colonel

We [family of five] are currently based in Perth, WA on a sponsored visa and we are now looking to relocate to Canada.

I have made initial enquiries to Canadian recruitment agencies and they have advised that they will place me on a sponsored visa with no problems.

We are looking at Toronto due to it proximity to US cities which give us the opportunity to travel.

The agency has suggested vacancies in Vancouver and British Columbia. We are in two minds about these locations due to their remoteness.

The reason for wanting to leave Oz is because we want lived here for a year and want to travel a bit more before we finally settle back in the South of England.

Our time here has shown us that nothing will replace the UK as our home which is good because we want to travel while we can !

Any help or advice would be appreciated...we are still trying to research living costs etc.

christmasoompa

Hi, and welcome to the Canadian side of the forum!

This sounds a bit odd to be honest. A recruitment agency shouldn't have anything to do with visas, it will be your prospective employer that needs to apply for the Labour Market Opinion. Given how many LMO's are being rejected at the mo, it also seems odd that they're saying they can place you 'with no problems'.

Just checking, but you're not paying the recruitment agency anything are you?

Notwithstanding the above, I'm not sure you could count Vancouver as 'remote', and if proximity to the US is important to you, it may well be ideal.

Have a look in the Wiki (follow the link in my signature) which has info on the various Canadian cities, and also on the Temp Work Permit/visa side of things for you.

Good luck.

Atlantic Xpat

Isn't Perth one of the remotest cities on the planet? By comparison Vancouver would be at the centre of the universe. What do you do?/Want to do in Canada? That's the start. Reading the wiki is a useful thing as is checking out www.cic.gc.ca to understand how you might immigrate to Canada. I'd take anything a recruitment or migration agency tells you with a hefty pinch of salt. No recruitment agency can guarantee you a visa.

colonel

Firstly, when I say that the agency will place me, I actually meant that they advised that they have a number of clients who are looking for people with my skills and hence, do not see placement as a problem.

I am a Chartered Quantity Surveyor with over 15 years experience.

I have been advised that my occupation is in demand and hence, I guess, this is why the agency does not see any problems with the offering of a relocation package. no monies have been paid !

Maybe I will check Vancouver again.... !

christmasoompa

Ah, I see. That's good that they think they could find you something, hope that they are aware of the paperwork/hassle/wait that a potential employer would have to go through to hire you (many recruitment agencies wouldn't be) though.

Not sure if you'd need to sit any equivalency exams or similar to be able to work in Canada - something to check out anyway. Maybe a quick search of the forum might bring up relevant threads? Edit: just found this recent one which will tell you what you need to do to work in Canada as a QS. http://britishexpats.com/forum/showt...tered+surveyor

In which case, just playing devils advocate for a mo, but why is it not on the list of occupations in demand published by the Canadian government?

Hope you do find something as quickly and easily as you have been led to believe, good luck.

colonel

The agency concerned is called Hays and they have significant global experience in this type of industry. I have been advised that they have undertaken a number of relocations from Australia to Canada within the last six months.

Thanks for this...very useful information. As a Chartered Surveyor, I am able to use the MRICS designation and hence, my qualifications should be sufficient to demonstrate my experience.

As many companies offer sponsorship, I suppose this alone demonstrates my occupation being in demand ?

Thanks

Atlantic Xpat

Again, playing devils advocate you should check whether MRICS means anything in Canada. Note that regulation will be at the provincial level not federal, so it may vary from province to province.

Canada is great at protectionism and beaucracy and shiny qualifications from another country, does not neccessarily mean easy entry to the Canadian workforce. Research yourself. Don't believe an agency. You have more equity in this than they do.

Also, do research work permits and immigration routes. Hays cannot guarantee you either. No matter what they tell you.

AX

ExKiwilass

Hays Schmays. They're just a recruitment agency. I've used them here - that's all they are.

If it's not on the 'list" it's not in demand such that your employer won't need an LMO. IMO before working out where in Canada you want to live, you need to get a job with LMO.

Vancouver is about 3 hours drive from Seattle, which is in teh US

ExKiwilass

They don't 'offer sponsorship' ala Australia. It's a different system here where they have to get a Labour Market Opinion from the government.

iaink

In reality the difference in flight time between TO and London and Vancouver to London is only 2 or 3 hours due to the routes taken... Compared to Perth - London thats small potatoes.

Personally I'd look closely at what the two cities have to offer and decide based on that. Cost of living is probably only marginally more in Vancouver, and you have ocean and mountains and an absense of the real canadian winter in your favour. November to April in Toronto is going to seem pretty parky compared to Perth! Vancouver of course is nearly always at the top of international recruitment surveys for the best places to live too.

Not worth buying propery for the sake of a year, canadian realtors would make nice profit from you. Renting in Vancouver is maybe better value. What about Calgary? You would get the mountains, and a real winter experience..

As others have said, check out the realities of qualification recognition, Canadian professional organisations are notoriously parochial about these things.

"Demand" is one of those CIC immigration terms, just cos there are jobs doesnt necessarily mean CIC have it on the "in demand" list. Likewise, just cos CIC say its in demand doesnt necessarily mean you would walk into a job either. Its all a bit retarded

Seems like a lot of effort just for one year. Probably far less hassle to head somewhere in Europe for the sake of a stepping stone back to the UK...

Boy d

I d hardly call Vancouver isolated, although some seem to think so. Personally I never feel that way.

I m with Ian on his one though, too much effort and expensive for a year if blighty is the short term goal.

el_richo

British Columbia is a small town sized area located near the west of Canada with limited access to civilization. I'd think twice about moving there, especially the southern coastal area.

Vancouver on the other hand is a huge metropolis with opportunities aplenty and access to the nicer parts of the US second to none. I've heard it's very family friendly and great for the kids.

ExKiwilass