Relocating to Vancouver from US

[TracyR.]

Hello everyone,
I will be moving to Vancouver in June 2008 from the US. This is a perminent move for me.  I hope someone can help me with the legal issues surrounding working in Canada.  I have read so many different things that I am more confused than ever!!! I would like to be able to apply and have a job before I get there.  Is that possible?  Or do I have to wait and get there and go thru some other process?  I am trying to get a place to live there before I get there also.  Is that going to be a problem too????  I am really excited about moving to Canada---So it is worth the effort to me.     

Thanks

[thaiguy]

It is possible to get a job offer before arriving, but you cannot work and the employer can't pay you until after you land and get your social insurance number.  Therefore it's difficult to get a job offer before landing.  It depends on your skills and whether the employer really wants to take a chance on someone who hasn't landed yet.  And even if they do, what's to stop them from giving the job to someone else they find a week later?  That said, the Vancouver job market is very soft right now.  There are help wanted signs posted at businesses all around town.  So if there were ever a chance to get a job offer before arriving, now would be the time.

You could find a place to live before arriving, but it depends on the landlord and/or rental agency.  Some will definitely require you to have landed before signing a contract, as it will be hard to enforce the contract if you don't land due to unforseeable circumstances.  You see the dilemma, right?  But if you rent a room in someone's house or a basement apartment, the approval process will be much easier.  Private homeowners usually scrutinize tenants much less carefully and might not care whether you've landed yet.

Good luck with whatever you do.

TG

[PMM]

Hi

It is possible to get a job offer before arriving, but you cannot work and the employer can't pay you until after you land and get your social insurance number.  Therefore it's difficult to get a job offer before landing.  It depends on your skills and whether the employer really wants to take a chance on someone who hasn't landed yet.  And even if they do, what's to stop them from giving the job to someone else they find a week later?  That said, the Vancouver job market is very soft right now.  There are help wanted signs posted at businesses all around town.  So if there were ever a chance to get a job offer before arriving, now would be the time.

You could find a place to live before arriving, but it depends on the landlord and/or rental agency.  Some will definitely require you to have landed before signing a contract, as it will be hard to enforce the contract if you don't land due to unforseeable circumstances.  You see the dilemma, right?  But if you rent a room in someone's house or a basement apartment, the approval process will be much easier.  Private homeowners usually scrutinize tenants much less carefully and might not care whether you've landed yet.

Good luck with whatever you do.

TG

I hope that the OP realizes you can't just move permanently to Canada without going through the Immigration system, unless of course s/he is a Canadian citizen.

PMM

[TracyR.]

Thanks for the info.----It helps!!!!
I guess it would be better to contact (via e-mail or phone) a potential employer before I get there and then seriously apply for a job after I actually get there.  Do I need to get a work permit or sponsor or whatever first before I can actually apply for a job?  As for the living arrangements....I would REALLY like to have a place to live before I get there!!!  So, the tips on trying to rent a place helped.  I might try looking in the local (Vancouver) want adds. I plan on visiting in March for a week.  Does anyone think I could possibly get something done during that week?  I know that isn't a lot of time but its all I got. 

[PMM]

Hi

Thanks for the info.----It helps!!!!
I guess it would be better to contact (via e-mail or phone) a potential employer before I get there and then seriously apply for a job after I actually get there.  Do I need to get a work permit or sponsor or whatever first before I can actually apply for a job?  As for the living arrangements....I would REALLY like to have a place to live before I get there!!!  So, the tips on trying to rent a place helped.  I might try looking in the local (Vancouver) want adds. I plan on visiting in March for a week.  Does anyone think I could possibly get something done during that week?  I know that isn't a lot of time but its all I got. 

1.   So as not to be disappointed, you should first read http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/work/index.asp  about working in Canada.
2.  You should also read http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/immigrate/index.asp  about emigrating to Canada.
3.  You should take the assessment at : http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/immigrate/skilled/apply-who.asp  to see if you would qualify.
4.  Find your occupation on the NOC http://www23.hrdc-drhc.gc.ca/2001/e/generic/welcome.shtml  to see if it is Category A,B, or O as the skill level (Skill levels can be found here) http://www23.hrdc-drhc.gc.ca/2001/e/generic/matrix.pdf
5.  If you don't have an occupation in the A,B or O skill level you most likely will not qualify.

PMM

[TracyR.]

Thanks a bunch.......You really are a tremendous help. 
I did take the skill assessment and do qualify under class B (that's good - I hope!!!).  I do know this will not be a quick nor easy process.  I am in the process of contacting a business that I am interested in to see if they sponsor people like me that would like to work. 
I guess, for now, the best thing for me to do is be happy with a passport and wait for the compant to contact me.
We'll see what happens.