Mobius1988

Hi,

I'm in the process of applying for the IEC working holiday visa and have been doing some research on finding a job in Canada.

All I can seem to find is horror stories of how hard it is for foreigners to find work in Canada at all, let alone skilled work.

I have a PhD in chemistry, 4 years experience in the pharma industry and am now working as a scientific recruitment consultant.

All I will want is an office job, nothing too fancy. Can someone put my mind at rest? Or should I be concerned?

I've noticed some people already have job offers before getting a visa..what jobs have you obtained and how did you achieve it?

Thank you,
Sam

Aviator

No way to tell, some do for sure, some don't. I had a job to come to, in fact I started it before I got to Canada. A friend I met in Canada took 6 months to get work and a few years to get into what he wanted to be in.

For many, so long as you are not picky what you do, finding some sort of work should not be too hard. Can also depends where you go.

DandNHill

I think there's an element of luck.
We initially moved to a small town in rural Nova Scotia and I never had a problem with finding work. It's harder in fact to get a decent job in the GTA.
That being said you need to network your little cotton socks off!

BristolUK

Might that be because there are more qualified applicants applying in relation to the number of position(s) than in NS? I often wonder this.

Like Toronto might have 300 opportunities of the type wanted whereas smalltown, anywhere else only has 30 but that the 3000 applicants in Toronto gives you a one-in-ten chance, statistically, while the 90 applicants in smalltown gives a one-in-three chance?

DandNHill

You might be right. Although I would point out that if Toronto has 300 jobs then small town NS has 0.3.

evets

Do not think this is really a problem with Canada in general, the same can be said in Australia. Even locals struggling to find work in certain fields. The 457 visa scheme here has certainly not helped the situation, with lots of positions on the SOL which really need to addressed.

Also I think on depending on what field you are in you could find the large majority of jobs advertised for the main cities and if you are lucky enough to get security clearance(once a citizen) then this does open a different avenue for you.

I personally think this is a global issue for Western countries, more and more big MNC are reducing costs to lower cost centers and with population growth it is not going to get easier.

For some roles I applied for in Australia, I asked the recruiter/HR person how many applied and for some in excess of 300. Most where trying to wing it though, but makes it hard to sift through all those applications to find people that may/could have the relevant skills.

not2old

OP you'd be on a working holiday visa & applying for a position that local qualified (some unemployed) are looking at.... what are you chances considering that you'd likely be gone in a year

Look at it from a Canadian going to the UK on a working holiday visa - what advice would you give them?

On a IEC consider coming in the spring just before tourist season, maybe go to one of the larger cities & start working in a service industry job or a call centre FWIW

dbd33

Yesterday the coffee shop owner was complaining about the number and quality of applicants for positions making coffee. "I used to post an ad and get 3 or 4 hundred applications that day. Now I've had an ad run for multiple days and have less than 100".

DandNHill

Did you apply? 😜

not2old

to add to that, in Ontario minimum wage is $11.40/hr & likely the OP would be living in a rooming house (shared facilities) with a rent in the $400 - $500/mth range... no council tax all utlities & some have internet included.

Service industry job, McD's, coffee shop, car wash, call centre job (Pizza Pizza pays well, but you need access to fast reliable internet) etc, for the 12 months stay near the bright lights of the city working 30hrs/wk x $11.40 - tax & stoppages... take home pay $280 -$300/wk

If the OP is going to stick to his guns to try to find work in the profession that they are in, then whatever money they bring with them will run out quickly. With a basic job would allow the OP to pay the bills & to try to find work in their profession

BristolUK

Maybe, but then I'd wonder if smalltown had the 90 qualified applicants

dbd33

I don't have the physical configuration that'll get the tip jar filled.

But:

- I do speak English
- I could convince him that I'd get there on time
- I can remember a short list of items for five minutes
- I would meet him in clean clothes with only planned apertures
- I don't belong to any group advocating hate crimes
- I'm not visibly addicted to any substance, legal or not
- I have no recent convictions for crimes of moral turpitude and I am not on probation

So I'm ahead of half the field.

not2old

Tell it as it is .....

Always on the side that someone on an IEC (whatever qualifications) won't gain employment in their profession (or an office job) because they're up against local qualified unemployed folks or those new immigrants.

I'd be concerned

not2old

too old, too smart (questioning everything) & not good looking.... next

Shirtback

Just a couple of observations:

IEC is now 2 years, not one.

There are several members here who have used IEC successfully as a stepping-stone to PR. The "Working Holiday" designation/idea is a bit outdated.

^^^ This.