http://www.workpermit.com/news/2006_...economy_01.htm

As this link shows - it isn't just Canada that has this problem.

Looking on the bright side, I would rather be overqualified than underqualified when applying for jobs when I get my PR.
As already said - the Canadian government does not promise anything other than the opportunity to live in their country.

The promotional material does kind of indicate how great it is (well it would do wouldn't it).

Peoples use of statistics reminds me of the old joke about the parachute regiment that advertised that only 50% of people saw combat.

Man about to jump out of plane: "I though you said only 50% saw combat?"
Sergent: "It's true, lets hope you are in the 50% whose chute actually opens".

We were. Iaink was rather rudely trying to bring us back on topic I think

Anyway, although I'm sure there have been threads started with posters stating that they are unable to find jobs in the east (I'm counting Ontario and everything east of it in this category), it seems to me that the majority of the ones started over the last year or so have been from those in either Vancouver, somewhere else in BC or Alberta. Just my observation. I'd be surprised if someone proved it wrong.

Hooray - for me

a good point well made.

The pedant in me is bursting out again, but I don't think CIC assess qualifications, they assess levels of education.

and in the meantime, i would sooner be unemployed in canada than in the UK

Really? I'd much rather be a doley in the UK than on welfare here.

CIC are also now producing materials to be sent to new prospective immigrants telling them about registered vs. non-registered employment i.e. jobs you need Canadian pieces of paper to do and jobs you don't.

This is basically to warn engineers or doctors from other countries that while they may qualify to come to Canada, they are not just going to be able to rock up here and start engineering or doctoring.

In fairness to CIC, they know what the problems are and they put lots of warnings out there about difficulties in finding employment at same levels as home countries. Hence the new smaller list of occupations to fast-track certain skilled workers.

Whether any of this will do any good is anyone's guess. After all, who comes to another country assuming it will be shite and thinking they'll under-acheive?

Wow - I'd read about getting Canadian experience etc but 10 years seems a long time to become "almost Canadian".

Coming from the north of England - where low paid jobs and crap pay is the norm for most people, I probably won't feel so badly ripped off in Canada as folk from the South-East would. And if I have to flip burgers for a while, I'll try to find a way to make it fun and turn it to my advantage.

Like others have mentioned, I would like to see figures for the different provinces, rather than the whole country. And also seperate figures for English speaking and non-English speaking immigrants.

They could split it down further and do it on accents. I've read articles about Asian people being told to lose their accents. What about folk from some parts of the UK who might be harder to understand?

....a related article - Canwest News Service

I agree, I currently live in the south-west of England and, as far as I can tell from scanning the job pages, earn reasonably good money for the area. However buying a house here is impossible unless you are a 'city banker'. I can't even get a mortgage to cover a garage!

I too do not expect to move to Canada and get the same job (Probation Officer) and will be quite happy working in Starbucks or Macdonalds (free food, yum!). I don't care really, I'm just looking forward to a new experience in a new country.

I absolutely love posts like this. No you won't.

If you don't like the fact that you cannot afford to buy a garage where you live now, you will not like the fact that you cannot afford to buy a garage in Canada as, on minimum wage working in such a position, that is all you will be able to afford. Imagine living in England on a McDonald's wage, that is how it will be. The scenery may be much better in Canada, but if you cannot afford to drive to it, what good is it?

Depends on location and how much capital they can bring though

$12 an hour goes a lot farther in some places than in others.

You can live in the trailer park in your own place for ~$40k. If thats too white trashy for you the cheapest houses on my local MLS are less than $60k and its not the worst place in the world to live.



Now, Im not pretending it wont need work and or cost money for upkeep and taxes, but this is not Toronto or Vancouver prices either...Its a great big country, Minimum wage is the same more or less all the way across it. I wouldnt fancy living here on nothing but minimum wage though, that's blindly optimistic. Hell, Im half tempted to get a second mortgage and fix that one up myself!

I kinda agree with AC here - and that's with me commenting from actually working at Starbucks for $10.65 an hour for 8 months. It was OK, it's a nice enough environment - it was hard work and it was increasingly frustrating. We needed some income and this fitted the bill. I was 'able' to choose whether to stay or not because we did have another salary - but we were always on that struggling borderline which, believe me, wears thin.

Not that there was much choice with other alternative jobs or pay. I was offered another job at the dizzy heights of $11.50 an hour, but with terrible hours and shifts. I stayed at Starbucks. I might have been about $30 a week better off - but only as reward for severe disruption in my life.

I am temping now, albeit in offices, which suits me at the moment. Again, it pays for the groceries. But the thought that this could go on for another 8 months or longer gets me down. I want a proper job - with recognition that I have a brain in my head.

I rarely believe people when they say they can't get a job. They can. There are jobs out there. But don't under estimate the knock to your confidence when you look around and realise the only jobs you can actually get are making coffees, serving burgers, or stacking shelves and working on a till.

And before anyone jumps on me - I don't mind doing any of those jobs - I've done them all - I have no issues with these jobs - but for me, that isn't a long term goal and unless you fancy a career in retail (which I do not) then it certainly isn't a reason to leave your friends, family and support network and live thousands of miles away - just so you can straighten Cheeze Whizz in the fridge unit. And I'm no longer 18 either. I've done all those jobs 25 years ago. I kinda hoped I'd moved on a bit.

Am I'm negative? No - I'm a realist and some don't like to hear reality. Am I'm lazy? No - but finding a 'decent' job will not come at the expense of family and life either (ie, retail!) - I'm beyond thinking the two should be mutually exclusive. Maybe I don't "want" this enough. Working at Starbucks wasn't networking for me, it didn't produce other opportunities that I failed to take or see which no doubt someone will point out any moment - it paid for the groceries. It was a means to an end. We have been here over two and a half years. If in another two and half years, I am still here, and I am still wafting in and out of temporary low paid jobs, I might just shoot myself.

What did you do before you arrived in Canada?