Finding a job before moving to Canada?
Jul 16th 2018, 2:42 pm
#16
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Re: Finding a job before moving to Canada?
If Vancouver is your first choice, you may need to physically relocate first unless you have an exceptional skill in short supply. Vancouver is a weird city in ways, but companies largely don't have a short supply of local candidates except in the case of a position being very skilled or very upper management, or lower wage where there is a labor shortage largely because one cannot really survive in Vancouver under 20 per hour.*
If you have the funds you can always relocate to Vancouver, find any job (not hard to find 15-17/hr jobs) to bring in some income while you look for a better job more suited to what you desire.
*20/hr is considered the very minimum living wage for Vancouver but one making 20/hr will still not be able to afford an apartment without a roommate and will not have much if any luxuries, really need 6 figure income to have a comfortable life in Vancouver, but the median wage is far short of 6 figures.
I can only comment based on lower end jobs since I am not in the middle-upper end of career type jobs, but in the lower wage jobs, its not unusual to be called today and asked to come in tomorrow, the hiring managers in these jobs tend to just pick a day to interview everyone they desire to interview, if you cannot make the interview they will generally not attempt to schedule a different day, and if offered a job, will typically have a set start date you need to be able to accept.
My company typically calls people the day before the day they have set aside for interviews, and the start date will be set based on our training schedule, interviews usually on a Thursday with the start date the following Monday.
It's been pretty common in my experience not to get more then a day maybe 2 days notice of an interview with an immediate start date if offered the position. It's also why the 2 week notice norm is well not so common anymore, people seek a new job, and are offered a job elsewhere but the company won't wait 2 weeks, so they quit with little to no notice to their current employer.
If you have the funds you can always relocate to Vancouver, find any job (not hard to find 15-17/hr jobs) to bring in some income while you look for a better job more suited to what you desire.
*20/hr is considered the very minimum living wage for Vancouver but one making 20/hr will still not be able to afford an apartment without a roommate and will not have much if any luxuries, really need 6 figure income to have a comfortable life in Vancouver, but the median wage is far short of 6 figures.
As a hiring manager (ans employee) i can tell you that I have never expected anyone to be available for an interview the next day and it's never been expected of me.
in my experience availability to attend interviews is similar to the UK, usually within a week or so.
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in my experience availability to attend interviews is similar to the UK, usually within a week or so.
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My company typically calls people the day before the day they have set aside for interviews, and the start date will be set based on our training schedule, interviews usually on a Thursday with the start date the following Monday.
It's been pretty common in my experience not to get more then a day maybe 2 days notice of an interview with an immediate start date if offered the position. It's also why the 2 week notice norm is well not so common anymore, people seek a new job, and are offered a job elsewhere but the company won't wait 2 weeks, so they quit with little to no notice to their current employer.
Last edited by scrubbedexpat091; Jul 16th 2018 at 2:44 pm.
Jul 16th 2018, 2:47 pm
#17
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Location: Ontario
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Re: Finding a job before moving to Canada?
Jul 16th 2018, 3:00 pm
#19
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Re: Finding a job before moving to Canada?
I think it must be the same in engineering, Fort McMoney in boom times seems to have a population commuting from all over the world. And in medicine, emergency room doctors are typically foreign. Perhaps all trades where skills are specific and in scarce supply.
Jul 16th 2018, 7:50 pm
#20
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Location: SW Ontario
Posts: 19,879
Re: Finding a job before moving to Canada?
I was trying to be realistic - generally - for those that are not in sought after professions that there are a shortage of and which are in high demand at times, such as is the case with the OP.
Thanks, I had not realised there was a duplicate thread when I posted...
I work in PMO / project management for a large global management consultancy and have about 10 years experience, multiple-industries. In the past I have found companies wiling to hold a first interview via Skype, then a face to face if I am on the final shortlist. I guess I am trying to find a way to get past the initial hurdle of at least getting a phone call and then hopefully tying in an interview with my soft landing. I read some articles online advising my to use a Canadian address and local number but appreciate the comments noted above.
I currently have a good job and feel a bit nervous of leaving it and looking for something when I get there. In my experience it takes around 3+ months to find something depending on the time of year and I am anticipating quite a lot of upfront costs when I get there. Ideally would like to transfer with my existing company, but can only do this if there is a relevant vacancy.
From reading other threads it looks like finding a job whilst outside Canada is extremely difficult.
I am looking at Vancouver as first choice, but would definitely consider Montreal (but don't speak French ) and Calgary. Ideally within a one hour drive from the mountains and coast or lakes.
I work in PMO / project management for a large global management consultancy and have about 10 years experience, multiple-industries. In the past I have found companies wiling to hold a first interview via Skype, then a face to face if I am on the final shortlist. I guess I am trying to find a way to get past the initial hurdle of at least getting a phone call and then hopefully tying in an interview with my soft landing. I read some articles online advising my to use a Canadian address and local number but appreciate the comments noted above.
I currently have a good job and feel a bit nervous of leaving it and looking for something when I get there. In my experience it takes around 3+ months to find something depending on the time of year and I am anticipating quite a lot of upfront costs when I get there. Ideally would like to transfer with my existing company, but can only do this if there is a relevant vacancy.
From reading other threads it looks like finding a job whilst outside Canada is extremely difficult.
I am looking at Vancouver as first choice, but would definitely consider Montreal (but don't speak French ) and Calgary. Ideally within a one hour drive from the mountains and coast or lakes.
I don't know if you have qualifications in Project Management? - Canada likes bits of paper!
There's a fair few Project Management jobs going in BC - and I noticed a lot are through agencies, so it may be worth getting in contact with a couple of the agencies and find out what they are looking for and whether you have it... perhaps arrange to go in and see a few when you do your soft landing? It's all about connections
https://www.workopolis.com/jobsearch...s/vancouver-bc
Best of luck and don't lose hope - it is possible, but you are going to have to make a lot of effort to make it happen
Last edited by Siouxie; Jul 16th 2018 at 8:03 pm.
Jul 16th 2018, 8:34 pm
#21
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Joined: Feb 2017
Posts: 65
Re: Finding a job before moving to Canada?
True, but those professions, in the main, are niche and require Provincial certification / licensing - and are in demand, so it's not a case of slinging a resume at some company / hospital and hoping someone will bite - generally speaking they will have already done a lot of preparation to enable them to work in their profession in their chosen Province, in advance and likely (in regards to Trades, have contacts ready). Whilst getting Provincial Certification may be obtained reasonably quickly for a chippie or a roofer - it wouldn't necessarily be for a doctor, a nurse or an engineer!
I was trying to be realistic - generally - for those that are not in sought after professions that there are a shortage of and which are in high demand at times, such as is the case with the OP.
I don't know if you have qualifications in Project Management? - Canada likes bits of paper!
There's a fair few Project Management jobs going in BC - and I noticed a lot are through agencies, so it may be worth getting in contact with a couple of the agencies and find out what they are looking for and whether you have it... perhaps arrange to go in and see a few when you do your soft landing? It's all about connections
https://www.workopolis.com/jobsearch...s/vancouver-bc
Best of luck and don't lose hope - it is possible, but you are going to have to make a lot of effort to make it happen
I was trying to be realistic - generally - for those that are not in sought after professions that there are a shortage of and which are in high demand at times, such as is the case with the OP.
I don't know if you have qualifications in Project Management? - Canada likes bits of paper!
There's a fair few Project Management jobs going in BC - and I noticed a lot are through agencies, so it may be worth getting in contact with a couple of the agencies and find out what they are looking for and whether you have it... perhaps arrange to go in and see a few when you do your soft landing? It's all about connections
https://www.workopolis.com/jobsearch...s/vancouver-bc
Best of luck and don't lose hope - it is possible, but you are going to have to make a lot of effort to make it happen
Jul 16th 2018, 10:46 pm
#22
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Posts: 3
Re: Finding a job before moving to Canada?
You could consider BC public service as they are hiring - Victoria is a cheaper option than Vancouver and incredibly beautiful!
Jul 17th 2018, 4:13 am
#23
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Location: SW Ontario
Posts: 19,879
Re: Finding a job before moving to Canada?
'Project Management Professional (PMP) certification is an asset"
"CAPM or PMP certification is an asset"
"CAPM or equivalent preferred."
You may want to also take a look at the PM Association of Canada (though membership is not a requirement, just thought you might find it of interest) - Membership | The Project Management Association of Canada / Association de Gestion de Projet du Canada - they have a jobs page too that might be useful! http://www.pmac-agpc.ca/jobs
Last edited by Siouxie; Jul 17th 2018 at 4:24 am.
Jul 18th 2018, 9:01 am
#24
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Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 9,504
Re: Finding a job before moving to Canada?
In shockingly many years of being involved with hiring and firing in Canada I have only ever seen the expression "Canadian Experience" on this board (it's like winter tyres in that regard). It is truly the case that, in the computer business, the location in which experience was gained means nothing at all.
Jul 19th 2018, 12:57 am
#25
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Posts: 328
Re: Finding a job before moving to Canada?
I have been reading up online about how to prepare a resume in Canadian format and search for jobs. One article advises to include a Canadian address and local mobile no.
I wondered if it is possible to get a mobile phone when doing a soft landing to activate the visa? For example, could I just get a 'pay as you go' SIM card and use it to take calls when back in the UK? and then use a friend's address for correspondence.
Be useful to hear some experiences on this.
I wondered if it is possible to get a mobile phone when doing a soft landing to activate the visa? For example, could I just get a 'pay as you go' SIM card and use it to take calls when back in the UK? and then use a friend's address for correspondence.
Be useful to hear some experiences on this.
try this https://zadarma.com/en/
