Been in Canada 3 months now info inside

sashafierce

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CBCB2

Faith wrote: »

Jesus Christ, you guys have a seriously overblown sense of importance for ireland. We're a blip on the radar to most countries. We're tiny. Canada is the second biggest country in the world. I've lived in the UK for years, and half the people there couldn't point to Dublin on a map. Why do you think the Canadians should know anything about us? Can you talk about Regina? Or Prince George? Do you know anything about Canadian history? Unless you can talk comfortably about every other country in the world, then don't judge some Canadians for not knowing much about ireland - and certainly don't use it as a stick to beat them with.

As for boredom, I'm genuinely surprised. I'm not even working yet and I'm busier than I would be in Ireland. There's an almost overwhelming choice of things to do and places to go. Sure, everyone's not spilling out of pubs every night, but why would you leave Ireland if pub culture is all you're after?

Aye I get it in terms of size there's no comparison between Ireland and Canada. But every day when you're faced with the same confusion as to where Ireland is and when many of the people are repeat offenders it gets a bit irritating.

I know plenty about Canadian history, thanks. I've done a lot of reading, etc on the war of 1812 since I've lived here and I've been to 3 of the battle re-enactments in the last year.

I guess it depends what part of the country you're in. I take it you're not in Ontario? If you were I think you might feel the same as the rest of us Ontario is as flat as the landscape!

I agree with sasha on the pubs, it's not that I'm a big drinker or have to be in the pub all the time. It's more about the bit of life about the place. Many of the Canadians I've met seem more content with smoking in their back 'yard' than going out somewhere to socialise. It just makes it a bit more of a 'boring' experience imo!

CBCB2

sashafierce wrote: »

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I had a good laugh at this too!! haha!

sashafierce

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sashafierce

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CBCB2

sashafierce wrote: »

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No I live in Niagara Falls, but work in St Catharines. So it's much more small town.

Everyone's really nice, it's just that not much going on feeling. There's not much banter or craic!

Totally get you on the news front, they're all too busy with Rob Ford to know about the rest of the world! No joke, after John Snow's video from Gaza earlier this year I brought it up to a group at lunch one day, most didn't have a clue and one guy was really confused as he thought I meant John Snow from Game of Thrones. I get it he's a UK journalist so they wouldn't know him but they didn't seem to know much, or be too concerned with what was going on in Gaza. One guy even said sure stuff like that always happens in those countries!

I guess we all grow up with different perspectives. It's just amazing how different we are!

sashafierce

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CBCB2

sashafierce wrote: »

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Yeah it is lovely, even in the winter it was nice. But it does pretty much shut down at the end of October.

Aye I agree, there's never much left at the end of my paychecks!

I don't know, I've tried different groups and a few different things on meet up, but it's like people are there for the activity but have no real desire to know you outside of the activity so it makes it hard to meet friends to do stuff with.

I'm heading home for Christmas I can't wait! I'm going back for a month so we'll see how I feel about it all when I come back!!

sashafierce

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CBCB2

sashafierce wrote: »

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I'm lucky they're letting me away with a month off. I'm basically taking all my leave from this year in December and then taking 6 days out of next year in January. I really can't wait. It's been a long year saving up all my leave.

Same as I always had a wee nest egg at home I don't at all anymore. My visa is until June, so I'm hoping that I'll save up a wee bit next year for going home. I'll probably try Dublin again, after being away I'd like to be as close to my family as I can.

Well enjoy the time at home if I'm not chatting to ya!

COYVB

CBCB2 wrote: »

Aye I get it in terms of size there's no comparison between Ireland and Canada. But every day when you're faced with the same confusion as to where Ireland is and when many of the people are repeat offenders it gets a bit irritating.

I hope you don't take this the wrong way, but you must be running in some pretty dumb circles...

I've been here over five years and I've never once met anyone, whether in Ontario, Quebec or BC who didn't know where Ireland is

CBCB2

I work in the public sector so that probably explains a lot!!

I've met quite a few who don't know where it is. But most seem to think it's still part of the UK.

I wish I could run in better circles, I just don't know where to find them!! Haha!

COYVB

How'd you manage to get into the public sector?

CBCB2

I'm not being funny, all I did was apply for it, do the interview & I got the job.

In fairness though I'm probably a bit overqualified for it. In that the take part qualified candidates for the same role, but I've my full qualification.

The Ontario public service advertises online & anyone can apply. I'm sure the other public sectors are the same.

http://www.gojobs.gov.on.ca/search.aspx

That's the Ontario one that I applied through! It was the weirdest interview ever though, I had to do a presentation & they emailed it to me a week in advance. Then I'd to be there a half an hour early as they gave me the 6 questions & I'd that half hour in a room on my own to make notes & prepare my answer. They were all demonstrate a time when you... And that was it. It's all points and they're not allowed to show favour so they just listen there's no responses or follow up questions. I walked out not knowing what had happened, then I got called like a month later!

COYVB

That's mad. I always thought bilingually was required as well as residency. There you go I suppose lol

Worked in the public sector in Ireland for a while back in the 00s, I wonder how it measures up over here

Faith

CBCB2 wrote: »

I'm not being funny, all I did was apply for it, do the interview & I got the job.

In fairness though I'm probably a bit overqualified for it. In that the take part qualified candidates for the same role, but I've my full qualification.

The Ontario public service advertises online & anyone can apply. I'm sure the other public sectors are the same.

http://www.gojobs.gov.on.ca/search.aspx

That's the Ontario one that I applied through! It was the weirdest interview ever though, I had to do a presentation & they emailed it to me a week in advance. Then I'd to be there a half an hour early as they gave me the 6 questions & I'd that half hour in a room on my own to make notes & prepare my answer. They were all demonstrate a time when you... And that was it. It's all points and they're not allowed to show favour so they just listen there's no responses or follow up questions. I walked out not knowing what had happened, then I got called like a month later!

I've seen a couple of government jobs advertised and they mentioned having to get my qualifications assessed for equivalency. Did you encounter that at all?

CBCB2

COYVB wrote: »

That's mad. I always thought bilingually was required as well as residency. There you go I suppose lol

Worked in the public sector in Ireland for a while back in the 00s, I wonder how it measures up over here

Only certain jobs require you to be bilingual and it's stated in the ad. It's mostly the public facing jobs that are. But in saying that not everyone in the position needs to be bilingual, there just needs to be someone who is bilingual to be available at all times if you know what I mean?

I'm only on the IEC so you don't need residency either. I applied for a permanent role, but I'm on a fixed term contract until the day my IEC expires. They said if I got PR they would then give me the permanent role, as at that time I thought I'd be staying.

I worked in a semi state in Ireland 2008-2010. I didn't like it due to the slow pace of work and the bureaucracy. It was nothing in comparison to here! Obviously the Ministry here is much larger so the red tape and politics is magnified 100 fold!

In my experience there's so many levels of management it's hard to keep track. I have a 'senior' job title, but above me there's a section head, 3 levels of 'managers', a director, an executive director, assistant deputy minister, deputy minister, then of course the minister. There's also a CAO in there somewhere I don't even know what that means or where he comes in. But division or business unit has the same structure. So of course there's only 1 minister and deputy minister, but all others there's at least 10 and that's only the one's I've come across and this is one Ministry!

It's mind boggling, most decisions need to go up the chain, so take a while. I'm on a panel dealing with a third party who we'll be outsourcing to, they presented us their final proposal a few weeks back & asked for it to be signed off within a month, the rest of the room laughed and said it would be at least 4...

There's a lack of common sense or any sort of accountability. I'm on another working group at the minute that involves conference calls with 66 people on the line.. you can imagine how far we get on those calls... it's been a year now and we're no further along I've been telling all above me how it's not working but no-one cares.

Basically most people pass their days with meetings and the co-op students do all the work! Haha. No seriously, it's very divided, about a third are really hard workers and do too much, 'because nobody else is doing it', then the other 2 thirds are very unionised and very good at avoiding work or passing the buck, and very well practiced at dragging meetings out until the last second.

I haven't got in trouble per say, but one of the things my boss gets on to me about most often is doing work that's 'not in my job description' but the problem is if I don't do it others either don't or don't do it correctly. Once people know you are the kind of person that is helpful they really take advantage.

It's very cut throat too, it doesn't take long for good (or common sense) suggestions to suddenly become someone else's idea, or if something goes wrong you'll get named pretty quick.

The ones that rise to the top are typically the ones who can't think for themselves but when they come across others good ideas they latch on to it and use it to further their career. It makes it fun being in meetings with them trying to explain basic concepts... As I mentioned I work in an accounting department, all those above me are either not fully qualified, as they didn't finish their exams or engineers or economists, makes total sense don't you think?

Sorry that was a bit of a rant!

I'd love to get back into the private sector, I've been trying for over a year now with no joy. Which is why I can't wait to get back home.

Faith wrote: »

I've seen a couple of government jobs advertised and they mentioned having to get my qualifications assessed for equivalency. Did you encounter that at all?

I'm a Chartered Accountant, so I had registered under the reciprocal program and have my CPA, CA over here now. So I was in process of that at the time of applying and I had it by the time I did the interview. I did have to provide copies of it, my Irish cert & my Degree & Masters Certs, but they didn't seem concerned that I didn't get them here.

COYVB

Wow... They seem so much more organized and well run from the outside. Any time we've had to deal with them for business or personal stuff they've been amazingly helpful, providing loads of info and suggestions

CBCB2

You probably had to deal with Service Ontario for health card or renewing your licence plate, etc. it's outsourced hence the efficiency!! Haha!

COYVB

CBCB2 wrote: »

You probably had to deal with Service Ontario for health card or renewing your licence plate, etc. it's outsourced hence the efficiency!! Haha!

Dealt with Service Ontario and Service Canada, but also the CRA, CIC, Corporations Canada and a few others

Crann na Beatha

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Solasdeas

I'm glad I applied for the PR. I hated living in Saskatchewan, it was easy to get work but it was so boring, set in ugly scenery. Moved to Halifax, Nova Scotia and I love it here. Beautiful scenery with lots of things to do. If I lived in
Sask only I'd have a very differenti view of Canada!

CBCB2

COYVB wrote: »

Dealt with Service Ontario

They're Provincial Government, which I work for. But this is the outsourced bit.

COYVB wrote: »

.... Service Canada, but also the CRA, CIC, Corporations Canada and a few others

These are Federal Government agencies, so a different government so I couldn't comment on those. The Feds are a whole different animal!! haha!

CBCB2

Phoenix wrote: »

Canada has worked out very well for me so far, have a great job, great life here much much better than I would have back home depends on ones situation I really dislike posts stating its **** etc etc

You're lucky that you're one of the ones it's worked out for.

You may dislike such posts but it's only right that we each get to share our experiences whether they are good or bad. Honestly I wish I had seen more posts like the ones here before I'd moved over maybe if my expectations hadn't been as high it wouldn't feel as bad now.. but who knows I guess.

Also it's really helped me as at least now I feel like I'm not the only one!

Green Diesel

I'll have been here in Vancouver with my wife 3 months at Halloween so summary time for me:

We had a 2 weeks holiday on arrival, setup bank, SIN, phones etc. and started applying to jobs the 3rd week. Both of us got interviews a few days later, and both offered the job with better money than home, and no problem with being "only" on a 2 year visa. We both left jobs to come over here, and are very well qualified in our fields, but we were still surprised with the ease of the job search.

As a place to live, it's pretty cool. Weather was great in Aug / Sept, only starting to get rainy the last couple of weeks, but not cold yet. Have made trips to Whistler and some of the local mountains, bought a bike and getting some touristy things done too. I'm living in Kitsilano,a few blocks from Kits beach. Rent is on a par with Dublin (1,400 dollars) (Kits is relatively expensive, but nice neighbourhood), and its fully furnished, all bills paid sublet deal.

Overall it's been a great start. We had planned on only staying a year, but we're definitely staying 2 years now, and plan on returning with a deposit for a house.

sashafierce

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el diablo

sashafierce wrote: »

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How much do you earn? :P

Faith

Sounds like we're neighbours, green diesel!

Wages are much higher in my and my fiancé's fields here too. I'm not employed just yet, but I'm looking at earning about €10K a year more in Vancouver than Ireland (and I'd earn more again in any other Canadian city).

GrumPy

Green Diesel wrote: »

and are very well qualified in our fields, but we were still surprised with the ease of the job search.

What do you guys do for a living and if you mind me asking your age?

shalalala

It seems pretty hit and miss with fields. I am in retail management and am so worried that either I won't get the level I want or the pay I want