Job search in Canada. How difficult is it?

[Kearnixer]

http://www.canadavisa.com/canada-immigration-discussion-board/threads/a-master-thread-of-sakis-posts.63254/

Thanks for sharing astralsource!

 

[Kearnixer]

I am currently living in Singapore and has never been to Canada.

I decided moving to Canada and started job search in February and by mid-April I got three job offers from companies based in Toronto. I had to take a salary cut though. My past base salary in Silicon Valley was 120,000 USD and the three offers from Canada varied between 100,000 CAD and 130,000 CAD.

May I ask in what area you are working?

 

[axolotl]

How did you interview, was it via Skype or did you have to go to Toronto in person?

Mainly Hangouts although I also had a few phone interviews and Skype or FaceTime interviews.

I interviewed with about 20 companies. For about three weeks, I had interviews scheduled every evening (since I was, and still am, living in Singapore).

 

[axolotl]

May I ask in what area you are working?

Currently working as a Data Scientist. (Don't ask me what it means. It's in my opinion a buzz word.) Previously I worked as a management consultant, a quant (in finance), and an equity analyst for different firms. Including my current job, I worked/work in three different countries: the Netherlands, the Unite States, and Singapore.

 

[eagleeye_a]

@axolotl
I don't mean to pry, but I'm curious as to the type of job you have been looking for and getting interviews and offers for. Is it more of a technical role(software engineering, etc) or more of an analyst/business/management type role?

Cheers

 

[Atiq.Siddiqui]

There are always both sides. However, my experience so far is very rough and tough. I have 12+ years of experience in Project management within ICT industry and so far applied hundreds of jobs and got 2 interview calls. 1 was unsuccessful because I do not have Canadian experience despite I have worked in many different countries and other one was due to - I m not sure, got a reply from the company and they said we found you very skillful but we are looking for cultural fit. Perhaps it would also referring to Canadian experience. Have done trying every possible way people have suggested including employment access, ontario employment service, access employment (there are two with EA and AE). Cold call, cold email, networking, meeting people, visiting office, etc. The list is long. Again, like I said - there are two sides. My friends have got jobs within 2-3 months in their field. However, I am still hopeful and not regretting for the decision though I had a very good life in past (in other countries including home country) because there are reasons too. If I take my job matter apart, I love seeing our kids enjoying the moment here and another hope for them a good life in coming days. So, it's not just an individualistic decision; more of a collective of many things. Thanks.

Atiq

 

[Wandering Mind]

Thanks for all the responses guys!

We all know that immigrating to another country is not going to be a piece of cake. It's good to not have the pink glasses on and to think everything will just fall into our lap.
Sometimes by reading all these stories it is easy to get cold feet and think it is better to stay where we are. But we cannot be discouraged. It's not gonna be easy and great successes always had a hard beginning. Most of us will have the handicap of not having any Canadian work experience. Unfortunately we cannot change that circumstance until we really land out first job in Canada (and that first one will be the hardest to get). Is it difficult to get that first job? Yes. Is it impossible? No. We just have to be well informed and prepared. And work hard! I am now investing a lot of time in understanding the Canadian market. And what obviously is very important is NETWORKING. Talked to Canadians and they recommend getting involved in volunteer work from day 1 on! In that way you show you are integrating, gaining some "canadian experience" and most importantly you are expanding your network! If you can, go and study as well. This will give you a Canadian degree and again a network! A Canadian told me: Most people make an MBA not mainly for the sake of the education itself but for the network.

I hope we will all get a piece of the Canadian dream. So let's work hard and network, network, network!

All the best!

I agree with all the points you've made. I've experienced almost everything you mentioned when I left my home country for the UK a few years back.
I had a managerial job in my home country but had to start from scratch in the UK.
I took up junior positions in my field and slowly worked my way up. Unfortunately the brouhaha during and after Brexit forced me to return back to my home country.
Now I'm hoping to get another chance, this time in Canada.
Good luck to all of us.

 

[axolotl]

@axolotl
I don't mean to pry, but I'm curious as to the type of job you have been looking for and getting interviews and offers for. Is it more of a technical role(software engineering, etc) or more of an analyst/business/management type role?

Cheers

I've written a rather long post before on a) how I managed to find jobs while being outside of Canada and b) salary expectations. Let me find it and re-post it here.

Eventually I accepted an offer because I would report directly to the CEO and we would figure out how much of my time should be spent on technical stuff (data science) and how much on business. (I have two Master's degrees, in Computer Science and Business Administration respectively.)

 

[axolotl]

As promised, here's the post about how I got those offers.

http://www.canadavisa.com/canada-immigration-discussion-board/threads/how-i-got-three-job-offers-while-being-outside-canada.490390/

 

[axolotl]

If you can, go and study as well. This will give you a Canadian degree and again a network! A Canadian told me: Most people make an MBA not mainly for the sake of the education itself but for the network.

What that Canadian said about getting an MBA is definitely true. It cost me 120,000 USD for two years but turned out to be the key for me to find a job in Canada.

 

[eagleeye_a]

As promised, here's the post about how I got those offers.

http://www.canadavisa.com/canada-immigration-discussion-board/threads/how-i-got-three-job-offers-while-being-outside-canada.490390/

Much appreciated!

Cheers

 

[dopehead]

Thanks for the detailed post (in the other thread). I work as a data scientist as well in the Boston area - your post has gotten me optimistic about options in Canada
Cheers.

 

[Alexand]

Hi all,

To everybody already living in Canada. How is the job market and how is the job search for newcomers? Read an article that the market is not that easy at the moment.

I'm intending to settle in Toronto and I work in corporate banking (bachelor level).

Any experiences? Any advices?

Thanks

Hey,

One thing the Government of Canada is doing is offering services to help you before you even arrive in Canada. There are many employment services that help you find a job before you arrive. But as posted by other people, the attitude matters the most and getting any job when you arrive is very important even if it is not related to your profession.
In the meantime, you may register for free with NextStopCanada.ca and they will connect you with the pre-arrival and in land services to feel well prepared once you land and maybe even have a job offer.

Best of luck!

 

[Kearnixer]

Hey,

One thing the Government of Canada is doing is offering services to help you before you even arrive in Canada. There are many employment services that help you find a job before you arrive. But as posted by other people, the attitude matters the most and getting any job when you arrive is very important even if it is not related to your profession.
In the meantime, you may register for free with NextStopCanada.ca and they will connect you with the pre-arrival and in land services to feel well prepared once you land and maybe even have a job offer.

Best of luck!

Thanks so much for sharing! Will definitely take a look at that nextstopcanada thing!

Cheers mate!

 

[Alexand]

Thanks so much for sharing! Will definitely take a look at that nextstopcanada thing!

Cheers mate!

Hope it is helpful for you!

Best of luck!!