American college student considering a move to Toronto (job market, school)
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Hi all, I am currently a college studying getting my associates in network administration, which is basically an IT speciality field that involves ensuring computers are communicating correctly with each other and monitoring the traffic on the server. I will be 23 when I graduate in about a year, and while I don't expect to be a top of the line pick when I graduate, I figure there will always be some demand for IT people. Anyway, I am currently living in SW Florida and ideally would like to find an IT related job in Toronto when I graduate. I understand this may be a pie in the sky goal, but figured I'd ask for some input anyway. Is the job market nearly impossible trying to find a job in a non service related position? Would it be reasonable at all to expect to find employment just out of school considering my age? I just want to get a general idea of what expect if I were to try. If it sounds totally unreasonable, please don't sugarcoat it.
Thanks for all advice.
It is an unrealistic idea... First of all, you will need work permit sponsored by the employer, which takes long time and most employers won't bother doing it for fresh graduates. Second, Canada has much fewer companies compared to the US, usually it's the Canadian graduated having trouble finding jobs here and moving south to work, not the other way around
OP.. Not everyone's sentiment in here reflects all Americans who move to Toronto or Canada.. I know plenty of Americans who love it here but as with any city/place - it really depends on the person and what they are looking for. If you do want to make the move to Toronto it is a great place to work and live.
Also, come to the city for an extended visit! This way you can get a feel for it and its vibe and also get to know some American expats in the city. I strongly suggest not just getting your info from a few posters on CD!
Exactly, don't get misled by a few posters from CD - Toronto is a great city with a lot to offer, but if you can't get a job here it would mean little to nothing, and unless you already have a few years of experience , the chance of getting a job with employer-sponsored work permit is basically zero
Here in Canada, there are no Associates degrees... It is something that a Canadian employer will not consider in the hiring process, or give any weight to.
A second point. A Canadian employer is going to want a person who is ready to start work in a few days or a week. Not some body who has not yet been granted a work permit.
Exactly, don't get misled by a few posters from CD - Toronto is a great city with a lot to offer, but if you can't get a job here it would mean little to nothing, and unless you already have a few years of experience , the chance of getting a job with employer-sponsored work permit is basically zero
I wouldn't move anywhere before ensuring that I've secured employment.. One common thing living anywhere is if you don't have a decent job life sucks unless you've won the lottery or able to live off mommy and daddy.
I didn't realize it was so hard for an American to get an employer-sponsored work permit though. Tbh, most of my American friends came here through marriage to a Canadian but there must be some who are here through work permit.
Canada has lost 114,200 full-time jobs in the past two years: Canada Job Losses
114,200 jobs is equivalent to the U.S. losing over 1 million jobs. In other words, Canada today is losing as many jobs relative to its population as the US lost in the worst of the 2008-2009 Great Recession. And all signs point to the housing bubble popping. Then the economy will really be in a world of hurt.
If you want to find a job, it's the last place I'd go.
I didn't realize it was so hard for an American to get an employer-sponsored work permit though. Tbh, most of my American friends came here through marriage to a Canadian but there must be some who are here through work permit.
Getting an employer sponsored work permit is not trivial. It means first finding an employer willing to hire you AND then the employer must be willing to jump to through the hoops (and pay for) the sponsorship of the work permit IF the candidate meets the criterias. Info here: Hire foreign workers
American citizens do qualify for TN VISA, which makes it "easier" to get the work permit should they find an employer willing to hire them, however the OP will only have an AS (2 year "degree") and will be a new grad (no experience), so they will not qualify for a TN. See the qualification requirement for Computer System Analyst (most likely category the OP would fall into): https://www.uscis.gov/ilink/docView/...0-0-21051.html
Getting an employer sponsored work permit is not trivial. It means first finding an employer willing to hire you AND then the employer must be willing to jump to through the hoops (and pay for) the sponsorship of the work permit IF the candidate meets the criterias. Info here: Hire foreign workers
American citizens do qualify for TN VISA, which makes it "easier" to get the work permit should they find an employer willing to hire them, however the OP will only have an AS (2 year "degree") and will be a new grad (no experience), so they will not qualify for a TN. See the qualification requirement for Computer System Analyst (most likely category the OP would fall into): https://www.uscis.gov/ilink/docView/...0-0-21051.html
Not only that... A few years ago there was a public outrage when it was revealed that RBC let go of many employees and gave their jobs to foreign workers at lower pay - after that the hiring of foreign worker got much more scrutiny by the government : the employer would need to prove
1. They have made effort to hire Canadian citizens/PRs but couldn't find any
2. The salary would be on the same level for the same position held by a Canadian citizen
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