Is it too early to apply for jobs for this summer from now?

[Keyjoe23]

Hello,

I'm an exchange student here in Canada and this is my last year of bachelor of computer science. However, my study permit will expire by the end of august,2016 and I do not really want to return back to France. I am trying so hard to find a job here in the IT section. I am applying everywhere on every website for all the opportunities available either jobs or intern.

But it looks like I only get refuses..

I will be graduated in May 2016, and then there will be only 4 months left for me to find a job or leave the country..Since I can't apply for the immigration here without having a job.

I have heard that for a company to count your experience, it has to be in Canada only. So if I did an internship outside Canada they will not really count it, which leads that my CV is empty of experience.. And I think this is why I am getting a refuse !

But I do not really know is it really too early for a student like me who isn't graduated yet, to apply for IT jobs here in Canada for the next summer? Or should I wait untill the summer and then I start searching and applying?

Note: My bachelor is from France, which is well considered here in Canada especially in Quebec, where I am.

Could anyone help me with an advice or personal experience to improve my job searching or to lead me to find a company that can hire me in order to make it easy for the immigration process ?

Thank you so much. :-X

 

[scylla]

It's not true that you need Canadian work experience to apply for PR. Plenty of people obtain PR with only foreign work experience. You may want to spend more time researching Canada's immigration programs to understand what it takes to qualify.

You can certainly start looking for an employer now. Note that your employer will need to obtain an approved LMIA in order for you to qualify for a work permit. Unfortunately it tends to be very difficult to find employers willing to go through the LMIA process - this is why employers aren't generally interested in your CV. In order to obtain an approved LMIA, an employer is going to have to prove they advertised the role and were unable to find a Canadian to hire for the position. Canada produces tons of Finance graduates each year. You're going to have lots of competition and Canadian students and foreign students with PGWP will have priority over you.

 

[Lammawitch]

In addition to Scylla's advice, you could also look at applying for an IEC visa, once the program reopens - if you are a French citizen.

 

[8Hannah8]

I have heard that for a company to count your experience, it has to be in Canada only. So if I did an internship outside Canada they will not really count it, which leads that my CV is empty of experience.. And I think this is why I am getting a refuse !

It all depends on your luck, so I don't think you should feel down right away by lack of Canadian Experience. I have several friends who had 0 Canadian experience, but landed some short contracts for a start. It took some time, about 6 months, but in the end it all worked out. However, as your work-permit status is unconfirmed it might be slightly problematic. You really need to convince your employer there would be no problems obtaining a work permit.

 

[Keyjoe23]

It's not true that you need Canadian work experience to apply for PR. Plenty of people obtain PR with only foreign work experience. You may want to spend more time researching Canada's immigration programs to understand what it takes to qualify.

You can certainly start looking for an employer now. Note that your employer will need to obtain an approved LMIA in order for you to qualify for a work permit. Unfortunately it tends to be very difficult to find employers willing to go through the LMIA process - this is why employers aren't generally interested in your CV. In order to obtain an approved LMIA, an employer is going to have to prove they advertised the role and were unable to find a Canadian to hire for the position. Canada produces tons of Finance graduates each year. You're going to have lots of competition and Canadian students and foreign students with PGWP will have priority over you.

Hello, thank you for your answer. I really know about these informations and this is way I feel like I will never get a job because I have a lack of experience tho even outside Canada, It's only 1 internship of 3 months. Which means my CV is really empty of experience anyway, plus I am still studying, and this is why I asked this question; Is it really to early to apply for jobs or what ? Plus when I get graduated in May, I will only have 4 months to find a job or quit the country.. And I don't know if it's really easy or hard here to find a job during the summer OR to find a summer internship, or it will be too late to apply for one tho.. And of course regarding the LMIA process and so on, it will be even difficult to find an internship or a country that would go through all these process for an " internship ". I don't know really what to do in order to be able to work in any company here or get a job offer!

In addition to Scylla's advice, you could also look at applying for an IEC visa, once the program reopens - if you are a French citizen.

Again you , thanks for your answer Lammawitch, I don't hold a french citizenship. It is only my degree.

It all depends on your luck, so I don't think you should feel down right away by lack of Canadian Experience. I have several friends who had 0 Canadian experience, but landed some short contracts for a start. It took some time, about 6 months, but in the end it all worked out. However, as your work-permit status is unconfirmed it might be slightly problematic. You really need to convince your employer there would be no problems obtaining a work permit.

In my opinion, I think the only way for me to find a job offer here or to get an internship in any company is by network and connections..

I mean no one would help me unless I know someone who has a company or anything, other than that, impossible to be hired since I have a lack of experience even outside Canada. I thought that companies here sometimes look for fresh graduates, but it seems that I have alot of competitions as mentioned above :-[.

 

[Jalex23]

I'm an exchange student here in Canada and this is my last year of bachelor of computer science. However, my study permit will expire by the end of august,2016 and I do not really want to return back to France. I am trying so hard to find a job here in the IT section. I am applying everywhere on every website for all the opportunities available either jobs or intern.

But it looks like I only get refuses.

I will be graduated in May 2016, and then there will be only 4 months left for me to find a job or leave the country..Since I can't apply for the immigration here without having a job.

I would assume you don’t qualify for a PGWP…. Because this is they way that most of the people that have studied and graduated in Canada continue their life in here.

I have heard that for a company to count your experience, it has to be in Canada only. So if I did an internship outside Canada they will not really count it, which leads that my CV is empty of experience.. And I think this is why I am getting a refuse !

If you are applying for jobs that do require experience, then yes that is most likely the reason. Then I would ask, why do you apply for those jobs? Even in your home country applying for a job that requires experience without experience is tough.

There are lots of openings targeted for recent graduates where no experience is required. Usually those ones can be found in career fairs as the companies are there exactly to look for recent grads without experience.

But I do not really know is it really too early for a student like me who isn't graduated yet, to apply for IT jobs here in Canada for the next summer? Or should I wait untill the summer and then I start searching and applying?

It is early or late depending on the job openings. Are there job openings looking for summer start? Usually companies want the employee to start working within a month of the first interview. As the whole process takes from 1 to 2 months it would be unlikely to find someone hiring for the summer…. but if you find one… apply.

Or are you just offering your services out of the blue? If so then that is a wrong approach, you must look for the job posting and then apply.

I will only have 4 months to find a job or quit the country.. And I don't know if it's really easy or hard here to find a job during the summer OR to find a summer internship, or it will be too late to apply for one tho.. And of course regarding the LMIA process and so on, it will be even difficult to find an internship or a country that would go through all these process for an " internship ". I don't know really what to do in order to be able to work in any company here or get a job offer!
Again you , thanks for your answer Lammawitch, I don't hold a french citizenship. It is only my degree.

Yes it will be hard to find an employer willing to wait for the whole LMIA process to finish for a recent grad. And there is no way or strategy to convince a company to hire you. As explained before you have to look for the job opening and then apply for the job.

I have seen some companies waiting for top notch students… that is, students that have won contests or that are just top of their class. That gives the company incentive to wait for everything to align. Again, this is done in career fairs as their staff is savvy in immigration related to recent grads with study permits.

In my opinion, I think the only way for me to find a job offer here or to get an internship in any company is by network and connections.

That opinion is wrong. There are tons of openings and opportunities for recent grads… as explained above.

I mean no one would help me unless I know someone who has a company or anything, other than that, impossible to be hired since I have a lack of experience even outside Canada. I thought that companies here sometimes look for fresh graduates, but it seems that I have alot of competitions as mentioned above :-[.

Not the case. There are tons of companies looking for fresh grads. I got hired by one for my first job in Canada. And I was part of their recruitment team in different universities.

 

[Keyjoe23]

If you are applying for jobs that do require experience, then yes that is most likely the reason. Then I would ask, why do you apply for those jobs? Even in your home country applying for a job that requires experience without experience is tough.

There are lots of openings targeted for recent graduates where no experience is required. Usually those ones can be found in career fairs as the companies are there exactly to look for recent grads without experience.

I am applying for any job I find suitable for me, whether with experience or not because it's like I am doing all what I can to find a job..
And I am also applying for internships and fresh graduates jobs and I am putting the option volunteering too.. I am doing my best to be honest and I am even taking extra courses online to enrich my C.V.

 

[scylla]

I would assume you don’t qualify for a PGWP…. Because this is they way that most of the people that have studied and graduated in Canada continue their life in here.

OP is an exchange student. Exchange students don't qualify for PGWPs.

 

[Jalex23]

I am applying for any job I find suitable for me, whether with experience or not because it's like I am doing all what I can to find a job.

I would advise against this approach. It is not about the quantity of applications, but the quality. In my experience it is better to apply to a few throughly than to apply to a lot "just in case".

Also applying to jobs that require experience without having it is a waste of time IMO. I have seen people applying and getting a job when the experience is close, for example, they want 5 years of experience and you got 4.... I even helped a friend to get a job that asked for 5 years, while he had only 3... As you said, if you don't know anyone then that is going to be a very tough sale.

And I am also applying for internships and fresh graduates jobs and I am putting the option volunteering too. I am doing my best to be honest and I am even taking extra courses online to enrich my C.V.

This is good.

What I think is stopping you is your immigration situation. Companies like fresh graduates... but what they don't like is to hire people with an uncertain status in Canada. Even with a work permit, interviewers will ask you what you plan to do after the permit expires. They want to hear that you will apply for a PR. They don't want to hear that they will need to do more than give you an employment letter for your immigration process. Saying you need them to go through the LMIA process is a serious drawback.

What makes you stand out of the crowd? Excelent grades? Top of your class? Prestigious university? those are your weapons as a student to convince an employer to go through LMIA. Taking online courses is a nice to have but it doesn't really make a difference.

My advice would be to take a 2 year diploma in any technological school. You can work on-campus and get experience in the summer with an off-campus work permit. Yes, it is a long slow way to do things, but that is the life of the immigrant. We all did that.

OP is an exchange student. Exchange students don't qualify for PGWPs.

That is unfortunate then.

I thought exchange students couldn't graduate in a university abroad... but seems that is not the case.

Thanks for clarifying.

 

[Keyjoe23]

This is good.

What I think is stopping you is your immigration situation. Companies like fresh graduates... but what they don't like is to hire people with an uncertain status in Canada. Even with a work permit, interviewers will ask you what you plan to do after the permit expires. They want to hear that you will apply for a PR. They don't want to hear that they will need to do more than give you an employment letter for your immigration process. Saying you need them to go through the LMIA process is a serious drawback.

What makes you stand out of the crowd? Excelent grades? Top of your class? Prestigious university? those are your weapons as a student to convince an employer to go through LMIA. Taking online courses is a nice to have but it doesn't really make a difference.

My advice would be to take a 2 year diploma in any technological school. You can work on-campus and get experience in the summer with an off-campus work permit. Yes, it is a long slow way to do things, but that is the life of the immigrant. We all did that.

Yeah, that's what I am planning to do man! I am thinking about applying in the CSQ SW this january, sine I have got more than the minimum points.
But I don't know if it is a good move without having a work experience or job offer !

I already work off-campus for 20hrs a week.. And I don't think taking two years diploma is a good idea for me honestly..

So the question now is, do you think I hold a chance to get the CSQ?(N.B I have 55 points)

and another question, I will talk with my university administration to have an internship course next semester so that I can apply for the Co Op work permit, would that make things easy?

The problem is the university refused at first place to give me such a course since I am not registered in a program at the university! I am only an exchange student for a year..