Is migrating to Canada good option for Software professional

[kateg]

This about sums up the situation regarding the difference between CAN and US in terms of pay scale.
So, $60k USD in Canada translates to $150k in NYC and I am pretty sure its roughly around that much in the SV too.

Depending on the specifics of the field, SV can be a bit more, or a bit less. The scales you quote are accurate.

There is a massive brain drain going on from Canada into the US for talented students from top Canadian Universities.

For those who simply want the highest salary, yes - leaving Canada is the way to go. That being said, if you are skilled and determined, there are plenty of opportunities here.

 

[number411]

That's incorrect.

Canadian Permanent Residency is for people who want to make Canada their home. I have a good deal of dislike for those who use it as a backdoor means of entering the United States - people like that take a slot that was intended for someone who wanted to make Canada their permanent home, and Canada invests significant time and expense in those people.

To become a Canadian Citizen, they now require a certification that one is planning to intend to reside in Canada. If you are planning on moving to the US, you are lying.

Kate, Good to see you here, and thanks for chipping in with your personal experiences. It enriches this discussion and makes newcomers like me learn more about Canada and the US.

My post was intended to show or rather guess about the IT opportunities in Canada, and to specifically highlight the fact that proximity to US could be leveraged if things go bad, more as a fall-back option or alternative.

Of course, the very reason we apply for PR and later plan to become citizens of Canada is to live, contribute to, and to enrich Canada. This can be done in various ways based on how life evolves.

A new immigrant takes a big risk by coming to Canada. If an IT professional doesn't get IT jobs for many years for whatever reason, for example I'm tied to Saskatchewan because of a Provincial Nomination, then he/she would try to do whatever is best for his/her family which would include moving to the US (and maybe coming back, as you did!), of course at the same time being grateful and faithful to the lands that helped him/her in the process.

We can't plan for the next 10 years of our lives, there are so many things that could change including personal choices. Lying is a strong word to portray people who are dissatisfied with life in their home countries and who are evaluating alternatives to make it better for their children, amidst big challenges. Whenever we sign any declaration, we of course do it with 100% good intention of settling and making every effort to live in a province or a country, but we have to have a Plan B and discuss/evaluate alternatives as well.

 

[kateg]

If an IT professional doesn't get IT jobs for many years for whatever reason, for example I'm tied to Saskatchewan because of a Provincial Nomination, then he/she would try to do whatever is best for his/her family which would include moving to the US (and maybe coming back, as you did!), of course at the same time being grateful and faithful to the lands that helped him/her in the process.

For me, it wasn't returning. I'm currently a US citizen, working to give it up to live in Canada. I did not have a choice in going there, and I left as soon as I felt that I could provide something worthwhile to my new home. This is my home, and I'm in it for the long haul. Sure, I can make double elsewhere, but that's not the point.

You're not locked into the PNP nomination if you can't find a job. Work hard, give it an honest go - if you are truly unable to find employment there, the Charter protects your mobility rights.

We can't plan for the next 10 years of our lives, there are so many things that could change including personal choices. Lying is a strong word to portray people who are dissatisfied with life in their home countries and who are evaluating alternatives to make it better for their children, amidst big challenges. Whenever we sign any declaration, we of course do it with 100% good intention of settling and making every effort to live in a province or a country, but we have to have a Plan B and discuss/evaluate alternatives as well.

I've heard several people on this forum, for whom the US is plan A, and Canada is just a means to an end. That is dishonest in the extreme, and in so doing, they are using the slot of someone who would make Canada their home for life.

 

[number411]

You're not locked into the PNP nomination if you can't find a job. Work hard, give it an honest go - if you are truly unable to find employment there, the Charter protects your mobility rights.

I've heard several people on this forum, for whom the US is plan A, and Canada is just a means to an end. That is dishonest in the extreme, and in so doing, they are using the slot of someone who would make Canada their home for life.

I think I'll try my best for 6 months to find a job in SK. I agree it is dishonest if someone has such a plan. I'm not one of those guys. If it was my plan, I would have tried some other ways to get to US straight rather than spending 5 years trying to, and living in Canada.

I've another question to you.

I see that you've taken a COMPTIA certification. Do such certifications help in adding credibility to an immigrant CV? If so, I'll plan to appear for CompTIA A+ and Project+ certifications.

I've worked as SAP consultant/Project Manager for 10 years, and these skills are generically called as Business Analyst, IT analyst or Project Management. I already have some SAP certifications and if further certifications will help me get jobs in SK, I'm willing to invest time in getting them.

I also have experience and good in programming, ex. In Java etc. I think appearing for OCJP certification will help in getting Java programmer jobs, right?

 

[kateg]

I see that you've taken a COMPTIA certification. Do such certifications help in adding credibility to an immigrant CV? If so, I'll plan to appear for CompTIA A+ and Project+ certifications.

They help get you through filters, more important with recruiters and larger companies. For smaller ones, it doesn't really matter as much. The number one thing that matters is how well you interview. Be prepared to talk about projects you have done, how you would solve a problem, show examples of things you've worked on. Be professional, and try to match the attitude of the people you are interviewing with. A good interview can overcome a bad resume, but it's a lot harder for a good resume to overcome a bad interview.

I've worked as SAP consultant/Project Manager for 10 years, and these skills are generically called as Business Analyst, IT analyst or Project Management. I already have some SAP certifications and if further certifications will help me get jobs in SK, I'm willing to invest time in getting them.

I'm currently working on my PMP - some employers know the certification, and it can have value. Smaller companies, it doesn't necessarily help as much, unless you are lacking experience in the field, or are looking to show that the experience is relevant. For me, getting certs regularly helps show that even though I'm managing programmers, I can still code on my own.

(Yes, I'm an immigrant who works multiple jobs. I do it for fun, not because I need to.)

I also have experience and good in programming, ex. In Java etc. I think appearing for OCJP certification will help in getting Java programmer jobs, right?

For bigger companies, it's a big plus. For smaller companies, code samples or work experience often make the certification unnecessary.

 

[number411]

You made it sound like Canadian citizens are flooding across the borders and creating many vacancies for new immigrants. This massive flood simply isn't taking place. I was born in Canada, have more friends than I can name who are in IT (I've worked in IT myself) and can only think of one who relocated to the US.

I'm not trying to deliberately contradict or raise a cudgel, but just wanted to add more info. You're right, there's no flooding but a consistent trickle sure is! In summary, about 100k-200k Canadians goto US every year..

In the years 1986-1991, almost 125,000 Canadians each year went south, rising to 214,000 in 1996- 2001 period when the dollar was quite low. As our growth improved and dollar rose to U. S. parity after 2002, Canadian permanent and temporary immigrants to the U.S. declined to 167,000 in the 2001- 6 period.

From today's article http://business.financialpost.com/fp-comment/jack-m-mintz-living-with-the-low-canadian-brain-drain-dollar-part-2

 

[NeelaR]

Hi folks,

May I get an opinion on options for Manufacturing managers (NOC 0911) in Canada? How's the market there and how easy it is to get a job in Toronto or GTA? What would be the salary range for someone with 10 years experience , having held roles such a Six Sigma Black belt, Operations MAnager and Group Manager at a US Multi national corporation (but working in its Singapore entity) ?

Any info will be highly appreciated! Thanks for your time!

Regards,
Neela

 

[number411]

Hi folks,

May I get an opinion on options for Manufacturing managers (NOC 0911) in Canada? How's the market there and how easy it is to get a job in Toronto or GTA? What would be the salary range for someone with 10 years experience , having held roles such a Six Sigma Black belt, Operations MAnager and Group Manager at a US Multi national corporation (but working in its Singapore entity) ?

Any info will be highly appreciated! Thanks for your time!

Regards,
Neela

Maybe you've to create a new thread, because this one is for Software guys.