Information about Canada

---

Many times Canada has been declared as the country with the highest living standards in the world, according to the United Nations Human Development Index.

As the second largest country in the world Canada has a lot to offer:

• Breath-taking mountains extended in the west, which offer a true paradise for hikers and skiers all year round.
• Safe and vibrant cities such as Vancouver, Toronto, Ottawa (capital city of Canada), Montreal and Quebec
• Charming small historic towns such as Charlottetown-home of the famous Anne from the GREENHOUSE
• A very interesting cultural diversity where native Canadians and English, Irish, Eastern European, Caribbean and Asian immigrant’s descendants live and share their traditions with the country
• Beautiful beaches of Pacific and Atlantic coasts
• Many lakes, world famous Niagara Falls near Toronto
• Countless tourist sites and a large variety of festivals like jazz, blues, chamber music
• Shakespeare festival in Stratford near Toronto, film festivals in Toronto and Montreal which are attracting more and more people every year
• Famous symphony orchestras such as-The National Arts Centre Orchestra in Ottawa, symphony orchestra in Montreal and Toronto, CBC Orchestra in Vancouver which brings remarkable conductors such as P. Zukerman, Charles Dutoit, Mario Bernardi.
• Theatre and ballet companies like Winnipeg Royal Ballet
• Large selection of museums that offer the most famous international exhibitions like Picasso, Renoir, Monet

 

70% of Canadians live in the south of Canada in major cities like-Victoria, Vancouver, Edmonton, Calgary, Regina, Saskatoon, Winnipeg, Toronto, Ottawa, Montreal, Quebec, Fredericton, Halifax, Charlottetown and St. John.

The first inhabitants of Canada considered as-First Nations-and Inuits-Eskimos represented 3% of the population of Canada in the National Census in 1996.

All the other people are mainly from Europe, with some also from Asia, Africa and the Caribbean.

Canada is a multi-ethnic and multi-cultural country.

Canada is a bilingual country with two official languages-English and French

Most of the population uses English

Indigenous people communicate mostly in French-residents of Quebec.

 

COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES STUDY

Canada offers many opportunities for international students, academic staff and educational institutions via its programs of studying abroad. A semester or year long study in Canada enriches your level of knowledge and international experience. This brings a possibility of valuable contacts in the future. Students are receiving an opportunity to better understand a new culture, become independent, improve their foreign language skills and last but not least-the experience gained from studying abroad will be numerous times more useful in their future studies or employment.

Relocation to a distant country can be pretty exciting, but at the same time it is a difficult step that requires careful and detailed planning.

The average preparation time, starting from the initial program and institution selection-to departure tends to be around 6 months. Canadian academic institutions offer various training programs-can be weeks, a semester or a year.

The courses can be finished with credits, certificates, diploma or even a degree. It is important to find out how the particular institution is accredited internationally.

There are several institutions that provide students with all the necessary information needed while choosing the particular academic program.

You can find valuable information on the website - “study in Canada”

 

LANGUAGE REQUIREMENTS

Students whose first language isn’t English or French must demonstrate an advanced knowledge of English-in writing, reading, listening, grammar and conversation. In case of interest in the Eastern Canada area a FSL French course pass is first advised.

This will fully prepare the students language skills as well as his/her will to overcome cultural differences.

 

STUDENT VISA

Students that intend to study in Canada longer than 3 months must attend the student visa process. It takes about 2 weeks to manage these visas. Citizens of Slovakia should send an application to the Canadian Embassy located in Vienna. Here is the list of supporting documents which are necessary for an application for a student visa:

• a valid passport with at least one blank page, valid minimum one month after the planned return from Canada
• filled application from the Canadian Embassy
• 3 passport sized photographs
• confirmation certificate of accommodation reassurance in Canada
• financial security document-bank statement-from minimum 2 months period of time
• criminal records document
• administration fee payment document-original
• tourist visa

 

March 1st 2008-With immediate effect-Canada lifted the visa requirement for Slovakian citizens traveling as tourists to Canada for less than 3 months. Students that plan to study in Canada for less than 3 months do not need visa requirements.

Full information about Canada’s visa requirements can be found on the website Canadian Citizenships Immigration.

CBI has prepared several Canadian Internet addresses, which can be useful and can help in your next steps regarding study, work or travel.

If you know more useful addresses we kindly ask you to share them with us. We will publish them using our website to all the people that were charmed by Canada.

 

INFORMATION PORTALS

• www.canada411.ca
  online search for phone numbers, addresses, area codes across Canada
• www.canadian-health-network.ca
  Canadian health system-access to a wide range of health information for Canadians

 

VISA

• www.tcscanadainc.com
  Immigrant in Canada support
• www.canada.gc.ca
  Canadian government website-comes with links to several departments such as the Canadian tax system, health care, immigration and more
• www.cic.gc.ca
  Information about Canadian visas, citizenship and immigration

 

STUDY

• www.canadainternational.gc.ca
  Useful information when planning to study, work or simply visit Canada
• www.schoolsincanada.com
  Canadian colleges and universities association

 

TRANSLATION AND EXPLANATORY DICTIONARIES

• The English-to-American Dictionary
• Writing Resources
• Dictionary.COM
• Acronym and Abbreviation Server

 

WORK

• www.hrdc-drhc.gc.ca
  “Human Resources Development Canada” will provide contacts and information on federal programs and services-especially labor