Quick Guide to Canada Immigration

If at the moment you are considering Canada as a country to move to, you are undoubtedly not alone. A reason for this is that Canada regularly features in polls detailing countries with a high standard of living; this encompasses everything the country has to offer from the education system to its universal health-care.

For many reasons Canada is rapidly becoming the first choice for people wishing to emigrate, attracting people from all over the world, who move there for the country’s diversity, tranquillity and safety.

There are a several routes one can use to move to Canada permanently. The country’s provinces and territories sharing power with the government when it comes to Canada immigration applications, this means submissions for Canadian visas can be fast-tracked depending on the conditions. People often given priority in this way are those who are deemed by the relevant authorities to have skills that are needed and in short supply in the province or territory applied for.

How Safe Are You in South America???

Whenever anyone finds out that I have travelled through South America with small children, and even moved my family to Argentina (from the safety and comfort of the United States…how dare I!!), one of the first things that people are curious about is the safety, or their imagined lack thereof.

To help put the situation in persective, I gathered some statistics from the recent 7th United Nations Survey of Crime Trend and Operations. I covered the biggies that most people are worried about, assault, rape, kidnapping, and robbery.

Assault: I found it interesting that worldwide, guess which countries rank # 6-10 for having the highest number of assaults? The US, then New Zealand, The UK, then Canada, finished off with Australia. You would probably have not much problem planning a vacation to Australia for your family…but might think twice about letting your teenage daughter do a study abroad in Colombia. Colombia ranked way down there at #35, and the only other South American countries that even made the cut were Uruguay at #27 and Chile at #16.

Who Needs Viagra? - Nice Piece of Pork Spices Up President’s Sex Sessions

News just in from the Argentinean Presidential Palace is that the nation’s leader loves a good porking – BEFORE a sex session with her husband.

Yes, you’re reading it right! And before you get all uppity about the Expat Daily News team stooping so low and bringing you salacious stories such as this one, how on earth could you expect us not to report this groundbreaking news!

Apparently President Cristina Fernandez enjoys a fantastic sex life – and puts her husband’s prowess down to the fact he’s a lover of Porky Pig. The President told her (frankly uncomfortable and aghast) guests at a recent dinner party that pork in the Fernandez household is the only aphrodisiac they need – Viagra doesn’t keep her husband up all night, but a slab of Argentinean pork apparently does.

Now, cynics might suggest that the President was attempting to increase local prices for Argentinean pork by delivering such an impacting statement – but some could counter accuse cynics of being jealous types who live their lives alone and who can’t put the power of the pork to the test! So, let’s not enter that whole limp pork argument lest we be shot down…

Suffice to say, the head of the Argentinean association of pork producers was very keen to back up President Cristina Fernandez – whilst he stopped short of openly discussing his own sex life or comparing Viagra to a pork chop, he did state the fact that lovers in Denmark and Japan, where pork is apparently often the order of the day: “have much more harmonious [HAMonious??] sexual lives than…Argentines have."

Holiday Home Dreams in Tatters? Speak to Reclaim Your Deposit

A five-figure deposit on an overseas home is a sizeable chunk of money to lose. The bitter pill is even harder to swallow when that overseas home was earmarked as ‘pension substitute’ or ‘kids’ inheritance’. Builds get delayed, developers go bust and promises get broken but this doesn’t have to mean the end - www.reclaimyourdeposit.com is your lifeline.

www.reclaimyourdeposit.com will assess your case, scrutinize loopholes in your purchase contract and try to reclaim the money on your behalf. Director Daren Wallbank explains, “We’re well aware, through experience, of the games that developers play and know which complaints are grounds for recovering seemingly lost deposits. Whilst adverse exchange rates or failure to secure finance may be topical drivers for buyers to pull out of deals, these will not wash in court to get your deposit back. You have to play a more tactical game.”

Daren continues, “Delays are generally the strongest grounds for reclaiming your deposit but you must act at breach of contract, not at completion, or it’s too late. Unfortunately, as a rule, the court is not on your side. They want your ongoing taxes and fees to fuel the local economy. And, with court cases taking up to two years, the unit could be finished by the hearing resulting in the case being thrown out of court. www.reclaimyourdeposit.com will only engage in legal action, individually or class, if timing is in our favour otherwise we will seek more effective resolutions.”

Typically www.reclaimyourdeposit.com would explore five different avenues to arrive at a solution. These are outlined as follows:

Should You Marry for Papers?

While it is illegal to marry a citizen simply for the convenience of getting a visa to their country and for obtaining citizenship, this is still an all too common occurrence.

Many times, gifts, land, travel, or upwards of thousands of dollars in cash are offered to the citizen agreeing to marry solely to help the other get papers. It seems like it could be a quick, painless way to get ahead. After all, you could continue to live your life like nothing has changed, your new spouse could continue theirs, and everyone is happy, right? Unfortunately, it is not that simple.

This practice is illegal, and if you are caught one of you risks both deportation back to the country of origin and disastrously high fines…and the unlucky citizen who agreed to marry the others to help them get papers can face jail time.

And the married life itself will not be so easy. Both you and your new spouse will be under surveillance for the first two years. And for up to ten years, you'll both be subjected to house visits to make sure that you are both living together and functioning as a traditional couple, in addition to having to check in with the authorities every so often. You will have to prove beyond a shadow of a doubt that the relationship is legitimate. It is not uncommon to have to provide video dated well into the past to prove that you have known the other person for a while. You will be subjected, separately, to grueling interviews where your answers have to match up with your partners´. Friends will have to have signed, notarized statements supporting the fact that you have been together as a couple for a while. Any hint of impropriety and you could be arrested. This has been taken much more seriously in the past few years because the watch for terrorists infiltrating the US is at an all time high. So any ideas that you can marry in a courthouse and both go your separate ways can be thrown right out the window.

Also, keep in mind that it is not an overnight fix to getting citizenship. Once you marry, it only opens the doors to begin the paperwork. Many times, it costs a few thousand dollars just to begin the interview process, and it could, and probably will be, years before the spouse is granted actual citizenship. First comes the visa, then the green card, then citizenship…but there are hundreds of opportunities along the way when the whole plan could fall apart by just a few doubts of the legitimacy of the marriage by the already suspicious caseworker.
So if you have ever caught yourself thinking about becoming involved in a marriage solely to obtain papers, think again. Is it really worth it to risk deportation or jail time for either of the people involved?

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Milking the Expat Benefit Package for All It Is Worth

If your company is asking, or telling, you to move overseas for your job, you have every right to be compensated extra for your troubles. Many companies have standard expat benefit packages, but it never hurts to ask for more. If your company is small, they may not have a standard package, thus are open to ideas and may be more flexible. Even though you may be looking forward to a new, exciting life living overseas, don´t tell your boss that. Work this for as much as you can possibly get!!!

Things you may never have thought you could ask for, but you just might possibly get:

Airfare Related Costs. Go first class, baby! They may say no to this request, but if they don´t, enjoy the good life and start living it up before you even set foot in your new country. Also in regards to the flight, ask for your company to cover extra baggage charges. If you decide to take your pets with you, ask that their flights and all related charges are also covered.

Housing. Your company will usually make all arrangements to set you up with a decent, secure roof over your head. But ask for perks, which may not cost much in the local currency at all, such as a cook or a maid. You can also ask that they cover any existing monthly mortgage payments on your old house which you will not be using, or that they cover any rental management fees if you decide to rent your empty house.

Transportation. Ask for a car, an allowance to take public transportation, or ask for a driver.

Perks for the kiddos. If you are moving with children, ask for tuition to be covered at a private school, or for a tutor to come to the house. Ask for language classes to help make the transition easier. Ask for technology to make keeping in touch with extended family easier.

Entertainment Related Expenses. They are taking you away from your social network. The least they could do is make it as easy as possible for you to get out there and make new contacts, right? Go for a membership to certain clubs, the local private pool or gym, golf courses, etc.

This is just to get you to start brainstorming possibilities. The possibilities really are endless. Do not overlook health insurance, storage fees for your old personal items, visa related expenses, or of course a generous year end bonus. Remember, if they say no, you are no worse off than before you asked. If you have had a lucrative expat package given to you in the past, I would love to hear about some of the most unexpected, generous items that you received. Feel free to email me at editor@expatdailynews.com.

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Building Sustainably with Natural Materials

Many expats coming from very first world nations find that they deeply desire to live more simply, more slowly, and more connected to nature than they did in their technology-driven, frenzied, disconnected old life. They have grown tired of subdivision life living in a perfectly manicured, gated vinyl village, or perhaps in an urban glass and metal highrise. Expats making the move abroad should definitely explore the possibility of building with natural local materials such as adobe, straw bale, or cordwood to name just a few.

Living overseas, you may find that the building codes for using natural materials may be much more relaxed or even non-existent. Some of the benefits of using natural building materials are that they are usually readily available and either free or very inexpensive. The locals have developed special techniques over the years of ways to build houses that are well-suited to the climate of your new country. And especially if you come from the land of vinyl siding, PVC, and other chemically-laden products, creating and living in a house of stone floors, adobe walls, and natural pigment paints will make you feel very centered and connected to your new environment.

Is Australia Really the Best Place to Raise Expat Kids?

Is living in Australia the healthiest option for your expat children? HSBC´s Offshore Offspring Report recently took in factors such as adjustment period to the culture and schools, time spent outdoors, food consumed, etc, and found that of all of the countries researched, the crown for healthiest country for raising kids goes indeed to the Land Down Under.

To be noted is the fact that the study only compared (in order of healthiest to least healthy) Australia, Singapore, Hong Kong, United Arab Emirates, the United States, and the UK. My completely biased reasoning for them not including more countries in the survey…they were scared that Argentina would blow everyone out of the water!

It is said that expat kids living in Australia see an 88% increase in time that they spend outdoors. They spend remarkably less time in front of a computer or television than they did in their former country.

The worst countries for time spent outdoors? The United States and the UK. Kids who moved from other countries to the US or the UK saw a 43% increase in time spent watching television, and a 27% increase in time spent playing computer games.

Also sad, but noteworthy, is that kids moving to the US saw a dramatic 47% increase in junk food consumed. Not surprising, but embarrassing for the US nonetheless. The US beat out the UK only slightly when it came to childrens´ health, only because kids in the US participate in more sports.

When it came to integrating into the new culture, 83% of kids moving to Australia said it was very easy for them to make new friends. Common language is probably the most obvious factor for this. 76% said that adjusting to school was not a problem.

Parents might want to take note that 75% of expats who moved to Australia feel that the safety of their child has dramatically increased since they made the move.

And with all that time saved from not watching television or sitting in front of the computer, expat families in Australia have found that the quality of family time spent together has seen an increase since making the move. Families report that they spend more time outside or enjoying leisure activities together than ever before.

Do you agree with the findings of this study? Do you feel that your new country should rank higher than Australia? Why? Send your thoughts or comments to editor@expatdailynews.com. I would love to hear from other expat families!


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British Developer Goes Green in Turkey

Whilst Britain created the world’s first environment ministry back in 1970, Turkey only established its Environment Ministry in 1991 and has some catching up to do on environmental policy – particularly when it comes to housing. Against this backdrop residential property developers rarely bend over backwards to create ‘green’ homes - except for Bodrum’s Horizon Sky that is.

UK developer Galliard Homes is building, in joint-venture with Signature International, the top-quality resort of Horizon Sky. Daniel Dias for Horizon Sky, comments, “Environmentally Turkey has its eye on the bigger picture, addressing waste management and air pollution in its big cities, as part of its goal to joining the EU. It has nothing like the depth and breadth of legislation as found in the UK relating to the construction industry. Yet we’ve opted to exceed Turkish standards and instead emulate British Standards. It’s both the responsible and ethical thing to do.”

Why?

This is the question most asked by friends and families of recent and soon-to-be ex-pats. “Why would you leave the country of your birth and look elsewhere for happiness and fulfillment?” The fact that the question is raised at all indicates that the person asking has not explored the reasoning behind the desire to find a different or better life. Most ex-pats’ responses to the inquiry fall into one of three categories:

Business Etiquette In Latin America

People used to doing business in the US, Europe, Japan or China (or many other parts of the world, for that matter) will have quite the learning curve and adjustment period trying to figure out how to do business in the sometimes very laid back Latin culture. At times it seems like nothing can be done straightforwardly.

Sometimes it seems like you could work on a deal for years and nothing would happen with it. And then with one phone call from a good contact, within 5 minutes the entire deal goes through. Such is the life when you are doing business in Latin America. By understanding the culture a little more and then adjusting your expectations accordingly, you may soon find that Latin America is very enjoyable place to do business.
Time. Or, More Accurately, the Complete Disregard of.

Scandals in Paradise

It has been over a year since my move to Corozal Belize and there are countless lessons I have learned here. One of those particular lessons has been how important the culture of gossip is in this town among the expat community. Rumors are such a prevalent occurrence that any person who is considering making Belize their home should be prepared and aware of it. I had no idea this was the most popular form of entertainment amongst the majority of expats here before I made the move – I suppose I should have had an idea since it is such a small country and I am fully aware of how small-town gossip works. I didn’t realize immediately that gossip was running rampant most likely because we didn’t know many people right away – we were too busy trying to get everything together to open our bar. Once the bar opened the flood gates crashed open and we were quickly learning the gossip du jour which was updated and re-told to us depending on who came in to the bar that night.

Drug Dealing Overseas, Is It Worth The Fun and Money?

You may find yourself living overseas in a culture where things all of a sudden may seem a little more relaxed than they were at home. Or you may feel that with your English, contacts, and first world passport, you are in a position of power somehow. You may not really have found a viable, legitimate way to support yourself living abroad. Or you may see the local drug trade and think that if you applied your considerable business savvy, applied with a little multi-level marketing, you could be outselling the locals in no time flat, soon to move into your new villa to finish out your years living the good life as your peons take over the day to day operations.

It almost sounds like it could work to sell a few drugs here and there, doesn´t it? DO NOT even think about it. Many countries still have no problem putting foreigners in jail or informally executing them for even alleged ties to the drug trade. In many cases, your passport does not mean a thing. In fact, it may be the first thing to go missing when they file your belongings while they incarcerate you.

WWOOF: A Conscious Movement in Sustainable, Organic Farming

In 1971, a British woman named Sue Coppard wanted a brief respite from her London secretarial job and asked friends if they knew of any rural organic farms that may like an extra set of hands over the weekend. A simple weekend excursion almost 40 years ago has since exploded into a worldwide movement that puts together thousands of organic farmers and willing volunteers from all ends of the earth, who cross continents and cultures to help one another learn to live more sustainably and responsibly.

As an expat, you may have been lured into the romance of buying an organic vineyard in Spain, a hops farm in Patagonia, an olive plantation in Italy, or a sheep farm in New Zealand. But once the initial bliss wears off, you might realize that you may have bit off more than you can chew. Your days at the vineyard may be spent frantically pulling weeds for 12 hours a day instead of lounging on the veranda with a bottle of last years Merlot. By becoming a part of the WWOOF organization (which stands for World Wide Opportunities on Organic Farms), your farm or plantation, no matter how big or small, is marketed to thousands of willing volunteers from all over the world. In exchange for offering a place to sleep, sometimes just a converted barn or a field to camp in, and basic food, volunteers will come to your farm to work between 4 and 8 hours per day. Your farm must be committed to organic, sustainable methods. You do not need to be certified organic.

Business Etiquette in Japan…Or, How Not to Tick Someone Off Your First Day on The Job

Congratulations, you have taken an overseas job in Japan. You will soon fall in love with the rich culture, the gorgeous landscapes, and the elegant, refined people. But the world of business with these elegant, refined folk is a whole other animal. There are nuances, if you ignore or do not even have on your radar, that can cost you much in lost business or relationships. If you plan on doing business in Japan, here is some basic etiquette to which you should strictly adhere to ensure that you do not offend anyone.

Business Dress Codes: Dress to impress. Men should always wear dark, conservative attire, and business suits are always appropriate and suitable. Casual dress is NEVER suitable in a business setting. You will be taking your shoes on and off more than ever before, so a nice, quality pair of slip-on dress shoes will be the most appropriate. Japanese men tend to find it offensive when a woman wears pants in a business setting. A nice dress, with minimal, elegant accessories is the best choice for females. Shoes should be flats or short heels, as you want to try to not tower over the men if you can help it.

Extramarital Expat Activity

Of course, infidelity is not limited to expatriate communities. But in a close expat circle, it seems that dirty laundry is aired with more ease, making it seem at times that cheating is more common among expats than at home. Much research suggests that infidelity is most likely to occur in relationships that are strained or under pressure. Take a relationship with fine cracks to a foreign country where numerous stresses on the individuals and the couple are inevitable, mixed with a possibly more relaxed and open-minded attitude towards sex in the new culture, and you may have a very ripe situation for expat infidelity.

The United States, in general, has adopted a fairly Puritanical view toward extramarital relations. Ninety-nine percent of married people in the United States say that they expect sexual exclusivity of their spouse, and 99 percent report their spouse expects the same of them. And women, more so than men, regard an intense emotional relationship as an unfaithful extramarital involvement, even when there is no physical component. This does not imply that we don´t cheat, though. On the contrary! In fact, the statistics show that we cheat with more frequency than even the French.

International Driving

If you intend to drive a car in a foreign country, there are many factors to take into consideration, including licensing laws, road conditions, type of available automobiles, and driving norms in the new country.
To be able to drive in a foreign country, most governments require that you carry an IDP, an International Driving Permit. Many countries do not recognize a US drivers license alone. An International Driving Permit (IDP) is a special permit for travelers which allows motorists to drive in overseas countries provided their domestic driver's license is valid.

The International Driving Permit is an UN sanctioned document, available in 9 languages and recognized in more than 150 countries all over the world. Please note that it is not a replacement for a drivers license, and is NOT valid in your original country of residence.

Golfing in Thailand

Thailand has quickly become an idyllic paradise for golfers worldwide, and offers thousand of golf courses. There are many international standard golf courses throughout Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Phuket, Hua Hin and other provinces. Not only can you get world class greens, but as you golf Thailand you will be in awe of the lush views of surrounding tropical forests.

Here is a list of 5 not-to-be-missed courses to help you from feeling overwhelmed by all of your choices:

Bangkok: Bangkok has a number of amazing golf courses, but none can be described as a typical resort. The Ronald Garl-designed championship Alpine Golf and Sports Club is a relatively rural option. It was the venue for the 2000 and 2004 Johnnie Walker Classic PGA tournament, and also the 2000 and 2004 Johnnie Walker Classic. It is located about an 80-minute drive from the city, but its challenging course make it well worth the drive.

Koh Samui: Koh Samui is an idyllic island, and on its north coast is the international-standard, 6,932-yard, 18-hole, par-72 Santiburi Samui Country Club course. Only open since 2003, the course is set on a mountain slope between 30m and 190m above sea level, and therefore offers unparalleled views and decadent breezes. The 6th, par-3 hole features a vertical drop and a waterfall. The course has been nicknamed “the beast of Samui”. Enjoy a round of 18 and find out why!

Phuket: Phuket can not only offer you world class golf, but also world class beaches! A good offering to indulge in the best of both worlds is the Laguna Phuket Golf Club. This club is one of Thailand’s top golf resorts and visitors have a choice of five Laguna Phuket hotels to stay at. The 18-hole, par-71 course was designed by Max Wexler and David Abell, and features gently undulating fairways with gorgeous lagoons and spacious greens. There’s also an indoor teaching center to take advantage of to refine your skills.

Phuket: It is such a good option, we couldn´t give the this place only one highlight! Possibly the most famous golf club in Phuket is the championship Blue Canyon Country Club. Surrounded by mountains and sea in northern Phuket, it has two 18-hole par-72 award-winning championship courses: the 7,179-yard Canyon Course and the 7,129-yard Lakes Course. If you stay at the nearby Trisara hotel resort, they offer the complimentary use of high-quality golf clubs to guests.

Chiangmai: What sets apart the Chiangmai Highlands Golf and Spa Resort is their attention to detail when it comes to the design and upkeep of the landscaping. This resort offers an eighteen-hole course with paspalum fairways and Tiff eagle greens, which translate into more luxurious, greener fairways and faster, more consistent plays. Bunkers are deep. Mown grass areas surrounding the approach to the greens provide the option of playing either a chip-and-run, pitch shot or even putting the ball up onto the green. This is a definite must-play course if you are interested in golfing Thailand.

You could be living in Thailand for years and not be able to play all of the best courses. But start with these five, and you will be well on your way!

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A Primer to Basic Argentine Culture

Argentina has always held a strong allure, from cosmopolitan Buenos Aires to breathtaking Patagonia. If you have your sights set on moving to Argentina, here are a few basic cultural things that you should know to get the most out of your experience:

Maté
It’s a national obsession. An epidemic. Really. If you plan on living in Argentina, get used to it. Maté is a strong leafy herb, (think bitter green tea and you will at least be in the ballpark), that is prepared with much ritual and many rules. Trust me, do not try to prepare the mate until you have been properly trained by a local. I was told on many occasions that I burned the water, which I never even had on my radar as a possibility. It is served in a cup (also called a maté!) with a straw made of metal or wood that has a built in strainer on the end so that you do not ingest the actual leaves when you take a drink. The leaves are covered with very hot water to make an infusion. It is passed around the group of people, with one person being the server and in charge of refilling the water. When it is handed to you, drink ALL of the liquid in the cup quickly, and immediately pass it back to whoever has the thermos of water. If when they hand it to you, you say gracias, they will take that to mean you do not want any, not that you are thankful. Be prepared, the maté circle can last for hours, and because it is a slight stimulant like coffee, take it easy in the beginning!

Nightlife in Bangkok - The Top 10 Bangkok Holiday Attractions shown in a 1 Day Private Tour

We specialize in "a la carte" Bangkok Tour menus. We customize the tour destinations to YOUR taste. The city sightseeing tour lasts 1 day, from morning hours till after midnight if you like.

The spectacular tour destinations are chosen by expats living in Bangkok, with in-depth knowledge of the city and its bustling nightlife. You will get a private guide (Thai, female, 20-25yr, good english) for the complete day, showing you the BEST places in Bangkok.

For the traveller with only a short stopover in Bangkok we created an "a la carte" 1-Day Bangkok Tour menu. Our target clients are varied: from single business men on a business trip, to married couples with kids; anyone is welcome!

Walking Away from Consumerism to Live More Simply

Many expats choose to move overseas to leave it all behind…the cell phones, the satellite television, the monstrous mortgage, the two car payments and the garage (plus self-storage unit!) full of gidgets and gadgets that you have not used in years. They opt instead for a life with more connection, more meaning, more enjoyment. Quality of moments versus quantity of things.

Most of us are not quite ready to go completely off of the grid, making our own clothes and milking the cow at five every morning, but here are a few fairly painless tips for heading in the right direction towards living a more sustainable, simple, conscious lifestyle:

Barter
So you do not have a green thumb, and you are scared to death of cows. That does not have to stop you from enjoying vine-ripened tomatoes or that morning´s fresh milk from the neighbor. In many countries, it would be unheard of for your neighbor to sell you items. They do not approach it as a business, grow only for themselves, and may be uncomfortable with the exchange of money between friends. But offer to teach English to them or their child once a week in exchange for a couple of liters of milk and some goodies from the garden. I have personally traded English classes for more organic veggies and fruits than I could even consume, jams, fresh milk, straight out of the oven pies, hand ground wheat flour, eggs, and homemade beer and wine. It feels good to not have to go to the grocery store nearly as much, and everyone is happy with the arrangement. Plus it makes you feel connected with your local community.

Decadent Spas in Dubai

Living in Dubai can be overwhelming at the best of times. Dubai's encouraging tax regimes, state-of-the-art telecommunications and sympathetic business environment have produced a country that is building energetically and without looking back. Today, Dubai is easily considered the fastest growing city in the world. If you find yourself living in this cosmopolitan area amidst all of this hustle and bustle, its no wonder you may be wondering about spas in Dubai.

A place known around the world for its decadence, Dubai offers a seemingly unlimited number of quality spas. Here are just a few that are well-worth checking out:

The Spa at The Palace in Burj Dubai offers Oriental treatments in a unique Arabic décor. Guests receive a complementary ten minute foot bath and a relaxing cup of the signature lemon herbal tea prior to any treatment, making the transition from “real world” to “dream world” flawless and smooth.

The Spa offers treatments from the Far East, Asia, and the Middle East, and you can opt from a music menu that will take you to the origin of the treatment itself.

The Spa offers an Oriental Bath House, monsoon showers, steam room and hydrobath in addition to traditional spa services.

With tranquil views of the Burj Dubai lake in the background, it would be difficult to leave this world class spa not feeling renewed and refreshed.