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Which Kind of (Prospective) Immigrants Are You? Find Out!

Where is the info, you said? Ottawa, June 2012

When I have time, I try to answer questions from prospective immigrants and newcomers on immigration forums. I use Settlement.org because this federal- and provincial-funded board is moderated and informative.

Of course, I also get a fair share of questions directly on this blog. I actually enjoy answering them—it’s always rewarding to share your experience and to help someone. Besides, I remember how lost and clueless I was when I was in the immigration process.

That said, some questions, on this blog or in the forums, get on my nerves. As I put it in the FAQ:

I am always happy to answer questions about life in Canada or the immigration process. However, I’m not an immigration expert, so don’t expect me to have an answer for everything. I applied for permanent residence in 2004 and the rules have changed since. I’m not always up-to-date with the latest regulations. The Government of Canada offers a very comprehensive website with all the information you need.

Please note that I’m only familiar with the Canadian immigration system, not the American one. Yes, believe it or not, Canada and the US are two different countries.

Obviously, my advice or tips are free—again, I’m not a professional. Since there is someone behind the computer, I do appreciate it if you acknowledge my replies. It’s very frustrating when people ask detailed questions, get their answers and never email back. To put it simply, it doesn’t encourage me to be helpful.

This week, I received a string of unrelated questions from different people. And I noticed I could easily put those prospective immigrants or newcomers into one of the categories below.

Anxious Immigrant

Okay, that was me in 2005. Scratch that, I was one of these until 2009 when I became a Canadian citizen and finally started to realize Canada was going to keep me.

Most prospective immigrants are very anxious, which is completely understandable. The immigration process is often expensive and lengthy, and most people have to put their life on hold while some bureaucrats make a decision.

What do they ask? Anxious immigrants usually do their homework and are well-informed, but they want to be reassured and are always afraid to make a mistake. They typically want to share their experience with others in a similar position, and they seek guidance from those who have been in their shoes. They are usually lovely people who keep in touch and check back regularly.

Entitled Immigrant

The entitled immigrant hasn’t landed yet but he already wants to change the rules, because they obviously don’t apply to their specific case. They always claim to be an exception and like to drop the words “Humanitarian or Compassionate Grounds” as if they were a free pass (most of the time, these grounds don’t apply to their situation…).

To them, immigrating is a right and they are ready to fight for it. They could make their life easier by actually reading information guides and following the ground rules but they’d rather be the exception. They are likely to lose their permanent residence status because they didn’t meet the physical presence requirements (or apply for citizenship when eligible) and act surprised when denied.

What do they ask? The entitled immigrant doesn’t have time to waste, which is why they rarely bother saying “hello” or “thank you”. On forums, they demand an answer from the moderator or experienced users and are curt to anyone else who doesn’t have the “credentials” to reply. And they stress that his case is “unique” and should be treated as such.

Clueless Immigrant

The clueless prospective immigrant is a strange paradox—they can use the Internet to ask questions but they seem to be inept at finding basic answers. They’d rather rely on unofficial replies than check government websites.

What do they ask? A typical question would be “I want to immigrate to Canada but I have no money and no skills, tell me how to proceed”. If you point the clueless person to a website of reference, let’s say the website of Citizenship & Immigration Canada, they will come back and point out that you do need skills to be selected, and that the immigration process can be costly. Gee.

Optimist Immigrant

The optimist immigrant can’t wait to start a new life and tell you how much they hate their home country. They know that everything will be better in Canada—the sky will be bluer, the people nicer, the job well-paid and the locals welcoming.

What do they ask? The optimist immigrant doesn’t really have a question per se, they just wants to have his dream validated. A typical “question” would be “How much can I expect as the CEO of a major company in Canada, and can I buy a five-bedroom house downtown Toronto when I arrive?”

Lazy Immigrant

I guess clueless immigrants often become lazy immigrants when they somehow manage to get the process started. The lazy immigrant expects people do to the work for them. Much like this guy who wanted me to give him a copy of my own immigration application so that he could copy the answers.

What do they ask? A typical question would be “I want to immigrate to Canada, how should I proceed, please advise”. If you refer him to a website, they will get offended and argue that the website isn’t clear. I can sympathize but at least, try, buddy! This is only the beginning of the process!

How about you? Do you think you fit in one of the above categories? Have you ever received some surprising questions? How do you deal with questions and comments on forums and on your blog?

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Zhu

French woman in English Canada.

Exploring the world with my camera since 1999, translating sentences for a living, writing stories that may or may not get attention.

Firm believer that nobody is normal... and it’s better this way.

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