life in vancouver ..

[heskeyrex]

Please how is life in vancouver ..? I heard things are expensive there. I planned coming to study over there. Please is it easy to adapt to life over there? Also .. Are there many IT job placements in vancouver.

 

[missmymexi]

Hello I am from Vancouver and can certainly give you some info ! Vancouver is one of the most expensive cities in Canada and yes it is very costly to live here, however if you live outside of the city centre the costs do go down. Adaptability should be fine, we are an extremely multicultural city and you will probably find things from home here that you thought you would miss. Where are you coming from ?

There are definately a fair amount of jobs in IT sector, Vancouver is the hub for IT in Canada. Richmond is where most of them are based and there is headquarters for many large IT & computer companies located here, you are in a very good industry for finding employment.

Ask me anything else you want and I will let you know, I have lived here for 19 years and know the city very well. I can also expand on your other questions if you give me a bit more detail

 

[vineshparekh]

Hello,

I am also coming to Vancouver this September and my course is PG Diploma in Accounting in Douglas college, New Westminster.

I am coming from Gujarat, India. I've made one friend on internet who will allow me to stay with him and their friends in Vancouver.

I wanted to know that transportation from Vancouver to New Westminster is easy by sky train and I've also got admission in one of the colleges in Toronto. So, shall I stick with that or Vancouver is better place and I should transfer from Toronto to Vancouver. I've heard that living cost is same of Vancouver as Toronto. But you have passed 19 years so you know better things.

Weather wise Vancouver is more suitable or Toronto? I looked at temperatures of both cities and I found that Vancouver has mild temperature which is very good, where Toronto has extreme heat waves in summer and too cold in winter. Kindly suggest me in this thing too.

Thank You,
Vinesh

 

[heskeyrex]

Aww .. I am very grateful missmym. Am coming to canada to study advance diploma in RCIT, I guess u know the school. I intend to work with my diploma cert when I finish, but am also bothered with what am hearing with little job opportunity fusses. Also am from nigeria, I wish I could find a mate or a person who's from my country. I don't know if its possible, cos we could relate well.

 

[missmymexi]

Vinish - The transportation from Vancouver to New West is very easy. You can take the train and it only takes about 20 mins. However New west is much cheaper for accomodations, so you may want to think of living in that area for convienance and cost. The cost of living between toronto and vancouver are quite similiar, I think Vancouver groceries are little less costly but rentals are about par. The weather is definately a factor. Vancouver is the mildest climate in Canada. We have lots of rain, it can dreary since its cloudy and rainy for 6 to 8 months of the year. However the temp is never below 0 even in the height of the winter. Toronto has very cold winters and very hot summers. Toronto is more of a metropolitan city, there is certianly more businesses, head offices and general ammentities than Vancouver. Vancouver is more of a large town and does not have a large city feel to it. So it really depends what you are looking for. Vancouver has a large indian population, so in that respect you would be able to find lots of products and services that you are use to back home as well.

Heskeyrex - I assume you mean BCIT and yes its a very reputable school, especially for the IT sector. My IT rep is actually from Nigeria as well, he has been here for about 10 years now and started working for larger companies and then eventually started his own small business as an off site IT Rep, he has done quite well for him and his family. I honestly believe that you are in a field that is very employable and has an opportunity for emloyment. The other thing to remember is Canada has a high employment rate, so when you hear there are not a lot of jobs, this may differ from your perception. Our average unemployment rate is 7.2 %. so essentially only 7.2% of Canadians are unemployed, compared to most countries this is a drop in the barrel. You may not find high paying employment right away but hard work and determination goes a long way and is rewarded. I find the difference between a Canadian and an immigrant is that the Canadian will stay unemployed till they find something suitable. An immigrant feels blessed for the opportunities and gives that extra determination and if you do that you can always be employed. I have never been without out a job in the 19 years I have been here, they may not have been the best paying but there is plenty out there. But because of determination I am now an executive with no formal education just the drive to succeed and work hard.

 

[zixR]

Vinish - The transportation from Vancouver to New West is very easy. You can take the train and it only takes about 20 mins. However New west is much cheaper for accomodations, so you may want to think of living in that area for convienance and cost. The cost of living between toronto and vancouver are quite similiar, I think Vancouver groceries are little less costly but rentals are about par. The weather is definately a factor. Vancouver is the mildest climate in Canada. We have lots of rain, it can dreary since its cloudy and rainy for 6 to 8 months of the year. However the temp is never below 0 even in the height of the winter. Toronto has very cold winters and very hot summers. Toronto is more of a metropolitan city, there is certianly more businesses, head offices and general ammentities than Vancouver. Vancouver is more of a large town and does not have a large city feel to it. So it really depends what you are looking for. Vancouver has a large indian population, so in that respect you would be able to find lots of products and services that you are use to back home as well.

Heskeyrex - I assume you mean BCIT and yes its a very reputable school, especially for the IT sector. My IT rep is actually from Nigeria as well, he has been here for about 10 years now and started working for larger companies and then eventually started his own small business as an off site IT Rep, he has done quite well for him and his family. I honestly believe that you are in a field that is very employable and has an opportunity for emloyment. The other thing to remember is Canada has a high employment rate, so when you hear there are not a lot of jobs, this may differ from your perception. Our average unemployment rate is 7.2 %. so essentially only 7.2% of Canadians are unemployed, compared to most countries this is a drop in the barrel. You may not find high paying employment right away but hard work and determination goes a long way and is rewarded. I find the difference between a Canadian and an immigrant is that the Canadian will stay unemployed till they find something suitable. An immigrant feels blessed for the opportunities and gives that extra determination and if you do that you can always be employed. I have never been without out a job in the 19 years I have been here, they may not have been the best paying but there is plenty out there. But because of determination I am now an executive with no formal education just the drive to succeed and work hard.

Well done man! Congrats!!

 

[heskeyrex]

Honestly u did great for ur replies and I am really grateful. But the school am actually talking about is RCIT ( royal canadian institute of technology). Please mym, do u have any idea on the course advance-diploma in any subject OR most importantly in IT. Its scary how people talk tho. Moreso, please how easy is it to get an accomodation or stay with a partner. I know it would be quite challenging to settle down at ist bfor not when you know where the bumps are. And most importantly, I would be very glad if you can link me up with someone u know who has made it studying IT and now working b'cos am someone who loves advices and I know it doesn't hurt to ask. Lastly ma, I don't know if you don't mind me asking few things from you later too *shy face* please send your mail to me at justkim007@yahoo.com

 

[PMM]

Hi

Honestly u did great for ur replies and I am really grateful. But the school am actually talking about is RCIT ( royal canadian institute of technology). Please mym, do u have any idea on the course advance-diploma in any subject OR most importantly in IT. Its scary how people talk tho. Moreso, please how easy is it to get an accomodation or stay with a partner. I know it would be quite challenging to settle down at ist bfor not when you know where the bumps are. And most importantly, I would be very glad if you can link me up with someone u know who has made it studying IT and now working b'cos am someone who loves advices and I know it doesn't hurt to ask. Lastly ma, I don't know if you don't mind me asking few things from you later too *shy face* please send your mail to me at justkim007 @ yahoo.com

1. It says "campus" its an office building in a not very nice part of Vancouver, no off campus work permit, no PGWP Basically all Foreign students.

 

[billad]

Excellent and informative replies by missmymexi ... really helpful