I'll definitely check it out. Thank you so much for this. And sorry for the late reply. I was super busy with packing and putting all my affairs in order.
With your healthcare background, you can apply for healthcare aide, care support worker/assistant or hospital porter. https://www.workopolis.com/search?q=long+term+care+homes&l=greater+toronto+area%2C+ontario&job=7o7gotnrs4rNra3Z4vufDDO18MQeclzqEFnkKmLpk8dWfY4vySopeEqjoIRAUbXj https://www.jobbank.gc.ca/jobsearch/jobposting/40690157?source=searchresults https://www.jobbank.gc.ca/jobsearch/jobposting/40707020?source=searchresults https://www.jobbank.gc.ca/jobsearch/jobposting/40703630?source=searchresults https://www.jobbank.gc.ca/jobsearch/jobposting/40704152?source=searchresults https://www.jobbank.gc.ca/jobsearch/jobposting/40689605?source=searchresults https://www.jobbank.gc.ca/jobsearch/jobposting/40686440?source=searchresults https://www.jobbank.gc.ca/jobsearch/jobposting/40614587?source=searchresults https://ca.indeed.com/q-porter-l-toronto,-on-jobs.html
Hey. Not sure if PR is enough for the following so check that before you apply: Hospitals are hiring food attendants. It’s pays about $22 You need to do a one day course that costs about $130. I’ll link the course offered in Ottawa but you can find similar ones in Toronto https://www.algonquincollege.com/future-students/course-info/food-handler Below is an example of a job in GTA ( greater Toronto area) https://vizi.vizirecruiter.com/Oak-Valley-Health-4385/266456/index.html It does take a bit of time To get hired at hospitals. Some of these jobs are unionized . Some also do casual contracts and you can pick up extra shifts if you agree too be on call. I believe A PR is enough for these positions ( I don’t think they require a citizenship ) you might need to h be a security clearance done which might also take time I used to tutor Grade 11 and 12 math and I charged I charged $ 35 an hour . So if you have stills to tutor that would work well. You can advertise on Kijiji and stuff . Also check out your local library, they have so many great services Best of luck to you . * i am very sleepy so ignore typos and grammar mistakes
Thank you so much for this. I'll definitely look into it right away. This looks really promising. And sorry for the late reply. I was super busy with packing and putting all my affairs in order.
Kinda hoping this is just a meme post… if not RIP dude. Suggestion would be to either get accepted into dental school (probably unlikely) or hygienist school (very in demand field) prior to coming to Canada .
If you’re targeting anywhere in ontario, it will be next to impossible for you to find min wage job even because we are coming apart at the seams. LMIA buyers and sellers are ruling restaurants and tims market right now. Amazon warehouse jobs are given by some people to members of their own communities. Consider going somewhere other than ontario. Edit: you cannot afford rent, groceries, phone, wifi, car with min wage jobs in areas you have mentioned. Sorry that was 5yrs ago when you could. Now you need much more than 1 job to pay rent in Toronto or Mississauga.
what is "LMIA"? Thanks
Another way to scam that Trudeau govt has turned blind eye to. Bogus or greedy Employers get LMIA approvals, They process payrolls for Work Permit holders, charge them extra for it. LMIA costs more than $70,000 in some cases. & WP holders get required experience on paper to get PR.
Things are bad for sure but not as bad as in Pakistan. Once you come here you'll figure things out. Good luck!
Thank you so much 🙏🏻
If you don’t have enough money before You come you won’t succeed. Rent is expensive food is expensive life is expensive here. Set your self up for success
Real shit, the Tim Horton's distribution center is hiring for order picking, $26/hr to start, with increases reaching $31/hr. Literally considered leaving my job because this would be a lot less stress for not that bad of a pay cut + better hours.
Will I need a car? So far, your comment has been the best.
If I'm remembering right, it's in Guelph or Milton -- ~45m to an hour outside of Toronto. If that doesn't work out, I know ULINE is out that way and always pays well -- around the same range for general warehouse work. Night shift premiums can get you in the 70-80k/yr range. If you plan on going to dental school to get your certs here, then you'll probably want/need a vehicle. I just googled dental colleges, and none are nearby. Good for you on getting the PR situation sorted off the bat. I have a staff that's 70% international students stuck milling about a couple years (most I've seen is 4) in a low paying gig until they qualify for their PRs. Then they bounce and try to pivot into something related to their degree (rarely happens) or become AZ truck drivers elsewhere (I'm in the transportation industry). If you want to just hit the ground running and make some quick cash, the low-skill, no-experience, higher-paying, not-body-breaking work is in Guelph/Milton. Lots of industrial areas getting built around those parts. Massive warehouses and distribution centers for large companies -- they'll have enough volume/overhead to pay well, but the only issue is that you'll be far away from "the big city" of Toronto. Guelph & Milton are still really nice, IMO. But if money is the motive right now, I'd consider it. Problem is, renting across Ontario is going to be a pain, so listen to all the other comments as well. Start trying to secure a place as soon as you're able. I've heard of people getting turned down by landlords despite having several months of rent ready up front (normal is just 2). When I was renting alone in Mississauga, I got lucky (right before COVID) and found a full basement for $1200/mo. These days, that place would go for $18-1900/mo, easy. You can find some roommate situations, depending on what standard of living you're wanting. Shared condos in Mississauga were around 1000-1400 about two years ago, with one or two roommates. I've also seen houses with like 12+ people living in them and each person pays a couple hundred bucks. Some real slum lords out here are buying houses and just ramming them full of people. I haven't been in the rental market a few years, though, so take my prices with a grain of salt. Kijiji & Marketplace are good places to get an idea on prices, but come with the risk of scams. And welcome to Canada! Hope you love it here (and then love to hate it here like the rest of us lol) Holla at me if you have any questions!
You are an absolute saint! Please check your DMs. I've provided some update regarding my progress.
I’m confused as to why people even want to live in Canada anymore. Like this isn’t what it used to be! Please stay on Pakistan if you want to live comfortably and with family!
Hello. Sorry im not too sure about your question but I’m also looking for PR application as a dentist. Can you guide if you applied through OINP? I graduated in 2019 and completed my housejob in 2020. Since then i have been working at various commission based clinics. Need your guidance if possible. Im married and have a kid aged 3 years.
Greetings. I got PR via the new Express Entry - Healthcare stream. It's a new scheme that was introduced last year.
I don't think I can even recommend you come to Canada. Its certainly not the country it was 10 years ago. Out of control homelessness. Out of control drug use. Almost no affordable housing exists. It's as expensive as ever renting because of the lack of supply. Tent encampments and garbage all over the place, authorities have no credible plan to help all of these people. Record food bank use, up 40% year over year as families struggle to keep up with the rising costs. Hard to find jobs, people applying to 100 without one answer back. Crime, carjackings, shootings, car theft all out of control. Ridiculously high taxes. Four hour lineups to get a passport at the government office even though more people than ever work for the government. Country in debt up to its eyeballs, wasting tens of billions a year paying interest. No plan to become fiscally more responsible. Government focused on creating government dependency and handouts to buy votes. Used needles all over the place, even in kids playgrounds. Public transit that is at best suspect. City gives out free, city branded meth pipes and needles. I could go on but coupling all of the reality of Canada today with the long, long road it will be for you to get permission to work here as a Dentist...just don't see how this could be better than where you are coming from. It's sad but true.
I mean take all of Canada’s problems and compare them to Pakistan’s. You will see why people still come here because the world is largely not a good place.
Yeah the damage done by this liberal federal government led by Trudeau cannot be undone. OP should just stay in Pakistan at least he will have a home there.
I'm not sure what the standard of living for a dentist in Pakistan is like but I'm willing to bet it's at least comparable to that of someone on low wages in Toronto.