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18 September 2014

You're Invited to MMC Meet Up 2014 Singapore

My last few days in Singapore is approaching, and when you're busy with work, the clock ticks faster than usual. 

It would be a heart breaking scene when I'm at the Changi Airport for the last time.  I had booked my ticket back to Philippines, but it's for one way this time.  Typing this made me feel sad and miserable.

So, thinking a way on how to cope up with you, I got an idea of a meet up before I leave this country.  It's been a wonderful journey that I came across with this beautiful place and I want to thank all of those who supported me during my stay here.  People from all walks of life, totally strangers and had soon became my friends and even closer, are my guide and one of the sources of my inspiration.

I would like to ask for your spare time to have a small meet up together with the Me Moving to Canada (MMC) readers, followers and lurkers.  

If it happens that you are free and in Singapore on the next Saturday, 27 September 2014 at around 3:00pm, I'm inviting you to attend this special day for me.
Me Moving to Canada (MMC) Meet Up 2014
Singapore Official Logo 

MMC Meet Up 2014 Singapore
27 September 2014
3:00pm, Saturday
(email me for the exact location)

What to expect:
- meet with me and other FSW applicants
- can chat and share information with those who had sent their full application
- networking with soon to be immigrants

If you have any suggestions on what fun activities that we can do during our meet up and the location, please help me to organize.  Honestly, I'm not a good event organizer.  I hope that you have this talent that you can share by sending me an email.

If you're interested in attending the event, please email me and put at the Subject of your email as:

Subject: MMC Meet Up 2014 Singapore (Joining)

Hopefully, I can have your confirmation as soon as Friday, 26 September 2014 as I will only inform those interested about the location through email.

I'll be happy to see you on that day.  Hopefully it would be a fun and unforgettable moment.

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14 September 2014

How to Get a Singapore Driving Certificate or Extract of Driving License Records

If you have a Driving License in Singapore and planning to immigrate to Canada on a Federal Skilled Worker Program , this post is right for you.

Since my first year, I've been driving in Singapore with a valid Singapore Driving License.  This license was converted from my Philippine to a Singapore license, which is also known as the Driving License Conversion.  I had explain this in details at one of my post here.

My brother in law in Toronto advised me to get a certificate from the Philippine Land Transportation Office (LTO) and Singapore Traffic Police to prove that I can drive a vehicle in Toronto, Canada.

In doing so, I can challenge the G2 test driving immediately so I can drive alone in Canada.  For this test, I won't be able to explain it further.  I'll update you on this as soon as I arrive in Toronto.

My Driving Experience

Driving both in Philippines and Singapore is confusing.  You know why?

In Singapore, the lane is at the left side, where you will be holding the steering wheel at the right side of the car and the gear is at the middle, it's a right-hand drive.

In Philippines it's the opposite, a left-hand drive, but the gear is still at the middle with the same gear orientation as with the right-hand drive.

Watch my YouTube Channel to have a better view on driving in Singapore.



Working and driving in Singapore everyday will get me used to driving in left lanes.  The problem is when I go back on vacation to Philippines, the lanes are at the opposite.

The first time I went home from Singapore to Philippines was so scary.  I had to close my eyes before driving and imagine my previous Philippine driving skills on changing lanes specially at the intersections.

That was a dilemma for quite sometime, but now, I had adjusted my brain by installing a switch at the back of my head, one for Philippines and the other is for the Singapore driving mode..:D

In Canada, I have to drive at the right lanes, just like in Philippines.  There will be little adjustment necessary. But I need to know the new set of road signs.

In this post, I will tell you my experience in getting a copy of the Driving Certificate in Singapore Traffic Police.  I'll just make a separate post for the Philippines LTO.

My Experience in Getting a Driving Certificate in Singapore

Since I got my license at the Bukit Batok Driving Center, few years ago,  I assumed that I can get a copy of the driving certificate there.

I went in the main entrance door and headed to the information center.  The lady at the desk was friendly enough to accommodate my queries but instructed me to take the stairs up to the second floor.

At the second floor,  the queue were not fully occupied, got the number and took a seat.  For about a few minutes, the queue screen displayed my number so I went to the counter to inquire.  I was then advised to visit the Singapore Traffic Police at Ubi Avenue because they are not allowed to issue the certificate.

She gave me a piece of paper, written with the address and contact number of the center.  Here it is...

Traffic Police HQ
#10 Ubi Avenue 3
Singapore 408865
General Inquiries: 6547 0000 Ext. 0

The next day, I went at the above address and parked at block 180.  Private vehicles, unless authorized, can not park inside the Traffic Police Headquarters.

It was not my first time visiting this place as I usually eat at their Cafeteria.  The food, for me, is one of the best in Singapore in a food-court category, the first stall in particular.  The taste of their food is superb, just like eating in a restaurant but the price is the same as the Hawker centers.

Anyway, enough for the food, as you enter the main building, you have to get a queuing number at the reception.  Then proceed to the counters at the right.  There are plenty of chairs there waiting for you.

I was assigned at the counter #2.  The counter desk officer was very accommodating and knowledgeable.  That moment, I found out that the document is not termed as Driving Certificate but it's an "Extract of Driving License Records". 

He gave me a form, filled it up with my particulars and submitted it to him again.  He instructed me to wait for the cashier for the payment process.

Around 5 minutes, a lady was calling my name, the cashier.  She informed me to pay SGD10.00 for the certificate.  Then, she immediately printed out the License Records in a 1 whole sheet of A4-sized paper and handed me a small envelope printed with the Singapore Traffic Police logo.

This is another additional expense for my immigration journey.  Read my FSW expenses here.

How to Go To Singapore Traffic Police Headquarter?

If you are not driving to the Traffic Police Headquarter, you can opt to take the bus.  Here are the list of bus services for you to choose.  Don't worry if you get lost, just look at the building with Singapore Traffic Police Sign.

Bus Services No. 
   8, 22, 24, 70, 76, 84, 152, 158, 864, 641   

Whether you're driving or commuting, you can refer to this map for your convenience.



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03 September 2014

How to Check the Number of Applicants for FSW CANADA 2014

Updated: 23 September 2014

Preparing for the documents and getting it ready for the big submission is tough.  The additional stress on the applicants is the quota for each 50 eligible occupations, there are 1,000 sub-caps for each.

But how do you know the number of applicants had successfully submitted their documents in Canada?

Below, you can now monitor the number of applicants and estimate on how long you need to complete your application.

The FSW Canada application is a race.  Even if you are eligible to apply, if the cap for your occupation had reached its quota, your document will not be processed.

As of 23 September 2014, there were 4,003 out of 25,000 applications received at the Nova Scotia, Canada.  This will be updated at least once a week.

The Top Occupations With the Highest Number of Applications

To monitor the up-to-date number of applicants, you can visit the link below.


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If you have any questions regarding this post, you can leave a comment below or email me at benalagnam@yahoo.com.

Important: Please read the DISCLAIMER Page

For questions not related to this post, leave a comment at the ASK ME.

If you want to know more about my life in Singapore, visit my blog at BenAlagnam.com

How much you need to prepare for the applications, visit EXPENSES.

Check on what are the documents you need to prepare and more info on RESOURCES
Ben Alagnam - MeMovingToCanada