Migrating from Australia

[david_oz]

Hi all,

I found this forum while searching for information on how to migrate to Canada. I'm an Australian and my spouse is a Singaporean currently living in Melbourne, Australia. I am entitled to Working Holiday Visa(WHV) and my spouse is slightly older than me and is unable to obtain the WHV. However, after further research, I've found her job is critical occupation list. She works for advertising agency under "1122 Professional Occupations in Business Services to Management". This I believe, entitle her for entry to Canada without a pre-arranged job. I am senior security engineer(IT/networks) and is under the skilled migration list but not on the critical state which requires a pre-arranged job.

Now, my questions are:
- Can I enter canada under working holiday visa and later transfer to permanent residency visa under the "Canadian experience class"? This allows me to work in Canada for 24 months and also gain experience with the Canadian culture.
- As my spouse is not entitle for the WHV, can she apply permanent residency while she's with me on tourist visa which I believe is 6 months.
- Are there any other ways we could gain entry to Canada?
- Can I apply for WHV but my spouse put me as dependent on her application?
- How's the IT job market in Toronto?

Thanks for all your help and look forward to your answers.

In order of your questions

1. Yes you can. I have just done exactly the same thing. I came here in January 2009 on a working holiday visa, found a job and applied for permanent residence, and landed 2 days ago. If I'm not mistaken, you need 24 months experience for the canadian experience class?? In that case, wouldn't you be better off including yourself as a spouse on her PR application, rather than waiting for 2 years experience in Canada, and then for a PR app to be processed.

2. Yes. I would apply right now, before you move to Canada. The CIO takes about 3-4 months to process applications and hand them off to a visa office. If you apply now, then probably by the time you are ready to move to Canada you will know if she is eligible for processing or not. You wouldn't want to make the move first, and then find out she isn't eligible. I believe she can enter as a tourist and stay for 6 months at a time, but you might get hassles at the border - and bear in mind she can't work. So unless your job pays well it might be quite miserable for you. Someone with more experience can probably answer this a bit better than me

3. No idea

4. Yes

5. No idea

Good luck with everything!!! Let me know if you've got anymore questions

cheers

Dave

 

[scaria197]

david_oz,


Just curious-why did you decide to move from Australia to Canada? What came across to you as clear advantages encouraging you to move from Oz to Canada?

The reason I am interested is that I am a Australian PR (thru wife) working in the US and torn which way to go Canada or Australia.

-scaria197

 

[david_oz]

well... its kind of a long story, but let me start by saying i really love both countries

long story short, i got laid off from my job in sydney, and at the same time had a friend who was skiing in banff. so i joined him there for a couple of months, picked up a working holiday visa, and then moved to the nearest city (calgary). i found a job here, made some friends and haven't really looked back.

in terms of living, both countries are very similar. an irish guy who lived in australia and canada once said to me, "if the uk and australia are cousins, and the uk and canada are cousins, then australia and canada are brothers". and that is very true. for me, the reasons i like living here are:
- i get to ski for a full 6 months of the year
- i have mountains 1.5 hours from my house
- i prefer the climate here... i could never handle the heat
- i live in a city where you can earn decent money, but is still somewhat laid back
- i can see a lot of north america without taking huge amounts of vacation time
- everything is bigger and better in north america (you know its true lol)

if you're coming from the us, you would probably find canada less of an adjustment than australia... all i can say if you're trying to decide between canada and australia is good luck!!! on the plus side, you can't make a wrong decision - they are both fantastic countries

 

[gte439u]

well... its kind of a long story, but let me start by saying i really love both countries

long story short, i got laid off from my job in sydney, and at the same time had a friend who was skiing in banff. so i joined him there for a couple of months, picked up a working holiday visa, and then moved to the nearest city (calgary). i found a job here, made some friends and haven't really looked back.

in terms of living, both countries are very similar. an irish guy who lived in australia and canada once said to me, "if the uk and australia are cousins, and the uk and canada are cousins, then australia and canada are brothers". and that is very true. for me, the reasons i like living here are:
- i get to ski for a full 6 months of the year
- i have mountains 1.5 hours from my house
- i prefer the climate here... i could never handle the heat
- i live in a city where you can earn decent money, but is still somewhat laid back
- i can see a lot of north america without taking huge amounts of vacation time
- everything is bigger and better in north america (you know its true lol)

if you're coming from the us, you would probably find canada less of an adjustment than australia... all i can say if you're trying to decide between canada and australia is good luck!!! on the plus side, you can't make a wrong decision - they are both fantastic countries

Having come to Canada from the U.S., it is an easy adjustment. I was born and raised down there, and, in Alberta, at least, Americans fit in quite well. I found that being American was a seen as a positive by employers in certain sectors of the Alberta economy.

Having visited Australia a few times, it is a great spot too. You cannot go wrong with any of the three.

 

[david_oz]

Having come to Canada from the U.S., it is an easy adjustment. I was born and raised down there, and, in Alberta, at least, Americans fit in quite well. I found that being American was a seen as a positive by employers in certain sectors of the Alberta economy.

Having visited Australia a few times, it is a great spot too. You cannot go wrong with any of the three.

yep. i agree with this 100%

 

[scaria197]

Thanks for your inputs!

I dunno if this is true-what scares/concerns us in the value of real estate and rentals down under!! If we are looking at Sydney or Melbourne a decent place to rent would be atleast 2000/ month. Plus the move will mean we start from scratch-new appliances, new car, new furniture.

Canada although is a new country there is peace of mind that we can just haul everything up north.

Did you find cost of living comparable?

 

[nitroxn]

Good question, for a change. There are no neighboring countries in Australia.

That is not a good enough reason to leave a country. Australia seems to doing fine, even more good than Canada in many cases.

 

[dasalcedo]

That is not a good enough reason to leave a country. Australia seems to doing fine, even more good than Canada in many cases.

In my opinion, the reasons for changing Australia to Canada are very subjective. Each one of us find our reasons very important whatever the reason is. If change and the lack of neighbors in Australia are important reasons for th0i3, fair enough.

Cheers