A: Bengali Associations here fulfill the obligations of cultural and religious needs of the community. To find affordable housing, you are on your own. Our suggestion is, first you decide the area or location where you like to stay and then look for 'for rent' postings in the local grocery stores or pharmacy. And last but not least, you should look at the classified advertisements in Toronto Star or Sun newspaper.

A: Most newcomers receive an application form for a Social Insurance Number when they first arrive in Canada. If you did not get one, you can apply at any Canada immigration, passport or visa office or at any HRDC office. It takes about 3/4 weeks to get your SIN card. You can apply for a health card at the provincial ministry of health office in your city. See the phone number elsewhere in this page. Social assistance or sometimes called welfare has an eligibility rules and only paid to those who qualify. Social assistance is usually administered through local offices of the provincial or municipal department of social services.

A: Have a resume with realistic description of your skills, education, work and volunteer experiences - Make a description of jobs you want and jobs you would accept while looking for something better - Collect all documents you might need: diplomas, degrees, certificates, letter of recomendation, SIN card, driver's licence, passport - Learn about the labour market of your area - Start and expand a network of people who might be able to direct you toward a job - Check and follow up on advertisements, want ads, and jobs posted in HRDC - Attend Interviews - Phone or write back after interviews - Look for as many jobs as you can rather than wating for a particular job - Keep your hopes up, be positive - Try to improve your command of English/French - Accept a job to gain Canadian experience even if it is not your trade, skill or profession.