Cities in Alberta for moving

[abhi_hola]

Friends, I am living in USA & planning to file a PR visa & plan to stay in Alberta; I donot have a job;
1. How easy to get a job in Alberta; I am a project manager in technology? how many tech jobs are out there in Alberta?
2. I did my engg in civil engg & have 2 years experience; is getting a civil engg related job easier there?
3. which city is good for new immigrants? In terms of getting a house to stay (something cheap until I can land a job) or community support for immigrants;
Canada is kind of a black-box to me & looking for some help from you folks
thnx in adv, AB

[Leon]

If you go to AB, the main cities are Calgary and Edmonton.  Calgary is closer to the mountains and a bit closer to the US border as well.  I live in Edmonton but I have never lived in Calgary.  People who I know who've lived in both say that there's maybe more going on in Calgary, Edmonton is more blue collar work and Calgary is more white collar.  Calgary is also more spread out, more Americanized.  The weather is also a bit different because Calgary being so close to the mountains sometimes gets warm winds in the winter coming from the south and gets warmed up by 20 degrees or so overnight.  They call them chinooks, see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinook_wind

I'd say look for jobs in both cities and go where you get one.  There really isn't that much difference.

[abhi_hola]

Can you please throw some light on job situation in that place? Is it easy to find a job or difficult

[Leon]

If you were just looking for any kind of job, it's so easy it's almost impossible not to find one.  For your field in particular, I have no idea.  Here are some job websites you can look for jobs on and see if you find anything in AB or anywhere else:

http://www.jobbank.gc.ca/
http://www.eluta.ca/
http://www.monster.ca/
http://www.workopolis.com/

[stlguy]

Based on what i have read up, Edmonton is the technology area with more IT companies like IBM and few others.

[abhi_hola]

oh mann; I got a feel of how it gets when in -20 range; God knows how is -40!!!
how do Albertans survive! wow!

[Leon]

One day at a time.  You remote start your car in the morning so it can warm up or you use a block heater and plug it in.  Then you put on all your clothes and run from your house to your car and back from your car to your work.  The people who work outside have to dress well.  But it's not many days of -40, maybe 7 days a year maximum.

[cchabert]

One day at a time.  You remote start your car in the morning so it can warm up or you use a block heater and plug it in.  Then you put on all your clothes and run from your house to your car and back from your car to your work.  The people who work outside have to dress well.  But it's not many days of -40, maybe 7 days a year maximum.

How the kids doing at the bus stop? and the white collars did they used boots and then change their clothes at work to use the suit and tie?

[BCguy]

They survive wearing thermal underwear,then normal clothes,then sweater,then coat,add the parka plus gloves,It takes then half hour to put on all those layers of clothes.I admire Albertans since I cannot imagine the hassle with all those layers

[Leon]

I don't know how it works for the school bus.  They probably leave for the bus just in time and the bus waits a bit for them if they are late.  I know when taking normal bus, you find bus routes where if you have to change the bus, you can wait inside somewhere.  I assume the white collar people wear their white collar clothes underneath their winter clothes.  You really do not need that many layers.  A good parka and toque and mittens is usually enough.  Boots if it's snow.  If it's very cold, you need something on your legs too.  I got a pair of cheap track pants with snaps on the sides.  They are fast to put on and take off and because you can take them off, you will not be too hot when you are at work.

[cchabert]

Thank you for the advice Leon I was worry about investing a fortune in winter clothes, but it looks I don;t need that many.  :-D

[BCguy]

You need a good parka, a set of thermal underwear,sweater,toque and gloves and you should be fine,about 100 Canadian at Walmart

[Leon]

Forget the thermal underwear.  Unless you are outside playing in the snow or shovelling snow, it will not do you much good because yes, it will keep you warm on your way to work but once you arrive at work it will be room temperature inside and you will be sitting there sweating in your thermal underwear.  Same if you are going to the mall.  Cold outside, warm inside the mall.  Buying sports warmup pants to wear over your regular pants is way better because when you go inside you can take them off.  If you buy the ones with snaps on the sides, you can take them off very fast too.  Just like a stripper   I got mine at Zellers, forget how much they cost but it was under $20

[cchabert]

Thank you very much Leon and BCGuy, only one more thing what is a TOQUE?  I didn't find it on google, is this a scarf?

[BCguy]

Funny looking but warm Canadian style Hat spelled TUQUE