Looking for work in the IT sector - advice on the best resources
 

Hi all!

(Long story short - "Are there any specific job boards / methods for getting a LIMA's job offer as an Software Developer?")

The time has finally arrived for us to start our emigration process in earnest!

We've had our Express Entry profile active for a while now and were hoping on the off chance to be selected for FSW but obviously, the points value isn't yet quite with us.

We gave ourselves until January 1st 2016 before we went down the route of trying to get a Temporary Foreign Worker visa to help the FSW application along. So, now our house has been partially packed away and we're now ready to move to Canada on a months notice! Whoopee!!

All we're missing is a job offer!

I've been looking at roles for Android Developers on JobBank.gc.ca and there are very few roles that don't explicitly say "You must already have a work permit to apply for this role".

Almost everything on sites such as Monster say the same.

Are there any specific job boards / methods for getting a LIMA's job offer as an Software Developer? Does anybody have any tips for me? I am assuming that eventually people just happen upon an employer by applying for jobs as normal - hopefully I'm not way off and it's impossible to find this way?

Thanks for any help!

Graeme

Re: Looking for work in the IT sector - advice on the best resources
 

Have you read the Job Hunting section of the Wiki? It's just that you seem to be relying on applying for jobs via the Internet, which isn't likely to result in anything. Have a read of it to understand how vital personal contact and networking will be, and plan a trip to Canada.

Best of luck.

Re: Looking for work in the IT sector - advice on the best resources
 

Hi Mrs Oompa!

I read through the pinned posts and the related wiki articles but I didn't see this before now:

Finding Job Opportunities-Canada : British Expat Wiki

Wouldn't have known it was there without you - thanks :) It suggests these websites:

Randstad Technologies
Canada IT
IT Careers
IT Jobs
Jobs I.T. World

Which I'll definitely add to my list to follow up on.

Worried that you say "It isn't likely to result in anything". In my experience when it comes to getting developer positions, getting the interview is the hard part - once you've got the interview your almost there in my experience.

Also worried it suggests looking up your field, finding the big employers and call them. I'm not sure how applicable that is to software development field as a whole...

These points terrify me:

" -Just submitting online applications is not enough.
- You need to phone prospective employers while you're still in the UK.
- Yes, even if it's against your instincts to make cold calls, you need to phone prospective employers while you're still in the UK."

I couldn't possibly imagine calling someone to look for a job, completely alien to me. I've never once looked for a company to join rather than for a role - am I mad, is it my profession, or is it just something everyone looking to go to Canada needs to figure out no matter what profession there in?

Every time I come on here it always take a really nice edge of my excitement and optimism and makes me wonder If I'm mad for even trying! :D

Graeme

Re: Looking for work in the IT sector - advice on the best resources
 

... Although I do enjoy that my current mental image of what "Networking" is involves tuxes and glittery dresses at cocktail parties. My image of "Networking" has obviously come from watching 80's movies, might need to update that.

Re: Looking for work in the IT sector - advice on the best resources
 

Brilliant, that made me laugh out loud! :lol:

Yes, you do need to do as the Wiki suggests and get rid of your innate 'Britishness'. Be more North American, ballsy and in your face! Hopefully those that work in IT will be along to offer you some specific advice for the industry shortly, best of luck.

Re: Looking for work in the IT sector - advice on the best resources
 

Been working in IT in Ottawa for a few years now. When I was first looking I didn't know enough people to do any networking. What I did was to get in contact with several agencies and soon you will figure out which ones are the most useful to you and which ones just bulk collect data to look good.

Someone above mentioned Randstad. I worked for them for a while and they're a fairly decent company, especially if you get the right recruiter. Find agencies that are in your target location. I found Jobbank and Monster and Workopolis to be of little use and had more opportunities with local agents. I also don't think there's much value in cold calling companies, but that's just my opinion.

Get a contract job or if possible a permanent role and get settled in then prove yourself and take some time to land a better opportunity. IT vacancies seemed to pick up a lot in the autumn last year and now after the holiday break will likely be active again.

Re: Looking for work in the IT sector - advice on the best resources
 

Not wanting to rain on your parade, but getting LMIAs for tech jobs is really hard at the moment - I know because my firm used to do this quite often but has now given up after several expensive rejections followed by appeals followed by more rejections. That may change with the new government but, for the moment, it seems to be business as usual for Service Canada. If you're young enough, a much better bet would be the CEC route.

Re: Looking for work in the IT sector - advice on the best resources
 

The CEC route?

To qualify for this don't you need to have:

"have at least 12 months of full time (or the equivalent in part-time) skilled work experience in Canada with the proper authorization in the three years before they apply"

Hire a foreign worker with Canadian experience

If I have even a job offer my applications on FSW will get going and would have permanent residency 6 months afterwards hopefully (that's what i understand at the moment).

Re: Looking for work in the IT sector - advice on the best resources
 

Sorry, I meant the IEC class!

International Experience Canada – travel and work in Canada

Your chances of getting a company to sponsor you for an LMIA are going to be a lot higher if you're already working for them and they can claim that you have specialist knowledge of their business that they can't otherwise find amongst citizen's and PRs. It might also be that after a year in Canada you then have enough points to get through express entry under the CEC class, although that's by no means certain.

edit: there's also provincial nomination programmes that you might qualify for once here.

Re: Looking for work in the IT sector - advice on the best resources
 

Too old :( Ah well.

Thanks for suggesting it!

Re: Looking for work in the IT sector - advice on the best resources
 

Don't give up, it's not entirely impossible just very tough right now. Another route is to get a job with a Canadian company in the UK and then get them to transfer you to Canada after a year, that doesn't require an LMIA. All the Canadian banks have London operations for a start, then there are the mining companies and others too.

Re: Looking for work in the IT sector - advice on the best resources
 

It isn't quite that simple, unfortunately.

Intra-Company Transfer-Canada : British Expat Wiki

Re: Looking for work in the IT sector - advice on the best resources
 

It depends on what you define as simple I guess but my experience of company transfers is that they're still straightforward to get for technical people in comparison to LMIAs. Unless the person is doing an entirely generic job, a year or so working for the company is generally enough to satisfy the specialised knowledge requirement.

Re: Looking for work in the IT sector - advice on the best resources
 

Hi


1. No longer, CIRC has tightening up on the ICT for specialized knowledge

"As of June 9th, 2014, a more rigorous assessment will be applied by officers processing work permit applications for Intra-company Transferees (ICTs) applying as Specialized Knowledge workers.

To have specialized knowledge any ICT applicant would be required to demonstrate, on a balance of probabilities, a high degree of both proprietary knowledge and advanced expertise.

Proprietary knowledge is company-specific expertise related to a company’s product or services. It implies that the company has not divulged specifications that would allow other companies to duplicate the product or service. Advanced proprietary knowledge would require an applicant to demonstrate:

• uncommon knowledge of the host firm’s products or services and its application in international markets; or
• an advanced level of expertise or knowledge of the enterprise’s processes and procedures such as its production, research, equipment, techniques or management.

An advanced level of expertise is also required, which would require specialized knowledge gained through significant (i.e. the longer the experience, the more likely the knowledge is indeed “specialized”) and recent (i.e. within the last 5 years) experience with the organization and used by the individual to contribute significantly to the employer’s productivity.
CIC considers specialized knowledge to be knowledge that is unique and uncommon; it will by definition be held by only a small number or small percentage of employees of a given firm. Specialized Knowledge workers must therefore demonstrate that they are key personnel, not simply highly skilled."

Re: Looking for work in the IT sector - advice on the best resources
 

Again, all I can say is that my experience suggests it's still not that hard since my firm has managed to transfer people in the last 6 months without much problem. We have, on other hand, failed to be granted LMIAs on several occasions.