Greetings all,

For some time now I have been reading up on the various topics discussed here on this website concerning Canadian immigration, What a great and informative website this is.
I have some questions concerning my own personal circumstances and I would appreciate if you could assist me in answering them.

I’m European, Irish – 28 years old with over 10 years of IT experience in Team Leading and Management positions. I have no diploma nor degree but I do have a certificate in computers.

I currently live in Australia and I have been doing so for the last couple of years, I’m on a skilled migrant visa (4-years), previously I lived in the UK for over 4 years and the rest was in Ireland. I have never had any problems in finding work except in the early days of my experience when I had little or nothing to offer, When I have been in the UK and Australia job offers have been some what plentiful, Even today there is still many job opportunities here in Australia for me naturally not as much due to current market conditions.

I’m a IT contractor that comes from a consulting background. Currently I am working within the Banking & Insurance area as a Project Manager. Normally I specialise in IT Management / Test Management.

Anyway, I have applied for a Canadian Federal skilled working visa, I’m very excited about the prospect of living in Canada, at the same time I am a bit worried, though I have never ever had problems finding work due to my work experience I may do so in Canada. Perhaps the hiring requirements are very different there than here.

First question:
I have no degree, though I have 10 years of excellent experience this is the reason why I have never struggled in finding work, but as that I don’t have a degree then perhaps in Canada this is the first thing that employers will look at?

Second question:
I look up job sites workopolis, monster and I don’t see many IT jobs being advertised at all when here in Australia I do. Am I using the wrong websites? How do they get advertised. Canada is a rather large country, large economy and I would expect it to be larger than Australia’s but it is certainly not showing that. Naturally it’s not what you know but its who you know and that you have to build up some networking / relationships but sometimes that’s not possible and one has to follow normal processes. As in there is still lots of jobs being advertised on job sites here in Australia. Can someone please advise me concerning this?

Salary – The lowest end of salary for what I do is 100k Canadian when I compare it to Australian $, I don’t see many jobs offering this kind of money in Canada, which I am going to be disappointed about. Either way I am going to send some feelers out as in emails to some recruitment agency’s to get an idea of what they think of me, naturally I don’t expect anyone to really deal with me or to take me seriously until I have landed on the ground in Canada.

Third question:
I want to get a degree, I want to study at night / study online etc…What good / major universities will allow for me to do this?, While still keeping my normal 9-5job, Does anyone know this of by hand? or have done this before, is it difficult to do? I’ve done a little bit of research but I didn’t really find all that much that was specific to my requirements.

Fourth question
Whats the best website for Canadians in terms of rental / shared accommodation?

Fifth question
Whats the best website for auctions eg buying computers? In Australia we use graysonline

Sixth question
What are the best computer stores in Canada to buy from? Do they have websites?

I want to live in Toronto because I am only a 8-10 hour flight away from my home in Ireland, Europe is almost on my door step when compared to Australia. My family will come and visit me no problem not like Australia, I really like the USA as well so going to New York, Boston etc for weekends is goodie, maybe do some work there down the line.

I left Ireland to experience myself with better work experience by working abroad and to further my experience with different lifestyles, I could easily spend the rest of my days here in Australia if I was selfish enough to do so, but geographically for me Australia is just one giant island. If you love travelling and family is important to you then living in Australia is difficult as its fairly expensive to get out of this island and my home is a 24 hour flight away.

Since I have lived out of my home country for so long when I return it no longer feels like my home country anymore, what only brings me home is my family and that is it.

Anyway thank you in advance for reading this and hopefully your reply!

Also any advice would be appreciate on anything!!!

Thank you
Kiddio

http://www.cvu-uvc.ca/english.html

First question:

If you're going to work as a contractor then it's all about expertise rather than qualifications. I work with a lot of contractors in the areas of banking and insurance and cannot think of one who has a degree. Often the contractor would not be eligible to be employed to do the same job as many firms have a policy of only hiring graduates. I think this is part of the reason why contractors stay in place for long periods, I had a contract at one desk for twenty years and know of two people who have had contracts for longer periods.

Second question:

Almost all contracts are arranged by word of mouth, there's very little advertising. Rates in Toronto are generally about half the rate for the same job in London.

First question:
I have no degree, though I have 10 years of excellent experience this is the reason why I have never struggled in finding work, but as that I don’t have a degree then perhaps in Canada this is the first thing that employers will look at?

- Seems to depend out here in BC. Some employers want a degree, some want certs - depends. A lack of degree may get in your way if you have intentions of progressing further up the corporate ladder.

Second question:
I look up job sites workopolis, monster and I don’t see many IT jobs being advertised at all when here in Australia I do. Am I using the wrong websites? How do they get advertised. Canada is a rather large country, large economy and I would expect it to be larger than Australia’s but it is certainly not showing that. Naturally it’s not what you know but its who you know and that you have to build up some networking / relationships but sometimes that’s not possible and one has to follow normal processes. As in there is still lots of jobs being advertised on job sites here in Australia. Can someone please advise me concerning this?

Salary – The lowest end of salary for what I do is 100k Canadian when I compare it to Australian $, I don’t see many jobs offering this kind of money in Canada, which I am going to be disappointed about. Either way I am going to send some feelers out as in emails to some recruitment agency’s to get an idea of what they think of me, naturally I don’t expect anyone to really deal with me or to take me seriously until I have landed on the ground in Canada.

- Network, network, network - most of the best jobs are found by word of mouth. That salary is not unachievable.

Third question:
I want to get a degree, I want to study at night / study online etc…What good / major universities will allow for me to do this?, While still keeping my normal 9-5job, Does anyone know this of by hand? or have done this before, is it difficult to do? I’ve done a little bit of research but I didn’t really find all that much that was specific to my requirements.

- Got my Bsc(Hons) in the UK while working and just got my MBA from Royal Roads University (while working full time). It can be done - just takes commitment.

Fourth question
Whats the best website for Canadians in terms of rental / shared accommodation?

- Craigslist?

Cheers - Steve