Couture

Hi guys

I have been posting in the UK forum lately but after receiving a job alert from Canada it got me to thinking, could my Mrs and I feasibly look at going to Canada instead?

With the UK now being shafted economically for the next couple of years I suspect we may be on the North American continent for a while (we are currently in México).

WE would like to answer our own questions but our problem is really simply where to begin. We are both architects and are finding it very tricky to find any job listings of substance. Normally they are out of date or there is a "must be canadian resident" clause for most ads.

Can anyone point us in the correct, or a better direction? We are looking at the Cities like Vancouver, Calgary, Toronto - the places which basically have a decent economy.

If anyone knows any agencies or has any useful info for us, it would be much appreciated.

Thanks

C.

JonboyE

Start here ...

http://britishexpats.com/wiki/Category:Canada

I don't think you will have that much joy looking for jobs as architects in job adverts or through an agency. Not that I know much about it but I suspect not. Your better approach is to contact firms directly. However, if they are going to go through the hassles involved in sponsoring a foreign worker you need to give them a convincing reason.

The wiki article "Quick job hunting instructions" will give you some idea of how to go about it.

christmasoompa

Architects are on the list of 29 eligible occupations for the Skilled Worker program. Not sure if you'd be interested in that if you are only looking for something short term (it would give you Canadian Permanent Residence) but you'd find it much, much easier to get a job if you have PR as you'd be authorised to work.

As Jonboy said, finding an employer prepared to sponsor you is going to be much harder.

Good luck.

Couture

Thanks guys. Yeah i trawled through the whole Canada section to try and do the usual groundwork we all do before we make a move, you know...to see how i feel about it.

Being on the eligible occupations list - does that help us? I know that sounds like stupid question but I relly dont know how it helps - does it make it easier for a company to bring in a sponsored foreign national?

I had a job advert sent to me from Lethbridge but thats a REALLY small town and we dont want that...and what I notice is a lack of job sites for the largers places. Im so used to the system in the UK where an Agency is really the best option for architects, here in Mexico its word of mouth, and in Canada it seems similar! Very few good vacancy compilations or genxy websites.

We are both excellent architects with good portfolios so should at least raise an interest....so direct appliction is our best bet yous think.

Thanks again for the responses.

dbd33

What I'd do, and this goes for any job that produces something tangible, is to set up a website with pictures of the work, especially anything out of the ordinary, with text indicating a desire to move to Canada, then email everyone I could find in the business in Canada with a link to the site. I'd hope that'd lead to a discussion of the features of the work and so contacts in the industry. Word of mouth is the way forward in most industries here but that won't work if you're not here and haven't created some monstrosity that people talk about.

christmasoompa

If you go through the Skilled Worker visa process, then you would be a Canadian Permanent Resident - meaning any company doesn't have to do anything special to hire you. They can offer you a job and you can start the same day, so there's no 'sponsorship' required.

JonboyE

Missed that! It does make things a lot easier.

Couture

Another quick question. Immigration for ANY country is not an easy subject im finding.

Ok. I was under the impression that I would enter canada under the FSW visa, but it this really the case? I have been reading posts from people on Temporary Worker Visas which are then 'upgraded' or changed to FSW visa (permanent residence?).

This is a big deal because here in Mexico it says the processing time for FSW is 12 months whereas a TW Visa is 30-40 days.

Any clarification would be much appreciated guys. Its impossible to get a job if theres a 12 month waiting period for a visa.

christmasoompa

You could go via a TWP, but there's no need as your job is on 'the list' of occupations in demand. Most people that go on a TWP don't have any other option - on a TWP you're tied to that one employer so scuppered if made redundant or hate the job, and you don't have the rights of a PR. Most people would get PR before going if they could, but it's just not an option for a lot of them.

Also, you mention the 3-40 days to get a TWP, but you also need to factor in the time to find a job offer from an employer prepared to sponsor you (not easy), and for them to get the Labour Market Opinion. For this they have to prove that they have advertised the job across Canada and been unable to find a Canadian willing, or able, to do the job. The LMO can take several months, so make sure you factor that in.

But you don't need a job to qualify. So, you apply for PR, and then once you've got it you will find it much, much easier to get a job as you already have the right to work. You don't require the sponsorship/LMO that somebody without PR does. You said yourself in your first post that a lot of the job postings state that you must be a resident to apply - and that's what you'd be if you had PR.

amardan

The problem people are finding is getting LMO`s (labour market opinions) which is required for work permits as companies have to prove their is a gap in the market for an overseas person to fill it other than a Canadian. And with the current climate there is enough work for Canadians.

Unfortunately that is where some of our friends have fallen fowl as they came over with TWP and hoped to get them renewed to be refused and when they ran out there was no chance of them staying and had to head back to the UK.

There are some agencies that can find you work such as Atkins West but it is just if the employers have pre-approved LMO`s in place otherwise it really is a needle in a haystack. As employers do not want to be bothered with all the paperwork and the advertising.

It is horrible being all doom and gloom but I think it is also important to be realistic and from our experience and people we know it is very hard to get jobs if you are not resident.

I wish you good luck and hope it turns out ok for you.

Couture

Im a realist for sure, I have moved enough times to know not to let my imagination run away with me

The thing about the Federal Skilled Worker (permanent residence) Visa is that it takes a year (at least, as quoted on Mexican website) to process the ruddy thing.

Like everything in life, I guess theres no sensible option to apply for a job, get permission to do that job and apply for permanent residence whilst there.

Heck, even the UK is a horror when it comes to this kind of thing with people who have been in the country for years being forced to travel back to their country of origin in order to carry out a new application at the cost of jobs, months of time and money.

Can Canada really be so difficult when they have a deficit of Architects? (what I and my partner do for a living).

ExKiwilass

Do they? I wonder.

You can try the other route but it is risky, as others have pointed out.

Alan2005

a whole year!! wow - how does anyone put up with that.

Course there is. But why do this when the other way is much much easier.

Couture

Im not really sure what to make of your post Alan, but I can only assume its sarcasm. If you had experienced the sheer quantity of life changes we have in the last 4 years in 3 countries, sarcasm may not seem so funny as it is helpful. On your other comment, im simply confused.

So, yes...a 'whole' year which, for some of us in less than fortunate circumstances, is a bloody long, hard time. But please, feel free...

On the serious side, The Mrs and I have decided to TRY to batten down the hatches here in Mexico for another year and go down the Canada route as it requires. There seem to be plenty architectural jobs at the moment including the odd advert popping up on British websites looking for someone to relocate so its definitely worth a shot. Now the trick will be to conduct the migration without employing a consultant at bank breaking cost. I can see a move to less dangerous waters in the not too distant future to sit out the waiting period.

Safety first etc, we cant be doing with another risky move.

Alan2005

You should consider yourselves fortunate that you are on the list of occupations that can just apply, many people are not and have to find jobs remotely - something that is not easy. Really, one year is not a long time. Not that long ago immigration time-lines were more like 3 or 4 years, so you won't get much sympathy here complaining about it not being quick enough, no matter what your own personal reasons are.

Ok, to your confusion. It is perfectly acceptable to apply for jobs, get a temp work permit and then apply for residency. Your post implied that you didn't think this was possible.

On the topic of consultants. You probably don't need one. The forms are simple and the supporting documentation is mostly easy to get (well depending on how easy police certs are to get from the countries you've lived in - but a lawyer isn't going to help you with that anyways). Save your money and do it all yourself and only if and when you find something you can't handle consider hiring somebody.