# Quantity Surveyor Work in Canada



## MargieLi (Jul 1, 2015)

Hi,

We are currently in our plan to move in to Canada once our visa will be issued.
I would like to inquire which State is the best place to land.

We have 2 kids with us (4 and 2 year old). I also work as a Quantity Surveyor here in Singapore in which case I also would love to land a good job in Canada that could give me good benefit, not just for me but for my family member as well.

I hope somebody could give me good advice in this matter. 
Appreciate your good reply of advise

Sincerely,


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## WestCoastCanadianGirl (Mar 17, 2012)

Canada has _Provinces_, not _States_.


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## Auld Yin (Mar 10, 2009)

Have you determined if you're eligible to immigrate to Canada? Have you read the CIC website?


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## colchar (Oct 25, 2011)

MargieLi said:


> Hi,
> 
> We are currently in our plan to move in to Canada once our visa will be issued.
> I would like to inquire which State is the best place to land.


First, Canada does not have states it has provinces. If you are planning to move here you should have at least basic knowledge of the country.

As for which one is best, that would depend on where you wanted to live wouldn't it?





> We have 2 kids with us (4 and 2 year old). I also work as a Quantity Surveyor here in Singapore



The role will likely be vastly different here in Canad than what you are used to in Singapore so it is up in the air whether you would get hired to do that job here.


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## MargieLi (Jul 1, 2015)

WestCoastCanadianGirl said:


> Canada has _Provinces_, not _States_.[/QUOTE
> 
> Ok. Then Provinces. Sorry because its quite new to me. If you don't mind


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## MargieLi (Jul 1, 2015)

Auld Yin said:


> Have you determined if you're eligible to immigrate to Canada? Have you read the CIC website?


Hi, 

Your reply is not very helpful but anyhow I want to answer you in a professional manner.

As you can see I have stated in my message that the visa is soon be issued. Meaning, we have gone through the Immigration staff already prior we get it.
Appreciate if you could have positive feedbacks.


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## MargieLi (Jul 1, 2015)

colchar said:


> First, Canada does not have states it has provinces. If you are planning to move here you should have at least basic knowledge of the country.
> 
> As for which one is best, that would depend on where you wanted to live wouldn't it?
> 
> ...


Hi Miss,

First, Sorry for the "state" thing vs. the "province" thing. I don't think its a big issue here. 
As what I have in my message we are in the planning to which we plan to land so, I need advise not discouragement!
Now, If you don't have anything positive to advise, don't say anything at all!

Second, I know that being to another country must adjust big time! I've been to several country too meaning you cannot discourage me and tell me that 'so it is up in the air whether you would get hired to do that job here.' I know you are not a fortune teller to scare the hell out of me!

Lastly, I don't need negative advise! If you cant say any positive advise! you can zip it!


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## WestCoastCanadianGirl (Mar 17, 2012)

No worries about the Province/State confusion, but there are a lot of people who want to come to Canada and refer to the provinces as states. This tends to make people already in Canada think that the people who refer to provinces as states haven't done that much research into Canada and how things are done in Canada.




MargieLi said:


> Hi,
> 
> Your reply is not very helpful but anyhow I want to answer you in a professional manner.
> 
> ...


The wording of your post is a little ambiguous and Auld Yin wasn't sure if you had been granted a visa or not.. there are people here who want to come to Canada to work and live but have not received a visa yet want to know which part of the country would be the best place to live and how to find job. 

Again, it appears like you haven't done much research into Canada and its diversity as far as living standards and conditions go.

Do you like warm weather? Cold weather? Do you like out door activities? There is so much choice in Canada that you should try to figure out what you want to do in your leisure time and narrow your search accordingly.

BC has mountains and oceans but is rainy a lot of the time. Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba are very, very flat and very cold in the winter. Ontario has some smaller mountains and borders the Great Lakes, but the winters there are cold and the summers are hot and humid. In Quebec, you need to be able to speak some French. In the Atlantic provinces of New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island and Newfoundland and Labrador, there is ocean (Atlantic) and rocky terrain, but it is cold in the winter with lots of snow.

As far as education goes, public school starts with Kindergarten (age 5/6) and ends with Grade 12 (17/18) then post-secondary. If you wish your children to go to playschool, that is private and you have to pay for your children to attend.

Choosing a place to live is a personal matter.


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## MargieLi (Jul 1, 2015)

WestCoastCanadianGirl said:


> No worries about the Province/State confusion, but there are a lot of people who want to come to Canada and refer to the provinces as states. This tends to make people already in Canada think that the people who refer to provinces as states haven't done that much research into Canada and how things are done in Canada.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Hi,

Thank you for your immediate response.
We are actually looking for Alberta. Initial plan is to land in Calgary. But I need more idea which is the best place or province to reside with my kind of profession. 

Again, thank you so much for your positive reply.


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## WestCoastCanadianGirl (Mar 17, 2012)

Alberta isn't a bad place to live... it borders the Rocky Mountains, so you can go hiking in the summer and skiing in the winter.

I would advise choosing Calgary or Edmonton as a place to land... Edmonton is the capital of the province - there's a huge shopping mall there that has all sorts of stores as well as a water park, indoor ice rink, and amusement park "West Edmonton Mall". Calgary is also a major city as well... some prefer Calgary to Edmonton.

To the east of Calgary is a place called Dinosaur Provincial park. Your little ones may be interested in having a look at that, as there is an interactive display where they can touch things and look at fossils and the like.

As for finding a job, I'd suggest that you look at job sites like Monster.com ca.indeed.com and Workopolis to see what is available.



Good luck to you!


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## colchar (Oct 25, 2011)

MargieLi said:


> Hi,
> 
> Your reply is not very helpful but anyhow I want to answer you in a professional manner.



His post was perfectly reasonable.





> As you can see I have stated in my message that the visa is soon be issued. Meaning, we have gone through the Immigration staff already prior we get it.



What does this mean?


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## colchar (Oct 25, 2011)

MargieLi said:


> Hi Miss



First of all, I am not female.





> First, Sorry for the "state" thing vs. the "province" thing. I don't think its a big issue here.



It demonstrates that you have very little knowledge of a country you are trying to emigrate to. Common sense would dictate that one learn as much as possible about a country to which they plan to emigrate, and knowing that we have provinces, rather than states, is very basic knowledge which you clearly haven't bothered to learn.





> As what I have in my message we are in the planning to which we plan to land


What does that even mean?




> Now, If you don't have anything positive to advise, don't say anything at all!



If you post something you do not get to determine who does or does not answer, nor what they say in those responses.





> Second, I know that being to another country must adjust big time! I've been to several country too meaning you cannot discourage me and tell me that 'so it is up in the air whether you would get hired to do that job here.'



I am not discouraging you, I am informing you of the reality of the situation. If you cannot accept that reality, you are in for a rough ride if you do migrate to Canada.






> I know you are not a fortune teller to scare the hell out of me!





As I said, I simply explaining the realities of the situation - just because you do that job in your home country does not mean you will be able to do it here. Immigrants to Canada are constantly complaining that they cannot find work in their former fields. And you would know this if you had done even the most basic research before planning to emigrate here.





> Lastly, I don't need negative advise!



It is not negative advice, it is the reality of the situation. As I said, if you cannot accept that reality you are in for a rough ride.





> If you cant say any positive advise! you can zip it!



Again, if you post something you do not get to determine who does or does not answer, nor what they say in those responses. I know far more about life in Canada than you do so can see that you have an unrealistic expectation if you think you are going to arrive here and walk into the same career as you have back home. That you cannot accept that is your problem.


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## Gibjam (Sep 6, 2013)

Firstly it really depends on the type of QS you are. PQS or contractor QS. I am a QS and worked as a QS for a main contractor but that role does not existing here in Canada. The are cost consultants but not really a big demand for it. I moved here and working for a General Contractor as an Estimator.

And like colchar said (and don't always agree with his posts)it is very likely to be vastly different to Singapore, as I am finding a year in. That said as long as you're willing to put to side you what you know and take the time to understand the way things are done here you will be fine. If however you come and try to do it the way you did it, you may just go crazy, especially if you end up in one of the more traditional markets (which the prairies are).

Good luck


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## MargieLi (Jul 1, 2015)

Gibjam said:


> Firstly it really depends on the type of QS you are. PQS or contractor QS. I am a QS and worked as a QS for a main contractor but that role does not existing here in Canada. The are cost consultants but not really a big demand for it. I moved here and working for a General Contractor as an Estimator.
> 
> And like colchar said (and don't always agree with his posts)it is very likely to be vastly different to Singapore, as I am finding a year in. That said as long as you're willing to put to side you what you know and take the time to understand the way things are done here you will be fine. If however you come and try to do it the way you did it, you may just go crazy, especially if you end up in one of the more traditional markets (which the prairies are).
> 
> Good luck


Hi,

Thank you for your kind response and good advise, gives brief introduction of my work expectation there. 
Indeed, I am willing to adjust since I understand I'm quite new to the place and new to their standard. 
Thanks again, appreciate your reply.


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## EVHB (Feb 11, 2008)

If you look at job postings, where do you see the most job postings you qualify for, and are interested in? That should be the place to look for a job.

When you say states instead of provinces, it is something that shows you have no 'Canadian Experience', and that is something that will be a big disadvantage when looking for a job. Lots of immigrants have to step down the ladder (a lot) to land a job, because of that.

Where you are going to live sometimes also depends on the money you have. In the GTA, you will easily pay +$2,500/month rent for a not too big detached house with 3 or maybe 4 bedrooms. You can rent similar houses in the Atlantic Provinces for less than half of that price. Ditto if you want to buy a house. 
Also look at the cost of day care, if both partners would like to get a job.
Make sure your English is very good! Lots of competition for jobs, and lack of Canadian experience, not local network and not an very good knowledge of English are all things that can work in your disadvantage.


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