Canada's Recent Entry

The later

Happy New Year everyone!

Long time not to write down here. It was a long time since I wrote before. A half year and over has been past since got back to Japan from Canada as it was last May. I was really busy for a while so I feel it was a long time ago.

I was trying to get a work permit since the beginning when I arrived in Canada but now I am working for a company in Japan.

As I wrote here so far, the LMO which you need to apply if you want to get a work permit had been applied with ex-company at the end of year before last. And we got the LMO last May in safe. Basically, the LMO would be sent in 2-3months if no issue. In my case, it took for 6 months eventually. Then I got a time to apply my work permit finally but I was going back to Japan because my visitor visa has been expired last May and I was trying to seek a job in Japan. After that time, I got a job from one foreign company fortunately on the same time when the LMO was out. The company has some of branch in the world is from Israel. It was hard to make a decision to go back to Canada or catch the new offer in Japan as the job offer is a great which my experience in Canada is needed, English and Android skills, moreover my Web application skills are needed which I was doing in Japan before.

My decision was to work in Japan. Because the job offer was the one which I wanted to do at the time when I got back to Japan in the future though my mind was to get a work permit and to stay in Canada at least 2 years. Why at least 2 years was to improve my English skills. Another reason why I made the decision was that I thought I would be able to improve my English skills even in Japan although quality is not enough. And I felt to let the wave take me to work in Japan at this time.

On the way to get the LMO, I really appreciate many of people in Canada. Of course I feel to thank for the company which could apply my LMO and it it not easy to say how I am feeling to thank friends who helped a lot me as giving advices or cheering up. In spite of getting the LMO, I made a decision to work in Japan. Though it is really hard to say my mind, I would like to do the best on new place as the decision is a better choice to me.

I started to work for new company since last July. They would like me to show great performance as following my experience and more but I am doing fine as co-workers could help me to get better.

Last year, I went to Israel on business so I could have an experience which is business trip to another country though at new work place! As those experience,got to work at several development place of Japan/Canada/Israel. I believe IT is global. My boss is planning to take me to China office in this year. I am looking forward to seeing new development place! We need to release new product these days and we are crazy busy at work so I am not sure if my decision was better to coma back to Japan or go back to Canada. But one result may be out if the hard time is over.

Anyway, I have wrote some articles at this Blog for tow years. But I would like to close by this article. At the first, my theme which I want to write is to work in another company as IT engineer and I got new work place in Japan so it is not following the theme. It meant objective was done on this Blog.I don't think I was a good writer but I really appreciate that you read this so far. I got some comments to cheer me up. It was really helpful for me!

At the beginning, this Blog has four means as following.

-Report my status
-Improve my English
-Public my information of the challenge
-To get a job in Canada

Reporting my current status to my family or friends or improving my English by writing English articles or giving the information to people who has same object as working in another country and effect to get a job in Canada.If you write like this Blog, it may be easy to tell your self to English speakers even if you cannot use English very well. I thought the chance to get it may come to you. Actually, some recruiter contacted me to give an opportunity to work via this Blog. To write Blog by English helps to get a job and improve your English on my experience.

I am happy to close this Blog with the real result to work for Canadian company. It was good to report real information in Canada. I believe to have proved you can get a chance if you prepared enough to it and do fine.

Though my Blog is closing at this time, I have a lot of things I want to do or challenge on my life. I don't want to feel satisfy at all. And I would like to keep improving myself.

My current aim is "Going to Canada on the business"!

Thank you so much for your reading!

Canada and Japan Part 3 -Food Culture-

Japan still is getting hot the further. How are you doing? I did went to Toronto a few month ago. On the same year, both summer season hit to me. It was so nice. Canada doesn't have heavy humidity as difference from Japan so you could be easy to spend though hot a little. So patio which you can stay at outside as restaurant provide was great location to have some beer. Anyway, I would like to write down about foods culture in Toronto in this time. This article might be about Toronto mainly rather than Canada. Here we go.

What are Canadian foods features?
Canadian specific features are maple and salmon. You can find some products related to those item surely. Starbucks, is located at there, has the coffee including maple leaf and hamburger shops also has the hamburger using salmon. But it is hard to find Canadian foods as not Japanese. Only Canadian foods which I know is "putine". It is the fries foods put cheese and gravy sours on the top. Probably, the taste is following looks. It is popular menu at pub in Canada.

Regular Coffee Shops
Canadian people loves to drink coffee. So you can find some coffee shops easily.




Those of coffee shops are popular in Toronto above. Tim Hortons is the most reasonable coffee shop as $1.25 for a cup of coffe. If you compare with Canada and Japan, it is cheap to have a cup of coffee in Canada. Around $2 for tall size even Starbucks($4 in Japan)

Restaurant of variety culture
You can  have variety of foods in Toronto instead of no feature Canadian foods. As mosaic city to Toronto, there are a lot of nation's people so you can have foods which is pretty close to local one.

-Italian
-Chinese
-Indian
-Greek
-Arabic
-Turkish
-Thailand
-Korean
-Japanese

Toronto has Chinese town, Korean town or Italian town so that it is easy to have close to local foods. I think there are many places which is providing good Chinese foods, Italian foods and Indian foods. In Toronto, the feature is hard to make a decision what you want to eat.

Regular fast foods
Canada doesn't have many feature foods. But as located in North America, the regular foods are pizza and hamburger certainly. If it is in Japan, "Gyuu-don" and "Soba" can be put to there. So there are a lot of pizza and hamburger shops in the city.

<Pizza>



<Hamburger> 





Especially, I can recommend Pizza Pizza, Hero and A & W for on trip as Canadian shops. Another hamburger shops also are there.

Pub menu
<Starters>
If you want to have some drinks in Canada, pub is eligible place. In Japan, "Edamame" and  "Oshinkou" are two of regular menu at Japanese style pub. Also Canada also has some foods like that.

Fish &Chips, Putine, Chicken wings, Nachos, Calamari

fishandchips.JPG

putine.JPG

chickenwings.JPG

Those of menus are Canadian regular pub foods. Almost pub has Nachos which cost is around $5-7 and amount is big so you can share with some people. I prefer chicken wings so that I used to have some chicken wings with beer.

<Alcoholic drinks>
They love to drink beer or wine in Canadian. There are some brewery pub and you can drink Germany or belgium beer for draft easily. Also variety local places are making wine so you can drink domestic wine easier.

Following place is one of brewery pubs in Toronto. Their beer is made originally by themselves. Moreover nuts are free for customer.


I wrote down about foods culture in Canada shortly. People who are coming from others and has own mind as religion or vegetarian are living in Toronto. Therefore you can feel variety of country's foods culture. If you are in Japan, you should think what to want to eat in Japanese foods. But you need to think what country's foods you want in Canada. Other hands, the another difference point from Japan is to think which place's brewery beer you want.

I have written what differences Canada and Japan have as three articles so far. As you know there is wide ocean between Canada and Japan which pacific sea, Canada has the culture which is really different from Japanese one. Not easy to know actual their culture unless you live there though you can touch their culture by media like movie. I hope I could introduce real information for Canada at this time.

Now, It is closing to write what differences there are between Canada and Japan. I wish my articles help people who are going to Canada or is living in Canada the further.

About my situation which I was going to say, I have already started to work at new place! It meant I joined one company in Japan. One good opportunity was come up fortunately and I decided to join the new place which I would be able to show my experience which I got in Canada. This story will be written at next time surely.

Talk to you soon!

Just completed short term job a few days ago. I am on "vacation" again. I had three months when I don't have a job since this year started. So I became a person who really prefers long vacation lol Now, I would like to write down about a theme, "Seeking a Job", which is serious issue for "Seeker". My article will be for IT engineers mostly but I think concept, the way and mind, is almost same with others so I am glad that you read those things.

Resume
The first thing for seeking a job is to make your resume. It is like "Rirekisho" in Japan. But some of parts are difference. You don't have to put some information, your picture, birth of date and sex. As experience and record are more important than those information in Canada, you don't have to include on your resume. Here are required information.

Name, Address, Contacts(Tel/Mail)
Education(School name and Major)
Career Experience(Company name, Job tittle, Term, Summary)
Skills and Certification(Programming language, OS, Hardware, Software, Tools)
Your Targets in the future

That is resume which has those of information briefly in around 2 pages at most. Especially, they don't have a basic format so you can make it free. Of course, it not necessary to write by hand. In my opinion, to make simple is better than to make cool design. It is easy to read for interviewer on the interview.

It is real my resume which I had used on the time to seek. At the time, I asked my English teacher at Language school to review it.
Resume
View more documents from Shinya Hasegawa
Where? How?
There are some of ways, at web site, with agents and on newspaper, which is to seek a job in Canada. I think the part of difference from Japan is that you don't need to take a complicated process. You can apply to a job easily without making account on web site and just you can make a call in the newspaper case. Surely, they have a big web site like "Riku Navi" which is the most famous website in Japan. On the web site, needing to take a time to register to use. But most of web sites are providing the service which connect to Linkedin which is web site to seek a job so a little bit easy to make an account if you have an account on Linkedin. I would like to introduce the ways.

<On Web Site>


That are famous classifieds web site in North America. Not just seeking a job, you can do to rent a room, sale/buy and make a community on the site. Everyday, they are updating the information. You can send your resume to mail address is given on if you find good job tittle. I think there are variety of types of jobs from private like contract to permanent. On the jobs, it might be posted by small to medium size company mainly. In my opinion, craigslist has many information in comparing with Kijiji. I got a job offer from the company which I applied on craigslist actually.



Those of web sites are major in Canada like "Riku Navi" in Japan. You need to register your account to use. As wrote before, though it is going to be easy to register if you connect to your Likedin account, still hard. But it has some great jobs like bank and most of Canadian people are using it. I got a phone interview through it but I couldn't get well at the time because my English skill was not good :( Even major company, they gave the opportunity to have a phone interview so foreigners would be able to have a chance.

<On Web Site for Japanese>


That is a classified site for Japanese. It is like craigslist or Kijiji. It has many job information which are at Japanese restaurant for Japanese. There is not enough information for IT engineers. You can find short term opportunity to make web site or design web site sometime.

<With Recruiters>
Canada also has many recruiters to seek jobs. Though it was via Linkedin, some of recruiters contacted me since I got a job in Canada. In my case, they need to be a sponsorship to get a work permit and I was seeking a job with them while a short terms. The advantage of recruiters is that you don't need to choice from many job information as they can bring it which they already selected good one for me from their information. Also you can get an interview soon if it is possible so it might be closer way than by yourself.

<Newspaper>
You can find some job information on newspaper, Metro or JOB Classified.ca. It doesn't have many information for IT engineer but it might be useful for others. The way to apply is by phone mainly.

JOB Classified.ca
201207122.JPG

<Introduce>
That is just my opinion, there is "Introduce". When I met new people, I was telling them that I am seeking a job and what I was doing in Japan during seeking. Then they can give good information to find a job which I didn't know also some of guys introduced a company which was hiring. As Canadian people are frank, they can listen to you warmly even if we just met at first time. The target which I can recommend is social place where many of middle and old ages are coming.

Hiring Process
Canadian hiring process has a phone interview, interview and technical test. For example, candidate's document review, phone interview, technical test and interview. As IT engineer, technical test was required. Whole of company gave some quiz about IT skills. I am going to write later.

<Phone Interview>
They will usually ask when you are available for the phone interview but just call you suddenly sometimes. They will give some easy questions about your career or your visa status. And they were asking about software development thing mostly. That questions depends on the position which you applied. It is like resolving when some trouble is happened or real programming thing.

<Interview>
The interviews were with person from Resource Department or senior engineer at first round. After that, you will have an interview with executives. I can recommend you can wear suit for your dress.  As doesn't matter for IT engineer, there are some guys whom looks are casual but it is better to wear suit basically. On the interview, you need to tell your experience and record briefly, your personal information, what you want to be and what your current interest or what skills you want to learn. Those of things are same with Japanese. They will give technical question as well. It is like how to develop easy software. As Canadian doesn't have a concept which is new graduation or not, the question should be on the interview to know your experience and record.

<Technical Test>
Technical test must be on hiring process. They will give before interview or on it. There were many algorithm questions as I had been applying for the position which is "Developer". You might need to take a time for 5 to 30min for one question to make an answer. For example, Please count number of existing of each character from "Shinya Hasegawa". There were variety of ways for answer like on  a piece of paper or on the white board. I think there were many question which are about actual programming rather than knowledge about development of Web site or Smartphone apps.

Intern
There are not many hiring information for new graduations. You can find it which is including "For New Graduations" sometimes but it is almost like X years or up experience for IT engineer. So new graduation will take a time to do "Intern". Intern means you work for company without salary like volunteer to make your career. New graduations who doesn't have a experience can be hired at same company or another company as permanent position through intern. Some of them makes their career as intern on summer break. I think you need to take for 3 months to 6 months to get a permanent position. As writing before, craigslist and Workopolis has many intern jobs as well as permanent jobs. Many company has an intern system as it is popular system in Canada if you compare with Japan. But you can hire someone without salary so there is a case which only hire without salary unfortunately.

Today, I wrote down about seeking a job in Canada. I just felt one of part of difference from Japan that they really want to know candidate's "experience" and "record" as resume, intern system and technical test. Therefore when you listen to others, in Canadian case, they say "I can do it!" but in Japanese case, "I might do it..." as no confidence. It is just cultural thing and hard to choose which one is better. You would be able to get a many chance to seek a job if you took Canadian case. And it is better to have your app or web site which you develop yourself as IT engineer. Technical test also works but most of important thing is to show your records which they can just see to prove what you can do. It can be proved your resume too. To make this web site also has the mean in my case. Canada is the country which is positive to hire foreigners for better or worse. You would be able to get a good chance easily if you have an experience and record.

I am saying experience and record but actual work is not hard. Co-workers can tell frankly and they don't have a mind like senior and junior which is like Asian culture so it means more frank. It feels easy if you compare with Japan. You can do well if you are doing the best with being honest and reliable. Don't be afraid!

Lastly...
As I told top of this article, I am on "vacation". Actually, I am in Toronto using this vacation! It has been for 2 months since I left. My mind has already gotten Japanese mind totally but I remembered Toronto life which I used to do now and having enjoy everyday. Anyway, my decision what to do with myself has already been set. Don't want to put on airs. I would like to write it later.

20120712.JPG

Talk to you soon!

I soon got used to living in Japan. Now, I had been working on software development project in short term which one company gave by today. I was busy recentry so it has been a long time since previous update. As I just came back from Canada, I am aware of some parts of difference of working space which is between Canada and Japan. Therefore, feeling it is new though I used to work a long time in Japanese working space. In this article, I would like to write down about topic what working space is different from Canada and Japan. This is the first article which theme is "Canada and Japan" as I told previous article. I am going to write about "Canada". But not sure that is totally Canada. Because I had worked for just one Canadian company. It would be just my opinion. Don't be bothering.

Welcome party within office hours
The thing which welcome party and farewell party are held on is same. In Canada, they also have some drinks at pub near office at the time. Just a part of differece, it is held on within office hours. In Japanese case, basically you have it around 7 or 8 PM at any pub. But it is basic way to have within office hours like around 3 PM in Canada. Even if you don't go to pub, they order pizza delivery and have lunch together. Anyone is there who start drinking even lunch because office is always suffering some beers in their fridge. The company which I was working has a good relationship with Canadian pizza chain so they have pizza lunch together a couple of time in a month even if there is no reason.

Easy friendship
There are some of relationship in world, Boss and assistants, senior and junior, client and vendor. In Japan, you need to use some way to be polite like respect words. But though I cannot say no manner, it is much frank to have a relationship if you compare with Japan. On the email, you don't have to use "Dear Mr. Shinya,". You can do "Hi Shinya," or "Hey Shinya," as the way to send to friends. Also they don't have a way which you need to make a bow so the first make shake hand or easy hug with lady. It is like same way with anybody. But I don't think there are no manner. It is hard to explain. They absolutely show their respecting mind with small behaviour as action or words. For example, when junior developer is asking something to senior developer, They show their respect mind in actual words as "I know you have many experience and high skills so my opinion might be wrong. But I think my way is better, don't you?". This is the thing which I can say any parts of culture, not just make to be polite. I think they don't make standard as "way" and they want to make polite with own way if they want to be polite for the person who should be . But it might be strict to act "lady fast".

Delayed certification
You need to show delayed certification when you are late for start time to work. In Japan, it is needed by big company, more and more bigger.  TTC which is subway in Toronto is going on and it is happened to be running late some times. But I have never seen that subway stuffs are giving a paper as delayed certification at any stations. Although it might be one reason the company is not big, they don't manage what time you come to office or leave. You can come by 11AM and if you are running late, it is better to tell them. As the thing, you can leave early if you come early.

Nomi-nication
It always comes topic up when you are talking about "Young people is ..." in Japan, "Nomi-nication". The word is created by Japanese people which means that it is connected "Nomu(Drinking in Japanese) "and "communication" as drinking and communicating. I guess that it means to hang out to drink with not like boss or co-workers as they are thinking of it badly. I don't think there is an opportunity to have some drinks with them a lot in Canada. As I did say before, they have relationship to frank so you are not forced to hang out with co-workers as don't have drink drinks with not like person on private. They have welcome party and farewell in office hours therefore it is not "force". Just work. Anyway, I really like to drink so I don't think that is forced if it might be forced lol But There weren't  no chance to drink with co-workers. We used to drink one time a week or two weeks after work or even weekend. Because there are many co-workers who much like to drink. That was good thing for me. Then I could learn about Canada and improve my English. In my opinion, welcome to me for "Nomi-nication".

Development Office
Our work space was the office which is easy to see with glass wall. My desk was much wide in comparing with Japanese one. You can have a seat with 2 or 3 people at two desks. It has many cushions which would be chairs and table tennis field, table hockey and Wii as TV game hard so exactly like foreigner office. I felt strange when we were playing "Mario Party" on Wii using big screen of office in Canada as we are playing it which I used to play Japanese game with many kind of national people. And The events which Apple or Google has are famous. We had watched on office's TV with all. I thinks it was excited in that to IT developer. Actually, some of co-workers was joining last WWDC in this year and you can feel much close to trend topics which is in IT industry.

Sports
The company has some of sports team and we are playing at team each seasons. On summer, beach valley and on winter, Ultimate Frisbee inside. Torontonian really likes to play sports like fitness. There are many chance to play some sports. Periodically, Some place, inside field or beach, provides sports leagues and you can join them easily. Also our company is joining it. They are playing every weeks after work. Of course, it feels free to join or not. As you wouldn't play "Ultimate Frisbee" which sound like playing football if you are in Japan, it was very worth experience. I could learn some of words in those experience. "Over", "I got it", "Good try" and "Good game".

Event
It might be special with the company which I had worked. There were many events. Especially, Halloween and Christmas. Both of events are much important in North America. We were enjoying at the time. At Halloween, they mentioned to need us to wear a fancy dress and it was held on party at their office. There was a guy who wear like Captain America which was famous in North America or who wear like Robbin Food so everyone have "fancy" then I could know how it is important thing for them. Basically, they decorate pumpkins. They are really fast to make decoration and I was interesting in the skill ti decorate punmpkins. At Christmas, we have a time to give gift for each other also have a holiday party as Christmas. We had a great dinner at Steak House like s little bit expensive. In other side, We went to night club which is in Hotel also they booked a booth for us and had a dancing with co-workers. I cannot expect that go to night club with whole of employees in Japan. "Big beer and fun for employees!", "Boss, Take care of employees!". That was a rule for the party.  So I had some of thing and they kicked me out from the hotel. But my boss brought me to my house... It is my memorial thing they called me "Mr. Holiday Party" later.

Also in Japan, I could see many offices because I used to change company to work on project. But I knew it is difference of atmosphere and environment at their office if county is different. Not sure, but I can say Family for Work in Japan", "Work for Family in Canada". It meant which one is important, work and family. I knew the thing and had some experience because of going abroad to Canada. Seeing is believing.

Talk to you soon!

To Japan!

The season is likely mixed spring, summer and winter in Toronto. Sometimes it is snowing or cherry blossoms is out or starting patio service... I think that is Toronto. You can be with T-shirt on one day but you need to wear your down jacket or court on another day. Yeah, That is Toronto. Though the summer is great.

Anyway, I hadn't updated this blog. It had been for more 1 month since I updated before. To be busy and no topic to write was not reason why I hadn't updated. I hadn't just updated for a while. Because I wanted to write about my result of LMO for next as I wrote before that I was still waiting for getting it out. But it is still no answer(already past for 4 months from making application) so I decided to write this article as I did made a big decision.

What a big decision is...

Going back to Japan for next month!!!
That is I am going back on 2nd week of May!

I had unexpected you need to take the time for LMO. I had heard you need to take a time but I didn't think it is more 4 months... LMO is document which is required if you want to apply for your work permit. And It is like certification which Canadian company, which want to hire a foreigner, have to get.

In Canada, There are three major processes if a foreigner try to apply for a work permit.

1. Get a Job Offer(From the company which can be a sponsorship to get your work permit)
2. Apply for LMO by the company and get
3. Apply for your work permit and get

To get a work permit has processes above. We are on "2" now. We applied for LMO on last December. It has already past for 4 months. Thought the process time is changed by year or season also your job title, you need to take for up to 3 months recently as it is not still out in my case. After this April, I am getting the response "It will be out for next week" every week and eventually still no out.

I have past for 2 months since I left from company on end of February. As I have expected that it would be for 2 months in maximum at the beginning, it means time over is coming. There are some of reason, contract with home-stay etc, to why I am leaving and I made a decision to leave from Canada on 2nd week of May! But I don't know I won't come back in this time. I have an option to come back if I hear a good new on LMO thing as there is a way to apply for a work permit from Japan even though I got back to Japan because I was waiting for long time and I wanted to stay in Canada for 2 years at least!

In my current feeling, it is half and half of mind which I would like to totally go back to Japan and come back again to Toronto honestly. In this 2 month, I was much thinking why I came to Canada for and what I wanted to do. My mind which I want to work in anther country as IT engineer made me coming to Toronto and fortunately I got a Job with Canadian company moreover I could get a new skill to develop smartphone app so far. And about English, I had had no experience to go abroad to study English like even TOEIC score is around 400 at the beginning. But now though I cannot get it in casual conversation sometimes, I can understand what they are talking and can talk what I want to tell in a little. So I think it is not bad to return to Japanese society in this time and I might not have to stay more 1 year. But as "Continue" is really important to improve everything, I am feeling sad about the thing which I need to stop the life, I was keeping for up to 1 year in Canada, by a matter is out of my control. Especially, I am feeling to be making something going to next like mainly human relations also English level. My mind has mix I did enough! and just beginning!

But I will stop this situation just waiting for. In this time, I will go back to Japan and get back my control to decide, will prepare to return to Japanese society at first. Though I imagine how I will return, I would like to ask to my family, friends or my seniors before getting an answer. To come back to Toronto will be just one of my options on that process if it is a good news.

It might be a little bit negative article but don't worry. It doesn't work to me actually. As I haven't been back to Japan for up to 1 year, my face keeps smiling on these days lol Because I am really looking forward to seeing again my family and friends in Japan and talking about my Canada life. Also some of family and friends got a baby so nice to meet is coming to me. May will be busy for me! To guys who are in Japan, I will tell about more details like official date to back etc later. To guys who is in Canada, let's have some drinks though this time is strange like I might be able to come back! Would love to have domestic beer!!!

Cherry blossom at High Park
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Talk to you soon!

TOYOTA is working hard

Here is AD on TV by TOYOTA in Canada.



The beginning is 
"We speak your language. Because..."

And they are saying the words for next below.

"I AM Don Valley North TOYOTA!"

So people who are many kind of nations are saying the words using their language continually on AD.

"Don Valley North" seems like the place where is at north of Toronto.

Honestly, it sounds like "Ganbari no" for my ears instead of "Don Valley North" lol
"Ganbari no" is Japanese words which means "work hard" in English.

My ear : "I AM Ganbari no TOYOTA!"
Correct : "I AM Don Valley North TOYOTA!"

I noticed that is wrong in shame when I tried to write down the thing which there is strange AD on TV which they are saying "I AM Ganbari no TOYOTA!"... I have heard that you cannot get some pronunciations if you are over one age(around 25 years old?) even though you have practiced hard. So it might be better to begin to learn English as young as possible. I am wondering if it also is kind of the thing??

How could you listen that AD.

Talk to you soon!

Tax Return

Toronto seems to be getting Spring because the temperature is 20 degree over some time recently. Comparing with last year, it is pretty warm so pubs where are at downtown begun to provide patio. I am thinking that cherry blossoms which is at High Park will also come into flower early in this year.

Buds of Cherry Blossoms at High Park
photo 2.JPG

Actually, in this term, it is the season which you should do "Tax Return" which makes your income tax return in Canada. Anybody, had some income in last year, needs to declare. If you are working for Japanese company, you don't need to do by yourself because there is tax return system which is supported to do it by the company. But Canada doesn't. So You need to do it by yourself or hiring accountants. Of course, hiring accountants case is not free. I would like to write down what I did as I was done a few days ago.

Required documents
-T1 General Package
Getting T1 General Package at post office or tax office. The store which is including post office also has it like Shoppers.

-T4
Documents of your income and tax for last year. Your company would give it to you.

Process
Making T1 which you fill out basing on T4 and Sending by mail. You can use envelop which is included in T1 General Package to send by mail.

Terms
February to April

After sending
The notification documents will be sent with pay check by mail in 4-6 weeks.(Direct deposit also is provided)

*I thank the Japanese web site I referred to write this down below.

T1 General Package is being left at post office or tax office from late January. I got it at Shoppers which is including post office. And my company gave T4 on late February. Mention to T1, I don't think you can complete it by yourself. Because of many things to calculate... So I used a tax calculation service on web.

T1 General Package at Shoppers
photo 1.JPG

Tax Calculation Web Service / Software
Web Service
-TurboTax
That is web service which I has used certainly. You need to pay fee if your income is $20,000 over. But I can recommend because it was easy to use. Once you signed up, the information will be taken over for next year.

Software
<Windows>
-StudioTax
Free software for Windows. My friend recommended. That is supporting Windows Vista or Windows 7.

<Mac>
-TaxTron
Free software for Mac. Though I used it at the first, it was hard to use for me...

In these service and software, you can just put your information based on T4 to them. it will make documents which is same format with T1 when you complete to put. Then you need to copy to actual T1 document by your hand. And the refund might be bigger if you declare housing fee, transportation fee or RRSP fee which is Canadian pension. I added transportation fee which is whole of fee for last year to buy metro passes. Then my refund is $900 over! It was bigger than I thought. Anyway, it is there if my calculation is truth... In this connection, if tax officer wants you to prove housing fee or transportation fee, you would need to give receipts.

Although there are anybody who hires accountants, you can do easily if you use those of service or software unless you have another income like managing house. I have done in 2 hours with my friend's advice in spite of first time. By the way, Canadian people can do on just web. When I looked down T1 contents, I thought that we might to have no choice except hiring accountants before improving IT industry. Technical improving is great. I am wondering how it is going on 20 years later?? Don't we use paper anymore??

At last, I would like to say what it is going on for me currently. I wasn't busy and have been just "free" since this March though I haven't write new article. As my visa was changed to Visitor, I am a "Visitor" if I need to say. I had worked till end of February like "Helper". I have been a "Visitor" after that. What I am doing so far...

Just just drinking...

Probably, I was a guy who is the least Japanese 30 years old in Toronto :( Except hanging out with friends, I drunk a bottle of Sake and some bottles of wine in 2 weeks(more addition some of beer). That days were unexpected before even though I am just waiting for LMO thing. That is no good things if I have lost some of the intellectual power that I used to have. And I just started "what I would like to do in this time" little by little currently. Unfortunately, the process time to apply for LMO is taking longer time. So you need to take a time for 3-4 months to be out recently. I am thinking that it will be out by end of March. But I must to make any results which is something to want by being back to office(if it is possible).

By the way, I went over library in this morning to do something with excited mind. But The library was closing :( The strike by library works was just started from today and all of libraries were closing in Toronto. I had never heard strike of library workers... How come it was this time!? A lot of difficulties lie ahead of me!

Talk to you soon!

*I received a check in safe later!
I sent the application on March 16th and received May 1st. It took around 6 weeks and a few days. Just for reference.

Japanese Restaurant in Toronto

There are many restaurant in Toronto. Although Japanese restaurant is almost provided by Chinese or Korean, some of restaurants has Japanese employer or employees. I would like to write about Japanese restaurant which I can recommend in Toronto as there are good restaurant like in Japan.

Guu

Guu Toronto

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Guu SakaBar

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Probably Guu is the most of famous Japanese restaurant in Toronto. They have two branch in Toronto and those atmosphere is "Wafu Izakaya"(Popular style pub in Japan). As they provide popular menu of Japanese pub like "Karaage" or "Yakitori" etc, you can feel drinking at pub in Japan. Specially, You can make them happy who are not Japanese. But it might not be suitable for chatting because the floor is kind of noisy like Canadian pub. They also have some of branches in Vancouver.

Ematei

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That is like "Teishoku-ya"(traditional restaurant). They have Sushi, Tonkatu and even Hot pot like Sukiyaki. They also have a Japanese style party room so you can make a party if you want. The looks is totally traditional Japanese style which is old and built by wood. It is really old home for me. When I had a rice, since it is made from Japan, the rice make me cry a little lol I can recommend if you miss Japan!

Koyoi

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Kotoi is a restaurant like small pub which is built by private owner. Since there are many Japanese pub menu, Yakitori, Oden etc, it is good for having a beer time after working in Japanese case. When I came over before, some Japanese worker who wore suit was drinking a couple of beer. Also the have Sake and Shochu so I can recommend when you want to drink with Japanese.

Recently I think Japanese restaurant is increasing little by little because new restaurant is opened which name is "DonDon Izakaya" like Guu and I heard a rumour about Yoshinoya is coming to Toronto(famous Japanese rice food restaurant). If it compares with Vancouver, I think Toronto where no many Japanese are in is getting better to live for Japanese.

DonDon Izakaya

Also I knew Ematei and Koyoi recently and Japanese immigrant people told me. There are people who has grown in Canada, graduated for Canadian university or became immigrants after Working & Holiday visa etc. Since they have lived for long time, they really know about Canada for especially Japanese as I thought. Nowadays I can make a time to see them and have been learning variety things from them fortunately. As everybody has good story which has in Japanese immigrant only, they are very interesting people. I have no chance to meet them if I am in Japan so that the meeting is valuable thing. Exactly, enjoy every encounter because it may not come to you again.

Talk to you soon!

One Year!

You can imagine it is cold and snow for Toronto's winter. This winter has been called "Warm Winter". But The temperature was over -10 ℃ in this weekend and I feel a foreboding that the winter we imagine came exactly. I arrived in Canada one year ago. Toronto was a snow scene which is same with which I imagined. I came to Toronto with two suitcases and one boston bag like many stuffs. One year past since then. Although the beginning was expectable, the year had kept unexpectable.

Feel like a moment and long for the year. The reason for "long" is there were many good things I cannot believe that was happened in one year.

2011
Feb : Go abroad, Home-stay, Language school
Mar : Move to share-house, Kicked off at share-house, Starting finding a job
Apr : First phone interview, First interview
May : Got a job, Starting first project
Aug : Trip to Quebec & Montreal, Released first app, Starting 2nd project
Sep : Negotiate for LMO application, Trip to Vancouver & Seattle
Oct : Released 2nd app
Nov : Starting 3rd project
Dec : Applied for LMO, First snowboarding in Canada, Mother came, Kicked off at night club

2012
Feb : Released 3rd app

Look back over the past in that way, moving three times, releasing three app, trip Three times(including coming in Canada) and Kicked off twice... I don't think it is easy to make variety type of great experience in only one year like that in the future. "Working in foreign country as IT developer" was my aim ordinally. I could get a job literally and did the thing apply for LMO. I believe that I could make an example for somebody who has an aim is similar to mine.

Also I was the only Android developer in my company but getting four developers including me currently and we are called "Android team". It was precious experience to help to build new field from the first. At the 3rd project,  All developers in Android team were mobilized to develop an app which is for Canadian service that mostly people knows in Canada with basing on past project I did. It is thoughtful for one developer to re-used my source codes like base to new project and really happy to make the result like past records I have worked in Canada.

My term of Working & Holiday was over and I am in time to wait for LMO like extra game. I don't know how it works for close future. I still think the one year was a full life in these days.

Talk to you soon!

Visitor Visa

Time flies, I have just been in Canada on this weekend for 1 year since I arrived so that my visa will be expired and got a Visitor Visa recently. That is temporary plan to wait for result of LMO which my company made application end of last year. The term is for 2 months. I can stay in Canada by end of March certainly. But I need to leave my company temporary because I can't work on visitor visa. It is hard to expalin my status, no jobs or on temporary vacation lol

I made application for that visitor visa by myself as working & holiday visa. Although there is no difficult point especially, I would like to write some of regards to apply.

The first, I need to make to apply...

-Application to Change Conditions
-Documents Checklist
-Receipt for Application Fee($75)
-Photo Copies of Passport
-Photo Copies of Your Current Immigration Document
-Certificate of Your Financial Balance

Download link for documents of application is here.

It is the application for extending your condtions because you already are in Canada. At the point, You must fill the reason why you would like to entend in. And It is better to write the reason as definite as possible. Like When, Where you would like to visit or... Here is my case which I write with definite reason, "I already had studied English and got an experience in Canada. I would like to have a trip in Canada. I am planning to go to Quebec/Montreal or Vancouver on February and March. I couldn't have a trip in this year because I was busy to study and work." I heard you shouldn't write the thing that you would like to wait for getting your LMO or find a job as "visitor" visa.

You need to apply for it before 1 month from the current visa you have is expired at latest and I did before 1 month and a half in my case. There are two ways to apply, mail and online. I made application on online at last. Actually I sent first application by mail. But I changed my application to online thing immediately because I knew that it needed to take for 111 days for getting the visa when I found the processing time on mail out lol At the time, The processing time for by online was 46 days. And I got it on middle of January, took for almost 1 month, safely. The processinf time is changed by season. If you find the time now, 44 days is by mail, 13 days is by online. It is difference from my case totally! I think the processing time makes fast because Canada is just in the season when is getting cold so tourists doen't want to come. As It seemed to worry about illegal overstaying for a while, that was the thing I unexpected fortunatelly.

The processing time is here.

The Visa which I received
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In this connection, if the application is by online, you need to make documents, Photo Copies of Passport or Certificate of Your Financial Balance, by the file like image or PDF. I changed the way to online suddenly so the time was not there to make the files  properly as using scanner. So I took pictures for each copies and sent PDF files which I made forcely. In addition, it was so hard to see exact characters on picutres of Certificate of Balance so that docments became kind of careless as just separate it for four peices and scale up... Although it was in success, I can't recommend that way...

In this way, I will stay in Canada by a visitor visa from next month. For a while, I will try to do the things I couldn't do since my job was started as busy, take free English class or develop apps by myself... It is hard a little bite to wait for the result of LMO which nobody doesn't know how response is but I will spend daily with staying positive and keeping looking for variety of possibility.

Anyway, I mention to develop apps, I hit it on Android Market below. Please download this app if you are smart phone users and give 5 stars!!!

Simple RSS Widget

Talk to you soon!

 

PROFILE

Hi I'm Shinya Hasegawa
I was born in Kanagawa,
Japan and 30 years old.
I'm IT Engineer of year 8th.
I'm challenging globalize
by IT engineer.
I arrived in Canada on February 2011.
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