# Work culture in Canada



## jr2279 (Mar 20, 2014)

Hi all, 

My partner and I are considering a move to Canada. He already has a job offer and I am looking.

We are interested to know *the differences in work culture* compared to the UK and if possible Sweden (where we live now).

Is it similar to the USA- long hours, hierarchical structure, political? We both work in the tech industry, one of us in development the other in project work. 

I know it depends on the organisation and role but if generalisations can be made we would be grateful to hear them  

Thanks in advance!


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## WestCoastCanadianGirl (Mar 17, 2012)

I'd say that the work culture in Canada is similar to the USA.

One glaring difference I've noticed between Canada and the UK is the amount of annual leave granted.

When I lived and worked in Vancouver, the average non-union Annual Leave allotment given to the average private sector worker was 2 weeks (i.e. 1 fortnight) every year, based upon a 5 day work week and _not_ including provincial and federal bank holidays. Some employers will increase that amount, dependent on service to the company (one employer I worked for during my days at uni added a week after 5 years etc), but most working people started out with 2 weeks vacation.

I had a unionised public sector job for most of my professional working life. The base amount of A.L. we received in my department was 18 shifts (i.e. just under 4 calendar weeks again, based on a 5 day work week). This allotment increased after a predetermined amount of time served. 

My husband (who works in the public sector here in the UK) gets 30 _work days_, not including bank holidays.

Unions in North America are a different animal to what they are in the UK... they're more akin to the steel workers of Baroness Thatcher's day (the unions in North America tend to go on strike a good deal more than here in the UK) than an organized Rotary like group that is more typical of public sector unions here in the UK (or at least this is what I've noticed based upon what I've seen of the union that my husband belongs to.

Some employers, both private and public sector, offer flex time/overtime banking and some even offer a nominal personal time bank (i.e. time away from work that doesn't need to be accounted for and needn't be used for illness reasons... personal time taken will be either paid or unpaid and this generally depends on the generosity of the specific employer and there isn't a national standard or any legal requirement for employers to a) offer it in the first instance and b) offer it as paid time) although the latter tends to be doled out by private sector employers. "Casual Fridays" (i.e. the wearing of casual wear/jeans/trackie/trainers to work instead of traditional business dress) aren't uncommon in the private sector either... some employers charge for this "perk" (the place I was at during my days in uni charged $1 per "dress down day," the proceeds of which went towards the office social committee fund, which subsidised after-work activities during the year) while other places see it as a healthy part of the office environment and allow their teams to "dress down" without charge.


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## WestCoastCanadianGirl (Mar 17, 2012)

OP states that their partner has a job offer... this should be sufficient for them to get to Canada under the Express Entry program.

Provided that the job offer is valid and qualifies for EE, it's a matter of OP and partner completing their EE profile and waiting for the next draw to happen and then completing the ITA paperwork.


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## colchar (Oct 25, 2011)

WestCoastCanadianGirl said:


> Unions in North America are a different animal to what they are in the UK... they're more akin to the steel workers of Baroness Thatcher's day (the unions in North America tend to go on strike a good deal more than here in the UK) than an organized Rotary like group that is more typical of public sector unions here in the UK (or at least this is what I've noticed based upon what I've seen of the union that my husband belongs to.
> 
> .



I disagree completely. Unions in the UK are far more militant, and far more likely to strike over the slightest thing (think of the Transport for London unions who go out on strike if someone so much as burps), than unions here in Canada/North America.


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## MaryClark (Jul 16, 2016)

I find it very different from US and Europe.
I work in Toronto and I find here companies and managers very respectful and understandable. 
Our life-work balance is very good. work 9 to 5, monthly team lunch. If I need to take a day off for my child - I always can.
Here in Toronto people are from all over the world and the entire atmosphere is very tolerant.


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