raindropsandroses

There are some provinces whose PNP schemes you don't need a job offer for, I haven't checked since early 2016, but at the time they were...

Nova Scotia - no job offer needed but has an occupations in demand list, so you can only apply if you have one of those occupations

PEI - no job offer needed and no occupations list

New Brunswick - no job offer, no occupations list as such but was targeting IT folk and French speakers

Ontario - has a "human capital priorities" scheme where you don't need a join offer if you score more than 400 CRS points, but you have to pay an application fee of $1500 to Ontario. They also have a French speaking stream of the HCP.

Saskatchewan - no job offer needed but has an occupations list

raindropsandroses

Sorry, I forgot about Manitoba!

Manitoba has a scheme where you can apply to do an "exploratory visit" there to scope out employment, life etc. At the end of the visit you meet with an Manitoba immigration official and if they are satisfied you have done your research, they'll approve you to be nominated by Manitoba.

They have both express entry and standard route schemes as part of their nomination scheme, and they also have a "low skilled" stream (sorry, that's a really awful way of them to put it) which may be worth checking out if you want to be principal applicant.

hh619

Hi raindropsandroses,

Thanks for your input. I will need to research this a lot more this evening. I will check each province to see where my skill-set is in demand.

"low skilled" is a bit of a gut punch I have over 12 years professional experience and i'm years ahead of any of my graduate friends in the field that i work in.

But i totally agree, if they want education over experience, i will just have to work the system to get in.

Thanks for everyones contribution to this thread.

raindropsandroses

You're very welcome and sorry Matt, their words not mine, and I have always cringed reading it. If your occupation doesn't fit any of them, could you try your girlfriend's? Any port in a storm?

One other point on the IEC, if you do that and then go to the Northwest Territories or Yukon, both used to do a scheme where if you had lived and worked there for three months in any full time job, they would give you PNP nomination. I don't think living there is for everyone (I would love it) but again, worth investigating.

Generally speaking without an LMIA approved job offer, you will have an easier time getting nominated by a province who either struggle getting people to immigrate there, or who struggle keeping people once they are there.

hh619

I know it's not your words, but it hit me right in the feels haha!

I've applied for IEC, but in the mean time i'm also looking at Nova Scotia. My profession is on their occupation list honestly never considered NS. Had a look at Halifax, looks like a great place to live!!

I have a general overview of my options to achieve PR now. Thanks to to BE. Now i just need to make it happen

My partner is also applying, so our chances will increase!

raindropsandroses

Yeah, its pretty rubbish isn't it?

I've had some fantastic advice from BE,its helped us so much so do keep asking questions as they arise.

I'm now about to move to NS from PEI so I may be biased, but the Maritimes have a lot going for them, if you can find decently paid work the costs of housing, living etc are very good, and the pace of life is lovely, very laid back. Plus as others have said NS is a very friendly place

hh619

It is indeed

Yeah it definately has helped a lot! i'm sure i'll have a lot more questions throughout this whole process

i know, it really does look like a wonderful place. Although, flight prices / times from the UK look insane.

raindropsandroses

Flights to Halifax? Its usually cheapest in spring/summer/early autumn to fly from Glasgow to Halifax with Weather, even if you have to get an internal flight to Glasgow. In Winter IcelandAir via Gatwick is usually cheapest. Or at any time of year Air Transat to Toronto, and then Westjet back to Halifax is pretty cheap.

Air Canada always seems extortionate direct to Halifax.

hh619

Yeah to Halifax. They are coming in at £750+/- for direct flights.. eek! Checked from Glasgow and Gatwick.

Maybe they are good prices, just seem quite high to me

I'll check via Tonronto. Thanks.

raindropsandroses

They seem like OK prices to me, I would be unhappy with anything more than £900/person. When they have flight sales on/on different days you can often get Weather direct Glasgow-Halifax flights for around £300-500/person.

Air Transat do "special offer days" so its worth checking the offers tab of the website as you can often get flights London to Toronto for less than £200 per person, sometimes even around £130 per person, though I think that it one way.

Kanukki

Westjet flies direct from Glasgow to Halifax. I just had a quick look on Skysanner, and they have one-way flights for £186 departing on October 21st:



You can definitely find good deals if you shop around a little bit.

hh619

Wow! Impressive find. I've only looked at returns. I would need to fly to Glasgow though, unless i can find decent prices from London

raindropsandroses

Those prices are great Kanukki.

Matt, you can often get flights London to Glasgow with BA for around £70 per person one way, friends of ours do it a lot. Its definitely worth checking booking each way separately as you can save loads.

Kanukki

Ahh, I was just quoting prices from Glasgow as you had mentioned looking for flights from there. If you don't mind a short layover, Westjet flies from Gatwick via St John's to Halifax. There are plenty of dates in September for example for under £200, e.g. £180 on Tuesday the 19th:



Needless to say, I wouldn't let flight prices put you off the Maritimes - you may actually end up saving money!

hh619

Yeah i'm seeing much better prices myself now

Thanks for the help!

Starting to look at jobs, but they seem to be few and far between! Salaries for IT jobs aren't the best either, but i guess it's all relative if the cost of living is lower. But i'm sure i will find something suitable.