helcat12

Hello, everyone. I am a newbie to this site, so bear with me!
I have read all the stuff and am still confused. I so desperately want to relocate permanently to Vancouver Island, pref the North East coast.
Husband in IT, me a Primary teacher, both 40, no kids, just cats, own a home with a small mortgage here, some savings but mostly equity in house.
My job is on the list of shortage occupations in BC, but I would have to join the supply list when I arrived, so money an issue.
I just don't know how to evaluate the best route to apply. I am getting the paperwork together for my Brtish Columbia College of Teachers certificate, but it is likely that I will have to do some distance learning on Canadian history etc to qualify for the full certification that will allow me to teach. The advice i have read on the teaching front seems conflicting - some say it is hard to get a job, others that it is easy and it is listed as a shortage area....
My husband is well qualified in his area of expertise.
I just need some clarification of how things work and the best and quickest way to get over there!
I want to go NOW!

christmasoompa

Hi and welcome to the forum.

Unfortunately, it would appear that you have misunderstood a couple of things - there is no longer an Occupations Under Pressure list for BC, they were done away with last year (although I don't believe teaching was ever on them anyway, so not sure what list you were looking at?). And I'm afraid that teaching is definitely not in demand anywhere in Canada - have a read of the following Wiki article (and bear in mind this was written before the recession, so I'm afraid things are even worse now with the current economic situation in Canada). http://britishexpats.com/wiki/Teaching_in_Canada

Put simply, your husband is probably your only chance of getting a visa. Have a read of the following Wiki article to start understanding the basics, and then once you have an idea of what visa route you wish to take, you can come back and ask questions..............http://britishexpats.com/wiki/Quick_...an_Immigration

Good luck.

MR79

teachers are coming over from Canada to teach in the UK, due to shortage of teaching jobs in Canada.....

MR79

Aviator

Have you been to the NE part of the Island?

helcat12

Sure have, Aviator! Port McNeill area. Are you familiar with it?

helcat12

Is it an actual shortage of jobs, or just an inability/unwillingness to wait for one? I do not want to gainsay you, MR79, but my research suggests there may be another reason for this.
There is a different system of recruitment in Canada, I believe, which means that seniority dictates which candidate secures the post.
Obviously,I know the UK job market well and here, that is certainly not he case. Rather the opposite, in fact, as budgets at the moment often dictate that a school must recruit someone cheaper if they have an already mature (and therefore expensive ) staff. In the UK, there are more jobs than teachers in some places but in others, returners coming back after having children are regularly priced out of the market!
A young teacher over here stands a great chance of beating more experienced opposition to a post, whereas in Canada (or at least B.C, where my interest lies) this is just not possible.
The numbers may show teachers coming here, but could it be that they are attracted by our system because young teachers might not want to move to less populated areas of Canada to hasten their progress up the job waiting list and might not have the finances to support themselves in supply or part-time work as a more mature teacher with a working partner (i.e.ME) could?
I would really like to hear from teachers who have relocated to B.C and find out how it worked for them.

Aviator

Been in a few times. Just wondered if you knew how isolated the upper island is. Many come out here with no clue how far out places are, how difficult it can be to get around, and how fickle the economy can be in some of these small towns. Some nice places to live, but some will end up with cabin fever.

Teaching is pretty much a closed shop here, once you are in you're OK and seniority does rule. Thank the unions for that. It's not impossible to get in but not easy. Some of the more remote areas may be easier as fewer people want to live there and recruitment may be harder.

helcat12

We chose to go there because we like the isolation, but I appreciate it isn't for everybody!. We kayaked and wilderness camped for a while out there and found the small community we stayed in between kayak trips was very like the small village we live in now, but better! We made a lot of friends there and felt completely at home. Teaching is also a community in itself, I think.
What you say about the teaching situation echoes what I have heard. Are you in the trade?

Aviator

Done some training, but in the airline industry, I'm a retired pilot. Never had the patience to teach kids. Sounds like you will enjoy the Island life. Hope it works out for you.

helcat12

Thanks for the good vibe, Aviator.
Now, if I can only find out how to get over there....

oakbayseals

Did you make it in Vancouver Island yet?
would be interested to know how it works out. We landed to get PR in August this year. and returned to UK as otherwise would not find 2 weeks window before June 2010. Medical would have expired and we only wanted to come in July.
We are in the process of selling our house, complete kid's schooling and we are coming for good next July 2010. We will be in Victoria. University and High School are luckily sorted out for both kids there. Been to V.I. twice this year and fell in love with that part of the island (Saanich peninsula). We do want to go more North of the Island in a few years though as we love peace and quiet. Victoria offers everything.
Also 40years old and retiring! But probably looking at investment opportunities in Victoria for myself to use business skills. Husband will stick to IT for a while.
Good luck!
A fellow near Islander

Robin (The Gadget family)

Welcome to the forum helcat12. I have nothing of note to contribute but we also hope to live on Vancouver Island.....somewhere very near my brothers in between Courtney and Campbell River. We've been quite a few times and have spent summers sailing in Desolation Sound/Gulf Islands and camping on logging sites around the Island.

Good luck with the research

Novocastrian

Every province is different in education policy (and many other things), but here in Ontario you can't even appliy for accreditation by the Ontario College of Teachers until you are legally resident here. It took my OH over a year to get accredited.

lmartin999

I had a colleague at SFU who for various reasons also wanted to registered with BC College of Teachers. They evaluated his papers and told him that he needed to take an additional course. Turned out the course they wanted him to do was one he was teaching...
Unless things have changed they are a pain and very full of themselves. UBC actually went to court against them some years ago and won:

"The College of Teachers had established a detailed process for the assessment and approval of local training programs. The College’s Program Approval Team made a number of detailed recommendations for UBC’s training program. These recommendations addressed, among other things, the level of staffing, the student / supervisor ratio for the practice teaching, and the consultative process for the university and its sessional faculty advisors.

UBC declined to follow the recommendations asserting that the College was interfering in its internal affairs. The College refused to approve the UBC program. UBC went to court."

rae

are you in canada yet, or are you basing these sweeping statements purely on an article from wiki. i wonder if the two english teachers in my daughters school are reading how apparently they don't exist as they are not in demand.