Tribleedinumph

Hello all, My partner has a job offer in Burlington Ontario, so we are looking to emigrate some time this year...still at very beginning of process at the moment (and still possibly deciding!). The million dollar question of, can we live on the salary offer etc...is pressing. We have two children aged 10 and 5 so feel this is the right time to do this for them.

I realise the job market in Canada can be a little difficult to get into as a immigrant. I am toying with a couple of idea's for self employment and wondered if anyone could give me any advice on how hard this would be? One I would need a premises, the other would be working from home with needing outlets to sell from?
Thanks in advance

Yvette.

christmasoompa

Hi Yvette, and welcome to BE.

What visa would you be on, is it definitely one that you can work on?

Best of luck with the move.

Tribleedinumph

Hi there, feel a bit silly now!! I am not sure as we are right at the beginning of the process so really don't know. What are the different visa's? I would be moving out there as a sponsored, as I assume my other half is the sponsor having the job offer?

christmasoompa

In which case, I'd check that first. I'm guessing that your husband would be going over on a Temp Work Permit, and it's not automatic that you'd be able to work. What is the job? Put simply, if it's classed as a 'skilled' job (or to put it less simply, if it's Skill Level A, O or B on the NOC Matrix), you'd be eligible for a Spousal Open Work Permit. But if it's not classed as 'skilled', then you wouldn't be able to work without getting a working visa in your own right, or until you got Permanent Residency.

Sorry to confuse you straight away, but if you are planning on working, I'd check that out asap just so you know if the move is viable for you or not.

Tribleedinumph

Yes I think the visa forms he has been requested to complete are classed as 'temporay worker application', the job itself is skilled and and is at senior level, have not heard of this NOC matrix. So I will probably qualify for the Spousal open work permit.

christmasoompa

Sounds like you will qualify for it then, it will be for the same duration as his TWP (i.e. if he gets a year's work permit, you'd get the same but an open one, so yours won't be tied to any employer like his). Best thing to do to double check is just find out his NOC code, which will have been on the LMO application. Do you have a positive LMO yet? I assume so if he's been asked to complete the TWP forms, so that should tell you the NOC code for the job so you can be sure it's 'skilled'.

Hopefully others will be along with more practical starting up your own business type advice soon too.

Tribleedinumph

All we have been sent so far is the TWP and he has been asked to complete a national basic disclosure form. We are still waiting for the formal offer, but, I am assuming they have to get his NATO clearance before they will do this (the job has to have Canadian security clearance) which they are sorting at the mo'. So all being well this process should all be done and dusted by the mid summer...I am hoping
Thanks for you help as I was unclear on Sooo many levels

Almost Canadian

It is very easy to start up a business but it is more difficult to obtain business loans than you are probably used to in the UK. Credit cards rates are very high here and it seems to be that banks would rather extend credit to individuals on their cards that lend to businesses.

When you are here, it may be easier to obtian a line of credit against your house and use that to fund the new enterprise than hope to obtain a business loan.

My advice would be to ensure that your initial overheads are kept as low as possible. If you wish to, you can then increase them as your receipts increase.

Dave n Ailsa

I asked about this and inquired a while ago, about having your own business.

It turned out that it wasn't classed as employment, and didn't require a work permit.

You still need to pay taxes and adhere to any local zoning rules etc, but the point is you are not taking a job from a Canadian, and indeed may be offering one to a Canadian.

That's what I will be doing when we move to Ontario, and my partner starts working in Burlington.... hey, wait a minute...... are you... ME?

JonboyE

It is not possible to give any meaningful advice unless you tell us what sort of businesses you are thinking of.

Tribleedinumph

Thanks, thats really helpful, the type of business I am looking into would have minimul overheads (sale or return) and prehaps something I could initially start from my home. I am assuming they have a similar 'business rate tax' as we do in the UK?
Have you set up your own and if so is it going ok?

Tribleedinumph

When are you re-locating....? let me know how you get on, lol!!

Tribleedinumph

Fashion exchange for women, but I don't know how that will go down with Canadians. I will obviously need to do my homework when I arrive. While we were in Ontario I could not see any kind of second hand retail, but, we were not there for long.!

christmasoompa

The fact that you've got fashion and Canadians in the same sentence may mean you need to research a bit more.

Tribleedinumph

Ah yes, but there is also the word 'exchange' so by that means what they already have in their wardrobes that they no longer wear

Love it tho!!