Canada 2010-2011?

jimmypitt

gottcha_goin wrote: »

Did your insurance get approved by USIT? If so, what exact policy did you go with?

Mine was approved. Went with the premium one with www.backpackertravelinsurance.ie. Cost me 205 for 13 months.

gottcha_goin

jimmypitt wrote: »

Mine was approved. Went with the premium one with www.backpackertravelinsurance.ie. Cost me 205 for 13 months.

The premier plus one? Will the ordinary one not get by the checks?

dceire

I went with the premier plus one & they guy dealing with my application at USIT just emailed back saying that there were no problems with it.

I'm pretty sure that either of the single trip insurance on offer are accepted by USIT.

shipwreck

Anyone just booked a one way ticket over?

I was thinking of just doing this and then buying a flight when I got over there.....I know it said you have to have a certain amount of money in your bank account but Ill have that covered.

jimmypitt

gottcha_goin wrote: »

The premier plus one? Will the ordinary one not get by the checks?

No i just went with the premier one as opposed to the premier plus - not much difference between the to really. USIT accept the 'ordinary' one i got. I don't think USIT give a hoot really - they emailed me back literally withing 5 mins of my email saying that my insurance and flights were accepted - tis all about the 50euro really.

jimmypitt

shipwreck wrote: »

Anyone just booked a one way ticket over?

I was thinking of just doing this and then buying a flight when I got over there.....I know it said you have to have a certain amount of money in your bank account but Ill have that covered.

Yeah i just got a one way flight over - i just think it will be handier in the long run.

shipwreck

jimmypitt wrote: »

Yeah i just got a one way flight over - i just think it will be handier in the long run.

Ah cool and I assume USIT didnt care??


Its much handier to do that I think and it'll prob be cheaper in the longer run!

jimmypitt

shipwreck wrote: »

Ah cool and I assume USIT didnt care??


Its much handier to do that I think and it'll prob be cheaper in the longer run!

USIT had no problem. Also it was a one way flight i booked myself.

I am not sure how things will go in Canada so i'd rather just leave it totally open - changing a flight will cost 100/150 anyway and then you are tied to their rules/regulations/times.

JohnMearsheimer

If only they brought that in 3/4 months ago!

seventh_wave65

Hey I was wondering if anyone was heading to Calgary and had sorted out flights yet? Was looking to head over around July but they are looking to cost around 800euro minimum. Was hoping to get something a bit cheaper. Any one find anything better?

Thanks for the help

JohnMearsheimer

seventh_wave65 wrote: »

Hey I was wondering if anyone was heading to Calgary and had sorted out flights yet? Was looking to head over around July but they are looking to cost around 800euro minimum. Was hoping to get something a bit cheaper. Any one find anything better?

Thanks for the help

I'm heading to Calgary in September and the cheapest return flight I could source was €785, thats Cork/London/Calgary with British Airways. It was a bit cheaper if I flew from Dublin, something like €750 but its a hassle for me to get up to Dublin and would have cost more than the €35 to get up there anyway.

I went on the Calgary airport website and it would seem that you can only fly drect from Europe from London, Frankfurt or Amsterdam. I checked out what Lufthansa and KLM were offering but they were crazy expensive, a good bit more than British Airways. I also thought of flying to the US and then on to Canada but that wasn't working out cheaper. Cheapest one way to Calgary I saw was €650. It just seems like Calgary can be an awkward enough place to get to.

phizzledizzle

Places seem to be slowly moving up, however I'm due to go to South America in June and then onto Canada, if I'm not here by the time the approval comes through will that hinder me in anyway? As in am I actually required to visit any offices in person before leaving.

kegi

popofthetops wrote: »

Hi all, Whats the work situation like in Canada now are jobs hard to come by?

Also in terms of he visa how long is the waiting list? I would apply but am not 100% sure if I would like to go yet and I am led to believe you can't re-apply.

thanks guys

Hi Guys,

Does anyone know what the chances are of getting work related to your college qualifications? just want to be sure before i fork out money for flights and a visa.
Cheers

swabby

Hey, I have been accepted for my student working visa but one of my friends wants to travel on the under 35 program. Does anyone know if there are still visas available for this program???? Also have friends who are thinking of applying for the student visas, does anyone know if there are many places left on the student program???? If anyone out there could help, it would be greatly appreciated, thanks

ohdatlewis

Hi there. Just wondering if extra charges apply to cash transactions from ATM's in Canada whilst using an irish debit card?

kautostar

Hi swabby, if you apply for the student programme you should be offered a visa by next week they are moving down at a rate of about 25-30 a day, i know someone who applied yesterday and is was number 150 or so, this was down to 127 when i talked to him just there. I know another friend who is on the U35 and he is number 650 so I would imagine it would be a few months before those Visas are offered.

We are 3 Galway lads aged 25/26 going to Toronto in mid June. 2 of us on the student, the other on the U35. A friend of ours was in Vancouver for the winter olympics and is making his way to Toronto in April so hopefully he will get settled and will have things sorted for us when we get there..

No idea what I will work at but would love something outdoors such as painting, or also maybe a few hours in a pub/club to get in on the social scene. Plan to stay in Toronto til xmas maybe, will deffo live in Montreal and Vancouver at some stage aswell. Those are the plans at this stage but they are fluid and we will go with the flow and see what happens.

Booking 1 way flights and getting my own insurance. USIT are a disgrace, the way they take advantage cos they have it monopolised is sickening, they would hit you for a tenner if they thought you wouldn't notice :mad:

Anybody else going to Toronto?

the whole year inn

dont think you can book one way flights it has to show return flights out of canada.

kautostar

Hi Gomsmacked, ya you can book 1 way if u have a few quid in the bank and explain you are travelling the world, they say $3000 canadian dollars which is about €2200. We are going on to S.America after Canada sodont know what way will suit us best to get home

davey boy

kegi wrote: »

Hi Guys,

Does anyone know what the chances are of getting work related to your college qualifications? just want to be sure before i fork out money for flights and a visa.
Cheers

Have been in vancouver for the last few months and didnt get work in my field. Studied mechanical engineering and have a few years work experience as a field service engineer. I got a low paid job easily here but applied for a lot of career jobs and didnt get replies.

I dont think explaining to employers that your visa is for one year helps as they know that you may not want to stay. I have met about 12 irish since I came over and only 3 are working in similar jobs that they had back home.

What are your qualifications? Check the canadian job sites for jobs in your area to see what the demand is.

Its a great city here but I find it expensive (like Dublin).

Jimmmy McNulty

kautostar wrote: »

Hi swabby, if you apply for the student programme you should be offered a visa by next week they are moving down at a rate of about 25-30 a day, i know someone who applied yesterday and is was number 150 or so, this was down to 127 when i talked to him just there. I know another friend who is on the U35 and he is number 650 so I would imagine it would be a few months before those Visas are offered.

We are 3 Galway lads aged 25/26 going to Toronto in mid June. 2 of us on the student, the other on the U35. A friend of ours was in Vancouver for the winter olympics and is making his way to Toronto in April so hopefully he will get settled and will have things sorted for us when we get there..

No idea what I will work at but would love something outdoors such as painting, or also maybe a few hours in a pub/club to get in on the social scene. Plan to stay in Toronto til xmas maybe, will deffo live in Montreal and Vancouver at some stage aswell. Those are the plans at this stage but they are fluid and we will go with the flow and see what happens.

Booking 1 way flights and getting my own insurance. USIT are a disgrace, the way they take advantage cos they have it monopolised is sickening, they would hit you for a tenner if they thought you wouldn't notice :mad:

Anybody else going to Toronto?

Hey,

Yeah myself and two other 25 year old lads are heading over to Toronto in mid May. Dunno what the plan is really. Just heading over and hope to get some work, etc... Will be staying there until Xmas at least as well. Will see how we are handling the cold at that stage!

kautostar

Jimmmy McNulty wrote: »

Hey,

Yeah myself and two other 25 year old lads are heading over to Toronto in mid May. Dunno what the plan is really. Just heading over and hope to get some work, etc... Will be staying there until Xmas at least as well. Will see how we are handling the cold at that stage!

Cool I think it would be sweet to head for the snow in vancouver before xmas, then onto Montreal 4 spring/summer. Ill be on this thread a good bit as the time gets nearer so will keep u posted with any craic/tips i get from our friend who will be in Toronto in a couple of weeks. Bet ya wouldn't mind another season of the wire

Acoshla

Kautostar just want to say if you go painting over there make sure it's a decent proper job, when I was living there my boyfriend got a job with a company called something like College Pro Painters, something like that, can't remember exactly.

Anyways they were told 4 days a week about 10 hours a day, turned out to be working as many days straight as it took to complete the job with less pay than promised, sometimes with very short breaks, not good for Irish people in Toronto sun for up to 8 straight days. So just watch out. Try the Irish bars for work, most of them prefer to have Irish staff so you would have a better shot. Have fun! It's awesome

kautostar

Spadina wrote: »

Kautostar just want to say if you go painting over there make sure it's a decent proper job, when I was living there my boyfriend got a job with a company called something like College Pro Painters, something like that, can't remember exactly.

Anyways they were told 4 days a week about 10 hours a day, turned out to be working as many days straight as it took to complete the job with less pay than promised, sometimes with very short breaks, not good for Irish people in Toronto sun for up to 8 straight days. So just watch out. Try the Irish bars for work, most of them prefer to have Irish staff so you would have a better shot. Have fun! It's awesome

Cheers Spadina! I'll take that on board. I didn't mean painting specifically, just something outdoors for the summer, landscaping, anything at all really! Do u know if u need the licence to work behind a bar, i.e is it strictly enforced or do u need it at all? Finally, where would u say is the best place to live?

Cute Tour

davey boy wrote: »

Have been in vancouver for the last few months and didnt get work in my field. Studied mechanical engineering and have a few years work experience as a field service engineer. I got a low paid job easily here but applied for a lot of career jobs and didnt get replies.

I dont think explaining to employers that your visa is for one year helps as they know that you may not want to stay. I have met about 12 irish since I came over and only 3 are working in similar jobs that they had back home.

What are your qualifications? Check the canadian job sites for jobs in your area to see what the demand is.

Its a great city here but I find it expensive (like Dublin).

I am in Vancouver over 6 months andI have found it much the same; is a nice place but its very hard to make ends meet because the cost of living is about the same as Dublin but the wages are a good bit lower. It is difficult to get a good job, there is work out there but most of it is poorly paid work $10/12 and will need at least $15 to make ends meet. The social life is quite tame and very different to home, but when a group of Irish get together it is good. For anyone on the USIT thing I wouldnt buy the SIM card they offer for 35 euro it is another SCAM and it is a SIM for the most expensive phone company, you can buy one for 10 dollars when you get over here.

Acoshla

kautostar wrote: »

Cheers Spadina! I'll take that on board. I didn't mean painting specifically, just something outdoors for the summer, landscaping, anything at all really! Do u know if u need the licence to work behind a bar, i.e is it strictly enforced or do u need it at all? Finally, where would u say is the best place to live?

I think you do need a licence to work behind a bar, not 100% though. (I do know of one or two places that hired just about anybody Irish though,shhh!) If you have a look in the Swap/USIT office you'll see loads of outdoor jobs advertised, and craigslist too.

And where to live, the eternal question! I lived at Queen West and Bathurst, it was awesome, very central, so very expensive to rent. Friends of mine lived around College/Dufferin/Dundas, seemed like a good place to be.

Jimmmy McNulty

kautostar wrote: »

Cool I think it would be sweet to head for the snow in vancouver before xmas, then onto Montreal 4 spring/summer. Ill be on this thread a good bit as the time gets nearer so will keep u posted with any craic/tips i get from our friend who will be in Toronto in a couple of weeks. Bet ya wouldn't mind another season of the wire

Yeah wil have to work out some sort of plan when I get over there. Going to Toronto is the first destination and will see from there. Sure post up any info you get anyway. I read most of what is put up here. Would love another season of the wire!!

crushproof

Anyone know if you still have to get the form stamped and signed by your college if your a graduate or just gotta send in a copy of your degree?!
Ps found some flights to Vancouver for less then 650 on Kayak, defo the cheapest there is!

pmk19

Hey,

Just wondering if anyone knows how strict canadian immigration are about the $3000 cash requirement. I've got a one way ticket booked to Vancouver for mid april. Would a copy of a bank statement suffice or do ya need the hard cash

thanks

davey boy

pmk19 wrote: »

Hey,

Just wondering if anyone knows how strict canadian immigration are about the $3000 cash requirement. I've got a one way ticket booked to Vancouver for mid april. Would a copy of a bank statement suffice or do ya need the hard cash

thanks

Arrived here a few months ago and the immigration officer just asked me how much money I had to support myself. I told him how much I had in my bank account and he was happy with that. He didnt ask to see any statements but I had one printed a few days before I left if they needed to see it.

I brought about $1000 cash but didnt really feel safe carrying it around for the first two weeks in case I lost some of it. Poeple over here use cards for practically everything anyway.

JohnMearsheimer

crushproof wrote: »

Anyone know if you still have to get the form stamped and signed by your college if your a graduate or just gotta send in a copy of your degree?!
Ps found some flights to Vancouver for less then 650 on Kayak, defo the cheapest there is!

I just got my college to stamp and sign my form. The USIT instructions asked for a copy of a degree certificate by I haven't got it yet as my graduation is in July. I did include a transcript with my application to show them that I passed everything and will be graduating though. They never came looking for a certificate off me.