Immigration to Canada is an Investment and NOT a Cost
Money, money, money. For some, it can be the main barrier to immigrating to Canada.
However, we believe that when deciding to come to Canada you should focus on the costs and budgets, but also the VALUE of what you are receiving on a cost-benefit basis.
For this blog post, we are going to dive into exactly that and why successfully making it to Canada should be your focus. Before getting into this, at the risk of sounding controversial or self-serving, we ask that you approach this with an open mind. We understand that some people do not have the privilege or luxury of not thinking about costs when it comes to making decisions. The goal of this writing is to offer a different perspective when it comes to Canadian immigration as this is something we see all the time, where people have sacrificed their future.
The Wrong Questions to Ask (Initially!)
The three (3) most common questions that we are always asked when we get down to proceeding with immigration are:
- How much?
- How long?
- What's my guarantee?
Asking for costs is probably the worst question that somebody can ask from the start. Obviously, we all want to know how much something is and if it is within our budget, but when I hear this as the first question, I always think, yes valid question but for the first question not a good idea as there are so many other questions that you should be asking first.
While you may spend $5,000 CAD total from the start to the finish of your immigration process, you can easily gain that money back by working in Canada for 1-2 months easily and if you have a spouse with you then most likely shorter. Again, it’s all perspective and while I appreciate it is a lot upfront, you should not be looking at this as a cost but as an investment in your future!
While some immigration processing can take years to be completed, once you have that Canadian passport, you, and your family for generations to come have that for life. Canada has a lot to offer, and you get access to all of it. You have access to quality education, training, or employment opportunities. You can learn skills and knowledge that lets you grow as a person and maximize your earning potential.
By getting the proper advice, you can have a smooth immigration journey where you don’t need to pay for mistakes or mishaps, that could cost you more than just money. On a very serious note, you might unknowingly submit something that would induce a misrepresentation and thus culminate in a ban from applying to Canada for five (5) years. This limits your options and puts a bad record on your immigration history, which can affect applying to other countries.
The Right Questions to Ask
So, we know the questions that we should not be asking initially but how about some better questions?
When it comes to looking for advice and the right immigration professional, you should be interviewing them based on what you need and making decisions based on their level of expertise and competence.
Some of the “right” questions to ask potential consultants or lawyers are:
- How long have you been practicing and working in this field?
- What experience do you have with these types of files?
- What is your CICC/LSO Licence ID?
- How many cases have been approved?
- Can you give some examples of previous cases like mine and how you handled them
While cost may not always be correlated to quality, you need to have some knowledge of what you really want out of the service and if this is what best fits your personalized situation. So, if you're paying the cheapest and you're not getting what you're paying for, then you're still not getting what you're paying for.
I had a person who emailed us, saying she spoke to a friend’s agent (side note: likely a ghost consultant and not regulated) who quoted a lot cheaper for this type of program. The problem was that she wasn’t qualified for the program she was referring to. That program required Canadian work experience and she’s never even been to Canada. While it was a cheaper price than she was quoted, the result is not would have potentially been very bad for her and could have done some serious damage to her in the future. She was being sold on false hope and bad information.
When you look at the opportunity cost and take the fee and split it as you will be bringing family with you then you are still way further ahead in most cases. Most of the time, we see families of four, so it is cheaper per person when you look at the cost but think of the benefit in the future that is being provided with a Canadian passport. This is something that I like to bring up and talk to people about to focus on the results that they’ll get from the service, not the costs.
Final Thoughts
There are so many better questions to ask than “How much does it cost?” and there is one quote that I like by Dan Sullivan, that captures this when he says, “Anybody who asks what the cost is, doesn't know the right question to ask” and I couldn't agree more. You truly need to educate yourself and ask yourself what you truly want as a result and what type of service you need.
Always make sure to interview the person that you are putting your future into their hands or get to know them a little bit. It is better for you to get the job done for the right results rather than saving money with no pathway forward.
Your life and future are priceless, so focus on the result and not the best bargain.
At Second Passport, we are all about people finding the right immigration pathway so they can reach Canada. If you are interested in getting a primer document with all the questions to easily find the best possible person to help you then CLICK HERE!
Ready to get started? Here are three ways we can help:
1. Join our Facebook Community to connect with an amazing group of Second Passporters... This is a space where the community can share information, updates, and connect as a group of people with all the same goals!
2. Subscribe to our YouTube Channel to help you prepare for your new journey of immigrating and settling in Canada!
3. Ready to begin your journey? Get your Immigration Blueprint! By the end of the program, you will have an Immigration Blueprint™ outlining your pathway to Canada.
