# What would You Do?



## xxxxxxxxxxBillyM (Jun 21, 2012)

Hello,

I am looking to move to Canada I would really appreciate some advice please. My situation is I don’t have a job lined-up and I don’t have any accommodation and I don’t know anyone over there. 

Can I ask for any suggestions as to what is the best thing to do? Its looks like I am going to have to take a gamble and book a flight and take a chance on where I end up, and this is my question. If anyone can give me advice as to where in Canada is best to take this gamble? I would hopefully like to land somewhere where there are plenty of work opportunities and the cost of living is not too high. Also maybe an area where there is a friendly British Expats community where I can meet people etc.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated. lane:


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## Auld Yin (Mar 10, 2009)

BillyM said:


> Hello,
> 
> I am looking to move to Canada I would really appreciate some advice please. My situation is I don’t have a job lined-up and I don’t have any accommodation and I don’t know anyone over there.
> 
> ...


You do know that you cannot just move to Canada and setup there. Immigrating to Canada is very much employment driven. You must either have an occupation considered desirable by the Canadian Government or have pre-arranged employment.
May I ask your age and what you do for a living.


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## Inverness (Apr 2, 2013)

Auld Yin said:


> You do know that you cannot just move to Canada and setup there. Immigrating to Canada is very much employment driven. You must either have an occupation considered desirable by the Canadian Government or have pre-arranged employment.
> May I ask your age and what you do for a living.


Good points. I've been hearing the top jobs are out West, in Alberta. I don't know how many British expats are there, though.


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## xxxxxxxxxxBillyM (Jun 21, 2012)

I have dual nationality (British & Canadian) however I have lived in the UK since I was 5 years of age. I am looking to move back to Canada and I am trying to see where is best re employment etc. Research on the net can be misleading hence this post. 

Re my employment I am an ex cop and I have been mainly self –employed for the last few years. 

Ps I am fully aware of immigration laws and criteria.


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## mikejb (Mar 12, 2012)

BillyM said:


> I have dual nationality (British & Canadian) however I have lived in the UK since I was 5 years of age. I am looking to move back to Canada and I am trying to see where is best re employment etc. Research on the net can be misleading hence this post.
> 
> Re my employment I am an ex cop and I have been mainly self –employed for the last few years.
> 
> Ps I am fully aware of immigration laws and criteria.


It's difficult to know how best to answer your questions given you do not indicate the kind of employment you are seeking. In view of this it is also a problem in advising where in Canada might suit you best

As a guide, and please understand this is a generalisation, the cities (most larger cities) would be a good place to start so far as finding employment. I guess that is stating the obvious but like all modern countries, cities will always grow faster than outlying town and villages simply because of their numbers, both in terms of people and business.

If you have a trade then a popular choice would be Alberta which is a province very much driven by the oil and gas industries. Here though, places like Calgary prove more expensive to live as the higher wages drive up the cost of homes and subsequently rentals

Taking extreme examples. If it was your wish to work in a restaurant then any main town would see you gain employment with little problem. If on the other hand you wanted to continue a trade then, imo, Alberta as a province is probably your better bet.

It's probably less information than you'd have wanted but I hope it's nonetheless of some help


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## xxxxxxxxxxBillyM (Jun 21, 2012)

Hi Mike,

Thanks for the feedback. I’m not a keen fan of these forums as you tend to get some patronising comments and advice but it’s nice to get some honest feedback, so thanks.

Re my trade I don’t have any specific skill although I was working self employed as a Life Coach here in the UK. I also served in the police here and I have recently done some security courses as this type of work does interest me. If and when I get to Canada I would be more than willing to take on any work to get a start and then once established/settled I would look at applying for security related work and maybe even look at the police or sheriffs. 

Do you know much about the security industry over there? It seems healthier than here in the UK??

Cheers


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## mikejb (Mar 12, 2012)

Hi

My knowledge of the security industry is minimal hence there's little I can offer on that score, maybe someone else here can offer some advice in that regard. As for the police, my knowledge is much better but that only means I can say applying to join the RCMP is long, arduous and fraught with problems, mainly due to the ridiculous political correctness ideas they now have to implement. A bit like the UK where gone are the ideas you should employ best suited, qualified individuals.

Here in the province of BC anyway the RCMP have what is almost a 'quota' principle when looking to employ. Women recruits are high on this list as are ethnic groups. The result being they now take on many unsuitable individuals just to meet these PC requirements.

A good friend of mine, an immigrant himself of some 20 years and a citizen for over 10 years applied for the RCMP. He is ex special forces trained and I know his background checks and fitness were/are impecable yet......a female who took the physical tests at the same time as him and who was cleary completely unfit ended up retaking, scraping through in terms of pass and who was then offered a position while my friend, seven months later has not heard a thing from them....

My point for saying any of this is so as you do not get any ideas of a fast employment in such a field. Hopefully security might prove more successful for you....


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## xxxxxxxxxxBillyM (Jun 21, 2012)

Hi Mike,

Thanks for the feedback. The police in Canada sound very much the same as here in the UK.

All the best 

Billy


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## GoldDragon (Feb 2, 2012)

There are more work opportunities in Alberta than other provinces, in general.
Cost of living in Alberta is lower than BC (British Columbia), Ontario, and Ottawa – for sure.
As for a British expat community in Alberta - I'm not sure, but can find out.
You mentioned you are an "ex-cop". There would definitely be employment in the security areas (security guards) and of course we (Edmonton – Alberta's capital city) have a brand new penitentiary opening this month here. 
Yes I believe you would be able to find work here in your field.
Any other questions let me know and I will do my best to answer.
GoldDragon


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## GoldDragon (Feb 2, 2012)

Billy
There are many British expats in Alberta (I did some quick research) however, I do not think I am allowed to post any web addresses, so I am not sure how to provide you with that information.


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## svb (Oct 28, 2012)

Does anyone know what the workaround for not having an experience letter on the company letter head? I can get a letter on the company letter head stating that I work there, but I cannot get a letter with my job responsibilities, pay etc as per the outline on the CIC website.

Could someone pls advise?


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