Me and my family have attained PR status however will be making the big move once I can secure a job. I have been looking for work in Toronto GTA however have not had even a single reply to any of the applications I have made over the past few months. I find this rather unusual as despite the current economic climate, there are still very well paid jobs available in the UK however my goal is to move across to Canada.

I am an experienced and qualified Project Manager in the IT sector and have worked for some of the largest corporations in the world (out of London, UK).

Question –
I was under the impression that Toronto-GTA would be the place in Canada with the most demand for IT workers however I’m not so sure anymore. Can anyone suggest any other areas in Canada where there is a demand for my line of work?

Any major city:
Calgary, Edmonton, Vancouver, Ottawa, Montreal

Look for major employers too.
Shaw
Telus
BCE Bell Canada
Rogers
Oil companies
Westjet
Bombardier
Cities
hospitals or health regios
manufacturing
companies like RIM

I don't know about anywhere else but there are quite a few in Ottawa. I'm at work at the moment in Kanata (just outside of Ottawa) and can see RIM, Alcatel, Entrust, CSC, and what used to be Dell's offices from my window.

That's true. Then Ottawa. There are some computers elsewhere in Canada but I would guess that there are two or three times as many computer jobs in Ontario as in the rest of Canada. That said, Canada is not especially a hotbed of computing jobs.

Do said corporations have operations in Canada? Could you not contact previous acquaintances to try and get some contacts?

Do you have the PMI's - PMP certification?

You may just be suffering from the "we will wait until they land before responding" problem.

Thanks for your replies.

I already landed a year ago and since then have done 2 trips for research purposes. I have even met with recruitment consultants from agencies such as Sapphire however they don't seem to be doing anything for me (unlike what was promised).

I have made it clear in my applications that I am willing to fly across to attend interviews and can move over as soon as I secure a position - however still no luck.

Despite having the practical experience of PMP I have not sat the actual exam and have been applying for positions which do not require this.

I have over 8 years experience in IT working for a variety of organisations ranging from the public sector to some of the world’s leading banks and financial institutions and currently the airport/airline industry. I have a degree and a whole range of project management and technical qualifications. The only thing I don't have is PMP (on paper).

I am still able to move between jobs in the UK in the present economic climate with increases in salary however nobody in Canada seems to be interested which is disheartening as me and my family really want to move across. The only thing stopping us at present is me finding a job.

In my experience unless you are here you will not get an offer.

Rightly or wrongly The PMP certification is used as a screening mechanism for Project Management Positions. Even if it isnt asked for candidates with it will be put on the interview list ahead of others. Also local candidates will get on the list ahead of those out of country.

I don't know what your salary expectations are, but do not expect to recieve the same level as the UK. Also you may have to accept a lower level then prove yourself in Canada.

Life in Canada can be good but you have to be committed to it and thinking from an employers perspective, I would judge your committment to be half hearted. In their mind I would expect them to be thinking "why should I spend money recruiting only to see you leave and fly home in 3 months because of family homesickness".

Dave+Jules - The reason I am still in the UK and want to secure a job before coming to Canada is because there is that risk that it might take me a long time to find anything during which I would not be earning. Due to health reasons and taking care of a baby, my wife is not able to work and so I am the only person bringing in any income in to the house. It has nothing to do with not being able to commit, it is more of a risk assessment - keep earning in the UK until securing something in Canada instead of going out there and hoping.

Waterloo/Kitchner not far from Toronto is home to quite a few big players. RIM and Google both have sites there.

I met with Sapphire and they seem to be a very good company. But neither they nor other agencies can create jobs. Last three weeks in Southern Ontario were plain dead, looking at Workopolis and Monster. There is big pre-Christmas demand for warehouse workers, however.

Comparing to Europe, I don't notice any slowdown in hiring there. Of course, you never know if those advertised jobs are real and how many candidates per position they get. But at least there are jobs to apply.

You are right that the best will be finding a job before moving, but no one will talk to you unless you are here. Exceptions are of course geniuses like
Stephen Hawkins who was lured to Waterloo University last week. But I don't believe he applied via Workopolis.

Hi SU

Talking as an IT person already in the Kitchener - Waterloo - Guelph area, then I'd be looking to speak to the people at either HR or IT directly within the companies you are looking at.

In my experience the agencies are generally classified as:

1. Mouth-breathers.
2. Absent and uncaring.
3. Money-grabbing and fixated with getting you to accept an offer on a job which doesn't offer you much but which gets them whatever slice they want.

I know it's difficult to do the person-to-person thing from the UK but that's the way Canadian employers work. It's been said so many times before - networking and who you know are the keys to job hunting here.

Good luck.

i dont think your findings are limited to agencies in Kitchener - Waterloo - Guelph area. i think its universal.

Thanks! Actually, I am going to an interview to Waterloo tomorrow, so things are not that bad yet. What I meant is that there were some advertised positions before, maybe less than in Europe, but now all is gone. Just as if the whole industry is shut down here and Amish horses replaced taxi cabs and buses so no one needs IT anymore.

I do know all the points that you list. And networking - it did not work well for me. Yet. Some cases were simply discouraging - you contact a person through a "mutually trusted" link and the guy says "oh! here's the address of our HR guy". Ummm thank you!

Mennonites, not Amish. That'd be a faux pas if your interviewer is wearing braces and chain smoking.