Canada eh,so who is going? Where are you/ will you be?

Crann na Beatha

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hdowney

o/ *waves* Assuming the Canadalandians will have me I shall also be going for 2013 on the IEC programme. Canni wait I wish the application process would open the heckers up again already. Mega jelly of all the people going this year like Tuddles. I wanna go now *whingey child moan!*

What do you plan on studying?

ToniTuddle

Leaving in middle of October flights booked, travel insurance sorted, trial packing done. Just a countdown now!

Study permit? Awesome don't know of anyone else heading out on such a visa/permit. You will meet loads of people! Calgary is meant to be pretty decent too know a few out there.

Crann na Beatha

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hdowney

Looking at Sept myself. Still not sure where I am going although Calgary does appeal quite a bit. So much more research to be done tho

leggit

Leaving in 9 days!

The Big Red Button

I was planning on heading early next year, but my career opportunities here seem to be looking up a bit, so I think I might stay put for now!

Think I may as well apply for the visa when applications reopen in December, though. No harm in keeping my options open!!

media101

hey im going, still very early stages like iv no idea where im going yet what made you pick ur city?

hdowney

leggit wrote: »

Leaving in 9 days!

So mega jellies

chatterpillar wrote: »

I was planning on heading early next year, but my career opportunities here seem to be looking up a bit, so I think I might stay put for now!

Think I may as well apply for the visa when applications reopen in December, though. No harm in keeping my options open!!

Very true Chat but do remember if they grant you your year 1 and you don't use it it still counts as used, so you'd only have 1 year left. Just a heads up (but delighted that the job prospects here are looking up. Read all about that earlier )

McGooeyBum

Leggit- 9 days!! God you must be soo excited

Chatterpillar- See how you feel come December. If you apply for this visa and never use it then you will only be allowed 1 more IEC visa. But if you have a certain profession then you could get over on a skilled workers visa so you might not have to worry. Then again you will have a year from when it's granted to go over so would be handy.

media- I've friends to stay with that's only reason I'm going to that city. If they weren't about I'd probably pick somewhere smaller like Whistler or some random small town.

media101

i have a couple of questions about canada;
is the health care free and do u need french to get a job?

ToniTuddle

You don't need French to get a job but there are some issues with French around Quebec I think if you end up wanting to get permanent residency.

You can apply for a health card once you get out there not sure what it covers but any little thing to help would be great....I'll find the link for you and re-edit this post in a minute.

http://www.health.gov.bc.ca/msp/infoben/index.html

http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/newcomers/after-health.asp

leggit

media101 wrote: »

i have a couple of questions about canada;
is the health care free and do u need french to get a job?

Don't need French unless you're in Quebec and even then it mightn't necessarily be a deal-breaker.

You have to get health insurance before you arrive in Canada, it's grounds for refusal to the country if they ask you for it on arrival and you don't have it. You can apply to organizations such as the Ontario Health Insurance Program when you get here, depending on where you are.

http://www.health.gov.on.ca/en/public/programs/ohip/
Don't know too much about it myself but will be looking into it when I get there.

McGooeyBum wrote: »

Leggit- 9 days!! God you must be soo excited

8 days in 4 minutes time

media101

thanks for the links ... so in short, it takes 3 months to get health cover once you apply for it and you need to be covered by a private health insurance company before going to Canada and while you are waiting for it.

Crann na Beatha

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leggit

media101 wrote: »

thanks for the links ... so in short, it takes 3 months to get health cover once you apply for it and you need to be covered by a private health insurance company before going to Canada and while you are waiting for it.

It's highly unlikely that you'll be covered by public healthcare in most provinces as a non-resident but it's worth looking into anyway.

Aquila wrote: »

So where you all heading?

Toronto initially, wherever there are jobs after that!

fasttalkerchat

Considering it... I'm a retail manager in final year of business degree & speak French. Cost of living in Vancouver seems too high to looking to see what's there.

I'll be reading everyone's experiences over the next 12 months.

McGooeyBum

media101 wrote: »

thanks for the links ... so in short, it takes 3 months to get health cover once you apply for it and you need to be covered by a private health insurance company before going to Canada and while you are waiting for it.

You have to have travel insurance which covers medical expenses and repatriation before you get into the country. I ended up getting a 2 year one with backpackers/Blue insurance as a lot of the others are only valid if you start and end your journey in Ireland and I don't intend on coming home after the first year.

fasttalkerchat wrote: »

Considering it... I'm a retail manager in final year of business degree & speak French. Cost of living in Vancouver seems too high to looking to see what's there.

I'll be reading everyone's experiences over the next 12 months.

Everybody says that and it is meant to be the third most expensive city to live in but my friends are out there for the last year and love it. They have found cheap local shops and go to local community centre gyms instead of the big flash ones in the city. If you search about you find deals anywhere. Haven't checked rent in other cities but even in Van you can find good deals.

With your French you will be well liked in certain parts of the country

bstar

leggit wrote: »

It's highly unlikely that you'll be covered by public healthcare in most provinces as a non-resident but it's worth looking into anyway.

You are covered by the provincial health while on your permit in Alberta anyway, also alberta has no 3 month waiting period you are covered from registration. It covers doctors visits, a &e etc. You just have to pay for prescriptions which your benefits if you have a decent job will help towards. If you have to stay in a hospital overnight some have a minimal fee and some are free. I stayed for 2 nights in a 2 people room it cost $44.

Crann na Beatha

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hdowney

I wish I knew where I wanted to go but I don't yet. I think the three main contenders for me will be Toronto, Vancouver and Calgary and I am weighing up their pros and cons and stuff. Gonna take me a little while to narrow it down I think

abceire

I lived in Halifax for a year, then home for 6 months sorting 2nd visa then back for 3 months, I really loved it, people were so friendly there, but that part of Canada is ment to be extra friendly, I had a Canadian gf so made lots of friends thru her, I meet no Irish people while there, well maybe one of two, which was nice, you were a novelty to the locals, you got slagged a little but in a friendly way.
If you really just want money and don't mind working damn hard in not so fun conditions, the oil sands are were the money is, out by Fort Mac Murray. But it is working 12 hrs a day , lots of days in a row then having a break and back at it. Not my cup of tea.

fasttalkerchat

McGooeyBum wrote: »

Everybody says that and it is meant to be the third most expensive city to live in but my friends are out there for the last year and love it. They have found cheap local shops and go to local community centre gyms instead of the big flash ones in the city. If you search about you find deals anywhere. Haven't checked rent in other cities but even in Van you can find good deals.

With your French you will be well liked in certain parts of the country

The big thing for us is a nice summer and mild winter. Irish winters and 20+ degrees for 6 months is what we want. I saw cheaper houses and flats in some areas but its hard to know if its too far from jobs and shops.

hdowney

fasttalkerchat wrote: »

The big thing for us is a nice summer and mild winter. Irish winters and 20+ degrees for 6 months is what we want. I saw cheaper houses and flats in some areas but its hard to know if its too far from jobs and shops.

Alberta probably won't suit you then. Some fierce snow there in the winter

Crann na Beatha

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McGooeyBum

fasttalkerchat wrote: »

The big thing for us is a nice summer and mild winter. Irish winters and 20+ degrees for 6 months is what we want. I saw cheaper houses and flats in some areas but its hard to know if its too far from jobs and shops.

There was barely an inch of snow last winter in vancouver and my friends did complain about being slightly melted for a few weeks in the summer so it might suit ya. Course if you want more snow all you have to do is go outside the city. The mountains for skiing are only like half hour drive/bus away.

Yeah I know what you mean esp as small shops won't have websites. You'd probably have to go looking up a phone book then re-checking the map! Either way it's a good idea to get somewhere near to the skytrain that way it doesn't matter if work is in the city you would be there in 10-20mins depending where along the skytrain you find a place.

But more than likely each area has little shops dotted here and there and the bus system seems to be pretty good too. You can always drop a PM to me(or I'm sure any of the others here would help) next year and I can let you know the ins and out

fasttalkerchat

Aquila wrote: »

British Columbia maybe?

Had been looking at BC and specifically Vancouver for a while. Its hard to know what to apply for because if I was working in Dublin I would expect to earn €35k rising to €50k after a few years with promotion to store manager or similar.
Over there the cost of living is different, wages are different and rent varies hugely so its hard to know where to place myself.

media101

when does the visa year start? when its sent out to u? when u step into canada or some other time?

Martyn1989

Me and the gf are heading over to Calgary early November, can't wait!

againstthetide

media101 wrote: »

when does the visa year start? when its sent out to u? when u step into canada or some other time?

It starts from the day you enter Canada

me-skywalker

To Calgary myself and the Lady are heading. The 14th of Oct... 38 days.. and counting woo :d