Desi News Corp - Index

Desi News Corp - Desi News - May 2009 - Index

Social Insurance Number
To work in Canada and to
receive government benefits
you must have a nine-digit
Social Insurance Number or
SIN number. You can get an
application form through the
Human Resources Centre,
run by the federal government
near you or through your local
immigrant-serving organization,
the post office, or online at www www. www
servicecan servicecan ada.gc.ca/en/sc/
ada.gc.ca/en/sc/
sin/index.shtml
sin/index.shtml. sin/index.shtml The SIN card
will be sent to you in the mail.
There is a small fee for
processing the application.
Health Card
Visit the Ontario Ontario Health
Health
Insurance Insurance Plan Plan (OHIP) (OHIP) web
site for the most up-to-date
information about health
care coverage in Ontario.
You can also call the
Ministry of Health infoline at
1-800-268-1
1-800-268-1153
1-800-268-1 153 (toll-free in
Ontario). In Toronto, call 416-
416-
314-5518.
314-5518.
Family doctor
Use the Doctor Search
service of the College of
Physicians and Surgeons of
Ontario to locate a doctor in
your area.
You can call 416-967-2626
416-967-2626
in Toronto or 1-800-268-
1-800-268-
7096, 7096, ext. ext. 626, 626, from elsewhere
in Ontario.
Telehealth
If you are sick, but do not
know if you need to go to the
emergency department at
your local hospital, call Telehealth
Ontario. It is a free, confidential
telephone service
providing health advice from
a registered nurse. It is
available 24 hours a day, 7
days a week in English and
and French, and translation
for some other languages.
Call 1-866-797-0000 1-866-797-0000 from
anywhere in Ontario. Call 1-
1-
866-797-0000 866-797-0000 in Ontario.
How to find a dentist
To find a dentist anywhere
in Ontario, except for Toronto,
call 416-922-3900
416-922-3900.
416-922-3900
To find a dentist in Toronto,
call 416-967-5649
416-967-5649.
416-967-5649
Your OHIP Health Card
covers...
Examination and treatment
by family physician. Many, but
not all, types of surgery. Referrals
to, and most treatments
by, specialists. X-Rays, many
laboratory tests and vaccinations,
hospital care.
Your OHIP Health Card
does not cover...
Prescription drugs, dental
care, glasses and contact
lenses.
Driver’s licence
You can use a foreign
driver’s licence for 60 days
after you arrive in Canada.
After that, you need to take a
driving test and get an Ontario
driver’s licence. Contact the
Ontario Ministry of Transportation
at 1-800-387-3445
1-800-387-3445.
1-800-387-3445
Recognition for
education outside Canada
To get recognition for academic
credentials gained outside
Canada, visit www www.wes.
www .wes.
org. org. You’ll get the necessary
information about the procedures
involved to get started.
Finding a school
For help finding a school
for your children, visit www www. www
edu. edu. gov gov. gov on.ca.
on.ca.
NARI MAVALWALLA/DESI NEWS
ARRIVAL LOUNGE
• Shipra and Biprasish Chaudhury
with daughters Priya and Shreya
“We chose Canada for stability”
• • Date of arrival August 19, 2001.
• • We chose Canada because Dubai did not hold the kind
of stability that we were looking for – one could not own
property there then. At the time, Dubai was still developing
and Canada was a better choice to put down roots in.
Education was a major factor as we wanted our daughters
to do their grad and post-grad education at reputed
universities. Above all, we saw Canada as a land of
opportunities, where we could grow in our chosen fields
and enjoy life to the fullest.
• • We were SHIPRA: I was a teacher, both in India and
Dubai, teaching high school. I was also a freelancing journalist
in Dubai, writing for Gulf News, a leading newspaper
in the Gulf. . Soon after we landed in Toronto, 9/11 and its
aftershocks meant that things did not proceed as we had
expected them to. But gradually, everything improved.
BIPRASISH: I was director, IT operation, at Conoco Oil
and Gas, , Dubai, supporting the company’s geological,
geophysical, drilling and reservoir engineering infrastructure.
• • We are SHIPRA: I got into teaching, first as a volunteer in
my daughter’s school, followed by full-time teaching in a private
school. I worked for two semesters at a private college, and
then joined the private school, where I still work at present. I
continue to freelance as a writer as writing is my passion.
BIPRASISH: I joined Tucows Inc, which provides domain
names, email and other services through extensive reseller
network, in the capacity of Operation Team Lead.
• • Tips for newcomers The beginning, for any new immigrant,
holds obstacles. Migrating to a new country isn’t as simple as
it sounds. Also, weather-wise, Canada isn’t the most friendly
place on earth! Patience, endurance and not giving
up are key to making it. There are pros and cons
for every move one makes in life. It is how
one perceives and resolves them that
makes each of our stories unique.
iMIGRATE