Originally Posted by discouraged

I therefore have to say that, where professionals from overseas are concerned, your comment that "Canada is a big place and very diverse" is itself a bit of an overgeneralization, to say the least.

Originally Posted by Sarah Farrand

I can't agree with this sorry, There have been absolutely no quibbles about my professional qualifications whatsoever, In fact I have had the opposite experience.

My sponsors have done nothing but welcome me with open arms. Not everyone's experience is the same....

Originally Posted by mrs. liftman

...We could try applying through the PR route - well we would exceed the points needed, but I do'nt want to flip burgers and my husband does not want to drive a taxi. I wanted to move to Canada for a better life for my family, not destroy us.

Originally Posted by discouraged

Quite simply, despite 7 years' experience as an English solicitor, and being highly qualified in the specialist field in which I was seeking to work in Alberta, NOT ONE FIRM WAS INTERESTED. As soon as they saw "UK" on the application form, that was as far as I got in their so-called recruitment process. I even went over (at my own expense) for an interview with a government department for one of 10 (yes, 10) articling posts. However, according to my rejection letter, there were 10 better candidates than me; all of them, by some incredible coincidence, Canadians straight out of Canadian universities.

Originally Posted by discouraged

Why is it so unreasonable as a professional person to expect to get what you want straight away, if you're good enough? Professional Canadians coming to the UK are given every opportunity to do so. They certainly aren't expected to jump through hoops to earn the privilege of making a living at what they are qualified to do.

Originally Posted by discouraged

Congratulations, you are very lucky not to have had any problems.

I assume from your use of the word "sponsor" that you are talking about being sponsored on a provincial program of some sort like the PNP? And that if so, your professional expertise does not lie in law or a similar profession?

Originally Posted by discouraged

Why is it so unreasonable as a professional person to expect to get what you want straight away, if you're good enough? Professional Canadians coming to the UK are given every opportunity to do so. They certainly aren't expected to jump through hoops to earn the privilege of making a living at what they are qualified to do.

When you are a member of a profession, and have worked for years and invested thousands of ££££ in qualifying, "something close" is simply not viable. And the system whereby each Canadian province sets its own individual rules and requirements for membership of professional bodies seems almost designed to deter relocation.

All you can ask for in life is a level playing field. The one for foreign professionals wanting to make a living in Canada is anything but. It seems to me that Canada deliberately sets out to humiliate professionals from other countries by making it so difficult to be accepted into its professional bodies that they are forced to wait on tables or do something similarly menial before being allowed to "join the club" and make a proper living. Most professional people don't consider it appropriate to humiliate themselves in this way, so don't bother applying. Despite its weasel words to the contrary, this deterrent effect is exactly what the system is designed to achieve. It is discriminatory.

I therefore have to say that, where professionals from overseas are concerned, your comment that "Canada is a big place and very diverse" is itself a bit of an overgeneralization, to say the least.

Originally Posted by Sarah Farrand

...There have been absolutely no quibbles about my professional qualifications whatsoever...

Originally Posted by Jonny

Why do you presume that going down the PR route will mean you have to flip burgers/drive a taxi for the rest of your life? I'm applying for PR and I don't intend on doing that...



Wouldn't they, as an employer, prefer somebody who know's the Canadian system? Would a UK solicitor hire a French solicitor who knows the French legal system inside out but has little experience of UK law? Wouldn't that be the same no matter what the profession? And don't many employers ofen prefer to take somebody straight out of University to 'mould' into their perfect employee, rather than have a 40 year old with 15 years experience, who's set in their ways? In that case then somebody straight out of a Canadian University would have an advantage over an experienced immigrant. This might be unfair but that's life.



Why do you presume that you can walk straight into another country and walk straight into a job at the same level you are now? You are not entitled to a job... Shouldn't you be prepared to lower your standards a little and start from a rung or two down the ladder and proove your worth and re-work your way up?

Originally Posted by Virgosah

Let me just clarify that foreigners coming to the UK are NOT given "every opportunity" as you say they are. And coming to the UK can and does cost a fortune for some. Why demonise Canada when other countries impose the same regulaitons? Why should Canada change it's system?

Originally Posted by mrs. liftman

Try quoting in context. I did not say that I was prepared to settle for flipping burgers/driving taxi's, but that I did not rule out further training and did have childrens lives to take into consideration. Anyone who thinks that they can just up sticks and hope for the best when they have a family to consider is being very reckless with those lives

Originally Posted by CalgaryAMC

Immigrants cannot legally speculatively come to the UK. Or the US for that matter. So you're right in that sense, they aren't given every opportunity. They are, in fact, given none. But that is a much fairer system.

Canada's employment immigration system is set up very differently from the UK's or the US'. The latter are employer driven. Canada's is immigrant driven.

This is a critical distinction and explains why you don't have legal immigrant doctors driving taxis on the streets of Chicago or London because their qualifications are not recognized.

In the US or the UK companies must petition the government and convince it that there are no suitable local candidates, and only then may they bring in a foreigner.

.

In contrast, in Canada the government tells the immigrant that he should come to Canada because people like him are in short supply. He arrives, and finds he's not at all wanted or needed. It's a scam for immigrants, attracts completely the wrong people to the country, and leads to highly suboptimal economic outcomes for both the country and immigrants.

Originally Posted by mrs. liftman

Try quoting in context. I did not say that I was prepared to settle for flipping burgers/driving taxi's, but that I did not rule out further training and did have childrens lives to take into consideration. Anyone who thinks that they can just up sticks and hope for the best when they have a family to consider is being very reckless with those lives

Originally Posted by CalgaryAMC

Immigrants cannot legally speculatively come to the UK. Or the US for that matter. So you're right in that sense, they aren't given every opportunity. They are, in fact, given none. But that is a much fairer system.

Canada's employment immigration system is set up very differently from the UK's or the US'. The latter are employer driven. Canada's is immigrant driven.

This is a critical distinction and explains why you don't have legal immigrant doctors driving taxis on the streets of Chicago or London because their qualifications are not recognized.

In the US or the UK companies must petition the government and convince it that there are no suitable local candidates, and only then may they bring in a foreigner.

In contrast, in Canada the government tells the immigrant that he should come to Canada because people like him are in short supply. He arrives, and finds he's not at all wanted or needed. It's a scam for immigrants, attracts completely the wrong people to the country, and leads to highly suboptimal economic outcomes for both the country and immigrants.

Originally Posted by CalgaryAMC

Well there wouldn't be. You don't need a license to practice advertising.

Originally Posted by Sarah Farrand

True. But the point was about being a professional. Which I am.

Restrictions that apply to one profession do not apply to another.

Originally Posted by mrs. liftman

We could try applying through the PR route - well we would exceed the points needed, but I do'nt want to flip burgers and my husband does not want to drive a taxi.