mycityjungle

Haha that's OK! Thanks for the links

I've been told it's probably because I only have one years worth of experience in my profession - I graduated with a BSc Psychology and got a job, worked it for a year and was made redundant (hard economic times!) Now I work in the same field but on a part-time basis through a temp agency so there's no fixed income. If I had more than one years experience, I think that would 'up' my points but I'm not 100% sure about this.

catpea33

I am, although I'll be apply from Montreal this year because I'm heading out with my 2011 IEC in two weeks. Hope it isn't too complicated applying from Canada instead of UK...

Cat

christmasoompa

It would, if you had another year's experience then that would take you up to 67 points so you would be eligible. Don't forget though that *any* skilled work experience counts, it doesn't have to be as a psychologist - so have you ever worked as anything else? If so, you can include that time which may just give you the extra points you'd need.

mycityjungle

...interesting. I worked as a part-time marketing assistant and at the same time, a part-time promotions and marketing assistant. This was after I was let go from my psychology job. I did this from June 2011 until just this month actually when one of the jobs informed me they couldn't afford to pay my wages anymore and the other had told me in September that their regular employee was back from paid leave for bereavement so I'd be let go. Bad luck happens in doubles to me I guess! But for those two jobs, I did a month's worth of training courses beforehand so they are 'skilled.' I guess that puts me up to 1 year and 4/5 months? I'll see if it makes a difference!

catpea33

I think the skilled occupation actually needs to be within the National Occupation Classification (NOC) framework and would need to be a career/job within level O, A or B, not just any job that's had training involved. More info can be found here: http://www5.hrsdc.gc.ca/NOC-CNP/app/AboutNOC.aspx?lc=E The site seems to be down right now but once it's back have a check to see if marketing and promotions assistant are there. I don't think I've ever seen them but I haven't ever been looking for them!

Cat

mycityjungle

Thank you very much for the link!

Very grateful for everyone's insight here so thank you guys!

twohoots

I had some good news on Wednesday, I've found a buyer for my flat. It should mean that by the time I get my LOI, (), there won't be anything stopping me from going.

jg2802

I know i've asked a million things already regarding the IEC's but just a few more things to round it up...

1) I have an issue with my surname...not an 'issue' as such but basically...my birth certificate and passport is surname 'a' and I have used surname 'b' since school and its what my friends know me as...and its whats on facebook ha. (obviously facebook is law).
surname 'a' is my dads surname and 'b' is my mums. I did change it a while ago by deedpoll but never changed my passport etc or bank accounts which are in surname 'a'.
I am now going to get my passport and bank accounts changed over so im just known as 'b' for the canada move.
my question...when I apply for the IEC they will obviously see that I was once 'A' and only just changed passport etc to 'B'. will this be a problem, and be questionned?

2)I want to apply for the criminal record check in the next couple of weeks so i have it ready for as soon as the visas come out as I am going travelling at the beginning of march so need to get it as soon as possible (hopefully before I go travelling) so that I can go straight to Canada after. Are they available for 3 months from applying? Will they question why I have the police check dated in November when applying in January? Also...should I wait for my new passport to come in surname 'B' before applying?

3)if for some reason I don't go to Canada in the 12 months I have to get there...can I cancel it and apply another year like its my first time applying and not have wasted a visa.

4) i want to go to vancouver and my friend is thinking toronto...how can I convince her vancouver is the way forward ....or...is toronto the way forward?? i want to learn french...toronto is closer to french area isnt it??

5) i think thats it...i will probably think of something else though

tim010

For the Police check you need a photocopy of your passport so you'll need to wait till your new one arrives with your revised name.

Tim

catpea33

1) I don't know. Hopefully someone else does.

2) They are available but if I remember correctly there's a time limit for acceptability onto IEC. I can't remember how long it is - sorry - but it's definitely on the IEC website somewhere.

3) No, if you apply and get the LOI then that's counted as particpating, regardless of whether or not you actually use the permit/LOI.

4) I'm a Vancouver girl myself after studying there at UBC. Do you have to follow your friend? Why not both please yourselves and go where you each want to go? You need to consider what it is you're looking for. IMO, Toronto is more of a city place with lots of large cities within relatively easy reach of it. Vancouver is more of a countryside city because it's surrounded by beautiful mountains and ocean. But like I said, I'm a Vancouver girl because I grew up in the countryside so it's what I prefer and I hated Toronto. Toronto is closer to Quebec than Vancouver but Canada is a huge country so it's not really that close.

Cat

jg2802

ooo maybe I would prefere Toronto then...I'm from central London and theres no where in the UK I'd rather live than here..

ETA - But I hate the cold. I know Canada in general then is a bad choice ha, but at least Vancouver is more like what I'm used to.

DECISIONS!

catpea33

Well, at least Toronto has good summers to make up for the winter cold. Vancouver's weather seems to revolve around three seasons of rain...

jg2802

ah yes I remember looking at the climate of vancouver and also thinking 'only max 22c in summer??' When I went to montreal for a connecting flight (that lead to a stopover night) in may it was boiling!

Toronto for summer then Vancouver maybe!

One of my Canadian friends said that Montreal was a massive party city.
Montreal is half and half french though isn't it? IT would be more ideal than Toronto to learn french but I know how much french hate non french speaking English people that go to France so would they 'hate' me??

Lets be honest, french people can be very rude. . is that the same for french canadians in general or are they a completely different breed?

catpea33

Well, Vancouver is like here in that 22C will be the average temperature but there were days when I was out there that were 30C in summer.

Well, I've been to Montreal and I'm moving out there in one week. Montreal is more French than English but it has a very high proportion of bi- and tri-lingual people. I found it's appreciated to at least make an attempt to speak French but most of them switched to English as soon as they heard my accent. Of course, since then I've lived in France and hope they don't do that to me! If you're going out to work then you'll need at least basic French. It depends on your industry but customers have the right to be served in French if that's what they want...

Before I visited Montreal I heard they were rude if you couldn't speak French. I didn't find that at all - all the Montrealers I met were very lovely, like Canadians in general. Having said that, Quebec City seemed less tolerant of Anglophones but they were still in the minority. And after living in France, I'd say most of them were nice too. You just get the minority (like my evil French host Mum) who spoil the reputation of the good ones...

jg2802

I think I've only found Parisians to be rude...one of my friends said that she tried to ask someone for directions...it went like this..."hi, I'm really sorry, but do you speak English?" (then with perfect english..a response) "yes actually I do. ... But not today" and walked off..

MY grandparents are french and live in France. I was brought up speaking English and then taught french at aged 4/5 and could read and write it but I refused to speak it because I was too shy to do/always criticised about my pronounciation so then I kind of just forgot it.

Ideally I would want my future children to be brought up speaking two languages but I don't want them talking in french to eachother when I don't understand it

and more importantly...i dropped out of uni..2 languages would be very helpful in future career prospects

Toronto it is!!