Getting a work permit thru future employer? - spontaneous prospection - Quebec forum

Getting a work permit thru future employer? - spontaneous prospection

3POSTS

13 years ago

Hi everyone,

I am planning a big exploration trip to Quebec for more than 6 weeks this summer. I am planning to do some prospection, get professionnal contacts and try to get intervieuws.
I have a master degree in social sciences but I have more experiences in administration (I have worked for three years as a secretary at the European Commission) and guest service (experience of 3 years in hotels and 2 years as a cabin crew on board of the Eurostar train). I am interested in any organsation that would be involved in any social - public - international affairs and I am also interested in any organisation in the field of tourism and hospitality. I have seen that "management assistant" is a job that is looked for (in french, secr茅taire de direction ou adjointe)
As the only possibility for me for the moment, to get a work permit would be thru the promess from an employer, do you think this is possible if I go and prospect the market very spontanneously? Do you have stories from people who have found a job like that?

Thanks in advance, Anne-Laure

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szocske Serial expat

839POSTS

12 years ago

Hi,

There are confusingly many ways to get work visas here.
I just met a few students on special one-year work visas I've never heard of before :-)

Finding an employer that agrees to hire you, and help with the paperwork is a great start!

kosmonette Member

3POSTS

12 years ago

Thank both of you for your replies.
Unfortunately, I am too old for the one-year working visa (it is only available until 30 for belgian citizens, french are more lucky because it is until 35 in their case)

I will have a look a t the section on tourism jobs.

All the best

James ViP

11272POSTS

12 years ago

Hi kosmonette,

You should be aware that Toronto, Montreal and Vancouver have always been the most sought after cities in which to live for newcomers to Canada. They have, quite frankly, pretty much reached the limit of newcomers that they can absorb. Nowadays it's a real challenge for everyone, Canadians and newcomers alike, to find employment in these cities because the number of job seekers greatly exceeds the jobs available.

Other places in Canada are better locations to settle in and provide much better opportunities for employment. The Province of Alberta, for example, is presently undergoing its strongest ever growth phase and there are more jobs than people to fill them.

If you insist on settling in Quebec, Ontario or British Columbia you should expect not only a much higher cost of living, but also a greatly reduced potential of employment in any field.

Not the kind of news you want to hear, I know, but it's just the way it is.

http://yoursmiles.org/tsmile/flag/t67118.gif

Cheers,

http://yoursmiles.org/tsmile/flag/t67054.gif

William James Woodward 聳 Brazil Animator, Expat-blog Team

kosmonette Member

3POSTS

12 years ago

Dear Mr. Woodward,
Thank you for your usefull and complete reply. I know that cities like Montreal, Toronto are very busy and that it is maybe not the best places to look for a job in Canada but in any case, I still like to believe that this may be possible, depending on the people you meet on your way and the opportunities that you make.
On the other hand, I will also explore other places in Quebec like Quebec City, Charlevoix, and Saguenay Lac Saint Jean region. So we'll see what comes on the way. I am now really more on an exploration trip, so not sure yet what will happen. I have also planned to work 'as a voulunteer) on the countryside in a farm for two weeks which is already confirmed :-)
By the way, I love Brazil!!! I have been there three years ago: Manaus, the Amazonia region, the Pantanal, Brazilia and Rio de Janeiro for the great carnaval! :-)
All the best,

Anne-Laure

James ViP

11272POSTS

12 years ago

Hi Anne-Laure,

Yes, Manaus and the Amazon is incredible, it was the first place I lived in when I came to Brazil over eleven years ago now. I went there in order to build and organize a school for poor children in the Amazon in memory of my father who had passed away some years earlier and used the inheritance he left me to create a lasting heritage in his memory. I never went back to Canada afterward, it was too heartbreaking to even think of leaving this ocuntry.

Following that I moved to S茫o Paulo and since then have also lived in three other states. I'm now re-married to a wonderful young Brazilian woman, we have a beautiful son who celebrated his sixth birthday yesterday. My life is so very different and I'm so much happier than at any other time in my life that I still have to pinch myself to make sure it's all real and that I'm not just dreaming.

Cheers,

William James Woodward 聳 Brazil Animator, Expat-blog Team

szocske Serial expat

839POSTS

12 years ago

Besides skills and experience, the greatest obstacle for most foreigners here is the need to speak French at most jobs.

Guessing from your name, you should not have any trouble with that, so your chances should be better than most's.

[EDIT:] I am talking about Quebec here.