seanyg

We're off on our recce to Winnipeg in a couple weeks and would like to arrange some meetings with local employment agencies (preferably specialising in the I.T. sector) whilst we're over there, so that when the time comes for us to make The Big Move (assuming everything goes ok with our PNP) we'll be able to hopefully get a job via them before we leave the UK.

I've looked on Google and all it gives me is those stupid advert websites where it takes you to another site and you never find an actual agency, or it gives me job websites (which are no good as we've not got our PR visas yet).

So any names of agencies, contacts, etc. for the I.T. sector in Winnipeg would be gratefully received, cheers.

Anita

G77

Is there any significant IT in Winnipeg to warrant having agencies specifically for IT there?

I'd suggest looking on here for IT jobs and then look at the agencies that are advertising them :-

www.wowjobs.ca
www.workopolis.ca
www.monster.ca

Also, try looking on www.linkedin.com and doing an advanced search of Canada and Winnipeg, see what comes up - I just tried it and there's a few companies....

seanyg

Thanks, I'll try those sites. Not sure about proliferation of IT-specific job agencies in The Peg - just assumed there would be! May have to go with generic agency if all else fails...

MB-Realtor

try the general employment agencies:-

http://yellowpages.ca/search/results...where=WINNIPEG

IBM have some offices in Winnipeg, they have the contract to maintain Air Canada's Systems, they use a lot of contract workers from agencies.

I think the agency they use is Kelly phone 944 1114

Judy in Calgary

Sapphire Technologies
177 Lombard Avenue, Suite 701
Winnipeg, MB R3B 0W5
Tel: (204) 942-1208
http://www.positionwatch.com

http://www.canadait.com - Doesn't seem to be an agency, but rather just a website. Still, you can search for jobs by sector and by region.

http://www.it-careers.ca/jobboard.htm - Again, just a website with IT job listings across Canada.
x

Biiiiink

Don't forget to speak to Grah - PM him if he doesn't see this thread, he works in that industry and will have connections. He's a nice guy, and has lots of local knowledge to share

seanyg

That's brilliant - thanks everyone. Yeah I'll definitely PM Grah when I get a minute!

Anita :-)

Grah

What is you specialist area of IT?

Some one was asking if I know anyone with these skills yesterday

IMAC Technical Specialist (Winnipeg)
Infrastructure Specialist
Intermediate Systems Analyst (Winnipeg)
Senior Systems Analyst (Winnipeg)
and QA

Programmers are wanted especial Mainframe, does depend on your skill set.

seanyg

Hi Grah, I was going to PM you but not had the chance yet - you beat me to it!

It's for my husband, Sean (I know this is his handle but he's never on here so I always hijack it) - he's a Systems Administrator specialising in security.

We're coming out on our recce from 16-22 June (Winnipeg) but I guess there's no point attending interviews yet is there? Is it worth trying to meet up with someone from IBM or Sapphire's HR departments to discuss possible future opportunities, so that if anything comes up when we're ready to make the move (hopefully within a year max) they'll already have seen us so won't need us to flight out for an interview...? Or is it best to sign on with some agencies on the basis that you only interview with them once and they have more jobs on their books?

Any help / advice greatly appreciated :-)

Cheers, Anita.

pcuz

A word of warning on Sapphire!! my OH contacted them to discuss IT contracts and they said she would not even be considered until she has PR even though she has a workpermit :curse:

But we spoke to others and they were all ok. If that happened in the UK I think we probably would have sued the bas##!£s

seanyg

Oh that's interesting to know, thanks. When we go on our recce we'll be handing over PNP application over in person to the immigration officer so if we visit any companies / agencies obviously we're not able to work yet (which is fine as we're not ready to move yet anyway until we've sold up and got our visas), but if all goes well then we'll have PR within a year (touch wood) and will fly out to Canada as Permanent Residents so will legally be able to work.

Anita (thinking positively without trying to tempt fate!)

Grah

Do you mean that you haven't applied for a visa yet?

Which PNP are you applying under?

Why are you waiting to do it in person? If you haven''t got something you'll not be able to supply it until you get home.

Have you made an appointment?
Have your been on their website Manitoba Advantage?

seanyg

We're applying through the Manitoba PNP and the immigration officer has said we can hand the file over to her when we meet her (I'm still waiting for a reference and a copy of Sean's City & Guilds certificate so am hoping these will come before we fly out - if not she's said we can forward them on once they get here). She's said this way she can go through it with us and check everything's in order :-)

How did you get here Grah? PNP? AEO?

Anita

seanyg

(the reason we're handing it over in person and not sending it is to give us more time to receive the 2 documents we still haven't got, otherwise we'd have to wait till we got back from our recce to post it).

If they arrive next week then I'll post it but I doubt they'll be here by then.

How do you send them anyway? By special delivery or what??

Grah

Landed resident Route handed papers in Feb 98 went to an interview, medicals and received visa 1/9/98 - landed 11/11/98 got a job 01/19/99