abracad99

I am an IT worker wishing to re-locate to Vancouver/BC.

I frequently read about the IT skills shortage in Canada, but would be grateful for more detail on the specific skills most in demand so that I might improve my marketability.

Many thanks in advance.

helcat12

It is very hard for individuals to say what is in demand in general. I think you need to research this yourself by looking at advertised jobs, reading up on their business and posts available and contacting companies to see which of your skills you could market most effectively. It can be done - OH went after positive LMO in August. Good luck.

christmasoompa

Hi, and welcome to the forum.

Where have you read that IT skills are in demand in Canada? They used to be, but any IT related occupations were taken off the 'occupations in demand' list in June, so I would assume there's no longer the same need for them.

Waggle

The IT situation is strange. I am a software developer, and the only IT occupations ever on the in-demand list for FSW1 were managers, and that was removed in June 2010 with the new 29-list.

Yet for the past few years Canada had have an IT Workers program, allowing IT workers in certain categories to secure temporary work permits without needing an LMO, specifically to address labour shortages in software development etc. However, this program came to an end on September 30th this year.

So the answer is, no idea really. I imagine it may be difficult to secure a positive LMO since you'd need to be offered a job advertised for at least 3 months where they could find no suitable Canadian citizen or permanent resident, and for IT I can't imagine too many of those situations! But I've heard of some IT workers getting positive LMOs so might be worth doing some research. Another thing to consider is Provincial Nomination via British Columbia PNP - which means if you get a job offer you they can handle your residency application without needing an LMO. However, you can't actually start work until the PNP is complete so depends if the employer is willing to wait or not.

We've applied for FSW1 via my wife's Industrial Pharmacy experience. However, if we're unsuccessful then Plan B is for one of us (probably me) to secure a job in or around Vancouver either with a positive LMO or via the British Columbia PNP - and then apply for residency on FSW2.

Best of luck,
Wayne.

MapleSauce

I know it doesn't guaruntee anything, but i'm looking to go in as a QA Manager, and i'm getting regular emails from Monster and Workopolis for new positions.

Of course, in practice, it might be harder once i'm there to actually nail down this type of job, but for myself, it provides a little bit of sunshine down this tunnel called 'waiting for medicals'.

Hope that helps.

MS.

ABW

IT is dead in Vancouver unless you want to hop from one contracting/consulting job to another for the rest of your life.
We just closed our satellite office in Vancouver last week for software development/R&D on defense stuff.
Those regular emails from Monster and Workopolis for new positions are mainly "anticipatory" staffing.
If you tell me your IT background, I can inform you better as far as what jobs or skills you need to improve.

helcat12

That is a pessimistic view and may be true in defence, but it is not accurate for the whole IT business sector.
My OH went in August to a very successful company in an IT role in the Greater Vancouver area after getting a positive LMO very speedily and without any fuss at all. He is also not in management! His experience is in logistics systems, which seem to be very healthy indeed in North America!
His job offer is not contract or short term, but is permanent and so we are in the FSW Cat 2 waiting line now.
As this proves, there are openings, but this depends on your skills and persistence.
I agree that Monster and Workopolis aren't much use - you need to dig deeper and do a lot of research into companies that might need your specific skills and experience, then get in contact and sell yourself!

CanadaJimmy

I'm pretty sure thats the second time you've posted this, and I corrected you the first time as well... the job has to be advertised for 2 weeks within the past 3 months.

It's not too difficult to get an LMO, especially as the economy is picking up now, just requires a bit of persistence and networking. I agree with helcat that there are openings in the IT sector, perhaps not many in Vancouver itself but there are definitely opportunities in the metro area.

Waggle

Hi - oh!!!! Sorry for anyone I mislead, I must have got that one massively wrong then.

In which case it sounds a lot more doable, since it's quite conceivable for any given position that they cannot find someone within 2 weeks.

This makes Plan B sound a lot more doable. Although tbh if come Easter time there's still not much movement on the FSW1 application I might try to secure a job around the Vancouver area anyway and then either wait for the FSW1 application to come in, or make a second FSW2 application in parallel.

Wayne.

LinsyPinsy

I'm confused...why does it say in the wiki, the 3 month thing that Waggle said? See below

The employer has to demonstrate that he/she has recruited across Canada and has been unable to attract a qualified Canadian resident to the position.
In most cases, the employer has to advertise the job across Canada for three months.
Just wondering....

christmasoompa

Obviously because it hasn't been updated since the requirements changed a year or so ago and nobody else has spotted it before now. Feel free to change it!

Waggle

Ok - so can I please just get this right.

It USED to be that a job had to be advertised for three entire months for a foreign worker to be granted a positive LMO. That changed around a year ago and now the job only has to be advertised for 2 weeks within the last 3 months?

The former is probably where I read the 3 months thing from then (since I was sure I hadn't just made it up!). But if it's now 2 weeks then it does make FSW2 options significantly easier.

Wayne.

christmasoompa

Exunctly.

helcat12

Yet still there is a lot of comment on here saying that it is harder than ever to get a positive LMO! Go figure!

humanist

I'm not sure whether to be worried or not!

I'm a software developer for a very specific piece of software. I know several companies in Toronto use it, but I'll just have to hope they're hiring when I eventually land ....otherwise it might be a case of "do you want timbits with your double double?".