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Great thread. As an Australian I have been most interested in Canada and would love to try living there someday.
However you forgot one very important criteria when comparing the two - work/life balance
Australia wins hands down with 4 weeks of holidays per year, plus the public holidays on top of that. Many Australians also get a bonus week off over christmas/new years, so many actually have 5 weeks holidays a year. Now you know why Aussies travel so much!
Isn't Canada like the US where you're lucky to get 2 weeks off a year? Man I don't think I could ever live in a country that only gets 2 weeks holidays per year! I love to travel and this isn't enough time.
Also how good is job security in Canada? Is it like the US where you can be fired at the drop of a hat? If so, Australia definitely wins in this regard... it is actually quite difficult to be fired in Australia without good reason. Australia is known for its "tall poppy syndrome" and there are more laws and unions to protect the little guy (employees). Aussies definitely believe in giving everyone a "fair go".
Only thing I don't like about Australia is the bogan and drunks factor. It sounds like Canada has less of this, including the violence associated with alcohol (which is a big problem in Australia). So for me it basically comes down to better people in Canada vs better working conditions in Australia. Tough choice!
No it's not like the US at all. Some states in the US have no law regarding vacation, although most do.
In Canada the federal law is a minimum of 2 weeks, each province and territory adds more onto to that EXCEPT Ontario. For example in B.C. it's 3 weeks after 5 years.
When I was working I got 4 weeks after 10 and 5 weeks at 15 years. This was on top of accumulated time off which was an extra 12 days a year.
My partner works in a grocery store, unionized. They have 5 weeks at 15 years PLUS 24 accumulated days off a year. Pretty sweet.
Canada also has laws regarding severance pay, again unlike the US.
In general it is understood that labour laws in Canada are fairly strong, but have been under attack over the last 15 years or so.
Does the mandatory vacation time added in certain provinces really make much a difference in real life? I am asking this as a serious question because I have only worked and job hunted in Ontario, no where else in Canada.
From experience it seems like competitiveness of the job market has a greater effect on benefits than government policy. If Toronto is the main business hub of Canada and attracts the best talent, you would think that talent would have to ability to negotiate a stronger benefit package than their counterparts in Vancouver, Montreal, etc....
Does the mandatory vacation time added in certain provinces really make much a difference in real life? I am asking this as a serious question because I have only worked and job hunted in Ontario, no where else in Canada.
From experience it seems like competitiveness of the job market has a greater effect on benefits than government policy. If Toronto is the main business hub of Canada and attracts the best talent, you would think that talent would have to ability to negotiate a stronger benefit package than their counterparts in Vancouver, Montreal, etc....
The majority of workers are not in a position to bargain anything, unless they are unionized or in a field where individuals can bargain independently.
I'd like to see the stats, if they exist, of how many workers in Ontario who can't bargain get 3 weeks after five years. I have no idea how many that would be, however I'm sure the worker in Ontario who doesn't get 3 weeks after 5 years would be a little envious of those in provinces where they do.
It may be unfair but in many circles Toronto has a reputation for being a live to work as opposed to a work to live city.
As a former Torontonian, I can attest that there is a grain of truth to this. Torontonians seem to take a peculiar pride in being able to say:
"I can't make it to your party on the weekend/golf on Saturday/other occasion outside of normal work hours; I have to work."
"I put in 80 hours last week; I know next week will be more."
"Sorry I skipped your wedding, but work called me in."
As regards the last, it was the excuse a (former) good friend offered for not making it to my own wedding.
There's a reason I left Toronto and now live in a part of the country where work, while important, is not so important that it takes precedence over one's personal activities. People honestly regret having to miss something if they cannot get out of work. And unlike Toronto, employers hereabouts do try (within reason) to accommodate employees' requests for time off. It may not always be possible, though.
Last edited by ChevySpoons; 11-24-2014 at 01:00 AM..
As a former Torontonian, I can attest that there is a grain of truth to this. Torontonians seem to take a peculiar pride in being able to say:
"I can't make it to your party on the weekend/golf on Saturday/other occasion outside of normal work hours; I have to work."
"I put in 80 hours last week; I know next week will be more."
"Sorry I skipped your wedding, but work called me in."
As regards the last, it was the excuse a (former) good friend offered for not making it to my own wedding.
There's a reason I left Toronto and now live in a part of the country where work, while important, is not so important that it takes precedence over one's personal activities. People honestly regret having to miss something if they cannot get out of work. And unlike Toronto, employers hereabouts do try (within reason) to accommodate employees' requests for time off. It may not always be possible, though.
I think I'll leave this one for you to duke out with your former friends from the 416!
The majority of workers are not in a position to bargain anything, unless they are unionized or in a field where individuals can bargain independently.
I'd like to see the stats, if they exist, of how many workers in Ontario who can't bargain get 3 weeks after five years. I have no idea how many that would be, however I'm sure the worker in Ontario who doesn't get 3 weeks after 5 years would be a little envious of those in provinces where they do.
I guess by negotiating I was thinking along the lines of having multiple companies/offers on the table and being able to play them against each other.
I would like to see those stats as well, but not necessarily Province vs Province or City vs City; but rather Industry vs Industry. If you look at a smaller college town for example, chances are most of the people work in Academia and would enjoy greater time off benefits vs a city that focuses on Law or Financial Services.
So I guess my question is, would a Financial Services professional for example enjoy more time off in Vancouver vs Toronto, or would it end up being equal regardless of government policy.
When I started working in Toronto I was offered 3 weeks vacation to start. Then once relocating to Florida, I worked for a company that offered the exact same 3 weeks despite having no real minimum vacation law on the books, because it was the same industry. Then once changing industries to Healthcare in Boston, my company started out at 5 weeks vacation, 6 weeks after 5 years, then a little under 7 weeks (34 days) after 7 years. That had nothing to do with any state/provincial law, but rather industry standards.
I guess by negotiating I was thinking along the lines of having multiple companies/offers on the table and being able to play them against each other.
I would like to see those stats as well, but not necessarily Province vs Province or City vs City; but rather Industry vs Industry. If you look at a smaller college town for example, chances are most of the people work in Academia and would enjoy greater time off benefits vs a city that focuses on Law or Financial Services.
So I guess my question is, would a Financial Services professional for example enjoy more time off in Vancouver vs Toronto, or would it end up being equal regardless of government policy.
When I started working in Toronto I was offered 3 weeks vacation to start. Then once relocating to Florida, I worked for a company that offered the exact same 3 weeks despite having no real minimum vacation law on the books, because it was the same industry. Then once changing industries to Healthcare in Boston, my company started out at 5 weeks vacation, 6 weeks after 5 years, then a little under 7 weeks (34 days) after 7 years. That had nothing to do with any state/provincial law, but rather industry standards.
Most reputable companies in Canada (including Ontario and even Toronto - imagine that) offer more vacation time than 2 weeks. People are putting too much emphasis on what the government requires for mandatory paid leave instead of what most companies actually offer. I don't work in Financial services but I do work for a private company in a unionized position.. My vacation time is pretty darned good after 10 years service - 6 weeks + 1 week personal time + stats equaling 11 days per year + 12 days per year sick time. Most people I know in Toronto who have worked for a company for more than 5 years have at the very minimum 4 weeks off.. some even have more.
Last edited by fusion2; 11-24-2014 at 06:41 PM..
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I think I'll leave this one for you to duke out with your former friends from the 416! 
