In for a penny...
 

Right that's it, I've decided to get back on the emmigration trail. I abandoned it a few years ago for career/family reasons. Now the family issues are sorted and my present employer doesn't offer any long term career plans, I feel this is a great opportunity to try and live abroad. On top of which, after my trip back in the spring I'm really missing Canada! :)

Wish me luck, need to get the paperwork dug out whilst I have a few days off, before no doubt I have to work 60 hour weeks again! :)



(I'm posting this so that I can't be lazy and find other things to do with my days off! ;))



Edited to add anyone need a Java Dev/Lead Dev with almost 10 years experience in Finance/Biotech/Defence/Law Enforcement sectors?

Re: In for a penny...
 

Do you have a current application in process? I assume you will be/are going down the skilled worker route.

If you are starting a new application, be aware that applications are only entertained from the restricted list of 38 occupations - software developer isn't one of them, although IT Manager is. Otherwise it's the work permit route.

Re: In for a penny...
 

As bodgerx said, you are going to have to somehow spin that "Lead Dev" role into an actual IT Manager role. Depending on the type of Lead Dev role you've been doing it might involve enough management to qualify. Check out what they expect an IT Manager to do and start from there.

Re: In for a penny...
 

Oh heck, when did that come into play? I'm not a manager of any sort, and to me IT are the guys who work on the office networks etc, not those who are employed to create new software.

Looks like that scotches that avenue, I will need to try work permit route I guess, and in the current climate I doubt many of those are being issued.

Re: In for a penny...
 

I would take a good look at the manager category 0213 here

http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/immigra...tions.asp#list

http://www5.hrsdc.gc.ca/NOC/English/...spx?val65=0213

Your team lead experience may qualify ;)

Re: In for a penny...
 

You need to find out what an IT manager does. Many people will say you work in IT regardless of what you think it means.

Re: In for a penny...
 

People think I "work in IT" purely because i use a laptop :D

Buffoons

Re: In for a penny...
 

Stick a picture of a half eaten apple on it and pointedly show everyone how cool you are by using it in coffee shops. That way people will think you are a twat rather than just a nerd;)

People who do stuff with computers for their job are going to get called IT people by those that don't. I doubt that CHC is any different. Actually I'm surprised that they don't have a NOC code for "works with computers"

Re: In for a penny...
 

As a software developer who has developed Mac apps, I take offense to that. Although I didn't do it in a coffee shop, so I suppose that makes it ok.

Re: In for a penny...
 

If development is 'in house', the development team would typically come under the IT department - where else would they go? If software development isn't classed as a form of IT goodness knows what is.

If you had an app under the old system it is a shame you didn't continue with it and delay landing. We have seen a few posters lately that have decided to change there mind and continue with the application - some have been disappointed, others have been able to continue.

Re: In for a penny...
 

For many - IT people are those that plug cables in and support microsoft office. Developers like to see themselves apart from that.

Re: In for a penny...
 

That alone is worth some karma ... thank you (from a very late comer to the Mac world ...) J :)

Re: In for a penny...
 

What is it with apple fan boys (and girls).... sigh. It's just a computer - why is that some apple users 'love' them. I'm a mac owner and I can say that there really isn't anything special about them.

Re: In for a penny...
 

As far as architecture is concerned you are right - a Mac these days, with its x86 CPU is a PC. What is special about them?:

Superbly designed hardware (the 24 iMac that I'm typing this on now is a thing of beauty).
The operating system. OSX is great to look at, fast and very stable.

I think from a novice end-user point of view I don't understand why more people don't have them. I'm an IT guy, but even I like the fact that I spend way less time tinkering with my home computer then I ever did with any of my Windows or Linux machines.

Yes, they are expensive (the Apple Tax) but it isn't as if you are getting nothing for the premium.

Re: In for a penny...
 

I use my mac a lot, but the type of use it gets is limited - firefox, iPlayer, plex (which is actually a very cool app), and mameosx are the only I apps I ever actually run. I got a mac mini over a PC as the mac did everything I need and fits nicely under my tv. My only real complaint with the mac is the inability to change the size of the system font without changing the screen resolution - this is a shocking piece of functionality to be missing. Sick of squinting at menus from my sofa:frown:

Re: In for a penny...
 

If you were using it as a media player why don't you use FrontRow. The fonts are huge on that it is more suited to remote control.

Otherwise download Tinkertool - you can adjust all the system font sizes using it. They are also configurable by system pfiles as well, you just don't get the option on the UI for that.

Re: In for a penny...
 

Sadly the NOC code site doesn't seem to be working right now. :(

However last time I was doing the paperwork, there were NOC codes for software developers as opposed to IT roles. It's not about being elitist, it's really a different role - imagine lumping long distance drivers and mechanics together because they both work with vehicles.

Will check what an IT manager does when the site is back, but I'm not hopeful. As team lead I kept the guys working, I didn't do all the cost to complete/gant charts etc that the Spreadsheet jockeys require.

Re: In for a penny...
 

FrontRow just doesn't have the grunt for my 1080p content, so now I never use it. I use plex which can play my 1080p movies properly and has plug ins for various websites (channel 4od, bbc iplayer, hulu etc).

I've tried tinkertool - it allows me to change some fonts (the mac os developers have obviously never tested these at large sizes cos they look crap, bleed into other areas etc); anyway - as far as I know there is no way of changing the font used in the menus which is my real problem. I gave up looking when I read this

Re: In for a penny...
 

First of all apologies to the OP for diverting the thread .... ;)

I'm a pre-windows user - my first work computer was a BT Merlin (I think??), about 2mg ram - state of the art technology at the time!! :rofl: I started with MS dos then moved on to Windows and was amazed you could perform tasks with a mouse instead of typing in commands for everything that you were doing :)

Now I have "regressed" and have a childlike love of pretty icons and all things Mac. What things do I love most? The fact there is no processor box under my desk humming all day; the sleek aluminum look of the screen; the speed it turns on in the morning; how quickly I can learn new things; the fact that in the two years I have had the Mac I have probably only had to "re-boot" it less than five times, oh and the envious look on people's faces when they spot it on my desk :p.

I could go on but yes - like a reborn non-smoker - I am almost evangelical in my love of my Mac!

J :)

Re: In for a penny...
 

haha of all things to be hijacked by, the Mac fan club LOL. A group of people who willingly pay twice the going rate for an Intel running BSD just so they can have something with a half eaten fruit on it! :p ;)

Re: In for a penny...
 

If you have team leader responsibilities you might be able to swing it. All depends on your job description/person spec etc. If you can provide something like that, that matches the key elements of http://www5.hrsdc.gc.ca/NOC/English/...spx?val65=0213 then you are probably fine. At least with the new system you don't have to wait 2-3 years until you find out you've failed...

Re: In for a penny...
 

That turns on resolution independence, which has been in OS X since Tiger as a kind of 'un-documented/dev feature'. Future versions may see it available as a system preference setting. Quite a cool feature though.

Yeah, the one font Tinkertool doesn't allow you to adjust I think is the menu bar - which is irritating. Pretty much everything else should be adjustable.

Depends on how big you set your fonts - I don't think I've set them large enough to see the problems you describe.

Plex sounds good - I tried MediaCentral a few years back - it was ok. I've heard good things about Boxee...

Re: In for a penny...
 

Yeah - I just live with it now. Mainly use firefox anyway, and there are plenty of accessibility plugins to make browsing squint free.

Thanks for the tip about boxee. It seems to be based on XBMC in the same way that plex is and as it looks quite nice I will certainly take a look.

Re: In for a penny...
 

Ok I have finally been able to view the manager's duties, and while I've done some of the things I couldn't swing it. On the plus side both Software Developer—Services (NOC 9990.5) and Software Products Developer (NOC 9990.6) are within my skillset and don't need confirmation from HRSDC.

That should make things a bit easier.

Re: In for a penny...
 

Ditto the above...have some karma from here...love the Mac.....

xxElainexx

Re: In for a penny...
 

It's a catch all term - in a lot of cases the IT Manager is the guy responsible for unboxing PCs and cabling them up. Often it's just the help desk supervisor.

I was in Workopolis anyway, so I did a search for Java - came up with 500+ jobs across Canada.

And just to prove me wrong ... here's a job for an IT Manager to lead a team of developers: http://www.workopolis.com/EN/job/11002224 :rofl:

I used to work for a company in Mississauga that did both development and infrastructure stuff - used to look in on the developers' cave when I visited the office. Very pale looking bunch, looked like they needed to get out more.

Re: In for a penny...
 

Sorry, all the Mac developer stuff gave me brain freeze ... finally read the rest of the thread.

You're talking immigration job categories, not the real world ... take my word for it, there's no connection.

I came over when there was still a required occupations list - that had no resemblance to the real world either.

Time to get back to Workopolis ....

Re: In for a penny...
 

I agree in the real world it can mean anything. However what "IT Manager" means specifically as on the NOC list will be quite specific (well probably - not looked, but they usually are)

Re: In for a penny...
 

Already realised my mistake ... been here so long I'd forgotten about all that stuff :o

Re: In for a penny...
 

A tired and worn cliche. Some of the biggest geeks are actually in the desk-side PC support where we are; us developers are a well travelled, sophisticated, outgoing bunch. :)

Re: In for a penny...
 

That will be enough for a WP. That isn't going to get you PR though...

Re: In for a penny...
 

Even if you do say so yourself ;)

Re: In for a penny...
 

One step at a time, this time last week I thought I'd been scotched by them restricting the NOC codes. :) No but I could apply for PR whilst on the permit, which improves the odds a bit, still I don't expect finding a job will be at all easy.

Re: In for a penny...
 

and modestly left out good looking and wealthy too. :rofl:

Re: In for a penny...
 

Just for a bit of New Year's thread necromancy...

I'm finally back on the application treadmill - I've signed up for a Bunac Visa so just doing the paperwork, which needs to be in before the month end so I need to get my skates (ice obviously given the weather here) to get it all done.

Fingers crossed for being in Canada albiet for only a year from sometime in the late spring! :)

Wish me luck!

Re: In for a penny...
 

good luck SirTainly..:fingerscrossed: