We're considering moving to Canada several years down the road (to Edmonton), and I'm a bit worried about whether I'd be able to find a suitable job. I'm a US citizen, so I'd be the immigrant...I have university degrees and 8 years of office experience. Still, I have heard that I'd have a really hard time getting my foot in the door, being an immigrant.

Would my best bet be an employment agency, or temping to start? I'm just curious, about it...I'm very career oriented and would like to continue that way after moving

Less of a problem for USCs is my feeling as there is more familiarity and crossover between qualifications and more recognision of schools, employers etc etc.

Really depends what you do I suspect though, and how in demand your skill will be, just like for a canadian seeking a job. Also, if your OH has canadian connections then use them to get the networking ball rolling before arriving, which will help.

Good Luck.

Thanks Ian, I work as an assistant...but I've also had experience with writing and desktop publishing (several years ago), so hopefully those skills are in demand in Edmonton. My SIL works as an accountant, so maybe she can help me with networking.

Does anyone know what the top employment fields are in Canada (specifically Alberta)?

I swear the government of canada has a website for every eventuality!

http://www.labourmarketinformation.c...sel_criteria=0

Alberta is the hub of the Canadian oil industry. Most Canadian oil companies have their head offices in Calgary. Edmonton has more of the companies that provide services to the oil industry (companies that lease drilling rigs and that type of thing). There also are some refineries on the outskirts of Edmonton. In addition to that, Edmonton is a jumping off point for the provision of services further north, e.g., the oil sands projects in Fort McMurray and possible future development (pipelines, etc.) in the Mackenzie Delta.

Since Edmonton is the provincial capital of Alberta, the provincial government is a significant employer in that city. I would think the government could use someone who has writing and desktop publishing skills. If you're used to working in an entrepreneurial environment, you might find it frustrating to work for the government. The government pays more poorly than the private sector does, and its procedures are bureaucratic. On the other hand, the benefits tend to be good. Furthermore, it's possible to work for the government (and indeed for private industry) on a contract basis.

I'll echo what Iain said:
I'm sure that, once you're in Edmonton, receiving leads from your family members and implementing the networking strategies that so often are mentioned on this forum, you'll find employment. You may not get a plum job right away, but I'm pretty sure you could work your way up to a good job within a year or two.

Something you should not underestimate is the cultural difference between the U.S. and Canada. Americans, on average, are more frank than Canadians are and Canadians, on average, are more tactful than Americans are. The United States has a more extroverted culture, while Canada has a more introverted culture. Of course there are differences amongst individuals within each society. I'm just using broad brush strokes to give you the overall picture. When you move here, it's possible that you'll experience Canadians as cold, even if it is not their intention to come across that way. By the same token, Canadians may experience you as loud and brash, even if it is not your intention to come across that way.

It may require between a few months and a couple of years for you to fit in. I'm sure it'll all come together for you after a while. I mention all this because people sometimes have the illusion that there are no differences amongst English-speaking countries. In fact there are differences. But then there are differences even within the United States. There's a difference between living in, say, Dallas, and living in Seattle.

You may be shaking your head at my mentioning all these things. Since your partner is Canadian, you no doubt have visited Canada, and you may think you have a pretty good idea of what it's like. I'll just say that visiting a place and living in a place can be two very different experiences. Prior to our expat assignment in Houston, we'd spent several vacations in the U.S., and my husband had gone to the U.S. on many, many business trips. I had even lived in Cincinnati for a year as an exchange student from Africa. But living in the U.S. as a home owner and as a parent whose kids were attending school, accessing the health care system, and navigating the local teenage scene put me in a position that was very different from the position I'd been in when I'd been an exchange student and that, in turn, had been different from being a tourist.

Even within Alberta there are subtle but important cultural differences between Calgary and Edmonton. Because Calgary is a head office city, it has a higher than average proportion of people with university degrees (geologists, geophysicists, engineers, and so on). These people often have the world by the tail, they tend to believe that everything is possible as long as you're willing to work, and they tend to be politically conservative.

Edmonton has a larger proportion of blue collar workers, they are the ones who tend to be subject to a greater number of workplace injuries, and they tend to have more sympathy for people who experience difficulties. Everything is relative. In the Canadian context Edmonton is still a conservative city, but to some Calgarians it is "Redmonton." But then Calgary, conservative though it is, is less conservative than much of the U.S.

Hope that helps.

Wow thank you Judy, that helps a great deal!! You've answered a lot of questions I've had (for quite some time, too) about industries in the Edmonton and Calgary areas. I appreciate the insights you provided about the jobs and culture-those things are really good to know

I'll have to say I am glad to hear Canada is a more interoverted culture, that's the kind I feel most comfortable in

Thanks Ian, this looks like quite a useful tool...I'll see what it shows for job titles I might qualify for

Yet again Judy and Iain to the rescue! Fantastic info.

Yep....that Iain is a very special person! We're fortunate to have him as a member of this forum!

Very much so.... you mention having university degrees. Odds are high that someone up there went to your alma mater, whether they are a Canadian citizen/PR or a USC visa holder. Loads of Univ of Texas graduates up there....

Does your old university have an alumni club? Good place to start, get a directory....

Aw Shucks

and Lisa's got shedloads of karma, right Lisa?

Very true.....if I had a problem related to this forum, I sincerely would hope you'd be around to help me Iain!

LOL...is that a suggestion?

Hiya Sue...nice to see ya here.