beckiwoo

It was an agreement from the Sydney Olympics in regards to IEC.

I'm guessing it's the same but I don't if you will have to get a police check done - the agreement with the UK and Australia means we don't have to - we rock up as soon as we get the ok for the visa without having to showing proof of funds and all that stuff

WildfireV2

Permanent roles as in, stay in the UK & work on the goal of training with a company for 3 years and putting Canada on the backburner?

Or permanent as in, from now to If I am lucky enough to get on the IEC program?

Apologies for the misinterpretation, been a difficult day psychologically!

JamesM

It's up to you.

If you want to go straight to Canada you can employ the same strategy over there.

Right now it seems you need good solid work experience and some money.

I'm suggesting you should try and kick some doors in rather than waiting for them to open.

You are probably better placed arriving in Canada with good work experience if your goal is to stay as then you can get a decent job where you will have more options for immigration routes.

What I was trying to get at is are any of the passed exams with an English Accounting body worth anything with the Canadian bodies? That way you can also persue some exams there and then top them up here. You don't need to be with the same employer the whole time.

Just be mindful that employers often pay for exams and if people leave mid training they sometimes want the money back. Not in all cases.

WildfireV2

Yeah.

I mean, it all seems so simple on paper, & looking at it all, its not a bad situation to be in considering that on the understanding that I work in a relevant position for the next 12 months I could effectively decide to either carry on & pursue the qualification here, or go to Canada & find a way of carrying it on there.

Neither of those are bad scenarios, but for some reason in my mind its as though they are impossibilities. Maybe because I have forgotten quite a bit of content from my degree as I haven't applied any knowledge since I left last summer. So part of me thinks I would not be able to actually qualify.

The other side of it is, I'd be worried about if i managed to get on this IEC program, that I would either, not be able to find work or relevant work. & Waste 2 years (Assuming I can only use a UK passport & apply for the extra year while Im there) of my life albeit in an amazing environment, but have to come crawling back to the UK & be where I was before I left, in the same situation.

Forgive me for blabbering, or maybe making things more complex than they have to be, its just that, as of this moment with very little money behind me & no current work, I feel like I am not capable of much, or destined to fail.

I do appreciate your replies so far though.

SchnookoLoly

This is probably a good site to peruse for the Canadian qualification: http://www.cica.ca/becoming-a-ca/index.aspx

JamesM

Can't delete?

JamesM

To be an accountant you are more than likely going to have work a full time job and study hard on weekends.

I couldn't do it, got fed up and quit.

There was also my hatred of staring at spreadsheets, lack of attention to detail and loathing of photocopying and filing invoices.

There are good financial rewards though if you get through it.

Your degree knowledge will probably not be a tonne of use. You need practical on the job experience. Although I remember my degree gave me some exemptions from the professional bodies.

My mate Dave took a year to find a job, but he eventually got one with the NHS. He was up in Middlesborough. Now he is a Financial Controller for a large software company's European Division. They even have a few people working for him which is mildly disturbing to myself.

Slow and steady wins the race. Set short term goals that link to a long term strategy and get on with it. Plan the work and work the plan.

You'll have set backs like everybody else. The plan may need tinkering but you have to hustle. That is pretty much life and it doesn't really change.

Travel in your early 20's is not a waste and you would never regret it.

beckiwoo

Totally agree with that - although I did mine in my mid 20s and I'm going again this year when I am 30 - your not expected to settle down with a mortgage, wife and kids and in a 9-5 straight away

Gozit

+2

Are you coming to Canada on IEC, beckiwoo?

beckiwoo

I am indeed

MrFloyd

I've been in simillar siutations to yourself and I advise, wholeheartedly, to crack on with the IEC at the first opportunity you can. Save as many pennies as possible and do it properly. I'm going over on the IEC in August and my only regret it not doing it sooner.

Don't stagnate!

WildfireV2

From the sound of the program I honestly want to. I just feel like im in an impossible situation.

First of all I have to find work in the UK relevant to my degree, which is what im currently doing, looking for any experience within chartered accountancy firms so I can begin studying ACCA and redeem exemptions & get my knowledge back up from what I have forgotten from uni. Hopefully I can get some form of accounting position soon, I have a feeling itll more than likely be something like accounts payable in private.

Then I have to save the money, providing Im working it isnt a big deal, I still live with grandparents at the moment & dont go out much so my general expenses are pretty basic.

The more I read about the IEC, the more it worries me, because in my opinion doing a program like that for 2 years is something that would encourage me to try and get permanent residency. But from what it looks like, you cannot get back into Canada after the IEC without having some kind of Skilled trade (Which I don't have & even if I worked in something like accounts payable for almost a year before going to Canada, I still wouldn't be classed as skilled worker or having 1 years work experience within Canada in a skilled trade (Which I dont understand how anyone can get some form of skilled work within the 2 year period, because It would mean re-qualifying I assume, which looks impossible).

Maybe I am wrong, I don't know... But as far as my understanding goes, once you land in Canada on the IEC program, any UK experience or education means nothing. So my accounting degree would be useless, and the only type of work one would be able to get is things like barstaff, general admin stuff etc etc, which again does not help in the ultimate goal of permanent residency.

Do you see the dilemma? Or am I just being stupid! haha, the IEC seems like an incredible opportunity, but my worry is that a permanent residency is just impossible with the field I have any education or possible experience in & if thats the case, going there would just be 2 years of working in normal jobs and enjoying an amazing country, but then having the horribly depressing return to the UK!

Apologies for the doom & gloom way of looking at it, maybe Im wrong I dont know.

EDIT I believe that If i study ACCA within the next year while working in some kind of relevant field, because I get 9 exemptions from the degree I did, there might be a possible way of training with a firm in Canada if I did the IEC. As far as im aware, ACCA is in Canada and has some kind of agreement with them, whether or not that could benefit me if I joined ACCA & ultimately help in PR, I have no clue as of right now.

Siouxie

Yes, ACCA are in Canada http://www.accaglobal.com/ca/en/disc...ca-canada.html

Why limit yourself to your degree subject though (particularly if you don't enjoy it)?

If you look at the NOC Matix http://www5.hrsdc.gc.ca/NOC/english/...ml/Matrix.html all jobs covered in sections A/O/B are classed as 'skilled'.

There are Provincial Nominee Programs that accept semi-skilled applicants for PR. http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/immigra.../apply-who.asp

Don't give up before you have looked into it. There are more than 50 different routes to obtaining PR.

WildfireV2

Interesting response, & I dont want to limit myself to my degree. I did my degree as more of a safety and mobility option rather than what the heart wants type of thing, but I guess I feel like switching to a career which can net me a PR in the end, means years of retraining as something else, risking it all, maybe getting another degree.

Im 24 now, & often feel like im running out of time, a little bit afraid of wasting more time too.

Dont get me wrong, i would do any job pretty much while I was on the IEC program, but ultimately with the view to get a PR, I would need a skilled worker trade, which doesn't see achievable without already having experience or relevant degree in those fields.

Am i making any sense? haha

Edit: I just noticed this section under the "Skilled B" Major Group 13
Finance, insurance
and related business
administrative occupations

131 Finance, insurance and related business administrative occupations

Do you think this essentially means, Accounting clerks, such as people who work in accounts payable/receivable, or accounts assistants etc? I wonder if those are possible jobs to acquire once landing with IEC? Certainly those are within my grasp.

Siouxie

Have you looked at any of the links?

You don't necessarily need a degree or years of training to find skilled work. 131 Finance, insurance and related business administrative occupations is classed as skilled. 124 Office administrative assistants - general, legal and medical is classed as skilled. You just need a minimum 1 year of experience.

You can obtain PR through a semi-skilled job once you have worked for 6-9 months (depending on the Province) - if you were to work for a year in the UK as an office assistant, an administrative support position in finance, a sales rep or retail sales **in specific industries** and then got a job in BC (for instance) after 9 months you would qualify for Provincial Nomination under the semi-skilled stream.



Edited to say I just saw your edit -

http://www5.hrsdc.gc.ca/NOC/English/...al15=0&val16=0

1311 Accounting technicians and bookkeepers

Accounting technicians and bookkeepers maintain complete sets of books, keep records of accounts, verify the procedures used for recording financial transactions, and provide personal bookkeeping services. They are employed throughout the private and public sectors, or they may be self-employed.

accounting bookkeeper
accounting technician
bookkeeper
bookkeeping clerk
budget officer
finance officer
financial officer
senior bookkeeper

1431 would be semi-skilled. http://www5.hrsdc.gc.ca/NOC/English/...al15=0&val16=0

accounting clerk
accounts payable clerk
accounts receivable clerk
audit clerk
billing clerk
budget clerk
costing clerk
deposit clerk
finance clerk
freight-rate clerk
income tax return preparer
invoice clerk
ledger clerk
tax clerk

** in specific industries unless you were to move to the Northern Territories