She arrived in Canada in 1999. Now president of the Union of French Abroad Ottawa-Gatineau, Sylvie Bragar, 69, gives valuable advice to newcomers.
“Canada entered my life through the most beautiful door, that of love! I actually chose to come and live here to join a Canadian I had met in Paris. I arrived with my son who was around ten years old at the time. We lived in Montreal for a year and a half then moved to Ottawa, where I worked in the art field. I took all the steps from France to benefit from permanent resident status from the start. It is the only one – apart from citizenship of course – which puts you on an equal footing with Canadians in terms of social protection. And this is very important to avoid big disappointments, especially when you have children.
I have seen several times students being forced to leave again because they did not receive their new visa on time
Sylvie Bragard
If you arrive with a temporary permit and want to stay, anticipate the entire process to obtain permanent residence, as delays can be long. I have seen several times students being forced to leave again because they did not receive their new visa on time. In Canada, even if things are generally well organized, administrative questions are very present because it is a federation, and each province has its own rules. You don’t go from Montreal to Ottawa – two cities which are only 200 kilometers apart – like that! You have to change your driving license, electricity supply contract, etc. The education system is not the same either, just like the health system. This is America, and not a piece of France. The whole organization of life is different, both in terms of everyday things (food, meal times, etc.) and in terms of legislation. This is particularly the case when it comes to retirement or inheritance.
The hardest part is separation
Obviously, these are subjects that are far from the concerns when we are young, but time passes very quickly and rather than being taken by surprise, contact associations to guide you. Expatriation is a challenge to yourself and one of the hardest parts is the separation from those you leave behind. For children, this can be quite traumatic. For my part, I tried to organize regular returns to France during school holidays. Despite everything, from the moment this desire for something else is there, I think you have to follow your dream to the end! Let’s not forget that as French people, we have the enormous chance to be able to go back if this doesn’t work…”
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This special issue contains everything you need to know to immigrate to Canada.Figaro Etudiant
