WHICH CITY TO LAND ? -for New Immigrants

[mea.hassi]

@ mea.hassi

Possibilities to get an interview call before landing depends on your skills, application, and efforts. I don't think anyone can provide a definitive answer to this question! Without the knowledge of local market and employers, when you start applying it is very likely that you will apply to some head hunters (recruiters or recruitment agencies), they may give you a call to discuss your background.

thxx for guiding

 

[akashsar]

I'm a nurse and immigrating to Canada.
My province of choice is Alberta.
Is it hard to find a job there?

The slump in oil prices has taken a toll on the job market. I think GTA would be a better option.

 

[tun001757]

Hi Poison,

Thank you for this post and it is very helpful. I am an Software Engineer and cannot decide where to Land (Toronto or Vancouver).
How is the IT job market in Vancouver?

Cost of buying a property can be super high but at the same time rentals are very less expensive.

How is the rental fees of room or flat between Toronto or Vancouver? Can you elaborate more when you have time?

Thank you.

I will start my post by saying "No offenses, Qorax". I am just expressing my views and experience after living in Canada for (almost) 5 years and having lived, visited, and worked in all 3 major job hubs listed above.

Toronto: This is where I live at the moment. Superb city, vibrant, dynamic, fast ~ I am running out of adjectives. This is the biggest with most jobs and most competitors at the same time. It is significantly challenging to get a job break in the field that you belong, reason being tough competition from tons of immigrants like us. I was lucky enough that my employer supported me in moving from Vancouver to Toronto and I was saved from job hunting. Cost of living depends upon your lifestyle but in my experience, it is surely higher than the other two. Fuel, milk, and property purchase are less expensive than Vancouver, apart from that everything is expensive in Toronto. Fuel is cheaper but at the same time car insurance is high, so if you make an annual calculation it either breaks-even or go high. On the positive side, due to Toronto being the first choice to land for most of the immigrants, you will find nice and helpful communities for each ethnicity/race/culture/religion.

Calgary/Edmonton: This is where I worked (commuted every week for 1.5 years). With the slide in oil boom, there is a lot of uncertainty hovering on existing jobs. Needless to say that it significantly impacts the new job postings. Smaller cities, friendlier, more family time, and low cost of living are on the plus side. Weather is definitely on the minus side. Edmonton boasts more government jobs (being provincial capital) and Calgary has more private sector jobs.

Vancouver: This is where I lived for 4 years and my POE to Canada. Green, beautiful, and 'live your life' are few adjectives that click my mind. Usually it is marketed as one of the most diverse cities in the world, but I disagree with that. There are pre-dominantly only three diversities that rule Vancouver. Regarding jobs, very less from industry perspective except tourism and timber. More service class and stable; not as many jobs as Toronto but less competition as well. Cost of buying a property can be super high but at the same time rentals are very less expensive. For most immigrants like me, we look at rent expenditure first. Weather wise it is not as cold as rest of Canada but to live in Vancouver, you will have to love 'rain'. Overall, a fantastic city if you get a descent job. I was lucky enough to get a job that I 'wanted' and I am not denying the fact that Vancouver is the city which gave me whatever I have today in Canada. Again, it does not necessarily mean that the same can be true to others.

On the whole, I would recommend you do your homework about the job/business prospects in your own field in each of the cities. Do not look at the size of the city or natural beauty or even your community preferences. None of these things are going to come to pay your bills and put the food on the table.

All the best.

 

[kenkirin]

I am an IT professional and your fields are different than my research areas and areas of expertise. But just to give you some idea, Electronics engineers often find good jobs in telecom section. Bell and Rogers are headquartered in GTA, Telus in Burnaby (suburb of Metro Vancouver), and Shaw in Calgary. You will find many aerospace and aircraft manufacturing related companies in GTA and Quebec. Regarding Electrical field, I have absolutely no idea but it would be good if you do some research for companies like BC Hydro, Toronto Hydro, etc.

Hi Poison,

As i am also IT professional, particularly in IT project management, and plan to land in Q2 this year. From your experiences which one is the better place to LAND between BC and ON? I have done some researches most of well-known IT companies are in ON including the company i am woking currently in my country. However my preference is more to BC but i am wondering whether i will have a chance to find a job there or not, as i am aware that budget allocation (e.g fund to support my settlement) won't be applicable if i move to any other provincials. thanks for sharing your views in advance.

Kenkirin

 

[poison]

Hi Poison,

As i am also IT professional, particularly in IT project management, and plan to land in Q2 this year. From your experiences which one is the better place to LAND between BC and ON? I have done some researches most of well-known IT companies are in ON including the company i am woking currently in my country. However my preference is more to BC but i am wondering whether i will have a chance to find a job there or not, as i am aware that budget allocation (e.g fund to support my settlement) won't be applicable if i move to any other provincials. thanks for sharing your views in advance.

Kenkirin

Both places have good companies, however GTA houses more IT organizations than any other metropolis in Canada. I have iterated it many time.. more companies in GTA and more competitors too!!! In addition, there are some good IT giants in the Ottawa-Gatineau area. Do you overall research.

 

[Tajik]

Hi guys,

I put Toronto in my application originally. But now need to be in Montreal. Can I land in Toronto and then move to Montreal? Thanks

 

[emamabd]

Both places have good companies, however GTA houses more IT organizations than any other metropolis in Canada.

Very true!

 

[deepee86]

Any marketing/ advertising professionals on this forum? I need advice on job search

 

[poison]

Hi Poison,

Thank you for this post and it is very helpful. I am an Software Engineer and cannot decide where to Land (Toronto or Vancouver).
How is the IT job market in Vancouver?

Cost of buying a property can be super high but at the same time rentals are very less expensive.

How is the rental fees of room or flat between Toronto or Vancouver? Can you elaborate more when you have time?

Thank you.

Your search will yield less results if you use term like "flat". Try to broaden it using keywords "apartment", "1bhk", "basement", "room", etc. Room usually means shared accommodation or may be a separate room within a house/apartment/condo. I would recommend you search on websites like kijiji, craigslist, etc. and do your own analysis. One thing though, try searching in suburbs of these metros instead of core cities. Areas in downtown or close to downtown are usually expensive.

 

[mthakurwani]

I applied for fsw in 2133 electrical and electronics engineer... Which province is suitable to me....Alberta wud be ok?

 

[S7]

I will start my post by saying "No offenses, Qorax". I am just expressing my views and experience after living in Canada for (almost) 5 years and having lived, visited, and worked in all 3 major job hubs listed above.

Toronto: This is where I live at the moment. Superb city, vibrant, dynamic, fast ~ I am running out of adjectives. This is the biggest with most jobs and most competitors at the same time. It is significantly challenging to get a job break in the field that you belong, reason being tough competition from tons of immigrants like us. I was lucky enough that my employer supported me in moving from Vancouver to Toronto and I was saved from job hunting. Cost of living depends upon your lifestyle but in my experience, it is surely higher than the other two. Fuel, milk, and property purchase are less expensive than Vancouver, apart from that everything is expensive in Toronto. Fuel is cheaper but at the same time car insurance is high, so if you make an annual calculation it either breaks-even or go high. On the positive side, due to Toronto being the first choice to land for most of the immigrants, you will find nice and helpful communities for each ethnicity/race/culture/religion.

Calgary/Edmonton: This is where I worked (commuted every week for 1.5 years). With the slide in oil boom, there is a lot of uncertainty hovering on existing jobs. Needless to say that it significantly impacts the new job postings. Smaller cities, friendlier, more family time, and low cost of living are on the plus side. Weather is definitely on the minus side. Edmonton boasts more government jobs (being provincial capital) and Calgary has more private sector jobs.

Vancouver: This is where I lived for 4 years and my POE to Canada. Green, beautiful, and 'live your life' are few adjectives that click my mind. Usually it is marketed as one of the most diverse cities in the world, but I disagree with that. There are pre-dominantly only three diversities that rule Vancouver. Regarding jobs, very less from industry perspective except tourism and timber. More service class and stable; not as many jobs as Toronto but less competition as well. Cost of buying a property can be super high but at the same time rentals are very less expensive. For most immigrants like me, we look at rent expenditure first. Weather wise it is not as cold as rest of Canada but to live in Vancouver, you will have to love 'rain'. Overall, a fantastic city if you get a descent job. I was lucky enough to get a job that I 'wanted' and I am not denying the fact that Vancouver is the city which gave me whatever I have today in Canada. Again, it does not necessarily mean that the same can be true to others.

On the whole, I would recommend you do your homework about the job/business prospects in your own field in each of the cities. Do not look at the size of the city or natural beauty or even your community preferences. None of these things are going to come to pay your bills and put the food on the table.

All the best.

I'm an ITIL EXPERT, not sure where to land. I don't want to go Toronto. I always planned for Calgary. but now everyone saying is the job market is bad because of oil prices. The only other place that I can think of is ottawa.
what do you think should I land in Calgary or Ottawa, the TOP priorty to find a job in IT Service management. I'm also getting soon certified for Price 2. any suggestion poison and everyone?

 

[poison]

Since you have already striked out Toronto, your best bet would be select between Vancouver and Ottawa.

 

[atapiat]

I am currently working in Calgary Alberta, but just to let everyone know that the job market is really bad here now with the oil price down.
a year ago Alberta was the place to go but now not so sure.
Give a serious thought to ON

 

[S7]

Since you have already striked out Toronto, your best bet would be select between Vancouver and Ottawa.

I guess Ottawa it is

 

[S7]

I am currently working in Calgary Alberta, but just to let everyone know that the job market is really bad here now with the oil price down.
a year ago Alberta was the place to go but now not so sure.
Give a serious thought to ON

Thanks you for the update... my whole research was on Calgary I was not expecting that oil prices will heart Calgary so bad...