My wife was accepted PR and arrived in Canada last month. We are in Ottawa and even though she has a mountain of business and trade experience, it is not recognized. We are also situated in Ottawa at the moment and the economy is not so great, and most of the good jobs require bilingualism. We are considering a move to Alberta as there are supposedly lots of jobs there. My question is: Realistically, what options does my wife have???? I suppose she could do fast food or retail work. Also, how does one secure employment in another city (Calgary or Edmonton for example) before arriving there???? We can't afford to make a mistake such as moving to another province and having the same problems finding work. Any suggestions??? ???
New PR. No Canadian exp. What to do?
- Thread starter gongdi
- Start date
This is what I have been telling people from the dawn of time about the so called "Canadian Experience". You also need to remember Alberta has a higher standard of living. Sure Tim Hortons staff make $14/hour but that is offset by the higher cost of living. So you are pretty much in the same place. Try getting in touch with head hunters or employment agencies. Hopefully they can help you out.gongdi said:
I hear you on the cost of living but truthfully, agencies are of no help for her. They are not even of help to me, a native Canadian with Canadian experience. Online, agencies boast of all sorts of jobs and then you apply and then you hear nothing. Then you do a follow up and hear nothing again! So far between the two of us, we've gotten one retail interview and two door-to-door commission only scam jobs! It's only been two months but our nest egg money is running out fast. I can imagine if we are in this position 6 months from now, we may have to brave the brown smog where I would return to China to teach. It's kind of disappointing but to return on topic: If there really is a boom in Alberta, how can a family move there knowing there really is work?
Canadian immigration is a trap. It's a ponzi scheme. If you can't still survive on your own after six months here, you should go back to your home country before it's too late, that is, before you squander all your savings. There are many tragic immigration stories. Many people used to live on their savings for three yrs and then manage to get Canadian passport and leave. Those days are all gone now.
I dunno. People like hiring within the province (city), not from the outside. I would say take the plunge and move to Alberta.Sarah1 said:
And for the record, I really hope other immigrants don't look at pretty Wikipedia pictures before setting foot in Canada. I mean, you could not have picked the worst place job wise.
There are jobs in Alberta, but that doesn't mean it's easy to move here. Things to think about:
- renting is hard in both Edmonton and Calgary, very expensive. When you don't have a job, landlords don't want you renting.
- you can't get a fast-food survival job from Ottawa, those businesses don't waste their time with out of province people
- a lot of the great jobs are up in the North, it's harder to get one if you're a couple
- to get construction jobs, you need what are called safety tickets: CSTS, H2S Alive, First Aid, Food Safety; women usually work as food workers, cleaners, etc. in the work camps
- the pay in these places is good, but the life can be hard
But, there are jobs here. Compared with Victoria, it's like night and day.
- renting is hard in both Edmonton and Calgary, very expensive. When you don't have a job, landlords don't want you renting.
- you can't get a fast-food survival job from Ottawa, those businesses don't waste their time with out of province people
- a lot of the great jobs are up in the North, it's harder to get one if you're a couple
- to get construction jobs, you need what are called safety tickets: CSTS, H2S Alive, First Aid, Food Safety; women usually work as food workers, cleaners, etc. in the work camps
- the pay in these places is good, but the life can be hard
But, there are jobs here. Compared with Victoria, it's like night and day.
This is another good point people don't think about.on-hold said:
When I moved from Montreal to Toronto (as a Canadian citizen with 100,000 in savings) I could not rent a place in a ghetto because I did not have a job. Most landlords require a letter from employer or a guarantor.
Also, I strongly recommend (if money is an issue) not to apply from Ottawa, just pack your bags and move.
I can tell you with 100% certainty that Canadians always prefer to hire within the city you live in. Forget Skype, it is a waste of time.
Let me give you an example. My ex-gf who was from Montreal and perfectly bilingual was looking for a job in Toronto. There (was) is a lot of demand in Toronto for bilingual reps. All her applications from Montreal were ignored. When she finally moved to Toronto she got hired in 2 days.
Please, please do not waste your valuable time and money applying via Skype.