Canada Job dilemma - Pls help.

What can I say, that's how the world is heading too these days. Day after day, the concept of a "secure job" is becoming more and more extinct. Its the reality that folks have to get use to. Even government jobs are no longer secured here Canada. Since you're in Electrical Engineering and being in a regulated profession, you'll need to get your qualification reaccess so that you can get your certification recognized here. I believe you go through a redseal program. See website, http://www.red-seal.ca/information/f.4r … [email protected]

Each province have their own body to administer their own professionals. So it depends on which part of Canada you want to settle in. I would say being an Electrical Engineer, you might want to look at provinces that requires this skill the most - I would say places like Alberta or Ontario being high up the list. Not getting your cert recognize would be difficult for you to find a job here. Moreover being overseas and not present here in person.

Looking for a job is like a job itself. It requires persistence, smarts, and courage and of course a little bit of luck. On top of that you will need a sizeable amount of funds to sustain your cost of living while you are looking job (add the fact that you have to support a family as well - that only means your fund has to be a little bit bigger). Obviously, the shorter time it takes for you to find a job, the quicker it takes for you to stop eating on your savings. Don't forget, you'd would have already spend a huge amount already on your application fee for the Immigration (permanent residency) for you and your family, the tickets to get here and your upfront rental.

philipyeo wrote:

What can I say, that's how the world is heading too these days. Day after day, the concept of a "secure job" is becoming more and more extinct. Its the reality that folks have to get use to. Even government jobs are no longer secured here Canada. Since you're in Electrical Engineering and being in a regulated profession, you'll need to get your qualification reaccess so that you can get your certification recognized here. I believe you go through a redseal program. See website, red-seal.ca/information/[email protected]

Each province have their own body to administer their own professionals. So it depends on which part of Canada you want to settle in. I would say being an Electrical Engineer, you might want to look at provinces that requires this skill the most - I would say places like Alberta or Ontario being high up the list. Not getting your cert recognize would be difficult for you to find a job here. Moreover being overseas and not present here in person.

Looking for a job is like a job itself. It requires persistence, smarts, and courage and of course a little bit of luck. On top of that you will need a sizeable amount of funds to sustain your cost of living while you are looking job (add the fact that you have to support a family as well - that only means your fund has to be a little bit bigger). Obviously, the shorter time it takes for you to find a job, the quicker it takes for you to stop eating on your savings. Don't forget, you'd would have already spend a huge amount already on your application fee for the Immigration (permanent residency) for you and your family, the tickets to get here and your upfront rental.

Thanks for your inputs.
Actually, I already started the registration process with APEGA. Transcripts for my degrees (Bachelors & Masters) should be heading over to Alberta, Canada in a week or less. But first I need to make the payment. I am a little bit reluctant since I still have to travel all the way to Canada to write the qualification exam (not sure if that can be done online) which will make it the most expensive exam I'll ever take    .

One factor that may encourage me to pull the trigger is if it is legal for me to attend job interviews while in Canada for the exams. I don't want to risk my money/present job travelling all the way to Canada just to write the qualification exam. I don't know much about travelling documentations but my guess is I'll have to apply for study visa to go write the exam. With a study visa. Do you know if i can attend some job interviews or not.

I don't think the point you made on funds is that critical (at least I hope). I can make the trip alone, settle down and only move my family down when things get well - hopefully within a year or thereabout. I figure I should be able to survive with low entry position with low salary for a start. I have heard stories of doctors driving cabs in Canada but such people are still happy (although I can't confirm this). So maybe I have to swallow the bitter pill and settle for lower positions just to get that all important Canadian work experience. BUT, I have to be with my family after a year. This is where the dilemma is. Will I be able to get a good job in Canada within this period that can sustain us? Otherwise, I'll be in real mess after quitting my present job for over a year.

How much do you know about careeredge's internship program? I am willing to go that low (maybe even lower) to get that all-important Canadian work experience (which is also a requirement to get licensed with APEGA).

Looking forward to your response.

Thanks for your inputs.
Actually, I already started the registration process with APEGA. Transcripts for my degrees (Bachelors & Masters) should be heading over to Alberta, Canada in a week or less. But first I need to make the payment. I am a little bit reluctant since I still have to travel all the way to Canada to write the qualification exam (not sure if that can be done online) which will make it the most expensive exam I'll ever take    .

One factor that may encourage me to pull the trigger is if it is legal for me to attend job interviews while in Canada for the exams. I don't want to risk my money/present job travelling all the way to Canada just to write the qualification exam. I don't know much about travelling documentations but my guess is I'll have to apply for study visa to go write the exam. With a study visa. Do you know if i can attend some job interviews or not.

Just to write an exam like that, you won't be able to apply for a study visa. You should be able to obtain a visitors visa though - that'll allow you to be in Canada for a maximum of 6 mths (typically). The other way of doing things is to apply for a PR (permanent resident status) using the new Express Entry. Now, there's also provincial nominee programs that ties to the Federal's Express Entry. Typically once you get nominated, you'd be fast track. But that's when it was not the Express Entry but the older Federal Skilled Worker program. However, Express Entry is in itself pretty fast these days. Just to give you some context. Express Entry is a replacement to the old Federal Skilled Worker Program. It starts off with you submitting your application for nomination. CIC (the Canadian Immigration & Citizenship) office, will evaluate your strengths based on some criteria and then rank you accordingly. And then you'd be selected for nomination depending on which side of the threshold you are on. For each round of balloting, the threshold point changes. Points are also awarded better based on your education level, language mastery, nature of your job and what is the current market like for people in that field in Canada / specially in that province if you are going for the provincial nominee (assuming there's a shortage of Electrical Engineer, then you'd get better score). I can't speak beyond what I've told you because it is such a new program and what I experienced before was totally different that what is in place right now. CIC is like a chameleon, they'll change their ways as and when they see fit.

How much do you know about careeredge's internship program? I am willing to go that low (maybe even lower) to get that all-important Canadian work experience (which is also a requirement to get licensed with APEGA).

I suppose you are referring to this -> https://www.careeredge.ca. I really do not know how it works. That's the first time I've heard of it. Although when I was here as a PhD researcher (on study permit) and then wanting to work before I even completed my study, the thought cross my mind to look for internships (despite the fact I had over a decade of working experience under my belt back home, Malaysia). I knew I was going to sell myself low but I wasn't too concern as I just wanted to get a foothold in the job market desperately. But fortunately for me through a networking event, I was able to connect with the right employer and due to the nature of my skillsets (which is extremely niche) and also what dumb luck to have a Nova Scotia based company that was in that same business - it was a perfect match. I've been with my current company for almost 3 years now and just recently obtained my PR status. Anyhow, the point is - my former work experience wasn't discounted and I basically started back where I last left off in my career (when I left everything in Malaysia to come here for the PhD). Unfortunately lots of other immigrants cannot say the same when they arrive in Canada. Most of them, have to shave off a couple of years of their work experience so that they could get a foothold in the job market here. They have been some exceptions like myself and others too I know. One thing sticks out amongst the exceptions is the fact that they have a good command of English both written and spoken. I think given your good command of the language you should be able to pull it through. My observation is that, most of the other immigrants were not very conversant in English and that was a major let down for their prospective employers.

If you are interested, you can contact a buddy of mine who's a regulated immigration consultant for some advice. I personally went through an immigration consultant myself. "Once beaten, twice shy" - even the most educated and brilliant cannot forsee the slightest detail that goes unwritten in the PR / work permit business except for those who do it for a living. I actually got my application rejected once. After that I engaged the services of an immigration consultant. Wasted almost 2 grand for my first try. So I would say, safe guard your investment by doing it right. My fallout wasn't something that I missed as there wasn't any black and white about it.

Anyways here's my buddies website, http://www.ebiaedu.com/contact
His name is Anthony and you can tell him that I gave you his contact.

Cheers,
Philip

Thanks for the tip and link.
I knew it was next to impossible to do this alone. So I already engaged the services of professionals to handle this for me - using the new express entry channel.
On your earlier post, I am trying to avoid getting provincial nomination as this means I will be restricted to that province (so I was told by a friend in Canada) even though it will give me enough score to get invited by CIC. For someone like me that need to essentially "hit the ground running", tying my umbilical cord to a province doesn't sound like a brilliant idea.

iaraji wrote:

Thanks for the tip and link.
I knew it was next to impossible to do this alone. So I already engaged the services of professionals to handle this for me - using the new express entry channel.
On your earlier post, I am trying to avoid getting provincial nomination as this means I will be restricted to that province (so I was told by a friend in Canada) even though it will give me enough score to get invited by CIC. For someone like me that need to essentially "hit the ground running", tying my umbilical cord to a province doesn't sound like a brilliant idea.

Not exactly so. With exception to Quebec, you are not required to stay put in the province. There is no mechanism for them to forfeit and retract your PR once you have been issue it and if you choose not to settle there permanently. There isn't any legal framework for them to do so unless of course you commit a severe crime. You see, PR is issued by the Federal government and not the Province.

The only thing you need to do are the following:
1) Play it smart and say you are heading there and want to settle there (whichever province it is). Never mention in your application that you wanna settle somewhere else.
2) Make sure you'd play the same tune when you do your landing. The safest is to buy a ticket that lands to that province itself. Maybe a 2 days vacation - whatever! and then move on. If the border guard ask you a question with where you want to settle, play the same tune.
Once you get passed the CPR letter signed (landing), you're good to head anywhere except Quebec if you didn't apply for a Quebec based PR.

In Canada rents are high and employment here is difficult to get. Be sure you have a job as a contract worker as there has been an economic slump and last I heard there was a hiring freeze on from out of country.

Wish you all the best

J'ai besoin de travailler au Canada car j'ai beaucoup d'ambitions et d'ajouts, merci