My journey as a Marketing professional from Mumbai to Canada

What drew me to marketing? Maybe just my restlessness and my looking at a career where my hard work could earn me good money in a much shorter time.

I wanted to get there quick. If you know what I mean.

Anyway, this is my story for you. Of how starting out from Mumbai in India I finally got on to fulfil my overseas dream of a worthy career that could literally take me places. This is Madhav from Mumbai.

Profits. That is all I remember from my first days as a marketing new entrant. Just focus on the profits and you will be fine.

Though beginning with a general understanding of the marketing field, I soon found my way into Social Media Marketing. In the days that I had begun on my career, social media and marketing through online channels was quite a new thing.

I still remember how strange it used to feel to many of us when we were told to divert our energies in “growing online”. I admit I felt it was a waste of effort because how can you understand how people the world over use the internet? But then, many tools came along and being a Social Media Marketing Manager began making so much more sense. To me, at least.

While working on creating effective marketing strategies for my company was important, the primary goal for me was put down to be that of leveraging all the available social media channels to try and get the maximum possible traffic diverted to our website.

We focused on organic and inorganic search, paid and free.

Developing media campaigns was something that I enjoyed the most. Working with my team on a tight deadline, working out the finer details of the strategy with the most potential of succeeding. The best part of all was when all our hard work would lead to the right users clicking their way to our website, so to speak.

Anyway, I always wanted to go and settle in Canada with my family. But I knew my chances would be much better the more experience that I had. Being a creative person basically, I was confident enough on getting the right scoring on my English in IELTS. It was the work experience bit that I knew I had to work upon.

I finally began seriously thinking of Canada immigration after I had about 4 years’ experience working as a Marketing Manager and 1 year as a Social Media Marketing Manager. Then I started talking to and reaching out to people who had actually been there done that, or should I say, done that and been there.

I got in touch with people that had recently immigrated to Canada. I talked to them and discussed as to the best ways and ideal programs to apply to that had the brightest chances of Canadian permanent residence being granted. There were so many people that I spoke to that time.

I also asked them if I could apply on my own or was it important to hire professionals for handling the paperwork for Canada PR. Here I got many different answers. Some had done the whole thing on their own, without any help from anyone. Out of these, many had their application rejected the first time and had to apply a second time round.

Then I asked for the best professional help. Help, that is, genuine and worth it. I had read so many stories of people being conned by newspaper ads or online adverts promising “guaranteed visas” and “too good deals for Canada” that I was full of doubts for myself.

Anyway, I dedicated a lot of time to research. I went over the official Jobs Bank website of the Canadian government to get to understand the labour market in detail. There is so much information there. They give you trends, salary as well as tell you the provinces that have the highest demand for the job that you plan on working in Canada on.

All I knew that time was that I wanted to make it to Canada. As I hardly knew anyone – from my close friends and immediate family – that had settled in Canada, there was no specific area in Canada that I was targeting.

I was leaving nothing to chance. Under the Y-Axis Resume Writing Service, they worked on my case and discussed my preferences and expectations while making up my resume. He did do a good job.

I then applied online. Thankfully, even with the pandemic situation the world over, international recruitment was still going on. Employers globally in general and Canada in particular were also making the most of the travel restrictions period to get together their potential workforce.

I was lucky that I was at the right place at the right time. It is simply mindboggling to see how much can be achieved by a simple click of the mouse button in the digital age that we live in.

I applied to around 8 different jobs. When I applied, Y-Axis Jobs was giving up to 10 overseas job applications for free on their portal. For applying more than that you had to take a premium membership. I did not take the premium thing. I was simply trying out their website. They have a good collection of Canada jobs all over the country. You can select region-wise as well, if required.

Once I had a valid job offer in Canada from a verified Canadian employer, the next step was to apply for Express Entry. The time that I made my Express Entry profile, COVID-19 had already come and ECA and language-testing was affected.

I also registered an Expression of Interest with different Canadian provinces for being considered by them for a nomination under the Provincial Nominee Program [PNP].

A nomination under Canadian PNP is a guarantee of receiving an invitation to apply for permanent residence.

Thankfully, I had got my ECA and language-testing by IELTS done in January 2020 itself. Just missed the COVID-19 service restrictions by some days. Thank god.

Even during the lockdown in Canada and India, Express Entry profiles were still being made and the processing was continuing. The number of applications being processed was somewhat reduced due to the service limitations, such as that of giving biometrics, and getting ECA and language test results. But IRCC has not stopped processing because of the pandemic.

Like maybe a majority of Indians like me, I applied through the Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP) of the Express Entry system. There are a total 3 programs under the Express Entry system. Of these, the FSTP is for those skilled in a trade that wish to settle in Canada with their family.

Another program of Express Entry is for those people that already have a certain amount of experience living in Canada. This experience can either be had while studying in Canada as an international student or working as a temporary worker. Anyway, the FSWP for skilled workers is the only program that I could apply for.

I did not know at time of making my Express Entry profile but a foreign national cannot apply directly for their Canadian permanent residence. All that someone, a principal applicant, can do is to make their Express Entry profile and wait for an invitation by the government of Canada.

Not all profiles receive an invitation to apply from IRCC. Profiles with the highest score in the Express Entry pool are invited in the Express Entry draws held by the federal government of Canada from time to time.

I had created my Express Entry profile somewhere around April I think. But Canada was not inviting FSWP candidates at that time. They were focusing on PNP and CEC applicants instead. I kept updated about the draws held. In case you are still wondering, I did the paperwork on my own.

But I did take Y-Axis services for my international resume and for finding a good and verified job in Canada from India.

Canada immigration processing is straightforward. All you have to do is to go through the IRCC website in detail. They give everything in detail and is regularly updated too. In case of any doubts, I would simply drop an email to IRCC.

Anyway, after waiting for a long time while CEC and PNP candidates were issued invitations for applying for Canada PR, Canada government finally started holding all-program draws from July.

I submitted my complete application for Canada permanent residence as soon as I could manage. However, even with all my precautions and research, I still had to submit additional documentation as asked by IRCC.

The main problem came at the time of biometrics submission. Due to the service limitations, I could not give my biometrics. Canada government eventually did announce that no Canada visa application was to be denied if the applicant was unable to give biometrics due to COVID-19. That helped me a lot!

Anyway, I then proceeded to submit my application without biometrics in certain cases. The processing of my application was done by IRCC. I recently received my Confirmation of Permanent Residence (COPR) a few months ago.

Now, I’m living my dream of a life in Canada. Madhav from Mumbai is now in Milton in Ontario. Working as Social Media Marketing Manager for a publishing firm. The pay is quite good in Canada, for an Indian like me, that is.

I remember being worried with the stories of immigrants saying that it was not worth settling in Canada as there were hardly any jobs for immigrants. I did not find that at all. There are many jobs for immigrants in Canada, provided obviously that they are qualified and willing to take it up.

With the US extending immigration freeze till March 31, 2021, I think many more skilled workers will go to Canada instead. Germany is also a good place to work abroad. I would have explored that option too if I was any good at learning languages.

Canada is a good place to be at the moment. These people tell me that I might be able to work in the US with a Canadian permanent resident visa. I might seriously think of working in the US with a Canada PR if I get the chance in the future.

To anyone thinking of immigrating overseas as a skilled worker, I would suggest applying for either Canada or Australia. With good health care, free education, a high quality of life and no language barrier to deal with, both are good enough places to settle down.

But I think Canada’s Express Entry is one of the fastest ways to get Canadian immigration. According to IRCC, most of the Canada PR applications submitted through Express Entry are processed within 6 months of the complete documentation being submitted.

If possible, I would suggest learning some French too. It does come in handy when applying to Canada as the country has 2 official languages – English and French. Even with some knowledge of the French language, your chances of finding a good and high-paying job in Canada go up.

All the best. Follow me on my Mumbai to Milton journey. Trust me, you won’t regret settling in Canada. The thing that I love the most about Canada in my short time here is the pure air quality, with almost zero pollution.

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Canada PR pathways available include –

• Express Entry
• Quebec Selected Workers Program
• Provincial Nominee Program
• Alberta : Alberta Immigrant Nominee Program [AINP]
• British Columbia : British Columbia Provincial Nominee Program [BC PNP]
• Manitoba : Manitoba Provincial Nominee Program [MPNP]
• Ontario : Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program [OINP]
• Nova Scotia : Nova Scotia Nominee Program [NSNP]
• New Brunswick : New Brunswick Provincial Nominee Program [NBPNP]
• Newfoundland and Labrador : Newfoundland and Labrador Provincial Nominee Program [NLPNP]
• Prince Edward Island : Prince Edward Island Provincial Nominee Program [PEI PNP]
• Northwest Territories : Northwest Territories Provincial Nominee Program
• Saskatchewan : Saskatchewan Immigrant Nominee Program [SINP]
• Yukon : Yukon Nominee Program [YNP]
• For Entrepreneur/self-employed person
• Atlantic Immigration Pilot
• Agri-Food Immigration Pilot
• Rural and Northern Immigration Pilot
• For family
• As an Investor

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