A question for you Canadian brothers and sisters

N.F.A. · #1 07-23-2010, 10:17 PM

Hi folks,
I may be considering immigrating to Canada next year, if I can get a teaching job offer first. (Teachers aren't on the preferred skill level list right now so that is what I would have to do to get a visa.) Could you recommend some of the nicer places to live and work in your beautiful country? A friend and I want to start checking them out and narrowing down an area or two so we can start targeting our job searches. Any advice would be appreciated.
Thanks,
G.

Etienned · #2 07-23-2010, 10:54 PM

Education being under provincial juridiction, you should first check each province's legislation about teaching licenses and derogation. In the province of Quebec, you typically need a 4 year university degree to teach (major in a specialization field/ minor in education); equivalencies for studies done in a foreign country aren't easily granted. Most school boards have long list of teachers to call in priority depending on their experience.

Of course, some schools can offer substitute teaching jobs or short contract even if the employee doesn't have the legal license yet when they cannot find a licensed teacher. Its easier if you're qualified in math, french or sciences than it is if you're more into social studies, humanities and such.

That being said, I have absolutely no clue on how things are managed in the other provinces.

iamlowsound · #3 07-23-2010, 11:33 PM

Good luck in Ontario, it is extremely hard to get a teaching job here.

lowsound

Jonyak · #4 07-24-2010, 04:23 AM

what he said, I have 3 friends with experience and all the proper education all looking for jobs as teachers.

2 are supply teaching. and 1 had to move to iqaluit to get a job.

Stanley Design · #5 07-24-2010, 05:23 AM

It'll take you years of subbing to land a teaching job in PEI

L-A · #6 07-24-2010, 07:18 AM

Do you speak good French? I could help you out if you decide that Québec is a good place to move to. But you can't really get along speaking only English, unless you want to live in Montreal (and even there it isn't a great idea).

Jim Campbell · #7 07-24-2010, 07:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by N.F.A.

Hi folks,
I may be considering immigrating to Canada next year, if I can get a teaching job offer first. (Teachers aren't on the preferred skill level list right now so that is what I would have to do to get a visa.) Could you recommend some of the nicer places to live and work in your beautiful country? A friend and I want to start checking them out and narrowing down an area or two so we can start targeting our job searches. Any advice would be appreciated.
Thanks,
G.

speak french......even in english canook french has become mandatory in a lot of sectors.....

you might want to ask yourself why so many canooks leave and go stateside......50% taxes,more if you actually buy anything,and a population that looks down it's long self righteous nose at americans....scratch the surface here and the picture ain't all that pretty....

welcome to the great nanny state tho',where everyone is a victim of something,and to a land where those that contribute nothing can live pretty much as well as you.....but on your dime....

sarcastro83 · #8 07-24-2010, 07:49 AM

Honestly... teaching jobs here are incredibly hard to come by as the job market is currently saturated with people who basically said "I don't know what to do with my degree... guess I might as well teach!"... I wish you luck in your search, sir.

Joey3313 · #9 07-24-2010, 08:02 AM

I know a few people here in Alberta who have finished their education degrees within the past couple of years, and none of them are working as full time teachers.

So...yeah.

Good luck with that.

L-A · #10 07-24-2010, 12:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jim Campbell

welcome to the great nanny state tho',where everyone is a victim of something,and to a land where those that contribute nothing can live pretty much as well as you.....but on your dime....

Well, you certainly are a poor poor victim of evil Canucks forcing you to stay in the country.

Please, stop stepping in every thread you can waste with passive-agressive comments against Canada.

Jim Campbell · #11 07-24-2010, 01:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by L-A

Well, you certainly are a poor poor victim of evil Canucks forcing you to stay in the country.

Please, stop stepping in every thread you can waste with passive-agressive comments against Canada.

tell ya what.....when you have paid into the pot as much or as long as my family have,in blood,sweat and toil,you can tell me what opinions i may express.....until then you can hunker down in mom's basement play with your toys

pbasswil · #12 07-24-2010, 01:29 PM

British Columbia is probably the mildest place to live; and it's booming. Vancouver's a great city, with two notable downsides: the wet weather can get to you if you're not used to it; and housing costs are the highest in the country. If you can find work there, Victoria is an awfully nice little city just a ferry ride away from Vancouver-- and for geographical reasons, it's dryer there.

The prairies (Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba) tend to be a bit more conservative places on average. But their economies are doing reasonably well. Winters are c-c-cold!!

Historically, Ontario's the economic heart of the country, although that's shifting. Toronto's a sprawling, bustling metropolis, with traffic to rival any large American city. Lots of commerce, and the country's main stock exchange. Tons of educational institutions of all kinds. Not the coldest place in the country. Housing is fairly expensive.
Ottawa, Ontario is a fairly charming smaller city, with lots of civil service money floating around. Good cultural facilities.

I'm a Montrealer, and I love it here -- it's very multicultural, generally easy-going, with good creative communities. For a big city, housing is reasonable. Winters are fairly serious, but we also get a lot of fun out of them.

But if you don't speak French, you'd want to at least be open to it -- to trying to absorb it. It's a great and interesting culture, and it's a shame to be closed off from it because of language.

The eastern maritime provinces are very nice places. No humungous cities, and on average, a lot lower key. Beautiful sea-front scenery, friendly folk.

Boy, that sure doesn't cover it, at _all_! But maybe it gives you an idea. Best of luck!

- pw

Ziltoid · #13 07-24-2010, 01:38 PM

This post is only Language-wise

Not many people talked about he Atlantic's province,

In New-Brunswick, speaking french is a plus for a few regions, Edmundston, Dieppe (a part of moncton) and the Acadian peninsula. Other then these few places, Speaking only English won't even bother a tad. It's also the onyl province that's officially bilingual me thinks.

In Nova-Scotia, English

I.P.E. I have no Idea

Newfoundland- English

Thing is speaking French would help anywhere would probably help, especially if you can teach it, no?

::::BASSIST:::: · #14 07-24-2010, 01:48 PM

I'm a teacher in Vancouver. Great world class city with wilderness, mountains and the ocean all nearby. As mentioned it rains about 6 months of the year. Very mild winters though as it rarely gets below -10 celcius. I'd say we have the best weather of the country. Housing is expensive. Teaching jobs are hard to find. I work in a school who's student body is composed of students with severe learning disabilities, autism, fetal alcohol syndrome etc. I love my job but it is VERY challenging. There is a teacher at my school who recently emmigrated from Washington state to marry her Canadian husband. She said it wasnt easy at all. In BC the BC College Teachers regulates teacher certification. You should contact them for info.

Jim Campbell · #15 07-24-2010, 01:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by N.F.A.

Hi folks,
I may be considering immigrating to Canada next year, if I can get a teaching job offer first. (Teachers aren't on the preferred skill level list right now so that is what I would have to do to get a visa.) Could you recommend some of the nicer places to live and work in your beautiful country? A friend and I want to start checking them out and narrowing down an area or two so we can start targeting our job searches. Any advice would be appreciated.
Thanks,
G.

marry a canook....michael moore's sicko they referred to a web site "hook a canook"....i never did get into it via google tho'....

seriously self supporting qualified folks are not the government's priority.....far easier to toss ones id after boarding a plane from beirut and claim refugee status....then rent,food,esl,and all that fun stuff is on us until they consider your case in a few years

::::BASSIST:::: · #16 07-24-2010, 03:56 PM

^That is ONE point of view, but not necessarily the truth.

The truth is we have problems just like any other country. However, Canada has consistently been ranked as one of the best countries to live in the world.

And we have our share of grumpy old men too.

Jonyak · #17 07-24-2010, 04:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jim Campbell

tell ya what.....when you have paid into the pot as much or as long as my family have,in blood,sweat and toil,you can tell me what opinions i may express.....until then you can hunker down in mom's basement play with your toys

N.F.A. · #18 07-24-2010, 04:04 PM

Thanks for all the input guys. I have found out the hard way that even with twenty some years of teaching experience, the market is saturated in every country I have searched. (China, Germany, England and Canada) I should be grateful for the job I have now, but I am looking to change my life. I lived abroad for years and would like to do it again.
I am open to learning French and already know a little bit, but I pick up languages quickly so no worries there, I guess. I am actually planning on making the move next school year, but I have to get a job offer first.

Jim Campbell · #19 07-24-2010, 04:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jonyak

what he said, I have 3 friends with experience and all the proper education all looking for jobs as teachers.

2 are supply teaching. and 1 had to move to iqaluit to get a job.

welcome to the real world.....either go where the work is or do something else.....just because the education that you paid a fraction of the cost of did not buy you a job where you live is too bad.....

warwick.hoy · #20 07-24-2010, 04:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jim Campbell

welcome to the real world.....either go where the work is or do something else.....just because the education that you paid a fraction of the cost of did not buy you a job where you live is too bad.....

Wow,...jaded much?

To the OP. I've heard there is a shortage of Oil Workers (and apparently a plethora of unemployed teachers). I can only assume it's hard dirty work so if you can hack it (I couldn't) maybe look into Alberta.