ccqiu

Why is Canadian experience so important? What if the new immigrant had 8 years of US experience? Not to offend anyone, my observation is that the only advantage of Canadian experience over the US experience is that people learn how to be lazy in Canada.

Kenneth Milstead

Chicago does not have a municipal income tax (unless they have added this in the
past few years), and the Illinois income tax (flat rate 3%) is certainly not one
of the higher rates in the U.S.

As I recall from living there 6-7 years ago, the only municipal tax that I paid
(as a renter) was a $ 60 per year auto tax. Of course, a condo or home owner
would also pay property tax.


Andrew Miller wrote:

    > Jeremy,
    > Chicago has one of the highest cost of living in US thanks to municipal
    > income tax. As far as most expenses go Chicago is almost at the same level
    > as NY and higher than Toronto, while Calgary is well below Toronto.
    > --
    > ../..
    > Andrew Miller
    > Immigration Consultant
    > Vancouver, British Columbia
    > email: [email protected]
    > (delete REMOVE from the above address before sending email)
    > For confidential phone consultation go here:
    > http://members.yahoo.liveadvice.com/andrewmiller_canada
    > ________________________________
    > "JAJ" wrote in message
    > news:[email protected]...
    > > Andrew
    > > I would make two observations:
    > >
    > > 1. Cost of living and local tax levels can vary almost as much within
    > > both Canada and the US as opposed to between them.
    > >
    > > 2. Your comparison may well be valid for NY, LA and SF, but I would
    > > have thought the Chicago cost of living was lower than these three,
    > > although higher than Calgary.
    > >
    > > Jeremy
    > >
    > > >On Thu, 19 Dec 2002 19:44:30 GMT, "Andrew Miller"
    > wrote:
    > > >It all depends where you'll be living and what US location you'll try to
    > > >compare to your Canadian location. CDN$80,000 for example in Calgary will
    > > >give you standard of living comparable to US$100,000+ in Chicago, NY, LA
    > or
    > > >San Francisco area. You cannot just compare salaries as cost of living
    > > >varies considerably, tax burden is different, health insurance or car
    > > >insurance premiums are adding a lot to the cost in US, etc.
    > > >
    > > >There are many websites dedicated to international relocation with salary
    > > >calculators, cost of living comparison, etc. - so, look there for some
    > basic
    > > >comparisons. One of those is:
    > > >
    > > >http://www.homefair.com/homefair/calc/salcalc.html
    > > >
    > > >--
    > > >
    > > >../..
    > > >
    > > >Andrew Miller
    > > >Immigration Consultant
    > > >Vancouver, British Columbia
    > > >email: [email protected]
    > > >(delete REMOVE from the above address before sending email)
    > > >
    > > >For confidential phone consultation go here:
    > > >
    > > >http://members.yahoo.liveadvice.com/andrewmiller_canada
    > > >________________________________
    > >
    > > This is not intended to be legal advice in any jurisdiction

Hello Canada

Why do u wanna go to a country where you will learn to be lazy ccqiu?

at least be coherent and stay in US.

"ccqiu" wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
    > >
    > > I'm an ex-I.T.-headhunter from Toronto and here is my observation:
    > > Not to burst your bubble but,I think you'll be very lucky as a new
    > > immigrant to get $80K. You don't have any Canadian experience and this
    > > will be used against you. More than likely you will get $50-$60K IF
    > > you can get a job, then after you've proved yourself (i.e. after a
    > > couple of years) THEN you can apply for the higher salaries.
    > >
    > Why is Canadian experience so important? What if the new immigrant had 8
    > years of US experience? Not to offend anyone, my observation is that the
    > only advantage of Canadian experience over the US experience is that
    > people learn how to be lazy in Canada.
    > --
    > Posted via http://britishexpats.com

Josh

Intersting site, thanks Mr. Miller.
Just out of curiosity I made comparisson, if anyone interested:
This year I made $26,353.50 in Texas as gross income
my net pay was 20,815.57
I would ve gotten 14,977.92 in BC
I would ve gotten 16,176.44in Alberta
I would ve gotten 14,277.08 in ON
I would ve gotten 13,763.09 in Quebec

Terry R Brooking

    > Why is Canadian experience so important?

It's not. Personality is far more important. My own experience and stories I
have had from several immigrants who have more or less walked into jobs upon
arrival, with absolutely no Canadian Experience. The Canadian Experience
myth is an excuse for the employer to give the job to someone else he/she
prefers and is probably kinder than saying "we just don't like you"!

    > Not to offend anyone, my observation is that the
    > only advantage of Canadian experience over the US experience is that
    > people learn how to be lazy in Canada.

I think you can hardly fail to offend with a statement like that. If you
believe that why go there? Attitudes like that will not help you get a job!

--
Regards
-Terry

CuriousGuest

I happen to apply for a platinum credit card witn MBNA canada and I have had a credit card issued by MBNA USA for about a year. The credit analyst was patient enough to talk to me and get all my details in US(before I moved to Canada). She got my US credit file and approved the card with 10K limit. I have heard from other friends that most other banks wouldn't bother checking US history.

But MBNA seems to be an exception in this category as I have another friend of mine who got credit from them in this fashion.

Sometimes, you just have to be lucky to talk to the right credit analyst!!

Andrew Miller

I have no idea how did you calculate Canadian taxes - looks like the
relocation websites are not really as good as one would think when it comes
to details like taxes. They probably still use rather old Canadian tax
tables and/or don't take into account standard deductions, etc.

Better use the Canadian branch of accounting firm's (Ernst & Young) tax
calculator here:

http://www.ey.com/global/Content.nsf...2_Personal_Tax

Above calculator is based on the most current tax tables and you'll see a
very different picture - a real one.

With the same $26,353 income you would get the following:

BC - net pay 22,258
Alberta - net pay 22,056
Ontario - net pay 22,228
Quebec - net pay 20,848

So, as you see only in Quebec you'll be on the same after tax income as you
are in Texas - in other Provinces you would keep anywhere from $1,200 to
$1,400+ more than you are keeping in Texas after taxes.

--

../..

Andrew Miller
Immigration Consultant
Vancouver, British Columbia
email: [email protected]
(delete REMOVE from the above address before sending email)

For confidential phone consultation go here:

http://members.yahoo.liveadvice.com/andrewmiller_canada
________________________________


"josh" wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
    > Intersting site, thanks Mr. Miller.
    > Just out of curiosity I made comparisson, if anyone interested:
    > This year I made $26,353.50 in Texas as gross income
    > my net pay was 20,815.57
    > I would ve gotten 14,977.92 in BC
    > I would ve gotten 16,176.44in Alberta
    > I would ve gotten 14,277.08 in ON
    > I would ve gotten 13,763.09 in Quebec

Stuart Brook

CuriousGuest wrote:
    >
    > I happen to apply for a platinum credit card witn MBNA canada and I
    > have had a credit card issued by MBNA USA for about a year. The credit
    > analyst was patient enough to talk to me and get all my details in
    > US(before I moved to Canada). She got my US credit file and approved the
    > card with 10K limit. I have heard from other friends that most other
    > banks wouldn't bother checking US history.
    >
    > But MBNA seems to be an exception in this category as I have another
    > friend of mine who got credit from them in this fashion.
    >
    > Sometimes, you just have to be lucky to talk to the right credit
    > analyst!!

Other banks will check your US history *if* you force them to, or stuff
it under their nose, or talk to the right person. If you talk to the
person on the 1-800 # they'll ignore it. If you talk to the personal
banker at your branch, the odds improve considerably. If you talk to
the manager at your branch your odds go up again. The goal is to get
someone who can take some time to make the right decision as opposed to
no time to make the safest decision. Remember the people on the 800
numbers are there to take as many calls as possible.

ccqiu

My apology if I offended anyone. So far I haven't had trouble finding job in the US being a US citizen. I don't have plan to find a job in Canada in the near future. But I did visit Canada several times and found that I had to be really patient in getting something done here - I guess I am "spoiled" by the efficiency I enjoy in the States. I shouldn't say that people are lazy in Canada. It's just a productivity issue. My personal opinion: if you have US experience, it's at least as good as Canadian experience unless you will be working in some fields that would require Canadian specific skills such as laws, financial system etc. So don't be scared by some headhunters who try to lowball you with lame excuses as "Canadian experience".

ccqiu

Simple answer: I am not until I am close to retirement.

Then probably I will to to Canada to enjoy the "free" health insurance (Remember Canada welcomes everyone:-) Oh, well, probably not because the health system may be broken by then (not to affend anyone, but it's already a problem facing universal health care: either watering down the quality or going broke)

Stuart Brook

ccqiu wrote:

    > Then probably I will to to Canada to enjoy the "free" health insurance
    > (Remember Canada welcomes everyone:-) Oh, well, probably not because the
    > health system may be broken by then (not to affend anyone, but it's
    > already a problem facing universal health care: either watering down the
    > quality or going broke)

Canada's health care system is in trouble for a few reasons ...

Poor cost controls in some areas (same is true even in for profit
hospitals etc.)

The requirment for modern facilities and equipment and new tests etc.

Underfunding to support the new facilities, equipment and testing.
(When 10 years ago, MRIs and other CAT scans were rare, when funding was
established and today when everyone's demanding scans almost for a sore
tooth).

Updating the funding formulas and charging through increased premiums
more realistic rates will solve everything, but it's not politically
correct to be seen to be raising what is essentially seen as a tax and
not a premium.

Bottom line ... the public needs to understand that health care costs
money ... real money and it has to come from somewhere.

The Wizzard

where as the US health care system is in a wonderful state with about 16% of
the population having no health insurance, companies cutting costs by
cancelling the health insurance of retired employees and guaranteeing no
health cover for future retirees and even cutting health care benefits for
current employees and then the struggling insurance sector raising premiums
around the board to cover losses. Sounds like a great alternative.

Put that together with proposed plans to keep a national database on every
resident of the US covering all their personal details, health records, bank
accounts, spending plans, what they buy what they read etc to determine if
they are potential "terrorists" and then all the new homeland security
business and holding US citizens without charge or trial and a flagging
economy and yes, I can see why one would choose the US.


"Stuart Brook" wrote in
message news:[email protected]...
    > ccqiu wrote:
    > > Then probably I will to to Canada to enjoy the "free" health insurance
    > > (Remember Canada welcomes everyone:-) Oh, well, probably not because the
    > > health system may be broken by then (not to affend anyone, but it's
    > > already a problem facing universal health care: either watering down the
    > > quality or going broke)
    > Canada's health care system is in trouble for a few reasons ...
    > Poor cost controls in some areas (same is true even in for profit
    > hospitals etc.)
    > The requirment for modern facilities and equipment and new tests etc.
    > Underfunding to support the new facilities, equipment and testing.
    > (When 10 years ago, MRIs and other CAT scans were rare, when funding was
    > established and today when everyone's demanding scans almost for a sore
    > tooth).
    > Updating the funding formulas and charging through increased premiums
    > more realistic rates will solve everything, but it's not politically
    > correct to be seen to be raising what is essentially seen as a tax and
    > not a premium.
    > Bottom line ... the public needs to understand that health care costs
    > money ... real money and it has to come from somewhere.

The Wizzard

they may factor in things like education with regard to degrees etc which
are generally of a hire standard in Canada.

"ccqiu" wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
    > Originally posted by Terry R Brooking
    > > > Why is Canadian experience so important?
    > >
    > > It's not. Personality is far more important. My own experience and
    > > stories I
    > > have had from several immigrants who have more or less walked into
    > > jobs upon
    > > arrival, with absolutely no Canadian Experience. The Canadian
    > > Experience
    > > myth is an excuse for the employer to give the job to someone
    > > else he/she
    > > prefers and is probably kinder than saying "we just don't like you"!
    > >
    > > > Not to offend anyone, my observation is that the
    > > > only advantage of Canadian experience over the US experience is
    > > that
    > > > people learn how to be lazy in Canada.
    > >
    > > I think you can hardly fail to offend with a statement like
    > > that. If you
    > > believe that why go there? Attitudes like that will not help you
    > > get a job!
    > >
    > > --
    > > Regards
    > > -Terry
    > My apology if I offended anyone. So far I haven't had trouble finding
    > job in the US being a US citizen. I don't have plan to find a job in
    > Canada in the near future. But I did visit Canada several times and
    > found that I had to be really patient in getting something done here - I
    > guess I am "spoiled" by the efficiency I enjoy in the States. I
    > shouldn't say that people are lazy in Canada. It's just a productivity
    > issue. My personal opinion: if you have US experience, it's at least as
    > good as Canadian experience unless you will be working in some fields
    > that would require Canadian specific skills such as laws, financial
    > system etc. So don't be scared by some headhunters who try to lowball
    > you with lame excuses as "Canadian experience".
    > --
    > Posted via http://britishexpats.com

Stuart Brook

The Wizzard wrote:

    > and yes, I can see why one would choose the US.


My sentiments exactly. There's nothing quite like comparing things on
an equal footing!

dingbat

[QUOTE][SIZE=1]Originally posted by The Wizzard
they may factor in things like education with regard to degrees etc which
are generally of a hire standard in Canada.

Er...you are joking.....