Be emotionally prepared - Newcomers to Canada offer move-in advice: RBC poll

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Jul 13, 2011, 06:00 ET

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TORONTO, July 13, 2011 /PRNewswire/ - The best advice newcomers to Canada have for anyone looking to follow in their footsteps is to be mentally prepared, including being ready for any sacrifices involved in settling in this country, according to an RBC poll.

More than half (58 per cent) say mental preparation is key, with almost a third (30 per cent) noting that sacrifices or tradeoffs may need to be made and 28 per cent saying being positive and patient will help achieve long-term results.

"Moving to a new country is a life-changing decision and being mentally prepared for the challenges of a different culture can really help ensure a successful move," said Camon Mak, director, Multicultural Markets, RBC. "Many newcomers focus on the physical and financial changes that come with a move, but establishing a support network and connecting with the community can be just as important."

According to the RBC poll, 47 per cent conducted online research to understand more about life in Canada, while more than half (54 per cent) said they prepared themselves for the social aspects of moving to Canada before they came to this country, by:

Informing relatives/friends already in Canada of their intentions to come here so relatives/friends could provide help and advice (33 per cent)
Refreshing their language skills (33 per cent)

"There are a number of ways RBC helps potential immigrants prepare before moving. For example, our Beijing branch offers advice on life in Canada and what to expect on arrival, assists in setting up a bank account and whenever possible, introduces clients to local branch staff," added Mak. "Through our website, anyone around the globe can be connected to someone at RBC who speaks their language, as we now offer banking assistance in over 180 languages."

Established newcomers also noted that success in Canada is not just measured in financial or career terms. Almost half (46 per cent) of newcomers who have already settled in Canada define success based on "mind/spirit", including inner peace and strength, enjoying small daily events of life, and love. In fact, female newcomers were more likely than male newcomers to use mind/spirit measurements (54 per cent compared to 39 per cent), while male newcomers were more likely than female newcomers to define success based on their career (57 per cent compared to 47 per cent).

About the Environics Poll
The findings were conducted by Environics Research Group on behalf of RBC in April 2011. Environics conducted a total of 608 interviews among Chinese and South Asian immigrant residents in British Columbia and Ontario who are first generation and have lived in Canada for 10 years or less. Interviews were conducted online and respondents were recruited from an online consumer research panel. Quotas were applied to represent the different regions and tenure in Canada. Data was weighted according to population data from 2006 Census to represent the population as closely as possible. A survey with an unweighted probability sample of this size and a 100 per cent response rate would have an estimated margin of error of ±4 percentage points 19 times out of 20 of what the results would have been had the entire population of Chinese and South immigrants in Canada been polled. All sample surveys and polls may be subject to other sources of error, including, but not limited to, coverage error and measurement error.

About RBC Welcome to Canada Package
For more than seven generations, RBC has been supporting newcomers by providing them with resources and tools that make the transition to a new country seamless. The RBC Welcome to Canada package helps newcomers who have been in Canada for less than three years with key financial decisions and includes advice and discounts on products and services. Details on The RBC Welcome to Canada banking package can be found at www.rbc.com/settlequick. Consumers around the world can access information on moving to Canada, including financial advice checklists and more, at www.rbc.com/canada. From 2005 to 2009, 14 per cent of all immigrants were Chinese (including those from Hong Kong and Taiwan) and 18 per cent were South Asian (from India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka). These two groups represent one-third of recent (past five years) newcomers and are the largest sources of immigration in this time period.