1. You call yourself a:

a. Live-in Caregiver
b. Nanny
c. Personal Support Worker

2. When you meet a fellow Filipino or somebody who looks like a Filipino in public places, do you:

a. Smile and ask, “Pinoy?” or “Pilipino ka?”"Kabayan?”
b. Nod slightly if they are looking at you
c. Do nothing. There’s a fellow Filipino, so?

3. Your first question when you meet a fellow live-in caregiver is:

a. How long have you been here?
b. From what country have you been?
c. What are you looking after?

4. You learn to:

a. Say ‘”eh”when you mean, “I beg your pardon?,” “Excuse me?,” “No?”
b. Exclaim, “It’s Canada, you know!”to explain something that you deemed outrageous, unacceptable, new, or odd (e.g. When somebody is having an illicit affair and falunting it, the usual reaction is to say, “It’s Canada, you know!” which could mean, “They could do that here but not back home,”or, ii. Somebody wore a mini-skirt for the first time and a lot noticed it, she would say, “It’s Canada, you know!”which means, “I could wear whatever I wanted to because I am here!”
c. Say, ”I know!”in a course of conversation like you really know what the other guy means when sometimes, you honestly don’t.

5. When “24″means,

a. Golden months to count down for the Permanent Resident card
b. I’ve been there before
c. Kiefer Sutherland (of 24)

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The Filipino Nanny in Canada (An Introduction)

You heard the news: caregiver jobs are in boom in Canada this time.  So how can you get a slice of that cake?  Here’s how.

STEP 1: Get Yourself a Training Certificate

The only way for your application for a caregiver job to get noticed is to have a Caregiver Training Certificate from a registered Training Provider.  This will usually last from 6 months (lecture) to 7 mos (with OJT).  Check first with The Technical Education and Skills Development Authority or TESDA, the government agency that regulates skills development in the Philippines, if the training center you are eyeing is registered with them.  If not, steer clear because the training certificate they will be issuing you won’t be accepted in the Canadian Embassy.

STEP 2: Have Yourself Assessed

Literally millions of people are applying for a Caregiver job in Canada right this minute and a training certificate is just the first step for you to get noticed.  To make you more qualified, you should get yourself assessed.  An Assessment is a written and practical exam wherein your knowledge and skills in Caregiver techniques will be gauged.  A National Certificate will be issued to you after you passed both exams.  This will serve as your license.   Again, TESDA is the government agency in charge of this testing and certification.

STEP 3:  Have Your Papers Authenticated

Because a lot of fly by night schools are emerging in the country today, the Canadian Embassy has required all documents to be autheticated by the government agency in charge of giving the certificates.  So to have this done, go the the nearest TESDA.  Submit your training certificate, transcript of records and copy of the special order number they issued your school to have your papers verified and authenticated.  TESDA will then pass the authentication certificate to DFA to have your papers blue ribboned, another requirement by the Canadian Embassy.

Sometimes to really check if TESDA really issued the Authentication, the Canadian Embassy will write to them verify if the papers are really from them.  That is how strict the Canadian Embassy is.  So don’t think you can take the short way and just buy a training certificate which is being sold in some areas in Manila.  Getting caught will instantly ban you from entering Canada for a long time.

STEP 4: Network

Now that you have everything in order, it’s time to network!  Put yourself out there so you can find the nest caregiver job suited for you.  Tell everybody who can help you that you are looking for a caregiver job and you have everything in order and in time someone will point you in the right direction.  You will land your caregiver job in no time!

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How to Get a Job as Caregiver in Canada

When applying for a Caregiver job in Canada, be sure to ask your employer first for your job description.  Being a Caregiver entails a lot of things so it is better to be sure first of the things expected of you to be sure that you really are qualified to do them.  Here are some Caregiver job descriptions you can expect:

1.  Live-In Caregiver

Being a Live-In Caregiver means that you will be living with your employer or in Nursing Homes and may be expected to do also some household chores like doing the laundry, ironing clothes, cooking and dish washing so be sure to know how to operate hi-tech gadgets that will be used to perform these duties.  Also, you may be assigned to take care either of a child, an elderly or a person with disability.  Be sure to ask what kind of person you will take care of to further prepare for the job.

2.  Non-medical Caregiver  / Hospice Caring

This is the term being used for Caregivers based in the hospitals  or homes.  They are like nurses who take care of different people.  Unlike Live-In Caregivers,  they have limited interaction with their patients since they take care of a lot of different people.

These caregivers comprehensive assistant to patients and or elderly, ill or terminally ill patience  who wish to live independently.   You provide nursing assistant, companionship and may run errands.

3.  Housekeeper

In this line of work, you are specifically tasked to do just housework.  Again, because of the increasing popularity of this Caregiver job description, there is now a curriculum being honed specifically for that.  But for the meantime, there is a portion in the curriculum of Caregiving that tackles housekeeping.  This teaches prospective Caregivers how to use the gadgets specifically found abroad and how to perform the task well.  It also teaches Caregiver students how to sanitize their surrounding to really keep the place of work clean and germ free.

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Different Kinds of Caregivers In Canada

In this day and age where job competition is stiff,  it is not enough that you possess that Caregiver diploma.  Employers now looks for certain traits in their candidates that will help determine if they will be good in their field or not.  What are those traits? Read on:

Patience

A caregiver job entails a lot of patience since you will be dealing with children, the elderly or the sick.  It takes a very special person to really understand the special circumstances needed in this job.  If you have a very short temper then the caregiver profession is not for you.  It will just leave you frustrated as time went on.

Hardworking

A lazy person will not be a succesful in this field of profession.  A caregiver is always at his or her feet doing everything he or she can for the patients under their care.  Laziness will most probably result in negligence and this will most likely put you in jail or get you sued.

Cleanliness

Employers are looking for people that can take care of themselves.  After all, how will you take care of others if you can’t take care of yourself right?  So be sure to be always clean and presentable in the job especially when you are still just applying for a caregiver post.

Trustworthy

People will be entrusting the lives of their loved ones in the hands of the caregivers and of course with it will be possessions so it’s natural that they will be looking for people who will not rip them off.  It is hard enough to have some stranger live with you but someone who has the tendency to steal is enough to make you run for the hills.

Caring

Probably the most important trait of all.  It is one of the profession’s root word after all.  Being a caregiver is not just a job.  It is something where you put your heart and soul in.  In order for caregivers to be effective, they need to give their 100% .    This is actually one of the reasons why a lot of countries opt to get Filipinos as caregivers for their loved ones.  They are sure that they loved ones will be cared of by not just anybody but by a “family member.”

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Traits Employers Look For in a Caregiver

After six months of grueling training and taking that assessment to be certified, you are now ready to search for that Caregiver job.  But where to start?  Here are some starting points.

1.  Ask a relative

A lot of Filipinos have relatives in the US and Canada and the 1st step one job hunter can do is to ask his or her relatives for leads.  It is not uncommon for relatives in this area to know of Caregiver job vacancies  since a lot of Filipinos have established their own nursing homes there.  It is also not uncommon to have your relatives in the US and Canada employ you themselves.  This is actually the easiest route on becoming a Caregiver in these countries.

2.  Search the Internet

The second way is for you to make use of the big directory known as the World Wide Web.  Just google Caregiver jobs and millions of results will be available.  Of course it is your responsibility to verify if these vacancies are valid.  It is very important to do a background check before sending all your credentials and other pertinent information.

3.  Go to POEA

POEA stands for the Philippine Overseas and Employment Agency. This is the government agency in chage of registering international employment agencies in the country.  Supplying manpower is a very lucrative business and a lot of fly by night companies have mushroomed.  It is therefore very important to check if the agency you will be transacting with have the necessary documents and permits to operate such delacate business.

Going to POEA would also save you time in looking for other potential agencies since they can supply you with a list of agencies looking for Caregivers.  It is just a matter of choosing now what agency you want to go to first.  Another thing, be wary also of agencies asking for a large sum of money in order for your documents to be processed.

Check with POEA if the amount they are asking is really necessary for the transaction since most agencies nowadays can deploy you even without a money down.  What they do is to just deduct your expenses and other fees from your salary once you start working as a Caregiver.

Check our forum for more info.

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Where to Look for that Caregiver Job

How To Get a Caregiver Job
Caregiver job is probably the most prominent among any other jobs available for Filipino workers. A common entry to obtain an open permit after completing the two of three years provision set by Immigration Canada for live-in caregivers.

The most common way to work in Canada is through the live-in caregiver program. Overseas Filipino Workers from Hongkong, Israel and other parts of Asia find it easy to get a visa to work in Canada. However, direct workers from the Philippines take ages to  wait  before a visa is granted so they usually apply as OFW to many Asian countries and later  acquire a permit to work in Canada.

What are the usual way to get a Caregiver job either International or Local?

Many Filipino who work for many years in Canada with a landed status may sponsor their family members and relatives from the Philippines. The cheapest and fastest way to help a family member or anybody is through direct hiring either by the person himself/herself or by recommendation to an employer who is willing to sponsor a caregiver from overseas.

Another option  is through agencies. For international and local applicants, they should be well aware that most agencies require huge amounts of placement fees which are truly heavy in the pocket and that is true whether you apply internationally or locally. The bitter part is, most of us are fooled by this agencies but because of our determination to earn dollar, we do everything we could until the last cent we have or even bury with lots of debt and yet the assurance to get the job is indefinite. The issue on release upon-arrival should be given attention so as to avoid it, our initiative to at least be extra careful when dealing with those agencies should be encouraged.

Network and Socialize

It is easy to find a job when you are in Canada. Meeting and socializing with other people offer a great chance to know and get a good connection with them. If possible, ask for their contact numbers courteously  and keep them for future use.  YMCA (world wide and local) offers many services.Don’t forget your local ethnic community groups, social groups and church groups.  These can offer some valuable connections.   Networking and connecting with people even if you don’t need a job right at the moment will go a long way for potential future opportunities.

Internet Tools

And, probably the most accessible method of all is through the internet. The internet is like a huge library where you can find anything you want. Many agencies or people post their ads for a certain job for you to choose from.  Try Craigslist, KIJIJI.com or Kijiji.ca (Canada)  But again, be careful when dealing with anyone online.  No on should charge you a fee – collecting recruitment fee is illegal in Canada. The most important thing you should remember is NOT to make any transaction over the phone or email when money is involved. Apply personally to the agency and you have the right to ask for their business permit before doing any transaction with them.

Good luck!

Contributed by: WT

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How To Get a Caregiver Job