So, you have no credit history in Canada

Life is an adventure, interesting and challenging.... this is so true for the Jordan family and has been since we decided to leave Beeston, Nottingham for sunnier climes in Trinidad. Since then, we've settled to life in Vic Gardens, made a lot of lovely friends and networks, got used to a different way of life etc etc. I got used to being a lady of leisure which I thought would be difficult, but which I will admit I enjoyed. All in all Trinidad was a positive experience for us apart from Jasmine who found in very difficult to settle at school and hated the hot weather and sunk into a minor depression. She has since revealed that she was deeply unhappy in Trinidad.

After about 9 months there, we were told that the job in Trini was becoming redundant and so we were offered the chance of working and living in Canada. We were shocked but at the same time thought it was going to be a good move. Jasmine would be out of a place she found difficult to live in, we would be more secure as the job was for 3 years this time, more opportunities for the kids, I would be granted a work permit and could work if I wanted and it was in our future plans to move on to the company in Toronto, so, it was all looking positive.

We were told about some difficulties we may face on arrival, especially the fact we have no credit history in Canada, may affect our ability to get financing or credit cards. Also, that our driving insurance would be sky high as we have no history driving here. We were forewarned but there was no way of preparing ourselves for the reality of what that means.

I suppose we could have prepared ourselves by having ready a big pot of money so we would not have to rely on having to borrow for buying a car or getting a mortgage. Unfortunately for us, we did not have much savings and that was that! We had to get some credit to start building on our credit history....first we tried getting a credit card with the bank we banked with. We had opened an account when we came initially in June. We were denied a normal no bond credit card, so had to open a separate savings account with X amount in, which was our credit card limit, and that money was not to be touched. Yippeee, now to build that credit. I too had to do this, but at the moment, have not got a card from the bank as we need access to our money for purchasing a car and other essentials.

Next, we tried to purchase a car. Dave told the car salesperson how much we could afford and if it was more we would have to have financing. Oh, no problem..... we told him our circumstances and he was still positive. A car was chosen, all sorts discussed and financing sought. Well, we have no credit history, we were not landed immigrants, we were here on a work permit and only for 3 years, we had only been here just over a month and so on and so forth....financing wasn't granted, even from our own bank!!! We had been advised by Agnes who was dealing with the financing to quickly build our credit history. We say how??? No one will give us credit to build it with...... I was going round and round with no hope of ever escaping.

Canada is not interested that we have a mortgage in the UK for the last 18 years,and we have credit and store cards in the UK for years, that we always pay on time, that we have no claims bonuses for our house and driving insurance. This all happened outside Canada, and therefore do not count! No man is an island, but Canada is behaving like it is one!

We were buying this car at a Toyota dealer and finally Toyota agreed to let us have finance but only for 3 years, which is ok, but we now need a cheaper car as we are looking to the future and may be buying a house and needing a mortgage.... fat chance!

I have not mentioned my work permit yet, have I? Well, it finally arrived, my visitors' status changed. It held some restrictions though, this work permit, I would not be able to work with children, or in schools, I was allowed to work in health care either, I was not allowed to study in any Canadian institutions on this status. Why these restrictions?? Because I have come from another country and would be a public health threat to the vulnerable, eg children, the ill. Perhaps I am a bit harsh, they do not state I am a threat, I think the correct wording is

Canada Immigration places restrictions on the issuance of certain types of work permits, specifically those relating to child care, primary or secondary school teaching, health services field occupations and agricultural occupations, as these are fields where the protection of public health is essential. If aforeign worker intends to work in one of these fields, they must first pass an immigration medical examination. Once the immigration medical examination has been passed and the results of the examination are ok, then an application can be submitted to Canada Immigration for the removal of this condition from the work permit.

Tomorrow I am going to see a Canada Immigration Designated Medical Practitioner, have my medical, which includes a chest XRay ( I had one done last year in Trini, but this will not do, Island mentality prevails!), have no symptoms of TB, been vaccinated to the eyeballs with BCG since birth, but will still receive my dose of radiation tomorrow. Wish me luck!