FSW WORLDWIDE

[iSaidGoodDay]

It has been same as always. Move to Canada with a job and you will do great. Trying to get a job here without having the mythical Canadian experience will lead to nothing but heartache.

100%! One has to figure out which part of life is something they'll find it hard to solve - downpayment for a house or a job - if one can sort those two, nothing to worry about. And, both are largely fixable for non entry level folks in tech or management.

Btw, lack of Canadian experience can be solved by networking, contract jobs pre-landing, advisory roles, etc. I know a Director from McKinsey from EU who was being turned down in Canada for lack of "Canadian exp" even for very junior roles(e.g. Associate), but at the same time I know folks who were Assistant Managers in companies like McKinsey who landed a Strategy Lead roles with higher pay in Canada. The difference was, one relied on "spray and pray", the other one saw each position as a unique opportunity and leveraged mentors, did coffee-chats, etc.

For ambitious entry level folks, getting a mentor is extremely helpful. It requires a bit of time pre-landing though, which right now is super rare to see within our immigrant cohorts.

 

[GandiBaat]

100%! One has to figure out which part of life is something they'll find it hard to solve - downpayment for a house or a job - if one can sort those two, nothing to worry about. And, both are largely fixable for non entry level folks in tech or management.

Btw, lack of Canadian experience can be solved by networking, contract jobs pre-landing, advisory roles, etc. I know a Director from McKinsey from EU who was being turned down in Canada for lack of "Canadian exp" even for very junior roles(e.g. Associate), but at the same time I know folks who were Assistant Managers in companies like McKinsey who landed a Strategy Lead roles with higher pay in Canada. The difference was, one relied on "spray and pray", the other one saw each position as a unique opportunity and leveraged mentors, did coffee-chats, etc.

For ambitious entry level folks, getting a mentor is extremely helpful. It requires a bit of time pre-landing though, which right now is super rare to see within our immigrant cohorts.

Look, if you know how to hunt contract jobs (and are good enough to be known by the word of mouth) and you have enough network in Canada; I guess this question (is it worth to move to X) will not be even asked. You will follow contracts as people used to follow caribou in past.

I am only talking from the perspective of someone who is neither. I have always got a little bit of leg up due to my former colleagues and college mates. But then twice in my career I went on my own way. It worked out well for me.

Coming to Canada, for me the problem was that I had just one month of time to plan out everything. My team and subsidiary was closed, I had three months to get the next job. I was not supposed to do anything for 2 months of that and in one month only very little from home to support "sunset" of my subsidiary. For two months, I did absolutely nothing. Sleeping, going out with my wife to all the known tourist spots of Karnataka and even a trip to Nilgiri. In the last month, I decided to do something about the position I needed. I had many offers from teams in India but then I knew I wanted to move outside India. If not for anything then to see what the hell the fuss is all about.

One option was Australia but I decided against it (even though I had PR over there). My friend who was in management and a PR in Australia like me got a reject from Australia teams. So I thought, its better that we both move to one place in Canada because immigration is cakewalk in Canada compared to USA. I found one subsidiary in Canada for my friend which were desparately looking for a middle manager for a long time, he fit in there because they wont have to do a full loop on him. There was no engineering position there, sucks! So I found another one that had and just joined there. My visa etc was processed in less than a month and rest is history.

As they say there are many ways to salvation.

 

[imransyed]

Is it still worth it to move to Canada in 2024? Looking at all the negativity I'm feeling a little disheartened.

It entirely depends on your personal situation tbh, like it always has.
If you have the means to find a job or get into a business, the negativity or positivity shouldnt matter.
IT people have already spoken. From a non-IT sub 60k annual salary (median wage) perspective, it will be very tough. But still doable.

I got very sad and depressed after coming here and even having a job around the median wage of canada. I spoke to many people here and otherwise privately and got some insanely good advice. I got some books and got to the grind of making myself happy. I am still in a similar financially disastrous situation but my pov has changed a lot.
I am not saving anything, cant afford a studio apartment in the city I work in, eating out very less and have no vices. I will never be able to save enough for a downpayment here continuing on my current job trajectory but I asked myself, do i need to? I am single, I dont have anybody else's financial responsibility on me so that was a huge factor too. All the negativity is absolutely true and its even worse, but how does it affect me personally? That's how i decided to be at peace.
And downpayment will have to come from Bank of Mom and Dad or from my income outside Canada. This is fine by me too, I am not looking at real estate investment, only personal residence.

In the end, you are responsible only for yourself and your bills. If you can take care of that, mute the noise and do your thing. If you can't, then delay landing.

P.s. because of my subjective privileges, I am leaving Canada in Feb to be a part of my family's business in middle east, earn enough for a downpayment or even to buy cash outright, prepare for GMAT and/or upskill dramatically to come back in 2025-26 to get the passport.
Hopefully by then things macroeconomically should stabilize too. Right now the govt. is hell bent on increasing unemployment because of their covid mess. This does not really affect me but there is a general sense of growing despair in the country and I don't want to be a part of that.

 

[Impatient Dankaroo]

It entirely depends on your personal situation tbh, like it always has.
If you have the means to find a job or get into a business, the negativity or positivity shouldnt matter.
IT people have already spoken. From a non-IT sub 60k annual salary (median wage) perspective, it will be very tough. But still doable.

I got very sad and depressed after coming here and even having a job around the median wage of canada. I spoke to many people here and otherwise privately and got some insanely good advice. I got some books and got to the grind of making myself happy. I am still in a similar financially disastrous situation but my pov has changed a lot.
I am not saving anything, cant afford a studio apartment in the city I work in, eating out very less and have no vices. I will never be able to save enough for a downpayment here continuing on my current job trajectory but I asked myself, do i need to? I am single, I dont have anybody else's financial responsibility on me so that was a huge factor too. All the negativity is absolutely true and its even worse, but how does it affect me personally? That's how i decided to be at peace.
And downpayment will have to come from Bank of Mom and Dad or from my income outside Canada. This is fine by me too, I am not looking at real estate investment, only personal residence.

In the end, you are responsible only for yourself and your bills. If you can take care of that, mute the noise and do your thing. If you can't, then delay landing.

P.s. because of my subjective privileges, I am leaving Canada in Feb to be a part of my family's business in middle east, earn enough for a downpayment or even to buy cash outright, prepare for GMAT and/or upskill dramatically to come back in 2025-26 to get the passport.
Hopefully by then things macroeconomically should stabilize too. Right now the govt. is hell bent on increasing unemployment because of their covid mess. This does not really affect me but there is a general sense of growing despair in the country and I don't want to be a part of that.

Buy cash outright? If you got 700,000 lying around then indeed you are privileged lol

 

[imransyed]

Buy cash outright? If you got 700,000 lying around then indeed you are privileged lol

LMAO
No I don't have that money lying around, I have some but I can see a way of getting there in 2-3 years time outside Canada. Again, I acknowledge the privilege here too lol but I really thought I could do it on my own in Canada without relying on back home money. I cant.
Also aiming for something under 500, does not have to be GTA or even ON but has to be detached freehold.
Capitulation of house prices is already starting in the areas surrounding GTA, who knows where we will be in another 2 years.

Edit:
I follow some new Indian-Canadians on twitter who saw the mania of Covid house prices and sold for immense gains in less than 5 years of buying and now they are all renting happily waiting on the sidelines and enjoying the fall while making 5%+ with GICs/govt bonds or dividends.
Median house prices to median wage balance will be restored and it will be quite painful. The narrative of supply-demand, immigration, zoning, nothing will stop it. There is a rug pull happening in Canada right now and its ugly.
If they try extending amortizations to 90 years: stagflation
If they try lowering interest rates abruptly: Canadian Pesos

 

[GandiBaat]

If they try extending amortizations to 90 years: stagflation
If they try lowering interest rates abruptly: Canadian Pesos

There is a third possibility. A mild-moderate recession in USA followed by lowering of interest rate again, all over. 2008 kind of response once again. I will hate to be right again but it seems this is the direction we are moving. One component is present, right now holding money in bank has become more desirable than investing it in business. The other component is supply of commodities causing inflation.

What can cause that component? Many thing:

1. Death of Putin followed by end of war in Ukraine. All of a sudden Russian wheat, gas and hydrocarbons will be acceptable/available all over again leading to (over?) supply and price correction of important commodities, which combined with very high interest rates will cause a minor deflation in US. Why spend money in these commodities when they are cheaply available?

2. Capitulation of Ukraine. Again similar to above. Ukraine is now reaching its tipping point and war fatigue is setting in. Plus, its been dragging for too long now.

3. Change of regime in US followed by policy shift. Basically another way 2. may play out.

The biggest reason? ALL BANKS in Canada are offering MASSIVELY expensive 1-2 years mortgage but much cheaper 5 year mortgages. This was seldom the scenario in past. 1 year mortgage rate is more expensive than 10 year rate right now! That never used to happen AFAIK. Further damning? Variable rates for 5 year are MORE than for fixed rate!

Source : https://www.td.com/ca/en/personal-banking/products/mortgages/mortgage-rates

Basically, they expect to lock you in for 5 years at higher interest rates. These bastards know more than all of us. Their pricing shows only one thing. They expect chances of lowering of inter bank rates in 2-3 years horizon significantly this is why they are cajoling people to 5 years ones so that they can lock you in for that period. And the same reason why they are pricing variable rate higher. They expect reduction in interest rates.

 

[zarashah]

I got RPRF request and paid last week, after that eligibility completed on tracker and 3 Ghost updates in gckey that application updated, but when I open nothing is changed and last update showing biometric completed,

If that a good sign

 

[Alysson]

If you can solve python leetcode problems.

Yeah I’m trying to learn python and SQL now to change fields into data analysis, because there isn’t much growth in mine and am tired of it. My gf works remotely as developer for a Quebec company, works 3 hours a day coding and makes 140k. The possibility of subletting my apartment and working remotely back home for a few months sounds great to be honest.

 

[RSub]

Is it still worth it to move to Canada in 2024? Looking at all the negativity I'm feeling a little disheartened.

Only if you are highly skilled. Otherwise, don’t bother coming here.

 

[Impatient Dankaroo]

Only if you are highly skilled. Otherwise, don’t bother coming here.

@RSub how are you doing? did you get a job? what city did you settle in?

 

[GandiBaat]

Yeah I’m trying to learn python and SQL now to change fields into data analysis, because there isn’t much growth in mine and am tired of it. My gf works remotely as developer for a Quebec company, works 3 hours a day coding and makes 140k. The possibility of subletting my apartment and working remotely back home for a few months sounds great to be honest.

Mah man! Join the club bro! Hit me up if you ever need to talk about coding or stuff like that. Happy to help a fellow immigrant!

 

[RSub]

@RSub how are you doing? did you get a job? what city did you settle in?

Yup. Luckily, moved with a job in January. Currently in Burlington. So far things are fine. How are things with you?

 

[Psyoptica]

Mah man! Join the club bro! Hit me up if you ever need to talk about coding or stuff like that. Happy to help a fellow immigrant!

i’ll hit you up soon bro regarding some questions I have and bounce off some ideas.

 

[GandiBaat]

i’ll hit you up soon bro regarding some questions I have and bounce off some ideas.

At your service

 

[GandiBaat]

Only if you are highly skilled. Otherwise, don’t bother coming here.

In my very humble opinion, skill is not as much of a determinant in Canadian market as having a job lined up or having qualification to get one. Its a weird place. My taxi driver in North Van was the best "doctor" I have seen. He had a knack for listening and advising but he could not practice due to red-tape. He had about 10 years of experience under his belt in Iran but that did not impress BC govt. I still remain in contact with him. Checking on what he is doing.
IT or CS in Canada is also weird. One of my friend is facing this music right now. Employers do the most advanced interview for a post that neither pays well nor requires that kind of skills. Worst part, interviewers also do not know the answers that well!