Moving to Canada for 12 months - IEC Working Holiday Visa

Soldato
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Nice one, when and where are you heading?

We're doing really well here now, we're finally happy with our apartment and I'm getting on well with work. Loving being paid every 2 weeks as well :) Plus it's currently the Stanley Cup Playoffs which is great, although the Canucks lost their first game last night which isn't good.

I thought I'd share a some info about our apartment.

This is where we live; the little red dot:

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It's right next to Rogers Arena and BC Place, so close in fact we can hear the Canucks goal horn before we see it on TV, which was cool at first but actually makes it quite annoying watching the game. We can also see through the window bits at the top of BC Place, so you can see the big screen which is pretty cool.

We're on the 18th floor (although technically it's probably only the 14th or so, as they have no floor 13, and a few other numbers as well as apparently they're bad luck for Asians or something).

It's pretty small, but it does the job, and there's a little Den which isn't pictured, but is great for storage and stuff, although we probably should have used it as an office.

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On a clear day we can see some mountain ranges in the USA, including the MASSIVE Mount Baker, which looks incredible. Unfortunately a building blocks one side of it so you can't see it fully, but it's still cool.

There's four bloody 25 story building about to go up around Rogers Arena, the first of which will block most of our view of False Creek, and is due for completion in April next year. If we stay on for another year we'll probably move somewhere else.

In general though, we're very happy, loving city life, and very much looking for to an awesome summer.
 
Soldato
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That looks awesome mate - shame about the buildings going up though! Received my POE letter today, as did Emma - it seems that CIC cleared a LOT of applications at the end of the month. :D
 
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I was born in Winnipeg,Manitoba. I've had a Canadian passport all my life and i'm forty something now. At twenty one I had the choice of dual nationality which I didn't take up. The ball ache is I only get five years on my Canadian passport till I have to renew it.

I have God parents in Winnipeg and have been back a few times to visit. Not sure i'd be happy there in winter though. Some years it's been as low as -40. Extreme snow too. They build houses on stilts for a reason...lol.
 
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ScarySquirrel that's a nice place, how much you paying for rent in Vancouver?

I have the same size almost and was just wondering the pricing difference from Toronto to Vancouver?
 
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I'm now in the process of getting everything together for flying mid-June. Going out there with two friends, flying out to San Diego, where we'll buy a car and spend a month driving and sightseeing the west coast through California, Oregon and Washington, then finally make it to Vancouver.

If anyone's done the west coast before and has any places to see/avoid, please do tell!
 
Soldato
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Jimz,

I am heading to Toronto, touring the USA at the moment (Texas currently) but due in Toronto late June / start of July.

Going to be in a hostel while I find a job and apartment, kind of scary starting from scratch!!
 
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Jimz,

I am heading to Toronto, touring the USA at the moment (Texas currently) but due in Toronto late June / start of July.

Going to be in a hostel while I find a job and apartment, kind of scary starting from scratch!!

Sounds great, Don't worry about it as there's so many people in the same situation. If you join the BUNAC/IEC facebook group there's meetups so we all go out for a drink together and then its easy to meet people.
 
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Nice one, when and where are you heading?

We're doing really well here now, we're finally happy with our apartment and I'm getting on well with work. Loving being paid every 2 weeks as well :) Plus it's currently the Stanley Cup Playoffs which is great, although the Canucks lost their first game last night which isn't good.

I won't be heading out until around March next year as that's when my contract ends, so just going to save as much as I can until then. Will be coming to Vancouver as have heard so many good things about it. This will be a little different to my year in Australia I think, I don't plan on travelling round a huge amount, I'm actually really looking forward to living in another city. That being said, I'm sure I'll go off a fair bit at weekends etc, just not travel all the way round like I did in Oz.

Glad to hear you're settled in now man, never easy when starting out again far from what you know! Apartment looks great, just the sort of thing I'll be looking for I'd say. If you don't mind me asking, what is the cost of something like that? And how does pay compare there to back home, cost of living wise etc, is it similar?
 
Soldato
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Sounds great, Don't worry about it as there's so many people in the same situation. If you join the BUNAC/IEC facebook group there's meetups so we all go out for a drink together and then its easy to meet people.

Yea I am on that and another one, I am not worried about meeting people just having no credit rating, no job etc and having to start fresh that's all.

I am sure I will be fine!
 
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My wife and I are thinking about moving to Canada too, maybe Vancouver and I was hoping to get some tips from you guys. I've had a look at the Canada visa website and unfortunately I don't fit into any of the desired jobs categories so how does the process work for being sponsored? I am grateful for any other tips or suggestions in the whole moving over to Canada.
 
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My wife and I are thinking about moving to Canada too, maybe Vancouver and I was hoping to get some tips from you guys. I've had a look at the Canada visa website and unfortunately I don't fit into any of the desired jobs categories so how does the process work for being sponsored? I am grateful for any other tips or suggestions in the whole moving over to Canada.

Depends on a lot of things. Are you young / old enough for the IEC program? Do either of you qualify under any of the jobs on the NOC list or FSW program? Is either of you Canadian? (I suspect not from your post) If your wife is then you can apply under Spousal route.
Have you had a look at the CIC website to check whether you would qualify for a Skilled Worker job (not necessarily the one you do now)

There are also things like the Provincial Nominee Programme (I think that is still open), I would start by going through the wizard Come To Canada Wizard

If you find there is a route for you, then I would suggest registering on either the British Expats forum or the Canadavisa Forum where there are plenty of people with experience who are happy to help.
 
Soldato
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ScarySquirrel that's a nice place, how much you paying for rent in Vancouver?

I have the same size almost and was just wondering the pricing difference from Toronto to Vancouver?

Sorry, only just seen this, it's pretty expensive at $1550 a month, but we're only paying for internet and about $20 a month for electricity on top of that, so it's pretty much the same as we were paying in the UK when you factor in council tax and bills. Unfortunately downtown Vancouver is an expensive place to live!

We're happy with the flat now, but in hindsight I think we could have got somewhere a bit nicer. My only annoyance with the place is that it gets so ****ing hot if the sun is out in the morning because the place heats up like a greenhouse. If we stay on beyond this first year we'll probably move and try somewhere else, although we are loving downtown right now.

I'm now in the process of getting everything together for flying mid-June. Going out there with two friends, flying out to San Diego, where we'll buy a car and spend a month driving and sightseeing the west coast through California, Oregon and Washington, then finally make it to Vancouver.

If anyone's done the west coast before and has any places to see/avoid, please do tell!

Sounds awesome! I wish we'd been able to do some traveling like that before we settled down, I think I'll make an effort to save some money up and do something like that when/if we go back to the UK.

Do you have any more pics of your gf you can post?

No.
 
Soldato
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Only briefly read this thread but myself and the Mrs have been toying with moving abroad to live/work.

How did you find it was getting jobs? Do you just look online and apply before or wait till you get there and apply.
 
Soldato
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I realise now that I was very lucky, I applied for one job before I left the UK, had a couple of video interviews, then one face to face interview when we got here, and I got the job. My girlfriend on the other hand has found it a bit more difficult, she is very close to landing a good job now (I hope I haven't jinxed it) but it's been really tough.

She's encountered lots of people who have an issue with us only having a 1 year working visa (even though we can get a second year soon), and her last interviewer even had a problem with her Scottish accent.

It all depends on what you're looking for and what your skills are. You have to be very pro-active as well.

Where do you think you'd head in Canada? FYI, the applications for IEC 2014 will be opening around December '13/January '14 I think. The process 'should' only take about 8 weeks, so you could aim for a move around Feb/March 2014.
 

OG

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I am looking to head to Canada with my girlfriend when I graduate next year. when I went out before uni I went out on a Student visa but it looks like these are no longer available :(

The IEC visa all makes sense.. but is there a time limit on when it has to be used? If I apply for one in December this year and it gets approved etc within a few months.. do I have to make use of that Visa or how long can I leave it un-used and have it still valid for a year? Would probably want to head out September 2014 time
 
Soldato
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You would have to land in Canada to receive your visa within 1 year of being accepted on the IEC programme. When you get your visa, it's valid for a year, no matter whether you left 1 month after being accepted or 11 months.

I hope that makes sense, basically you'll be fine if you apply in the next intake and want to come out in September 2014.

PS. Come to Vancouver, it's awesome :)
 
Soldato
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I am looking to head to Canada with my girlfriend when I graduate next year. when I went out before uni I went out on a Student visa but it looks like these are no longer available :(

The IEC visa all makes sense.. but is there a time limit on when it has to be used? If I apply for one in December this year and it gets approved etc within a few months.. do I have to make use of that Visa or how long can I leave it un-used and have it still valid for a year? Would probably want to head out September 2014 time

If you applied for a visa in December '13, then you'd receive your Letter of Introduction (Or POI as it's also known...) around February time - this letter is valid for a year (we received ours last week, its valid until 22nd April 2014). You then receive the Visa once you enter the country. This Visa is valid for a year, assuming the appropriate medical insurance (must be valid for a year, otherwise they'll only issue your Visa for the period of time that you have insurance), proof of funds (currently $2500), and a passport that is valid for your whole stay in Canada (I need to renew mine as it expires in November).

Edit: Nick, we're still having issues choosing between Vancouver and Toronto...help! :p
 

OG

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Thanks for the speedy replies guys.. that all makes sense.

@SS I lived in Vancouver/Whistler for 4 months or so when I went to Canada before uni and you are right it's awesome! Ideally I will be in Whistler for the winter season and then down to Van for the summer :) but let's see what happens!
 
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