Canadians!

[AliciaD496]

I'm still pondering what to do when I'm done with my Paralegal certificate in December and I think I've found an interesting opportunity. I'm not sure yet but I'm considering using BUNAC to get a 12 month work permit for Canada (they help as long as you've been a student in the last 6 months and are under 30).

My question for the Canadians (or anyone who is familiar with Canada) is where in Canada would be best to go to find a job? I understand the legal system is different at least slightly in Canada so working as a paralegal is probably out. I've mostly worked in administrative type positions, with some customer service as well, so I figure I'd probably be OK looking for a secretary or receptionist type position. I wouldn't mind doing something different if an opportunity came along, but that's probably where I'd start.

They have 'entry centers' in Vancouver, Toronto and Montreal so those are probably the best options. Frankly..Vancouver almost feels 'too close' to Seattle in culture and environment and I know zero French so Montreal's probably out. So I was figuring Toronto was the best option, plus it's larger than the other two. Is this a mistake? I'm also looking for a place that's 'singles friendly' and would like to meet new people but without it being night clubs, dancing and drinking setting. Does Toronto have something like that? I know Seattle supposedly does but all I've ever heard about are the clubs and it seems difficult to get to know new people here for some reason, at least to me. I'd also like to live in a place with a good transportation system, which I think Toronto has.

Any other advice? Should I broaden my scope to Ottawa maybe? I'm still not sure about this, but I'm ready for a change and it seems like a good opportunity. Whenever I have visited Canada before (mostly Vancouver and Victoria, but my family did do a road trip through BC and into Alberta up to Banff, Jasper and Edmonton once) I've always really enjoyed myself and enjoyed the people. Thanks for any help and advice!

 

[Joshua Howard]

Canadians often come down into Seattle from Vancouver, and so I see them regularly, and I like 'em. As for where you should go, I have no clue.

One thought though: New York isn't the best place to find a job in America; nor is any other big city hub, necessarily. City Centres aren't necessarily your only options. If you are in a professional field, maybe some smaller to medium-size towns would be just as appealing (and not swamped with other professionals seeking similar positions), and a bit more down to earth than the urban cores.

Why Canada? Is it a "Grass is always greener on the other side of the border" thing? I think we tend not to realize how much we appreciate the familiar things in our lives until we do something rash and get overwhelmed by strange circumstances.

 

[Tombfyre]

Canadas awesome

I live in BC and I really have no desire to ever return to my homeland of ontario... Its more expensive, but the milder winters and the epic terrain make this place stunning!

Toronto and Montreal are the largest business centres tho... and jobs may be more plentiful.

Keep in mind too that Quebecs primary language is French

 

[Canadave]

Toronto is definitely English Canada's employment hub, I know a lot of people who've moved there to find jobs. It is quite a livable city, in my opinion, too, so long as you like big cities. Public transit is generally quite good, though a tad underdeveloped considering Toronto's size. Still, it's pretty easy to get around the city without a car.

There also tends to be a lot to do there; there's four pro sports teams, lots of big museums, and tons of events and festivals. It's one of the most multicultural cities in the world, too, so that can be a big selling point for some people.

I have no idea about the dating scene, though I can tell you there's a fair amount of variety in the night life. There is definitely a clubbing scene, but there's a lot of quieter places as well.

And I'll add about my own Ottawa: this is a great town, but I wouldn't recommend coming here unless you've got a job lined up. It's not the easiest job market to land something in unless you're looking for a government job (which you generally need to be bilingual for). That said, if you can find something, and are looking to live somewhere a little quieter than Toronto, then Ottawa is great. There's still tons to do here, and Ottawa is a much better place to be if you're into the outdoors at all.

Hope that helps.

 

[Owain Taggart]

Toronto would probably be your best bet, but I agree with Canadave. There's a big French speaking population in Ottawa, but you can get by without it. It's a good bet considering it's our capital, and it does have a good bus system for transportation. The city itself does tend to often get overlooked. For example, Toronto always gets represented in TV shows, but almost never Ottawa, despite the fact that it's our Country's capital.

 

[Goliath]

If you are in a professional field, maybe some smaller to medium-size towns would be just as appealing (and not swamped with other professionals seeking similar positions), and a bit more down to earth than the urban cores.

This is something to think about.

Alicia, if you are already leaning toward moving to the Greater Toronto Area, you might consider the city of Hamilton. I lived there for five years, from 1998 to 2003, when I was taking my PhD. It is (or at least was) an industrial city, and parts of it are pretty rough-and-tumble, but other parts are quite nice. The cost of living is a bit lower, and it's close enough to Toronto that you can commute if you find a job there.

Although, if you do commute, I don't recommend trying to drive from Hamilton to Toronto. The Queen Elizabeth Expressway (QEW) turns into Canada's biggest parking lot twice every day, at rush hour, and a trip that should take less than an hour will take two hours, or even three. You'd be better off taking the GO train back and forth between the two cities, and relying on public transit, if you can.

I think we tend not to realize how much we appreciate the familiar things in our lives until we do something rash and get overwhelmed by strange circumstances.

Well, Canada's not all that strange. Someone from the Pacific Northwest should find it reasonably familiar, outside of Quebec.

 

[Canadave]

[The Queen Elizabeth Expressway (QEW) turns into Canada's biggest parking lot twice every day, at rush hour, and a trip that should take less than an hour will take two hours, or even three.

Second-biggest. The Don Valley Parking Lot is still out there, after all.

 

[Leviathan]

Calgary. Growing economy...housing prices are only moderately insane (Vancouver and Toronto are batshit crazy), and the weather doesn't...always...suck. Traffic & crime are lower.

Sadly, once a year it does fill with country and western music for a week. Buy earplugs and you're fine.

Avoid Montreal. They hand out hunting permits for non-french speaking Americans there.

 

[Mooch]

it's stupidly cold here (in the winter).

although I guess Toronto isn't so bad, with the smog and all keeping things warmer.

 

[species5618]

it's stupidly cold here (in the winter).

although I guess Toronto isn't so bad, with the smog and all keeping things warmer.

Toronto winters are pretty mild compared to say, even Ottawa or Montreal...the Praries are usually super cold though. Southern Ontario in general isn't so bad in winter.

 

[Hoser]

Toronto's not bad, it's like living in a Scott Pilgrim comic. Vancouver's overpriced, from what my brother says, and Montreal's not as much fun if you don't know the language.

 

[TorontoTrekker]

I don't know. I get up to Montreal once or twice per year and I've never had a problem, despite the fact that I last studied French nearly a quarter-century ago ().

Here's a trick taught to me by a friend who lives there: if you greet people with "Bonjour hi," that generally translates as, "Hello. I am an Anglophone who acknowledges the fact that I am in a French-speaking area; however, I speak little to no French, so please take pity on me and speak in English." It'll get you a lot farther than just walking up to someone and launching directly into English.

I've used it, and it works.

That being said, I may be a bit biased, having lived here all my life except for while I was at university, but I think Toronto is the best place in Canada to live. There's just so much to do here, it's impossible to be bored unless you want to be. ChinFinity keeps pressuring me to move to Mississauga, but there's nothing there that interests me.

 

[emacs]

My question for the Canadians ... is where in Canada would be best to go to find a job?

...

They have 'entry centers' in Vancouver, Toronto and Montreal so those are probably the best options.

include Calgary, Regina and Winnipeg as options. although Regina is in Saskatchewan (i.e., the Prairies where the temperature range swings from -30C in the winter and above +30C during the summer) it's remarkably inexpensive to live there.

Toronto would be your best (but most expensive) choice.