Making the Most of All My Study and Work Experience to Obtain Permanent Residence｜Client Z

I was worried about proving my freelance work experience, but I could consult the consultant instead of struggling alone, so I was able to prepare efficiently.

Questioning Whether I Wanted to Keep Working in Japan, I Went on a Working Holiday

In my twenties, I spent a year in Canada on a working holiday, working while I stayed here. What originally led me to go on a working holiday was that I had started to question whether continuing to work in Japan and raising a family there was really the life I wanted: I felt that there were few options for how to work in Japan, technical jobs were poorly paid, one of the two partners in a couple is often busy working until late at night, it is hard to find a new job as you get older, and long holidays are difficult to take.

After working in Japan for a few years in a technical IT role, I became confident that I could work overseas too, so I decided to try living abroad while I was still in my twenties to experience how work, welfare and culture are in other countries.

Deciding on Permanent Residence After Comparing Canada with Japan and Other Countries

I had also stayed in other countries on working holidays and trips, but in the end I decided to move to Canada after considering everything together: Canada’s culture of embracing diversity, its natural beauty, better working conditions and pay levels than in Japan, political stability, public safety, the health insurance system, and the fact that many Asian people live here, so Japanese ingredients and products are relatively easy to get.

I found that by making use of my education and IT work experience in Japan, in my case I could meet the requirements for permanent residence in a relatively short time, within one to two years, and that once I applied, the review usually took only a few months. Although it would involve a certain amount of time and money, I thought it was a challenge worth spending my early thirties and my savings on, so I decided to aim for Canadian permanent residence.

In my case, I learned that I could meet the requirements by attending a Canadian university for at least a year, getting a full-time job and raising my English test scores, so I immediately started by preparing for university entrance, and after being accepted, I obtained a study permit and came back to Canada.

What made you choose Shiraishi VisaJP Canada?

Several acquaintances had already consulted Shiraishi VisaJP Canada, and because of their good first-hand reviews, I decided to consult them too. In the first few hours of consultation, I felt that Ms. Yamashita, who handled my case, was an experienced and trustworthy consultant, so I stayed with her all the way until I obtained permanent residence.

Whenever I felt even slightly uneasy, I emailed or called them for advice, and I am grateful that they always responded quickly and carefully.

What Was the Hardest Part of Obtaining Permanent Residence?

I think the most important thing in obtaining permanent residence is not the procedures after you start the application, but the research beforehand: which category you can apply under, how you can meet its requirements, and how much money and time it will take. If you pay to go to university and take English tests but in the end cannot meet the requirements (points) for the permanent residence application, your time and money will be wasted, so I checked many times in advance that I would definitely meet my requirements.

However, there are detailed rules, so I think having someone with a consultant qualification confirm the points you are unsure about gives you peace of mind.

In my case, part of my past work history was a period of freelance work, and one challenge was how to prove it. As advised, I compiled as much evidence as possible that I had been working, such as my tax records and invoices, and that period was accepted as work experience without any problems.

Life Abroad Has Many Hardships, but a Goal Keeps You Going!

Also, as is true of moving abroad in general, there is the worry of not being able to see your family and old friends easily, and no matter how many years pass, your language skills never come anywhere near a native speaker’s level, so there are always struggles.

While I was at university, assignments that my Canadian classmates finished in 10 minutes took me five times as long. When I had to call the bank about something, at first I could not even understand the automated voice, and I often stumbled over small things. Until you obtain permanent residence, there are also various restrictions on work.

I was surprised that convenience stores are not open 24 hours and that everything on the shelves looked unappetising; I avoided looking at photos of delicious sashimi and unagi rice bowls on my friends’ social media in Japan; and the sushi menu at a Japanese restaurant I walked into in town had such a Canadian twist that I could not understand it at all, but it was surprisingly tasty, and eventually I came to accept it.

From small surprises to big hardships, I was able to overcome them because I had a goal, my life in Canada after obtaining permanent residence, and I will never forget the people around me who always supported me.

What Was Good About Having Them Apply on My Behalf

All of the requirements for permanent residence are published on the immigration website, and some people apply on their own by following them, but there are many permanent residence categories and rules for calculating points, and even a small mistake can sometimes become impossible to undo. The rules also change frequently.

When you are spending precious time and money in your life, having visa and permanent residence professionals handle the difficult procedures on your behalf reduces your own burden and risk, and I am glad I did it.

Especially when you have to go through complicated procedures in a country whose language is not your native one, mistakes happen and you are under great stress no matter how careful you are, so I am glad that Shiraishi VisaJP Canada applied on my behalf from start to finish.

Future outlook and a message for those planning to travel to Canada

If, like me, you apply for permanent residence based on your work history and education, it is a points-based system, and your chances and the categories under which you can become a permanent resident change depending on your age, work history and education. If you are thinking of immigrating, I recommend first calculating your own points. If you can consult a consultant at that time, I think they will calculate them correctly and work out a plan with you all the way to the application.

Leaving Japan, where you were born and raised, to move abroad is a big decision and the procedures take time, so I think you need to plan not only by letting your dreams grow, but also by thinking realistically about money, time and your future work, including why you want to move to Canada and how you will live after moving.

Once you have planned the realistic side to some extent, all that is left is to take action! Even if you struggle every day because you cannot understand English, or you are rejected by 1,000 employers, it is your own decision, so keep going until you are satisfied. When things get hard, take a bike ride around the seawall of Stanley Park on a sunny day.

Now that I have obtained permanent residence, the visa-related restrictions I had as a foreigner are gone, so I want to enjoy my life in Canada to the fullest, keeping a positive attitude and never forgetting my gratitude to the people around me!

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