Some help on Canada immigration
 

Hello there,

This is my first time posting on this forum. I have been trawling through this forum regularly, this definitely makes interesting reading as some members here knows their stuff as they have been through the experience of emigrating. I am hoping that some of you might be able to help to answer my queries...

I am thinking of emigrating to Canada, despite some negative comments here I am attracted to the Canadian lifestyle. I am growing disillusioned with my own country, the mighty Great Britain, which leaves much to be desired many thanks to the Labour party and increasing yob and chav culture and expensive rip off prices.

I have been visiting Canada every year with my family all my life, I am 24 today, my father's brother and sister, my aunt and uncle, they married Canadians and have been bringing up their own families in Oakville and Mississauga, we have visited them regularly ever since.
My family have often talked about emigrating to Canada to join my aunt and uncle, but the years have passed my parents are now in their fifties, they cannot be bothered to make the effort to emigrate any more. A few years ago, my aunt and grandfather (my mother's sister and father) both died from cancer four years from each other, my grandmother is now alone all on her own since, my parents did not want to emigrate leaving my grandmother behind.

My parents and my brother now do not want to move abroad permanently, this might sound selfish, I am the only one in my family that wants to move away to start afresh to join my Canadian families. At 24 I have whole of my life ahead of me, so I thought why not? My families from both ends have been encouraging, my aunt and uncle said they will back me up in any way for me to move to Canada permanently.

Some people I have read here may have been put off or disappointed by living in Canada, especially by the extreme weather in Ontario and the difficulty of getting jobs and the lower economy. But I am not deterred by that, I love the weather anyway, lots of snow in the winter and beautiful summers, wonderful autumn colours - I have witnessed all that in my visits. I am not surprised of the difficulty of getting a job in Canada, it's still hard enough back here! The pluses are the lower crime rate and no Tony Blair and chav culture to put up with and it's next to the USA, who can ask for more?

I have made a lot of friends in the Toronto area over the years after meeting them through the family and some are neighbours, and through activity clubs from when I was younger and we have kept in touch since.




I am a graduate with a 2.1 BA (Hons) in Graphic Design, I am currently a junior web designer working in a small design studio in Bristol, which it was very tough to gain but I was lucky though. If I am lucky enough to move to Canada, I would like to continue with the same profession over there but I am not sure if this is possible.

I have been swotting up on some research through the web and library books, I read somewhere you cannot really simply apply for any job you would like to work in Canada, because the employer who wants to hire you has to prove to the HRSDC that there is no Canadian available to take up the job therefore getting the green light to bring in an immigrant. So apparently I think this means there is no shortage of web designers over there!
Also this might means I have to do a job no Canadian wants to do, is that right?

And I also read that writing or applying for jobs in Canada from abroad is the least successful method as employers are not allowed to hire foreigners without HRSDC permission, so I guess Canadians obivously get first priority. When I try to search on the web for jobs in Canada for foreigners, this always take me to Canadian job sites which I don't think foreigners are allowed to apply for. I am confused here, anybody here put me right on this? How do I apply for jobs in the right way?

I have one year professional experience and a bit of fluency in French (but only in reading and writing, listening as I am terrible at speaking) behind me so far, I was astonished to read on the forum that the application processing time for a visa seems to take a lifetime to be finalised and not hearing anything much in the duration, that must be agony!

If you are offered a job in Canada, and with that offer you start the application for a visa, but if this takes years to get one, surely the employer can't wait that long for you to start the job once you get a visa?
Do you have to have a job offer to get a work permit or visa? I read that to get a permit or visa, you must have a job offer, if you must, that is such a shame that you cannot get a permit and go and look for jobs when you get to Canada.

Sorry if I have bored you with my life story and I would be very grateful for any answers, tips or any help!

cheers

fireweaver

Re: Some help on Canada immigration
 

You might want to look into the BUNAC visa: I believe that does allow you to work in Canada for a year in most jobs, which might well allow you to find a longer-term job that would get you a 'real' work permit while you apply for residency.

Re: Some help on Canada immigration
 

If you come over as a permanent resident you can do any job, so you could still be a graphic designer. The HRDC approval is for those coming over on a work permit, so if there is a shortage of graphic designers you could work in Canada while waiting for your PR to come through. If you can't get a work permit you are looking at a 3-year wait, you probably won't qualify under family class for sponsorship as your relatives are not "close" enough.

Re: Some help on Canada immigration
 

Check out the Job Bank at the HRSDC web-site to see if there are any F/T jobs you could seriously apply for if you were in Canada on a TR visa (UK passport holders, if there is no probs at customs/immigration, get a six month stamp, as you know).
Now remember, one can have as many applications for which ever going at the same time, your first generates a file no., which you quote on all subsequent applications.
Track something down at the HRSDC Job bank thats got around a minimum of three years work in the contract. Apply for HRSDC approval, you are doing this whilst a guest of your relations. If ya TRV is running low, apply for extension, proving having a min. of $1000 in the bank for a year and ask for a years extension and that you are staying with relations, whilst researching an idea to maybe immigrate. Get your HRSDC sanctioned long term job offer, apply for the relevant work visa, cancel the TRV extension application, if it`s not been completed yet. Now ask your employer to make you another job offer where by you apply for PR, based on that employers job offer.

Now let`s see who else adds to this thread, I have suggested this as a possible way, I do not know of any person who has done such! :confused: :D