The myths we hear when we land in Canada

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Hi, it’s Dozie!

Welcome to today’s From the Editor.

In today’s newsletter: Manisha Nayyar breaks down some of the myths we hear as we settle into Canada.

Also in the news: IRCC wait times fall for skilled workers and parents; Northwest Territories restores 2026 nominee allocation and adds August draw.

Plus in today’s French in Canada: Nishant Anand answers whether you can study for the French exam in five months.

See past issues here.

You can’t treat other people’s doubts as facts

Two days or so after we landed in Ottawa, I was talking to an acquaintance and mentioned I had seen a job posting on Shopify that I thought I should apply for. Their instant response was that I shouldn’t bother, as Shopify wouldn’t hire me. Of course, I went ahead and applied, but I didn’t get the job.

However, that’s not the point here. It’s that when we arrive in Canada and start speaking to folks who have been here for a bit longer than us, you can sometimes run into those who’ll tell you everything that won’t work.

As Manisha Nayyar points out, a lot of the advice comes from a good place. And while there’s some merit to some of the myths older immigrants bandy around, you MUST not let it restrict your view of what’s possible here. Some of the stubborn ones that have refused to go away for various reasons are:

You can’t do anything without Canadian experience
Canadians only hire their own
Your degree is worthless here
Or you need to stay within your own community

Now, there’s some truth to the “Canadian experience” bit. But that doesn’t mean it’s something that can or should hold you back.

Take me to Manisha’s article on Canadian immigration myths ⬇️

The Myths We're Told When Starting Over in Canada

The Newcomers • Manisha Nayyar

The First-Time Home Buyer’s Checklist | Alberta Edition

Buying your first home is one of the biggest and most exciting milestones of your life — and if you're new to Canada, it can also feel like the most confusing.

This guide walks you through the entire journey in plain language, starting at the very beginning: confirming you're eligible to buy. From there, we cover getting mortgage-ready, saving your down payment and deposit, the programs that put money back in your pocket, and everything from writing an offer to picking up your keys.

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The First-Time Home Buyer's Checklist | Alberta Edition

A step-by-step guide for newcomers buying their first home in Canada | A collaboration with BRIX Real Estate Group

From our newsroom

IRCC wait times fall for skilled workers and parents. Federal skilled-worker applications are back within IRCC’s six-month standard, while several provincial, Atlantic, Quebec, and family streams remain well above their targets. — Full article here

Northwest Territories restores 2026 nominee allocation and adds August draw. The territory can now nominate 300 people this year. Employers supporting candidates under the Employer-Driven Stream face an August 24 deadline for the newly scheduled draw. — Full article here

French in Canada with Nishant Anand

Q: Can I study and pass the French exam for my visa extension in five months?

A: It depends because we can’t generalize an individual’s learning ability. Several factors such as learning ability, age, work schedule, level of interest, and capacity to retain information can determine how much time you’ll need to learn French. I should also add that developing listening skills can take considerably more time than developing speaking skills when learning a new language.

The Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR/CECRL) provides the following approximate learning-hour framework:

So, if you attend French classes in a group of 10 people, four days a week for seven months, you could complete approximately 112 hours of classroom instruction.

To attain B1 (roughly equivalent to CLB 5), you will need a total of about 400 hours within this system, covering the hours it takes to reach A1, A2, and B1.

It therefore implies that the hours left over are the amount of time you have to spend on self-study and on independent practice, in order to consolidate, practise, and revise the material that you have learned in class.

If you are not able to spend enough time learning a new language outside of class, achieving CLB 5 will take longer. Your learning process will therefore be prolonged since you will require more time for practice and for consolidating your knowledge.

Passing an exam at the CLB 5 level in five months is possible if you dedicate sufficient time to strategically preparing for the exam. However, passing the exam and genuinely developing the corresponding language proficiency are not necessarily the same thing.

Want more? Start your French journey with Nishant

Good finds

Calgary Newcomers Guide is launching Rooted Voices: Creative Identity & Mental Wellness Lab, a free 10‑week program designed to empower youth through creativity, self‑expression, leadership, and mental wellness.

Program details: