We're leaving the UK for Ottawa in just a few weeks, and I can't believe how fast the time is flying by.

Emigrating is what we've wanted to do for the past seven years, but now it's getting so near my concerns are mounting: what's the best way to say goodbye to your family - a day before the flight or a week before? Have we got enough money, and should we transfer it all over in one go or leave a bit here in case the exchange rate improves? Etc, etc. I'm sure most people here had similar worries.

However, my main concern is over finding work. For various reasons, we haven't looked hard for jobs while we've been waiting, and we're waiting until we arrive and see the lie of the land before we start job-hunting thoroughly.

I'm a newspaper designer, but the state of the media industry (and 18-24 months of work-related problems here) has really put me off looking for a media job in Canada, and I'm open to something completely different, maybe working in a book shop or in photography. My wife (who is skilled at languages but needs to brush up on her French) works in administration but is a qualified teacher and might be looking at getting back into education.

She is determined to see emigrating as an adventure where we don't know what opportunities are around the corner, but I would like to work very hard at finding a job almost as soon as we arrive.

I wonder how other people who landed without jobs have fared. We want to give ourselves a couple of weeks to apply for OHIP cards, SINs, driving licences, etc, and get our heads around just being in Canada, then look for jobs. I imagine we will sign on with recruitment agencies (my wife already temps for Adecco), send resumes on spec by e-mail, try to make appointments with potential employers and show them our resumes, etc.

Did you do anything similar, and do you have any advice? I think only emigrants can understand the range of emotions we're going through at the moment, from excitement to trepidation, and I'd love to hear from anybody in the same boat, or anybody already in Ottawa who might have contacts that might be able to help. We don't want to be rich, we just want to be happy.

Hi Grendel - just wanted to say good luck to you and your wife!

We arrived with no jobs or employment arranged. We factored at least six months unemployment into our plans and finances. The reason for that is that we were both coming up to 50 and wanted to take some time out to buy our home, get to know neighbours and generally explore and enjoy ourselves.

The timing was right in that we moved in May and so spent the summer taking road trips and generally getting to know Calgary. We also spent a lot of time in the garden and met all our neighbours very quickly that way . We bought bikes and went for loads of rides and talked to everyone we met

We also wanted to change careers - I worked in local government for 15 years (quite long enough). We were very lucky and both got jobs before the winter set in. I am now working for a small private investment company and it is so different to what I was used to doing - I love it.

A lot has been said about networking but we both got our jobs through the old-fashioned way of applying for an advertised position. We did do a lot of networking but I think it would be far more effective now that we have built up a good circle of personal contacts and raised our own profiles with our current employers and their business contacts.

I wish you luck with your new adventure - three years on and we wouldn't change a thing!

J

Hi Grendel,

We are in the same boat and have decided to go over without jobs. When we finally had our passport requests, my husbands job ended, the house sold only after being on the market for two weeks and as moving abroad has been on the cards for over 10 years, we decided to go for it now and just get over there.

Some days I think we are crazy, others I see the new experiences and opportunities that are open to us.

My husband is qualified in carpentry and I.T. and we both have a variety of work history and experience and are willing to anything to get us started. We are now busy job hunting.

We are off to Lethbridge, AB on the 25th, eek!!!

It appears you have a positive attitude to finding work and if you are looking to change the type of work, it is better to get to know people in your new area, so they can meet you or may do some voluntary work to get the experience.

Good Luck and all the best with the move.

Jo

Good Luck with your journey

Hi Grendel ,Leaving 29th July . No jobs tried emailing but got no responce from anybody ,our house up for sale for 2 months didnt sell,ended up putting up for rent.So only hope we have enought money,never been so stressed ever.

I thought this thread was about Continental drift.

Hello - we hope to be in the same position as you about this time next year. Going over without a job gives me the fear, but I think if you really put yourself out there it will hapen. Have you checked out agency websites in Ottawa, listing current jobs? We looked at some relevant to our trades and will be contacting them nearer the time. Even very short term placements will help with the required Canadian work experience. Also you could forward them your CV and then phone to arrange meetings asap, and ask them what you could do to make yourself more employable. As another poster mentioned, it could be helpful to do some free, voluntary work to get local experiences, references and maybe even relevant contacts.

Good luck to you, I'm sure if you're determined enough it will work out.

Hi - sorry to hijack the OP's thread but emailing is highly unlikely to ever receive any response. It's just not the way Canadians like to do things, you need personal contact to stand any chance of getting a job there.

Have a read of the Job Hunting section of the Wiki (on blue bar at top of page) for more info.

Good luck to all.