Anybody in the same boat?
 

I'm interested to know if anybody is in the same boat as us, and what they might be doing while they're waiting for their visa. Maybe there's something we should be doing, or some idea that we've missed.

We handed in our application for PR in March 2006, and having checked the CIC website recently I see that we're probably in for a wait of another two years or more before we get our visa.

We've ruled out trying any of the usual tactics to shorten the waiting time:

1. Applying for a permanent job - the consensus here (unless I'm mistaken) seems to be that it's next to impossible to get a job while living in the UK, and at present I'm too busy to write a lot of job applications if there's little hope of success.

2. Trying the PNP route - neither of our jobs seem to apply, and you have to have a job offer... see point 1.

3. Getting a job and then a 12-month work visa, hoping that the employer will make it permanent. Again, see point 1 - and we were also worried about having to (probably) give up everything here on a 12-month gamble that, if it failed, would leave us in a bit of a state back here.

We're resigned to more years of waiting, and in the meantime we're trying to do all we can to prepare for the eventual day when our visas arrive: I'm learning some more qualifications in a new field to broaden my job prospects, and we're selling our house (as part of our Operation Canada and for other reasons) and moving into rented accommodation. Investing some of our equity will cover our rent, and leave us able to move rapidly when/if the visa arrives.

Is there anybody else out there who applied at a similar time to us? Do you have a masterplan or a shortcut that might help? I'd be really interested to hear from you, as 2009/10 seems a looooooooong time away.

If we've missed something obvious, I'd be glad if someone could point it out. Our plan seems right to us, but you may know something better...

Cheers!

Re: Anybody in the same boat?
 

In order to reduce your waiting time you have to put in the effort as shortcuts don't come to you, you have to make them happen.

We had an AOR of Aug 2005 and after talking to a CHC rep at an Emigrate exhibition in Glasgow in Spring 2006 he advised us to basically either "get a job or get in line". We got proactive and all our hard work paid off. Within 6 months OH had a job offer and 5 months later we were here on a WP. Been here 7 months and our PR has been fast-tracked. We have recently undergone our medicals and have just had our passport requests. Who said hard work doesn't pay off? (see our timeline on my profile) :thumbsup:

You will actually find that quite a few of us had job offers so its not impossible. Perhaps other BE folks who have managed to do this could post on here to help give positive encouragement to others that it can be done. Unless its a inter-company transfer a typical job offer won't fall into your lap if you haven't applied, so you have to be focussed and prepared to put the hours in :thumbsup:

See Wiki page (above) on Resumes. It's got some great info on it and will be a lot of help. It may help that on your cover letter that you state that you have actually applied for PR - this would show how serious you are about relocating to Canada.

Re: Anybody in the same boat?
 

Thanks for that. I keep having bursts of optimism and plan to sort out some applications, but something else (normally work-related :curse:) always gets in the way.

I've Canadianised my resume and we know where we want to go (Logan Lake/Kamloops in BC). I think I'll do my best to make some time to get some letters off to firms in Canada. I know you're right: nothing ventured, nothing gained.

I've read posts in BE saying that a lot of people have had replies saying "Nice application; get in touch when your visa comes through/when you land in Canada". I will make sure I mention that we've applied for PR, but I wondered if there's anything else I could stress to avoid those kinds of replies.

Still, it's worth a try - like I said earlier, two or three more years is a long time to wait with our lives on hold to some extent.

Re: Anybody in the same boat?
 

The best advice I can give is the same old: 'Get a job offer'.

We wished we had as it would have certain things a whole lot easier to deal with at the start.

We waited the full 3 years and landed without jobs. It was the toughest period of our lives and many times we wished we had job offers to go straight into.

However, it isn't impossible to do without having an offer to go to and we're proof of that. Hindsight is a wonderful thing though.

Good luck.

Re: Anybody in the same boat?
 

Hi all

Yes i agree if you want to fast track your way to Canada, you need to put in the time and just try, to be honest if your gonna be waiting 2 years if you do nothing, maybe fill some of that time by trying to either secure a job for now or when you arrive at the end of the day you have nothing to lose.

My husband and i are currently living in New Zealand with our 2 children and we came here nearly 4 years ago on a Work visa, we applied for a few jobs over the internet and my husbands current employer rang us from NZ in the UK and chatted for about 10mins then basically said yeah ok you got the job, he sent over a contract letter offering employment, we travelled to London got the work visa and a month later we arrived here.

We have now deceided that NZ isnt where we long to be, thats Canada, it was our original preferred destination, but at the time we just wanted out of the rat race that is the UK, we have a good life but the kids are now 14 and 12 and we have deceided that the next year or so is gonna be the best time to make this final move, as realising once the kids get boyfriends and girlfriends it will make the whole move so much more stressful, at the moment they are both fully behind the move as they find NZ very behind the times so to speak as do we too.

So we are currently checking out places and jobs and will be sending out letters and resumes in the next few months and hope to secure a job and come over to Canada on a WP and apply for residency.
We are willing to work hard, moving across the world once and fitting into a whole new culture and lifestyle we fully understand that arriving in canada even with a job isnt going to be a bed of roses, but we are a hardworking family, who have always prided ourselves on supporting ourselves, never claimed benefits, \
so all the hype we read about coming to canada dont bother its not like what you think blah blah blah, those ppl need to turn around go back to the UK and shut the hell up.

Ok i've gone on enough, and if i get started on those ppl that complain about canada i wont stop typing for a week, so anyway my advise is

Apply for jobs, dont be discrouraged if you dont get anywhere fast....as they say rome wasnt built in a day, there are some fantastic canadian companies out there, also try the recruiting companies, they may be able to help or have a need for your occupations...good luck !

Cheers
Tigger

Re: Anybody in the same boat?
 

Great Tip on the Resume..Yes-can-do..:thumbsup:

Re: Anybody in the same boat?
 

All I can tell you is that it is possible - I got a job offer (like you I never thought it would be possible until I tried it) and got PR in 7 months start to finish. Just keep trying - there are thousands of people every year that do get job offers and get here quickly. The key is, keep trying, pick-up the phone instead of just emailing and don't give up. Remember that Canada's national emblem is the Beaver - chosen because the Beaver is a symbol of hard-work and perseverance.

Re: Anybody in the same boat?
 

Remember that Canada's national emblem is the Beaver - chosen because the Beaver is a symbol of hard-work and perseverance.[/QUOTE]

unlike the Sloth

Re: Anybody in the same boat?
 

unlike the Sloth[/QUOTE]

which country has the Sloth as its emblem?

Re: Anybody in the same boat?
 

And I've been under the misapprehension that it's a symbol of wide open spaces with loads of fauna.

Re: Anybody in the same boat?
 

LMAO @ the sloth :rofl:

But yeah keep trying dont give up !!!:thumbsup:

Re: Anybody in the same boat?
 

Probably more of a symbol of felling trees, Canada's forestry industry is one of the best of the Western world as there are strict rules for re-foresting de-forested areas... god that was a tongue twister, say that three times stood on your head, dare you! LOL!!

Interesting though about previous poster, I was actually planning on emmigrating to NZ in 2005 when I met & fell for a British bloke in 2004 and moved here instead. Now we're looking at marrying and moving back to Canada as there is no way either of us (early 30's) could afford a mortgage on a house in the UK during our remaining lifespans... plus I dont like the attitude & bullying I see prevelant in the UK and would prefer to raise kids in a more 'normal' enviroment, although I realise you cant shelter kids from everything, I think it will afford them a better opportunity to adapt in Canada then in the UK where it seems every weakness is poked & proded.

Re: Anybody in the same boat?
 

Hi there - we also got here on a work permit - job offer in the UK before we left. Yes, at times it's been stressful not knowing if a work permit will be renewed before PR is approved - in that situation now actually - but overall its been a good gamble. We've now been here 3 years and just about to get PR.

Once you've a year's Canadian experience, getting jobs gets loads easier; even if you wait for PR first there still may be no guarantee you get a job straight away once you're here so you may as well get over asap and start to clock up that experience.

Hubbie got the job by email - didn't bother with sending out long letters and resumes - a lot of effort for probably a lot of rejections. He researched a long list of companies that may be interested in him - then emailed a brief note introducing himself (sent out close to 800 emails), saying he was available for work and saying that he could send more info if they were interested. For every interested reply he got loads of nos but ended up with a good offer (after a quick interview in London) - then when we got there, 3 more offers came his way. It can be done.

Last point - if you're serious about getting there earlier - my advice would be to be flexible about where you would go initially, even if it is not your first choice for a permanent destination. There are more jobs in Alberta and Ontario - you could start off there, get the experience, then move to BC when you are more marketable ie have some Canadian experience. We took this approach and are in AB but thinking of moving out once we have PR.

Just my thoughts. Good luck. :)

Re: Anybody in the same boat?
 

Have a trip over here if you can and make contact with some prospective employers (if you haven't already) They can then put a face to the CV (sorry Resume). Or if you're under 35 you can apply to Bunac and come here to work for a year. I know you're unsure of doing that but at least you'd be here meeting people and networking and you never know a permanent job offer might come from it. Just an idea.
Hth Jo xx

Re: Anybody in the same boat?
 

Hi Grendel,

We applied in Dec 2004 as standard SW. At the time, our AOR (Jan 2005) stated a wait time of 12-18 months. We had thought about other options but we didn't meet any of the PNP criteria. In view of the suggested time we elected to sit tight.

In the meantime I applied for literally dozens of jobs, 'phoned employers, sent resumes, attended networking conferences at every opportunity and attended job fairs every time we went over on holiday. Despite our best efforts, the message was always the same: "Get here and you'll have a job." No-one seemed willing to pursue an LMO on my behalf. In our experience, we have found it impossible to break through that barrier. That's not to say it cannot be done.

Again, we considered a study permit but, given the projected timescales we elected to sit tight. However, by July 2006, we had received a delay letter, adding another 12 months onto our wait. I guess if we had known that from the start, we would have done things differently.

As I write, we have had our medicals and await our PPR.

With hindsight, I would agree that trying all possible routes and securing a job offer (if humanly possible) is the best way.

Simon & Laura:thumbup:

Re: Anybody in the same boat?
 

Can I just add to my story that when we landed at Halifax we were given a 3 year WP which was fantastic - OH job offer was permenant position. However, if you are given a WP for less time and PR hasn't come through by the end of it then you simply apply to have your WP extended.

We were also flexible as to where to move to in Canada. We had only visited Ontario and had only ruled out a few places (eg Vancouver too expensive for housing). Each time a job was advertised we researched the area for location, affordability, amenities, etc, then applied.

We also paid to fly out ouselves for the job interview. Although the company was keen they were not forthcoming in asking OH to come over for an interview. They are a relatively small company and had never hired a foreign national before. So in the end we bit the bullet and told then we were flying out for a short holiday. It did the trick! He got offered the job at his interview.

It may have also helped that we had an Immigration Consultant who guided the company through the steps.

Re: Anybody in the same boat?
 

Hi, We did the same, sold our house two years ago and live in rented so we could have the funds ready for moving and house purchase over there. It was the best decision. The equity, though not as much as many emigrate with, makes more in interest than we pay rent per year and we don't have the worries of having to invest in a home we are going to move from. Hopefully it will make it easier to move too as we aren't attached to this place and know that we have to move at some point anyway. So, wise decision.

We have both been constantly applying for jobs for about a year and things don't seem to have altered even though we have PR status. It really does seem that in many cases you have to be there to be considered. Remember that many employers won't want to pay a relocation package so I've put in all of my recent application letters that I'm not looking to place any incumbents on potential employers, such as relocation packages etc. Hopefully this will make them look more favourably upon me as a suitable candidate.

We have two children and it would be foolish of us to move across without at least one of us having a job of some kind. So, whilst theoretically we can move today if we want to, we are holding fire as long as we can (we have to be there by May 08) to ensure that we have enough income to make the settlement as easy as possible.

Keep trying. I'm trying to remain positive but once you're in the rented home you will feel as though a weight has been lifted. We did.

Re: Anybody in the same boat?
 

Likewise, we sold up and rented from November 2006. We used part of the proceeds to buy a property in Canada.

The net result is that we can go at 1 month's notice - just as soon as the PPRs arrive.

Simon & Laura:cool:

Re: Anybody in the same boat?
 

Thank you everybody for the advice and information. It's always nice to hear other people's experiences.

I can't speak for anybody else, but sometimes it can feel a little lonely waiting for the treasured visa. While our family and friends get on with their lives, it's hard to stop focusing solely on Canada, and occasionally you can't see the wood for the trees.

BE has been an invaluable source of help, and I'll keep reading other people's stories and hoping that we end up as successful as many on here... :thumbsup:

Re: Anybody in the same boat?
 

Wow, 800 emails! There's no doubt that, just like direct mail, if you send enough out you will get some response. Although I used the exact oposite tactic and approached only one employer in order to secure an offer (after all you only need one offer!). In case it helps, this was my approach:

- from a long list of possible employers, I identified the one who I felt was most likely to offer me a job (NOT the job I most wanted but the employer that I thought would give me the best chance of success)

- that meant the company had to a) be in almost exactly the same business/industry that I was working in previously; b) have a vacancy at a suitable level that that had been advertising for quite some time and obviously hadn't managed to fill; c) be likely to be interested in skills/experience that I could offer and other Canadian applicants couldn't (which in this case was a desire to expand internatiaonally and have someone who had knowledge of non-Canadian markets)

- after identifying the "perfect target" I approached carefully first with a long email to the CEO and then follow-up phonecall. When I spoke to them I made sure that through my research I knew a fair bit about their company and was able to talk intelligently about some of their current issues (you can find out almost anything if you spend enough time on the web searching). Then I offered to fly out (at my own expense) for an interview. There was a lot of careful courting during the whole process but I did get offered the job.

So, as an alternative to the scatter-gun approach, try doing REALLY thorough research to identify your #1 employer to target and your chance of success will be much much higher than just sending of CVs to anywhere.

Re: Anybody in the same boat?
 

Yeah NSPaul - 800 emails - he sure was determined (or should I say desperate)! :rofl: Treated it like a second job. However, being a computer person it didn't take long to do once the posh-mail-merge-thingie was set up. It was across 2 provinces also.

I guess your approach depends on what skills you have to sell - whether you are in demand, have specific regional or product experience etc etc - plus how good you are at marketing yourself. Once Hubby had his year's experience he approached a few other employers in much the way you have suggested - ie a very targeted approach after much research. He got interviews and offers from all three that time so I agree that works too.

One thing, from my own personal experience that didn't work for me, answering job vacancy adverts - not one reply from upwards of 50 applications. Just been a waste of my time - though again, it may work for some people. Working for myself now. ;)