# A question about moving to Canada to live and work



## dm2 (Mar 12, 2013)

WestCoastCanadianGirl said:


> I'd send in both the BA and MA, just to be on the safe side.
> 
> While I think that your American MBA will probably pass muster, I'm not so certain about a non-Canadian/non-US based Bachelor's degree, so I'd send it in as well.
> 
> ...



Thanks Mod, appreciate.

A general question about Canada - I guess an applicant never knows where he / she would finally land up until he / she probably gets an offer letter / Provincial sponsorship.

1) So, at the beginning stage of the application process - the best thing would be to keep the options open in terms of the places to work & live, is this the right approach?

2) If at all there's an option that the applicant has the luxury to select the place to live / work - what in your opinion is a good place in general (I understand it depends on a lot of parameters but you would probably have a fair idea of the challenges a new comer in Canada & could probably base on that and share. I read Boucherville, Que is top spot for 2015 in one of the online articles but then I just want to know for someone with only English (I read french long back & am a naught now so French provinces could be a challenge)


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## EVHB (Feb 11, 2008)

I would think twice about moving to places that are in a 'Best places to live' list. Lots of people do know it's a great place to live, so housing prices are up up up and there's lots of competition for jobs. As a newcomer this can be hard to survive. Better to settle down in a nice but less competitive place. 

Quebec: I would not try to start there if you don't speak French. You already have the disadvantage of being a newcomer with no Canadian credentials/references/work experience. Don't add to that list.


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## WestCoastCanadianGirl (Mar 17, 2012)

I'd recommend doing some research about the various areas of Canada and which area(s) might be of interest to you... Canada is a huge country with a lot to offer and your question would be like me asking you what part of India would be the best place to live - my friend swears by Shimla, Mumbai interests my husband and an acquaintance I know would like me to visit Chennai, while others say that Goa is where it's at. (we're off to have a look 'round Rajasthan, the Golden Triangle, and Mumbai in late September and are very much looking forward to the trip)

My grandparents originally settled in British Columbia when they arrived in Canada 80+ years ago. After the war, my Mom's family went out east to Ontario, while my Dad's family stayed on in BC.

Two generations later, my older younger brother lives in Toronto with his wife and their children, while my younger-younger brother still lives in the Vancouver area with his wife and their children... if I was living in Canada, I'd likely be living in Vancouver. 

My cousins on my Mom's side still live in Ontario, and while they like BC for the nature choices (skiing, water related activities and the mountains), they remain in Ontario. I like Ontario in general, but I find that in the summer the weather is far too hot and humid for my liking (+30°C and hotter with humidity) and in the winter, it is _very_ cold (my husband and I were in Toronto over Christmas and on the day that we left, it was -12°C air temperature and -22°C when you factor in the wind chill)... Vancouver, on the other hand, is milder in the winter (I've had to mow the lawn in January and golfing is possible in February/March, if it hasn't been raining) and cooler in the summer and it rains a good deal of the year as well, which is something that people don't like. 

I would miss the ocean and the mountains if I lived anywhere but in BC.

The prairie provinces (Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba) are interesting but very, very flat (western Alberta borders the Rocky Mountains, so there is some opportunity for skiing in the winter)... cold in the winter and hot in the summer. I've heard that the Atlantic Provinces (New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, and Newfoundland and Labrador) are beautiful as well, but have never been out to see them (my youngest brother's wife was born in Newfoundland).

In regards to Quebec, unless you can either improve your French language ability or find a job in Montreal (you _can_ get away with speaking English there, but if you know some French, it would be helpful... Quebec City, on the other hand - not so much), I wouldn't really recommend it as a place to live as an Anglophone... the dialect of French spoken in Quebec is slightly different from the French that is spoken in France (a very noticeable difference in how words are pronounced). There are people in the province who _can_ understand English to a fairly reasonable level but refuse to speak it simply because they don't want to and are not required by law to do so. As an immigrant, you might be given some slack as far as initially not being able to speak French is concerned, but there are people in the province who would expect you to learn it, as well as your children (you are well within your right to send your children to an English language public school, even if you aren't in the catchment area). 

Some immigrants who come to Canada and settle initially in Quebec end up leaving the province for other parts of Canada because of the French language laws and how strict they are.

I can also tell you that there are substantial Indian communities in the major cities in Canada, so you'll not long much for comfort objects from home - Vaisakhi and Diwali are both a big deal in Vancouver (both Indian and non-Indian people participate).

Anyway, have a look around online to see what areas of the country interest you and then focus your search in those areas.


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## dm2 (Mar 12, 2013)

EVHB said:


> I would think twice about moving to places that are in a 'Best places to live' list. Lots of people do know it's a great place to live, so housing prices are up up up and there's lots of competition for jobs. As a newcomer this can be hard to survive. Better to settle down in a nice but less competitive place.
> 
> Quebec: I would not try to start there if you don't speak French. You already have the disadvantage of being a newcomer with no Canadian credentials/references/work experience. Don't add to that list.


Fully agree to that, thanks.


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## dm2 (Mar 12, 2013)

WestCoastCanadianGirl said:


> I'd recommend doing some research about the various areas of Canada and which area(s) might be of interest to you... Canada is a huge country with a lot to offer and your question would be like me asking you what part of India would be the best place to live - my friend swears by Shimla, Mumbai interests my husband and an acquaintance I know would like me to visit Chennai, while others say that Goa is where it's at. (we're off to have a look 'round Rajasthan, the Golden Triangle, and Mumbai in late September and are very much looking forward to the trip)
> 
> My grandparents originally settled in British Columbia when they arrived in Canada 80+ years ago. After the war, my Mom's family went out east to Ontario, while my Dad's family stayed on in BC.
> 
> ...



Great piece of information, exactly the kind of sketch I was looking for since you have an idea of both the puzzle pieces - Canadian regions & life and new immigrant status (lost puppy in a street) which I wouldn't be able to put together through google but yes, I shall do the research part online with this ample supply of info you have provided. Vancouver is already attracting me if not for the rain part..  

And it seems like a bonus you know India quite very well, I'm from Chennai and doing my time now in Bangalore which kind of apes western life. So, I'd recommend Chennai too but beware of the time you are here - it is ridiculously hot & very humid (shy of 40 deg). Chennai tries to keep its roots while other metros have become much more cosmopolitan but even within India, people have started moving around due to work and setting homes. You should let me know if you happen to be here. I haven't been anywhere out of South India myself but the places you are planning to go are so good so have a great time.

Coming back to the topic, I wouldn't head to Quebec for sure, not atleast till I master French (and I don't know if I want to at this point of time) so that's off. To me, when I think of Canada the biggest factor that comes to my mind is the cold winters. I was fine with the mid western (MO, OH, KS, KY but Chicago was terrible sometimes with it's windy city tag) winters in the US but I guess that's hardly anything compared to the winters in Canada so that's my biggest concern. A place that's got milder winters, good summers, good nature spots (me & my wife both love outdoors compared to hustle & bustle of the city) ok if it suburban but safety is big deal, and good convenience in terms of shopping (essentials atleast) and job market. I guess this is the dream anyone has.. lol.. so pardon it's a lot of things.. On the Indian community, that wouldn't be a countering factor to me so that's fine but good to know though.


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## EVHB (Feb 11, 2008)

Toronto isn't as bad as Chicago during winters! I don't like Chicago winters at all (too cold, to windy), but I do like Toronto winter. 
Of course, winters in cities like Edmonton, Calgary, Montreal are worse. Don't know about the Atlantic, haven't been there during winter and don't know people who do.


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## luvcanada (Nov 10, 2011)

I agree with EVHB. The temperature of Toronto is similar to Chicago but without as much wind. There is also a large Indian community in Toronto and the surrounding communities.


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## dm2 (Mar 12, 2013)

Thanks EVHB & luvcanada!

Toronto does seem like a fair choice for the Indians, have had a friend of mine who stayed there quite a bit before moving out to US. The job market is also active I've heard, is it the best place for job seekers in all of Canada (not sure if there is any stats that projects this analysis).


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## EVHB (Feb 11, 2008)

Moving to a big metropolitan area has it advantages:
easy access to airport
public transportation (but don't expect too much of it! Most people still need a car if you don't work downtown Toronto)
easy access to culture (theatre, galleries, musea, sport, concerts)
lots of opportunities for higher education (colleges, universities)
specialized services for immigrants (language training, settlement workers, workshops)
lots of job
etc
But it also has its disadvantages:
lots of competition for these jobs
housing prices are expensive
less integration into Canadian society if you are part of a group that is well represented under immigrants

If you work in corporate IT for instance, yes, it's best to live close to Toronto (Vancouver, Calgary,...). But if you are an IT Technician, it's a good idea to also look at the midsize to small cities. Probably less competition for the jobs and definitely cheaper to live.

Some reading material:
Recent Immigrants in Metropolitan Areas: Canada—A Comparative Profile Based on the 2001 Census
Immigrant unemployment: The more education, the bigger the gap - National | Globalnews.ca
TRIEC | Frequently asked questions


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## dm2 (Mar 12, 2013)

The second article on Immigrant unemployment is quite scary. The biggest problem around the world in my opinion is not getting a job but having the legal right to work and that is why people go to Australia / Canada since they get the PR which assures the employer they don't have to deal with anything apart from validating whether the Immigrant meets the job requirements. 
It is indeed a huge untapped resource for the Canadian economy, I guess the efforts to get the new immigrant a job before he / she enters the land is laudable.


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