General Advice?
Nov 25th 2014, 9:32 pm
#16
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Joined: Apr 2014
Posts: 145
Re: General Advice?
Honestly, my experience was minimal. I first headed out to Vancouver after graduating university, I got a bunch of minimum wage jobs and enjoyed the year. I headed back to London and get a job for a startup business, for some reason they trusted me with the accounting (with the assistance of an external accountant) - but getting practical experience was pretty key to getting the job I managed to find. After one year in London I went back to Vancouver.
I did benefit from the fact that I could receive 3 working holiday permits as there was a rule change in 2010 or 2011, but all my qualifying work experience came in the 2nd and 3rd permits.
The role I had was a junior accounting position, which meant doing all the practical work for the head accountant. I find accounting in smaller businesses is actually quite fun, even if the pay is lousy (as a guide I was earning about $45k).
The PR application system is changing next year, so I can't give you much guidance on how long it would take to acquire, but honestly I'd recommend just trying to enjoy Canada if you make it here, get out and be social, etc.
I did benefit from the fact that I could receive 3 working holiday permits as there was a rule change in 2010 or 2011, but all my qualifying work experience came in the 2nd and 3rd permits.
The role I had was a junior accounting position, which meant doing all the practical work for the head accountant. I find accounting in smaller businesses is actually quite fun, even if the pay is lousy (as a guide I was earning about $45k).
The PR application system is changing next year, so I can't give you much guidance on how long it would take to acquire, but honestly I'd recommend just trying to enjoy Canada if you make it here, get out and be social, etc.
If the former, you were able to get back to Vancouver for an extra 2 years work experience within the accounting field, which secured your PR?
So in your experience how long did it take from finishing up your IEC, actually getting PR? And how much of a difference in your state of mind, or happiness did living in Canada now make?
I still don't know in my heart if accounting is the route for me, it was more of a safety net I think, I would rather do many other things.
any idea if there are chances of getting into IT work with an accounting degree over there?
Nov 27th 2014, 1:59 am
#17
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Joined: Mar 2014
Posts: 214
Re: General Advice?
That's crazy, when you say headed back to London do you mean London UK, or London Ontario?
If the former, you were able to get back to Vancouver for an extra 2 years work experience within the accounting field, which secured your PR?
So in your experience how long did it take from finishing up your IEC, actually getting PR? And how much of a difference in your state of mind, or happiness did living in Canada now make?
I still don't know in my heart if accounting is the route for me, it was more of a safety net I think, I would rather do many other things.
any idea if there are chances of getting into IT work with an accounting degree over there?
Edit: I forgot to add, I love both the UK and Canada, if I could spend the rest of my life in either Manchester or London I would be pretty happy, I could say the same for Vancouver. I moved to Victoria a little over a year ago and it hasn't worked out, but I'm an optimist and looking forward to heading back to Vancouver.
And I don't know if I'm coming across as discouraging, I hope you manage to get an IEC permit and enjoy your time in Canada.
If the former, you were able to get back to Vancouver for an extra 2 years work experience within the accounting field, which secured your PR?
So in your experience how long did it take from finishing up your IEC, actually getting PR? And how much of a difference in your state of mind, or happiness did living in Canada now make?
I still don't know in my heart if accounting is the route for me, it was more of a safety net I think, I would rather do many other things.
any idea if there are chances of getting into IT work with an accounting degree over there?
Edit: I forgot to add, I love both the UK and Canada, if I could spend the rest of my life in either Manchester or London I would be pretty happy, I could say the same for Vancouver. I moved to Victoria a little over a year ago and it hasn't worked out, but I'm an optimist and looking forward to heading back to Vancouver.
And I don't know if I'm coming across as discouraging, I hope you manage to get an IEC permit and enjoy your time in Canada.
I have no idea regarding the IT question, I've been doing some work on Codecademy but, as is mentioned frequently on here, Canadians love their qualifications and I;d recommend getting some post graduate qualification or something.
Anyway, good luck.
Last edited by TheAwesomeMatt; Nov 27th 2014 at 2:34 am.
Dec 1st 2014, 6:04 pm
#18
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Joined: Apr 2014
Posts: 145
Re: General Advice?
London UK, I had wanted to live in London for a bit anyway so leaving Vancouver was part of my plan. I had started applying for PR before the end of my last IEC permit and I was able to get a different work permit whilst my PR application was being processed. Overall it took about 8 or 9 months for my PR to be processed.
I have no idea regarding the IT question, I've been doing some work on Codecademy but, as is mentioned frequently on here, Canadians love their qualifications and I;d recommend getting some post graduate qualification or something.
Anyway, good luck.
I have no idea regarding the IT question, I've been doing some work on Codecademy but, as is mentioned frequently on here, Canadians love their qualifications and I;d recommend getting some post graduate qualification or something.
Anyway, good luck.
Yeah I have no idea what the hell I will do... I have no real direction in life. Accounting was a safety net for me & now in practice at least I find it boring as hell.
The IEC changes next year right? So assuming I did IEC, and activated it in say July... would I then be able to re-apply for a second year the following January & effectively have July/15 -July/16 followed by July/16 - July 17? or will IEC be gone after next year?
Jan 6th 2015, 5:20 am
#19
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Joined: Mar 2011
Posts: 245
Re: General Advice?
Truth be told it's equally sh!te in North America. It's just different kinds of sh!te than back home. The weather here isn't any better either. The summer is awesome is Toronto but sucks in Calgary and the weather is the same in BC as the UK. The winters in both Calgary and Toronto are brutal and last six months. Don't come for the weather. Seriously.
Also bear in mind: the things you hate about Brits will be different than the things that you hate about Canadians. (And you will hate some of the bizarre things Canadians do and the bizarre ways in which they behave).
So if I could give you any advice: if you still want to do it, do it for the life experience not because you imagine the UK sucks. Because it really doesn't suck significantly worse than here.
Also bear in mind: the things you hate about Brits will be different than the things that you hate about Canadians. (And you will hate some of the bizarre things Canadians do and the bizarre ways in which they behave).
So if I could give you any advice: if you still want to do it, do it for the life experience not because you imagine the UK sucks. Because it really doesn't suck significantly worse than here.
