Although I am not a Canadian 媽咪, but I will answer your question. It depends where your parents live. Each community has its summer school and camps and usually they will send to their community household around March/April. There are half-day or full-day for that age group. So try to ask back that question sometime in March/April.
I went through the agency. (Just in case other Torontian mom are interested to know, I will try to describe it in details) The agency would ask you some general question and they came back with a list of caregivers who currently work in HK that meet your criteria. You can pick as many as you like and they will arrange the phone interview. Once you have pick the caregiver you want, the agency will ask you write them a $500.00CDN cheque. First, they will advertise the ad. in Toronto Star (a must from Canada HR). Then, the caregiver will go thru all the paperworks and health check in Can. Embassy in HK. That usually takes 4 - 5 months. When all the process are completed, the agency will call you that which date you will pick the caregiver up from the airport. The agency will return the remaining balance ($500 minus Toronto Star Ad.)
Here are some of the ideas I did (in my opinion):
1) When choosing the caregiver, try not to pick single/divorce/young, because they are most likely finding a canadian man and get married before they pass the three months period.
2) Also, try to pick the caregiver that has children in Philipine. Most philipino maids knows once they work in Canada for 2 years, they are elegible to apply perm. resident in Canada so that she can apply her whole family over. (Quite easy)
3) Always ask for reference letter from her past or current employer and some some LD by calling them. You will surprise some of maid I interviewed made up the reference letter herself.
4) Be prepare you have to pay WSIB and TAXES to the government
5) The Canada HR may reject your application if you are in UI, Welfare, housewife, self-employ, bad credit etc. etc.
6) I had my mom in HK with the candidate while I had the phone interview. That way, we know their appearance and attitude. (Their office is in HK Island)
7) There are plenty of choices so choose wisely
Along my street, there are two other families who had hire the caregiver from HK. One last 1 month and the other still with them. So, it depends on luck.
You are pulling my leg... Of course, I don't enjoy any moment of it. Last night, I was asking my wife whether we should go south this winter, like taking the cruise.... Sun ... beach ... Mmmmm ... BEERRRRRR (in Homer's tone)
I haven't went thru that yet but I will take my princess to chinese school. Compare with HK, the CBC should not complain. Besides, I know other culture families(French/Italian/German/Jews etc), they take their kids to school too on Saturday(okay, not Jews. Sat. is their holiday. Only Friday night).
oscar> really? where do you think you gonna go?? i know so many people that went down to mexico for their vacation .... i'm thinking about that too... might even bring our son with us and he's 18mths old!!
No senora, We are planning to go back to HK in March. However, we had been to curise for the last three years. The best one I found are Aruba and Camen Island.
Does anybody know where to find any company doing magnet types of things - like those that you place at your fridge. My company is looking for sending this type (with name card place on top for the salesman) sending to customer. Is there any place to buy a big flat sheet of magnet; or cut into namecards size already, and we glue the namecard on top. Or is there any company (cheap) one to do the whole procedures for us? Thanks.
Are you talking about net or gross? Net is around $850. That's to the nanny. Tax is around $160. Here is how I calculate it.
Ontario lowest hr. rate is $6.85
40 hrs a week. (5 days)
Deduct $2.95/day Room and Aboard
Comes to around $1010 Gross.
On top, you have to pay WSIB - that's around $230/year.
Yes, she stays with us.
You don't have to go thru agency. You can do it yourself. Just go thru the Federal HR. They will tell you the procedure.
Most of the shop/rest.'s year cake and 'law pak go' are come from local distributor. (don't be fool by the packaging) I like King's Rest. in downtown, 'Yee-Hong' (Commerce Gate) or Richmond Court (Times Square). I know those are from their shop/rest. and they taste quite good.
She doesn't have driving lic. Right now, we drop her off at Bayview/Major Mack. where there are GO bus to Finch station. and vice versa when she came back. However, we told her that she will take the transportation home at summer time. Give her a TTC map and GO bus schedule. She will figure it out.
Wow! It's freezing out there minus 16 (That's w/o windchill factor). (1/22) I start to love snow again. Because when the temp. drops below -10, snow cannot be form. (flurries is different story)