My husband and I have been thinking about immigrating for about 4 years. During those four years I did a lot of research. We have family in Toronto Canada. (My husband’s aunt and uncle) They recently came out for a holiday and convinced us that it’s time to get going.
So I intensified the search – contacted a few immigration lawyers, explored the cic. site and I realised that neither my husband nor I fit the minister’s list for skilled workers.

So our fall back: No way into Canada unless we land a job offer.

I am broken about this actually. We have been dreaming and planning this for so long only to find out that it’s going to be the hardest route in.
Over the past 4 years we have been getting all our documentation ready. We have everything (barring the up to date police clearances that are at Pretoria getting made up)

I have come to this site for inspiration and a helping hand. I know that South Africans are one big family and they tend to find each other and stick to each other around the world.

So if anybody has any advice, ideas or contacts for us I would be most grateful.


Some information about us career wise:

(Husband)
24
Qualified Sound/audio engineer with 4 years experience in post production, sound design, ADR. Worked on programs such as – wild fly fishing shows, rugby ledges, National Geographic and other international branded shows and films.
(Me) Jennifer
24
Graduated Degree Bachelor of social science Media and Psychology
3 years Sales and Marketing client service representative in the print, FMCG business.

Welcome to the forum Jen-jen.

I am a south african living in Montreal.

Email me with your phone number (Land line please). we will talk!!
andy.myron@gmail.com

Andy

Hello

Welcome to the forum. Maybe a suggestion is to find out when the next Job Fair is happening in Toronto and come visit then - great place to meet people who are looking for potential employees. Even if nothing is offered while you are here, you have contact names and numbers - this might open doors for you if you are persistant in keeping regular contact with them.

Wishing you all of the best.
Jackie

Thanx all for the warm welcome

Jackie, that does sound like a good idea. I will look into it! Thanx!

keep well everyone!

Jen-Jen,

we attended am immigration presentation (not for Canada) but the same rules applied to that and seems most cases are assesssed on various criteria.

However the most useful piece of info we took away was the "think outside the box" approach. It not about if your skills are on the list its about if you have work experience in related fields.

So basically pick a job environment that best fits your skills or that you think has the best fit and could go into.

see here http://www.visaonecanada.com/index.php?opt...5&Itemid=64 for a better description of the federal classes (NOC codes) that could fit your skills.

Hope this guides you in a different direction.

this may seem a silly question but it as bothering me over the weekend

on the appication form (first page) they ask where (town and province) you plan to live in
Is this wriiten in stone or can we change it completly once we get there or if we manage to get work in a different part of the country while waiting to move over. Do they cjeck up on your where you land up living?

Another question, they also ask how much money (unemcumbered funds quoted in dollars) you have available to take over.
We estimated the value af everything and used the current exchange rate. Once we actually get to go over it may be much less given our currency. Are they very specific about this?

Tx

Unless you are going on a specific province's nominee program or to Quebec this is only for information purposes. I think we put Toronto and ended up in Calgary.



You need to be able to show that you have the amount needed as per the requirements for PR application. As the process evolves and you get closer to PR issuance you have to show proof of funds again and, in some instance, when you land.



I think I read somewhere else on the forum that they are getting more particular about the definition on "unencumbered" e.g. equity tied up in a house is encumbered.