Reply to: Canadian Adventure

[redgiant]

Arrived earlier this week and am still negotiating what contract to go onto with the agent/client.

The setup over here is different to what i'm used to as it's a consultancy i'm going through but all their consultants are contractors with their own LTDs.

The big downer is that visa situation looks like that I will only do a three monther here until Christmas and come back. The Canadian experience visa required two years full time experience so any void/bench times will count against me. I'm not willing to wait that long and also be away from the UK family and unless there are other ways round a three monther is the only option.

I've set myself a target of the end of next week to secure a contract. Don't think I can stand more than a week more in a hotel so that may tip me to have a short holiday over here instead and fly back.

[Scoobos]

Oh, damn missed something..

Do get yourself to Banff and Jasper, they are really beautiful.

Nova Scotia is also worth a look, and as I said before the Yukon is just incredible, northern lights, 24hr sun (or darkness) and it's just a wild laugh.

You will be "leftised" by it though

[Scoobos]

Thanks for the offer and tips Scoobos ... i'll let you know how I get along. Flying out for a short holiday in the west coast of the US first tomorrow and should get to "Vancity" in a couple of weeks.

I've been to Canada a couple of times before and love what I have seen (mainly Quebec & Ontario though so BC & Alberta are new to me).

Bigtime's right!!!

Anything you need, PM me.

Final tips :

If you decide you want to stay forever, or at least get dual nationality DO IT WHILE YOU ARE THERE !!! (I didn't) , you get a Canadian Experience Fast Track acceptance.

I chose to go to Toronto to contract in the Winter, because I didn't want a british winter - and I'm really glad I did, the snow is like powder and its really not that unmanagable even at -30 .. Vancouver rains, rains and rains some more in Winter.

Don't worry too much about taxes, as you can legally file your return for (was) $50 at Money Mart and they give you your return in CASH!!!!

I'm jealous and excited for anyone doing this, it was one of the best times of my life.

[BigTime]

Young contractors - Kitsilano
Old contractors - West Van

[redgiant]

I repped you with some help - PM me anytime when you are out there - I've been a few times now and love it.

The culture takes a bit of adjusting too, but its worth it.

Alberta / Banff and Jasper are 7-10 hours away and much better than Whistler .

Vancouver Island is brilliant, as is a trip by ferry up to Alaska, or Prince Rupert.

Oh and make sure you get up to the Yukon if you can!!!

Thanks for the offer and tips Scoobos ... i'll let you know how I get along. Flying out for a short holiday in the west coast of the US first tomorrow and should get to "Vancity" in a couple of weeks.

I've been to Canada a couple of times before and love what I have seen (mainly Quebec & Ontario though so BC & Alberta are new to me).

[Scoobos]

Thanks for the tips ... and welcome to the forum I heard that North Van is very cloudy so you may have good views on a clear day but the rest of the time it's just going to be mist.

I am in a fairly niche area at the moment so I think I will be OK. If I do end up having problems securing an extension then I will have a holiday (get some skiing & boarding in) and fly back to the UK.

Won't be buying any land just yet ... got property & investments to worry about in the UK so it's not high on the priority list.

I repped you with some help - PM me anytime when you are out there - I've been a few times now and love it.

The culture takes a bit of adjusting too, but its worth it.

Alberta / Banff and Jasper are 7-10 hours away and much better than Whistler .

Vancouver Island is brilliant, as is a trip by ferry up to Alaska, or Prince Rupert.

Oh and make sure you get up to the Yukon if you can!!!

[Scoobos]

Ditto

Just call them directly and ask if they need you.

Then call some more..

They love being nagged like this, its how I did it .

Robert Half is a good agent , but you can go direct.

Toronto is MUCH easier than Vancouver because there's much more business there.

[redgiant]

Long time reader ... you finally made me register....

North Van has worse weather but is closer to the mountains. Whistler soon gets boring and is mainly for the foreign tourist crowd - the locals know the better places.

North Van waterfront is only 15 minutes from downtown by the seabus across the harbour. For central but cheaper than downtown try Kitsilano, Kerrisdale, False Creek or Fairview.

If you're certain to be working downtown then those areas can work out fine but most tech jobs are in Richmond or Burnaby (both are on the skytrain routes). Be careful of commuting across bridges or tunnels.

Also, in general, tech is a small world round here, and a couple of large companies are emptying out in the next couple of months dumping a lot of folk on the local market.

Rates, are variable, but can be anything from a lot less than UK to slightly more.

Enjoy.

Oh, and don't buy any real estate on native land.

Thanks for the tips ... and welcome to the forum I heard that North Van is very cloudy so you may have good views on a clear day but the rest of the time it's just going to be mist.

I am in a fairly niche area at the moment so I think I will be OK. If I do end up having problems securing an extension then I will have a holiday (get some skiing & boarding in) and fly back to the UK.

Won't be buying any land just yet ... got property & investments to worry about in the UK so it's not high on the priority list.

[v6g]

Long time reader ... you finally made me register....

North Van has worse weather but is closer to the mountains. Whistler soon gets boring and is mainly for the foreign tourist crowd - the locals know the better places.

North Van waterfront is only 15 minutes from downtown by the seabus across the harbour. For central but cheaper than downtown try Kitsilano, Kerrisdale, False Creek or Fairview.

If you're certain to be working downtown then those areas can work out fine but most tech jobs are in Richmond or Burnaby (both are on the skytrain routes). Be careful of commuting across bridges or tunnels.

Also, in general, tech is a small world round here, and a couple of large companies are emptying out in the next couple of months dumping a lot of folk on the local market.

Rates, are variable, but can be anything from a lot less than UK to slightly more.

Enjoy.

Oh, and don't buy any real estate on native land.

[redgiant]

Canada ? you must be bonkers. I had this mate right, and he went out there. It was great in september and that , but when the winter came he nearly died through eating ice worms. They are little stomache parasites that live only in ice crystals and the attack the nervous system.
Canada is so cold you have to melt your own water for coffee, and thats the danger.

dont go, thats my advice

I'll bear that in mind EO But being a contractor I'll get someone to melt my ice, boil it, grind and make the coffee and to check for any parasites with a microscope.

Also thinking about it i'll have the bear the bears in mind as well ... they will be getting a bit hungry about the time I arrive.

[speling bee]

If I could move to anywhere in the world it would be Vancouver. Very jealous. Granville Island is a great place to go out.

[EternalOptimist]

Canada ? you must be bonkers. I had this mate right, and he went out there. It was great in september and that , but when the winter came he nearly died through eating ice worms. They are little stomache parasites that live only in ice crystals and the attack the nervous system.
Canada is so cold you have to melt your own water for coffee, and thats the danger.

dont go, thats my advice

[Old Hack]

North Vancouver is spectacular, it really is, all woodlands and near to Grouse andf Seymour. I found it a little isolated, relatively.

Its all good though, and I wish you luck.

[redgiant]

Granville Island is where I would head. Close to downtown, and with some cracking markets, and a lovely pub on it (which has a small microbrewery iirc). Very close to the West end and stanley park (where they play cricket).

Top place, get out to Jericho beach at weekends, or do some skiing on the city slopes. Couldn't be happier for you, one of my favourite places on earth.

Take the booze train to whistler too. Cracking trip.

Other than that, New Westminster has good transport links, Coquitlam etc, out east, are all easy to get into town. Up t me though, as a contractor, I'd be looking at Granville; not cheap, but right in the thick of it all.

Thanks for the tips. I will take a look at the island and granville ... i've looked at North Vancouver as well although it looks a little cut off from the rest of the city but one of my clients lives there so can't be too bad.

The client has already invited me to a hockey game ... don't think much of it when I saw it earlier this year when I was in Montreal but I maybe pursuaded.

I've heard about the booze train to whistler ... will take a trip on that for sure

Never mind all that, i want to know how you got the gig, how the rates compare to the UK, and what sort of skills are in demand over there. I have a brother in Edmonton and would love to do a stint out there, think the missus would come too as long as its only a short term thing. We usualy spend a few weeks over there most years anyway.

Very Jealous BTW!!! Good luck to you though.

Thanks ... that seems the be the reaction to those I have spoken to at my current clientco who have been there before.

As for the contracting market the big growth areas are the mining and energy industries from what I can see. I am an infrastructure PM but with expertise in EPM and SharePoint and there is quite a bit of work in these areas.

The rates compare to what I can get in London at the moment i.e £525-550+ p/d and the cost of living is generally lower there I've found - Cost of Living Comparison Between Vancouver, Canada And London, United Kingdom.

Being under 31 I applied for the IEC (International Experience Canada) visa which gives me up to a year to work over there without restrictions.

Edmonton would be a little too cold for me long term ... I like the cold but only for a couple of weeks max. This is one of the main reasons to go to Vancouver as it's one of the warmest places in Canada

[Paddy]

Few more days to go at my current clientco and I've already started to pack for my first contract abroad in Canada which should last for at least 6 months starting at the start of October - role is based in Vancouver but requires travel to Calgary occasionally.

Any advice from anyone who has lived out there before and recommendaitions on good places to stay in Vancouver (Clientco's office is downtown)? I was looking at short term let flats (with 1 month notice).

Cheers.