Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
This could also be geography. Honestly Vancouver's economy isn't really looking for people with your skills, it's just not a big industrial centre. Places like Kitchener Waterloo (tech) and Montreal (Bio-tech) are where your skills are in demand. Vancouver was just never a good choice, the land prices from all of the rich people who want to move to Vancouver make it a city that's too expensive for many industries. As far as skilled knowledge economy, it has some IT, lots of movie production, some corporate headquarters and a scattering of other industries that don't represent major continental industry clusters. Just wasn't the right economy.
Oh, now that was interesting. I see in their other recent news releases there's also one that addresses the point that edwardsyzzurphands brought up about people with international education and experience running into roadblocks when they emigrate.
This is great news and something that should have been addressed decades ago, but better late than never.
The next part of the issue though is something that cannot be regulated and that is Canadian employers willingness to value International experience as equal to Canadian experience, maybe with the Federal Government taking the first step they will follow suit. These things take time, but overall this is a great first step.
Friendly Canadians and Vancouverites are a myth. I now live in the US after 30 years in BC and the people here are so much better. When I lived in vancouver there wasn't a day that goes by about how unfriendly the people are it's in the media constantly. I can tell the OP is just being nice, the standoffish nature of BC is astounding. Vancouver is literally the most alienating city I've ever experienced, plus the scenery is not as great as it's supposed reputation.
If you're skilled worker Vancouver is where you DON'T go for work. It's good for ski vacation and that's it, then you go back to a real city and get a real job. Never have I seen as huge a discrepency between what a city is like and how it's marketed.
There were days honest to god, I was going to commit suicide if I was trapped in vancouver any longer. I would have jumped off the Granville street bridge. I have lived in 7 cities, Vancouver is literally the worst.
Anyone that I know that is successful has left that town long ago and like me they are WAY happier, the only people remain are the naive underachievers that are afraid of the big bad world so they hide behind mommy's skirt doing nothing with their lives
I cashed out my 750k mortgage free condo to some foreigner and never looked back.
OP, just move. Vancouver is not worth it. Vancouver is a bland overpriced sham with limited career options.
Friendly Canadians and Vancouverites are a myth. I now live in the US after 30 years in BC and the people here are so much better. When I lived in vancouver there wasn't a day that goes by about how unfriendly the people are it's in the media constantly. I can tell the OP is just being nice, the standoffish nature of BC is astounding. Vancouver is literally the most alienating city I've ever experienced, plus the scenery is not as great as it's supposed reputation.
If you're skilled worker Vancouver is where you DON'T go for work. It's good for ski vacation and that's it, then you go back to a real city and get a real job. Never have I seen as huge a discrepency between what a city is like and how it's marketed.
There were days honest to god, I was going to commit suicide if I was trapped in vancouver any longer. I would have jumped off the Granville street bridge. I have lived in 7 cities, Vancouver is literally the worst.
Anyone that I know that is successful has left that town long ago and like me they are WAY happier, the only people remain are the naive underachievers that are afraid of the big bad world so they hide behind mommy's skirt doing nothing with their lives
I cashed out my 750k mortgage free condo to some foreigner and never looked back.
OP, just move. Vancouver is not worth it. Vancouver is a bland overpriced sham with limited career options.
That's the real truth.
I respectfully disagree. I've been shocked by how friendly, educated, and entreprising British Columbians have been since I moved here. The culture really feels like one that strives for excellence. I understand you had a different experience, but that's really how I've seen the people here as an outsider. It's just not the best for many industries, I can see why so many Vancouverites, statistically, are self employed in little start-ups.
Friendly Canadians and Vancouverites are a myth. I now live in the US after 30 years in BC and the people here are so much better. When I lived in vancouver there wasn't a day that goes by about how unfriendly the people are it's in the media constantly. I can tell the OP is just being nice, the standoffish nature of BC is astounding. Vancouver is literally the most alienating city I've ever experienced, plus the scenery is not as great as it's supposed reputation.
If you're skilled worker Vancouver is where you DON'T go for work. It's good for ski vacation and that's it, then you go back to a real city and get a real job. Never have I seen as huge a discrepency between what a city is like and how it's marketed.
There were days honest to god, I was going to commit suicide if I was trapped in vancouver any longer. I would have jumped off the Granville street bridge. I have lived in 7 cities, Vancouver is literally the worst.
Anyone that I know that is successful has left that town long ago and like me they are WAY happier, the only people remain are the naive underachievers that are afraid of the big bad world so they hide behind mommy's skirt doing nothing with their lives
I cashed out my 750k mortgage free condo to some foreigner and never looked back.
OP, just move. Vancouver is not worth it. Vancouver is a bland overpriced sham with limited career options.
That's the real truth.
For the record, the OP finds the people in Vancouver nice. The thread is about jobs in Vancouver. You say Vancouver has limited career options? Perhaps so - is it worse than where you are? 13 months looking and little to no calls? http://www.city-data.com/forum/22933339-post37.html
For the record, the OP finds the people in Vancouver nice. The thread is about jobs in Vancouver. You say Vancouver has limited career options? Perhaps so - is it worse than where you are? 13 months looking and little to no calls? http://www.city-data.com/forum/22933339-post37.html
The difference is that here I can actually find places to send applications with real companies in Vancouver I can send stuff out to a few firms that's it. It's too limited and the pay is lower than what I can make in the US. However I can't help it about the US jobs crisis. Things will turn around, I am confident as I have done interviews last week.
I respectfully disagree. I've been shocked by how friendly, educated, and entreprising British Columbians have been since I moved here. The culture really feels like one that strives for excellence. I understand you had a different experience, but that's really how I've seen the people here as an outsider. It's just not the best for many industries, I can see why so many Vancouverites, statistically, are self employed in little start-ups.
oh nonsense, vancouver is antisocial. It's non debatable.The culture is hockey and marijauna and the NDP and non talking to others and avoiding eye contact. It's where underachievers go.
Whether the OP is viewed as transient or not, you cannot ignore the fact that many people with International education and experience find themselves running into ridiculous roadblocks once emigrating to Canada.
I find it strange that Canada has a strict point system to supposedly hand pick the "best" but once they arrive they are misused and skills wasted. If the OP applied for a job in the US, especially in a major Biotech area like Boston, SF, SD, Houston, etc..they would have a high paying job lined up quickly. US employers do not have the same hang up with International credentials that Canadian employers do.
You've hit the nail on the head. The issue here is that the Canadian Government had as a policy to "recruit" specially skilled worker from abroad, thus providing PR (permanent residency) for the applicant and his/her family.
From my experience, all EU countries as well as the US see a person like me as an asset, because my intention is not immigration, but rather work.
However, it seems that Canada badly NEED immigrants, ie. increase in population. Rather than letting any random immigrant to come over, the government introduced numerous ways for skilled, academic and professional immigrants to come. And don't forget all the rich people that had large capital - they are simply welcome with open arms, regardless of background. The opposite case has been seen in many European countries such as Denmark, Sweden, Norway. They have been taking in immigrants for many years, regardless of academic background or work experience, hence lowering the standards and letting in uneducated people. So in that regard, I feel that Canada has been doing the right thing. There is such a difference in the society, when the majority of them are educated.
However, the only downside has been that there is an oversaturation of highly skilled workers, like myself.
This is great news and something that should have been addressed decades ago, but better late than never.
The next part of the issue though is something that cannot be regulated and that is Canadian employers willingness to value International experience as equal to Canadian experience, maybe with the Federal Government taking the first step they will follow suit. These things take time, but overall this is a great first step.
There are too many regulations and requirements here. Many positions require certain BC certificates. Not even the most scrutinizing EU countries have those regulations for certificates. If I am able to work and operate within a field in most US states and all EU countries (incl, UK), then something is utterly wrong in BC if they want me to pass courses in, let's say Health Regulation Standards.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
