Where/How do I begin?

[Hobbs]

I'm a British citizen currently living in England but I want to move to Canada. I lived in Bellingham, WA for a year a few years ago I spent a lot of time in Vancouver and ended up loving the place. I have had a look on the cic.gc.ca website and I'm not even sure if it is possible for me to temporarily work and live in Canada. I wouldn't count as a skilled worker, I work for the British government in a managerial role in customer services. I have family living in Toronto but they are 2nd cousins. From what I gather you need to have a job to get a visa but you need a visa to get a job, is that right? If anyone has any advice on how to get started with this whole process or even if I can I would be really grateful.

 

[Leon]

You would need an employer to apply for your labour market opinion (LMO) which is basically a document saying that he had advertised the job and found no Canadians or PR's who are willing or qualified and therefore he wants to hire you. If you get this LMO, you can use that to apply for your work permit.

There are also ways to apply for PR from outside Canada but you would have to figure out if you qualify for one of them. Some of them also need a job offer.

 

[Hobbs]

so in people's experience how willing are Canadian employers to go through all this hassle to hire a foreigner? Has anyone managed to get a job without having a specialised skill?

 

[Leon]

Yes, you may be able to get a job in any setting where Canada needs people. Some people are getting work permits to work as cleaners in hotels or to work in fast food but those jobs do not necessarily lead to immigration. If you are at the age that you still qualify for the working holiday program, that may be your best option to get your foot in the door. You would have a one year open work permit to find an employer whom you can persuade to apply for your LMO to extend your work permit when the year is up.