| One of the most disheartening things I hear about | | | | that they transfer between Provinces, but the majority |
| Canadian Immigration is the stories of families who | | | | of trades and professions do not, which means |
| return to their original country after unsuccessfully | | | | recertification if you ever move. |
| attempting to settle in Canada. One of the main | | | | Once you have an idea whereabouts in Canada you |
| reasons for the failures, it seems, is that the principal | | | | want to settle, contact the agency that will carryout |
| member of the household that normally supports | | | | your educational assessment and follow their |
| everyone financially is unable to gain meaningful | | | | instructions. Once you know what your qualifications |
| employment in their chosen profession or trade. | | | | equate to you will have a good point from which to |
| Many of these stories state that once in Canada it is | | | | start. Then using the PROVINCIAL regulators find out |
| quickly discovered that the foreign qualifications do not | | | | exactly where you stand with regards your intended |
| meet Canadian standards and so they cannot find | | | | field of expertise. The International Credential |
| employment without extensive retraining. Most of | | | | Assessment Service (ICAS) in Ontario provides a |
| these cases may have been avoidable if the | | | | service that evaluates educational documents to |
| prospective employment requirements had been | | | | provide a Canadian equivalent that can be used for |
| thoroughly researched well in advance of landing. | | | | employment, immigration or further education. ICAS |
| Canada has an extremely high standard of education | | | | also has information and advisory services for all |
| and many other systems simply don't measure up | | | | types and levels of education - elementary, secondary, |
| against theirs - a degree program is 4 years for | | | | postsecondary and technical. I would definitely |
| instance. So the chances are you will have to retrain, | | | | recommend contacting them well in advance for some |
| recertify or normally as a minimum, start again at the | | | | professional advice. |
| bottom. This may seem crazy but it's the way it is - at | | | | If you only need to complete a few exams or courses |
| least once your experience is apparent you may well | | | | to change over to the Canadian system then great, if |
| soon find yourself rising up the ranks. | | | | not, make plans so that you can support yourselves |
| When my wife and I moved to Canada I believe we | | | | during the time it takes to recertify. Also, try to make |
| had exceptional luck, but we had also spent two years | | | | sure that there will be a good chance of employment |
| thoroughly researching our respective occupations in | | | | available once you've qualified. |
| the Province of our intended destination. When I | | | | Definitely have a back up career chosen or identify |
| realized that my qualifications would not suffice I had | | | | anything you could easily cross over into as things |
| to make alternative plans and so set about working | | | | rarely work out as you intend. If you read the "Our |
| towards qualifications that would be attractive to any | | | | Story" page on our Canadian Immigration information |
| employer - not just my "niche". | | | | website, you'll see that events transpired that meant |
| A first aid at work course run by the St Johns | | | | my Plan A and Plan B both went wrong. Luckily some |
| ambulance will only cost 2 days of your time and | | | | earlier research paid off and I managed to be offered |
| around $150.00 and will instantly make you slightly more | | | | "the right job" within 6 weeks. |
| attractive to any employer - most Provinces have | | | | To close this article, DO NOT rely on your settling |
| Laws requiring employers to train their staff. Being | | | | funds to last - I would thoroughly recommend working |
| computer literate with a variety of applications is | | | | anywhere to start with - our budget gave us 6 months |
| almost imperative. Anything that makes you stand out | | | | without work but in reality we'd have been in trouble in |
| and will reduce the cost and time needed to train you, | | | | 4!!!! A servers or Bar job can be very lucrative but |
| will be a massive boost to your Resume. Also, | | | | even $1,000 a month means that your money will last |
| employers are the same the world over - everyone | | | | longer or help with retraining costs. My wife, Andie, |
| prefers people who are keen to self improve and | | | | worked in the local movie store almost straight away |
| make themselves more employable. | | | | and apart from the money it means you meet people |
| The first step is to decide which Province you wish to | | | | and start making contacts. As the saying goes "it's not |
| settle in as each has its own educational assessment | | | | what you know it's who you know". |
| agencies and occupational regulators. The Federal | | | | Whatever you decide about your Canadian |
| application for skilled trades bases your trade on the | | | | Immigration adventure, please ensure you fully |
| National Occupation Classification (NOC) list. However, | | | | research your employability. This can lead to a |
| some "Red Seal" trades are regulated in such ways | | | | successful settlement in the country of your dreams. |