Hi There,

We're hoping that our passport requests will be any time now - all medicals finally done... I am starting to rethink about contracting once we move to Canada. Initially I had thought that I would go permanent, but now I am not so sure...

I have been an IT contractor in the UK for the last fifteen years or so.

Can anyone tell me a) what the IT contracting market is like in Vancouver, and b) whether there are the financial incentives that make contracting a much more desirable option (as in the UK). In the UK I would estimate that for my current role I am earning at least double what an employed person would earn. Plus I can income share with my wife taking advantage of her tax allowance and thus reducing my tax liability. I can also take as much holiday as I like (obviously I'm not being paid when on holiday - or when I am sick!), and I can use my company to offset costs and tax for items that I would not be able to do if I were permanently employed.

I appreciate that things are different in Canada. For a start I know that permanent holiday entitlement is normally about two weeks? Am I right in thinking that your personal tax is based on your marital status and therefore income sharing is not so appropriate?

Any thoughts or comments would be much appreciated.

Also, can I set up the equivalent of a Ltd company before landing in Canada?

Many thanks,

James.

I'm in the same boat. Contracting Project Manager in London and would be looking to do the same over in Vancouver.

Unsure of the market though but will be interesting if anybody in the know sheds some light on it all.

Rich

I've been an IT contractor in Canada since the mid-eighties. I've never heard of a contract in Vancouver. I suggest that, if you want to go to Vancouver and all you have is computing skills, the appropriate course is to take any sort of work you can get.

Thanks for the post,

Not sure it was that helpful. There are definately IT contracts in the Vancouver area! If you subscribe to CareerBuilder.ca, you will see them ...

Regards,

James.

Good luck to you then. IME contracting in Canada is viable only in the GTA, Ottawa and Quebec City.

Again, same here. I've seen many PM contracts in Vancouver although the number has reduced over the past few months for sure. What i find interesting though is the rate scale. The rates differ greatly from $25 per hour to $100 per hour. Huuuge difference!!!!!

I'm sure there are contracts from time to time especially in PC related stuff "Geek Squad" or "Nerds Whatever" probably don't want the overhead of creating permanent positions for casual staff. However, looking for contracts in Vancouver only is like looking for contracts in Norfolk only, there won't be many and some yokel will have the inside track. Vancouver isn't Slough.

On a more cheerful note, this is true in Canada:

"I can income share with my wife taking advantage of her tax allowance and thus reducing my tax liability."

This really isn't:

"I can also take as much holiday as I like (obviously I'm not being paid when on holiday - or when I am sick!)"

There aren't enough contracts that one can afford to turn down a billable hour.

This is:

"and I can use my company to offset costs and tax for items that I would not be able to do if I were permanently employed."