LiverpoolAcc

Hi all

Have recently found this web site and have enjoyed reading the threads
We are currently deciding whether to make the step and start a new life over in Canada. We like the look of Nova Scotia but am a bit concerned about whether i can find work. I am currently an unqualified (on paper but not in experience) accountant for a refrigeration company and have been looking for job sites without much look. Does anyone know whether i will be able to find work in the accounting field or whether i will have to accept a lower skill level job such as clerk etc or do i need to broaden the search of places to pick to live to Toronto or Vancover etc?

Thanks

donglemouse

I can't comment on Nova Scotia - but I have worked in Ontario for 18 months as a chartered accountant.

Expect to have problems getting your experience to be recognised to the same extent as the UK - it is probable you will need to take a step down (at least initially).

Also factor in possibilities of the usual work comments you will see on here:

e.g. less vacation, possible discrimination compared to Canadian employees, less stimulation, less dymanic environment etc.

I don't mean to paint a gloomy picute but it's best you go into things with your eyes open to what you may encounter.

LiverpoolAcc

Thanks for reply - would always prefer to hear about the true picture - so what are the conditions like - what holidays or other job perks do u get over there

I have a degree and a couple of post degree quals but got fed up of taking exams so never qualified as CIMA etc but am always classed over here at least as qualified by experience - whats the salaries like for that sort of work?

donglemouse

I can only speak for my personal experience - I transferred with a large accountancy firm from the UK to Toronto but the details were:

Salary was about 10% less than the UK (but also see comments on benefits) - although that is easily offset by the lower costs of living. This was however a transfer to the same position as I had in the UK.

People I know who got jobs with new firm invariably have taken a step down a rank so you could expect a bigger deduction in salary than I had.

Benefits are simple they don't have any of signficance.

Vacation is 20 days per day.

Notice is generally short mine is 3 weeks compared to 3 months in the UK.

Biggest issues for me were the work environment - it's not an unkown expreience to find you have to do everything twice as well as the locals and for twice as long before you get any sort of recogntion.

You may tear your hair out as they promote less qualified less experienced people rather than you.........

Typically as I also said qualifications/experience are not likely to be well recognised or received if not Canadian - the extent of this has shocked me quite a lot.

The work environement I have is generally less stimulating and challenging than the UK and there is much less interest and emphasis on developing staff or keeping them happy.

One of the problems for me was the job was hideously mis-sold with the end result you can be somewhat pissed off with what you get and wish you had been at least better informed.

Overall I don't regret the experience at all but as with most things if you had another chance you might do things differently.

If there's any questions or specifics you wanna know feel free to post a message or PM me.

Andy

donglemouse

ps. to get a better idea on salaries and jobs you may wish to check out www.workopolis.com

Corky

Also check out www.jobsPress.com it is the local Halifax newspaper job section. It is updated quite often I believe.
Your best bet is to make a trip and see everything for yourself.

Bryan Kellar

Hi Liverpool Acc!

My background: I'm looking to move to Vancouver, and I am a tax accountant in the US, but my profesional credential (issued by the US Internal Revenue Service) is something that doesn't really have a parallel in Canada.

The path I have chosen is to work toward a CGA (Certified General Accountant) credential when I get to Canada. They actually sponsor educational oportunities through a local university (depending on which province you are going through. They also sponsor on-the-job training with existing CGA's to meet their experience requirements. However (I do have an accounting degree from a US university) they will credit you for any equivalent work you have done. Therefore, you could actually have an accounting credential relatively quickly. It is not considered as prestegious as a Chartered Accountant, but depending upon your goals, who cares!

Depending upon what you are going to do, this may not be required, but it might be a foot in the door somewhere. I have been dealing with the BC CGA people, but the website for NS is at http://www.cga-ns.org/ . You might see if anything there helps.

One way to look at the site: they are trying to sell you on their credential. It is not bad in itself. It opens doors. Some accounting functions require you to be a CA or a CGA. But take another look at the information on the site from this point of view: What accounting functions am I allowed to perform without this credential. You will probably find that the list is long and the majority of jobs will fit into that category.

Obviously, there will be more jobs listed in Toronto and other cities, but also many applicants. For the kind of thing you are doing, working as a company acountant, there will always be a job in any town where there is a large enough company to need a company accountant.

Good luck!

Bryan

LiverpoolAcc

Hi all

Thanks for the info - seems as if i should be able to find some work though maybe not as well paid as over here in Uk but as i probably wont have a mortgage over in Canada who cares - lol

whats the general impression regarding the cost of living in canada against the uk

also if you buy a property with acreage say 100-200 acres of land what are you responsible for on that land - is there any laws regarding landowner responsibilities etc??

looks so far as if we will be applying in October

Best regards

Martin

crazydaisy

Keep an eye out for jobs in education facilities such as universities and local councils etc. I managed to find something which is well paid and they didn't seem too worried by my lack of Canadian papers. Usually they have job sections in their websites. I also like to use www.jobsetc.ca to get lists of various government jobs. Sometimes they'll decide that lots of experience will count just as good as qualifications (I'm only past Level One Cima and they wanted Level 3 CMA) so it's worth a try.

Another tip is to set your starting salary budget quite low just in case, and be prepared to go to temping agencies for a bit of fill in work which is what I did, and that helps with the Canadian experience side of things.