Hey guys

This is my first post so please excuse any seeming stupidity, !!!

I am due to land in Calgary in early Nov (coming from the UK) on a BUNAC visa. I have to nip into Toronto first to get some paperwork sorted. I have noticed a few good threads related to my questions already but I'd be very keen to hear form anyone who is actually in wild old Calgary.

I am using easyroomate.com in order to find somewhere to live and it is slow going - the main areas I am looking are SW and NW. I am looking for already furnished and it seems there are more unfurnished available. Are there any other rocking sites to use?

Driving - okay, I have read up and researched it a little and I know I am cool for the first 90 days. However my main issue will be actually purchasing a used and domestic motor - I don't really want to buy private as a garage is a good backup if it is a hunk of junk. Are there any places to avoid like the plague or decent places to hunt out in Calgary itself? Getting a car is top of the agenda but I don't want to spend more than $4000: is this doable? Also, am I going to need to get chained up in the winter?

Job hunting is slow too and I am abusing various sites on the internet and I also just saw a decent article or two I will check out. If anyone has any recommendations on where to look I'd be more than happy to take the comments on board. I can do anything from retail to professional minus specifics like engineering.

Banking - does anyone have any good pointers on what not to do or who are awesome banks to use? I know the usual list Royal bank, Scotiabank etc ... are HSBC decent or no?

Finally, the most painful, I did want permanent res and the best I could do was get this working visa. I have checked out all the info and I know while I am out there I could maybe try an extension app - has anyone done this and is it really hard - I mean the likelihood is they just say no?

Happy Canada dudes and any info will be gratefully recieved. Hope you all have an awesome day.

First of all welcome to the forum and congrats on the BUNAC visa.

I’m a newbie to this as well and helping wherever I can – I’m sure I’ll be corrected if I post any incorrect info but I’ll only comment on stuff I know. PS – I used BUNAC in 07/08 and went to Toronto. I didn’t discover half of what I know until it was too late and the recession put a spanner in the works!! But I’m still trying to relocate, I had to come back to the UK. Anywho, enough about me and my woes – the struggles continues!!

Banks
BUNAC insists that the orientation is compulsory and when you attend you’ll see why. They assist you with opening a bank account, finding accommodation and so much more. From what I recall they offer accommodation for the first night or two?? Check your handbook/welcome info.

Jobs
As a jack of all trades try these:

http://www.workingincanada.gc.ca/sea...E1727 .imnav2 (this site is helpful in general)

www.go2hr.ca (travel and tourism)

http://www.hcareers.ca/ (hospitality)

www.jobbank.gc.ca

www.working.com

…as well as the usuals monster, workopolis etc. Sorry if you’ve already used any of the above and if I think of anymore I’ll let you know.

To relocate try the Provincial Nominee Program (http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/immigra...cial/index.asp).

I assume Calgary is where to want to be permanently? Its important Calgary (or at least Alberta) is where you want to be, because you have to be employed with the same employer for at least six months before applying to the program in Alberta. Have a look at http://www.albertacanada.com/immigra...rate/ainp.html, (there’s tools here for more job sites). BC it’s nine months check out: http://www.aved.gov.bc.ca/provincialnominee/welcome.htm

The two sites for the PNP are useful because you can then target the relevant jobs/trades.

Hope this helps.

Ciao for now!!

Toots

BUNAC insists that the orientation is compulsory and when you attend you’ll see why. They assist you with opening a bank account, finding accommodation and so much more. From what I recall they offer accommodation for the first night or two?? Check your handbook/welcome info.


This isn't what we found. We came over on my fiance's BUNAC, and never attended the orientation.

Opening a bank account is just as easy as it is in the UK, and getting your SIN number is just a case of using Google and finding the nearest office that issues them.

Hey Frutitoots

Thanks for this and it is all pretty helpful. Yep - knew the drill on some of the work sites but others I will check anon.

I hear you about your problems, whereabouts are you in the UK. I have mutiple degrees and work in a profession and the best i could get was this work visa. I sometimes wish there was just a better way for those of us who wnat to go to just up sticks and do it. Toronto is kind of cool, eh? I land there first and will spend a few days doing the sights etc before moving on to Calgary. Yep I found out about the nominee program but I have just been reading some other posts and it seems I may be able to do a PR should I get a job offer. It is all quite confusing sometimes, lol. What are your plans?

Anyhow, thanks for the links. I shall likely make another post once I figure out how to use this thing properly, lol!

Have a cool wkend.

Hey Little D ... escaped to Calgary hey?

Yep, there is an officed in Calgary but the SWAP affiliation had said it would be closed and so I din't want to chance it. Plus it has been a while since I was in Toronto so I figured, what the hey?

As far as banks go, silly question but if you open one with say Scotiabank in one province it is still valid in another. So if I open it in Ontario I am guessing it is all cool for Alberta? I need to actually do some research on banks in the coming weeks. It seems easy to open a HSBC one while I am still here but I think the merits of some Canadian banks, interest etc may be better ... so much to researc it is beyond a joke, lol.

Hope you have a cool wkend and my regards.

Did much the same as you did but in Vancouver.

Accomodation: Use craigslist. Forget furnished rooms unless you're lucky. Budget an amount to buy a bed, etc.
Furnished rooms are rare and expensive.

PR: Get yourself a good job where they want to keep you. That's the key point. Everything flows from there.
With a job, you can get an LMO and a non-working holiday work permit when the time comes. You can use the job to get PNP in Alberta or just use it to get PR via Federal Skilled Worker.

Job hunting: Craigslist, workopolis and monster.

I hear you about your problems, whereabouts are you in the UK. What are your plans?

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Hi,

I'm in East London. I had to return in Aug 08 (I couldn't get my work authorisation extended) and got myself a job in a hotel as a receptionist. The plan was to spend a year here then go back using the Expedited Labour Market Opinion Pilot Project which identified a labour shortage in the Travel and Tourism industry in BC and Alberta - but since the recession it's been a little tough as they've changed the process for the Occupations Under Pressures List.

......So if you know of any hotels in BC that need staff. .....or anyone in the industry..... - and yes I'm looking like craaazy!!

That being said let me (us) know how you get on!!

Toots