tomrog50

Good morning all,

A friend of mine emigrated to Canada a few years back and told me this forum was a gold mine of information, so fingers crossed.

I am actively pursuing emigrating to Canada from London, UK and would like to settle around the Toronto area, as this suits my family circumstances. I have spoken with a few Canadian immigration lawyers, who have all said i am eligible for the 'Express Entry' program, but when i calculated my CRS score i am only at around 409, due to my lack of Canadian work experience. Having reviewed previous CRS scores that have resulted in Permanent Residency being offered, i am confident that 409 will not ever be enough, so i need to have a job offer to add to my CRS which should increase my score into the bracket where i would get selected.

I am currently a senior project manager in the UK, with management consultant experience, educated to masters level and around 20 years of professional experience. Next week i have my IELTS exam booked so i can prove that my English is of a suitable standard and then i will apply for Express Entry. I am able to visit Canada for job interviews and other tangible outputs, but i can't just come for job hunting, as i don't have the time and i do have a 9 month old daughter. My only experience of job hunting has been in the UK and i would imagine it is near impossible to secure employment without being in the UK to do so, is this the same for Canada, or is there greater flexibility? I have already registered with both Drake and Micheal Page recruiters, but no luck as yet.

Any help of advice would be greatly appreciated, Tom

christmasoompa

Sorry to say, but realistically unless you can get out to Canada and job hunt in person, you're unlikely to find an employer willing to go through the cost/hassle/wait of sponsoring you. There is usually far greater emphasis on personal contact and networking in Canada than the UK, grab a cuppa and read the Job Hunting section of the Wiki to understand how vital a trip over may be. Could you just pop over for a couple of days and leave your daughter with your wife/partner/husband/anybody maybe?

You may find that you're lucky enough to get a PNP nomination for Ontario, so do make sure you tick that option when you apply for EE. Personal question, but how old are you - is losing points due to getting older a factor?

Good luck.

tomrog50

Hey, thanks so much for the really quick reply and i thought it might be tricky. I can certainly arrange a few days to visit, that's not a problem, in fact we are coming for a week in November so i can show my family the area, but i really need a foothold, as networking from scratch is going to achieve little in a few days, even in person. I am starting to network remotely, but it's always difficult getting those connections from a cold start. I will certainly go and have a read of the wiki page and thanks for the tip on the PNP. I've read a bit about that before and it seems to be particularly complicated for Ontario, but i'll go and re-read and see if i am eligible.

To answer your last question, i am 42 years old, so yes, i've certainly lost a few points there on age, but this is the first time i have been able to freely work overseas, so i've got to make the most of it. Thanks again.

christmasoompa

If you follow the advice in the Wiki then you'll find out how to make the most of that week, and set up lots of meetings in advance. PNP isn't more complicated for Ontario than any other province.

Not sure when you'll have a birthday, but as you'll lose another 10 points when you turn 43, I'd get cracking asap! No time to waste.

Best of luck.

tomrog50

Yes i am getting that time is not on my side, i do have until next year, but that's not far away. Thanks for all of your help and i'll get on it!