In a recent column, we mentioned that Filipino families who have lived and worked in Canada for at least five years are most likely to have bought a house and a car towards their sixth year. If one is by his lonesome, there is likelihood he/she will buy a car for mobility but just opt to rent or share an apartment.
Come to think of it, there is actually small difference between renting and amortizing. In purchasing a property, one's credit score or standing must be high and has already obtained permanent residency (PR) status.
The lease term is from 10 to 25 years with an average of $3,000 monthly amortization for a modest three-bedroom townhouse. It could be up to $4,500 if the family chooses a single detached house.
Usual monthly single room rental for new Filipino arrivals is from $500 to $2,500. This depends on which location or province in Canada. These are equipped with either sharing or own kitchenette and bathroom.
Rita, Jon and Linda, who were call center agents back home, entered Canada legally last year as service crew, sponsored by their common employer.
Everything — including lodging, at $1,000 per unit per month on sharing basis in a condo building — had been arranged by employer. This means each shells out $500 each plus food, utility and laundry expenses. WiFi is usually provided by the building admin for free. Visitors cannot stay overnight.
Contract Bind
As stipulated in their contract, they are bound to work with the sponsor's company for two years, renewable. The lodging lease agreement is for at least 12 months.
Jon shared that should they not renew after end of contract, options are: to apply for PR status after 24 months of continuous stay, look for another sponsor, or go back to the Philippines. Since he intends to work even harder to bring his wife and minor child here soon. Jon said he will stick it out with the employer-sponsor.
Rita and Linda, both single, are quite comfortable with the current arrangement and targets to get a PR status.
Starting Pay
The trio, who were assigned to different branches in Napanee, Ontario — at least two hours north of Toronto — walk or ride a bicycle to work. Taxi, Uber or Lyft are the only means of transportation in this small town south of Kingston and Ottawa.
Lucky for them, they were offered the starting minimum rate of $16.55 per hour and guaranteed an 8-hour shift for five work days a week. They get time and a half rate for overtime. Rate raise depends on performance. It was not clear, though, of they can take on extra work off their regular duty for added income.
Take-home pay has deductions. In Ontario, wage deductions include taxes, Canada Pension Plan contributions and Employment Insurance premiums that the employer is required by law to remit to appropriate government agencies. Employee may also opt to pay for added protection such private health card or car insurance.
Basic Needs Kept Affordable
In Canada, almost everything is taxed.
Wage tax deduction is pro-rated from a minimum of 5.05 percent to 12.16 percent every payout. Here, taxpayers really feel and benefit from their taxes from health and other government services to senior pension to infrastructure.
In Ontario, basic goods and services tax and harmonized sales tax range from 6 to 13 percent. In other provinces, the lowest is 5 percent while the highest is 15 percent.
However, basic necessities are zero-rated. These include groceries like bottled water, juices and sodas, dairy products, eggs, cereals, vegetables, poultry, meat, fish, coffee, tea, and more.
Food is basically cheap in the whole of Canada. It is of paramount importance and a priority for the government to keep food and daily basic necessities affordable to all.
For now, Rita, Jon and Linda stay away from restaurants, malls and shun going sightseeing to save precious dollars.
Certification
Not all are qualified for work of choice, even if you are a registered professional back home.
Almost every trade whether in the medical field, food business, services, factory, spa, security, casino, etc. are required to be certified or officially registered.
There are rigid training requisites.
First of all, one must either be a citizen, resident, immigrant, or student to be able to work in Canada.
One with student status is allowed to be employed for 20 hours a week.
Tourists and visitors are certainly barred from any kind of regular employment but they can do unpaid volunteer work depending on availability.
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