Job offer chances increase by visiting Canada

[YolandaB 47]

Hello everyone,

As we looked into going to New Zealand a year or so ago we found that we had a better chance of finding a Job there if we physically are present to meet with prospective employers and recruiters there.

Our question is will it be the same when it comes to Canada? As we have learned that "most jobs" aren't advertised in Canada but the best way is to network. So will this mean we will have a better

change of landing a job offer if we go over say for 6 weeks and meet employers or what is the best way to secure employment. We do not have enough points to be selected by EE so we have to secure a job

to apply for a PNP program...we are very eager to go ....

[Wolverine 178]

In my opinion, i would say no, your chances are not increased.

 

For NZ however, I have heard that it is actually very possible to increase your chances by being there.

 

Canada's economy is not booming, unlike NZ's economy. Furthermore, it will also depend on your field, but i do not foresee any sort of increase by staying here 6 weeks and meeting employers. I'd say there's already a lot of unemployed canadians out there who, unlike you, would not require any sort of permit to be employed and would be available right away.

[Lizelle 564]

I agree with Wolverine.  I think the big difference lies in how a WP gets processed in Canada vs NZ.  

In NZ, if an employer gives you a job offer, you can start working in about 2 weeks.  In Canada, you will probably be lucky if you can start working in 6 months.  

So, for an employer in NZ, if you are there, it means a) you really mean it (seems a little self-evident, but a lot of would-be immigrants get cold feet, so being there shows your commitment), and b ) that you are available to start work asap same as any other NZer.

There is no such reasoning for a Canadian employer.  

[M-N 887]

4 hours ago, YolandaB said:

Our question is will it be the same when it comes to Canada? As we have learned that "most jobs" aren't advertised in Canada but the best way is to network. So will this mean we will have a better

change of landing a job offer if we go over say for 6 weeks and meet employers or what is the best way to secure employment.

Yeah, I would not do this. If "border security" even gets a hint that you are coming to look for work or going for interviews on a tourist visa, you will be immediately told to turn back and get onto the next plane back to SA and that could potentially affect future visa applications. 

I was one of the lucky ones that secured a job from SA through a Skype interview. My company waited almost 2 years for me. If the company really wants you they will do what they can (legally of course) to get you there. 

[M-N 887]

1 hour ago, Lizelle said:

There is no such reasoning for a Canadian employer.  

Well apart from the fact that it's ILLEGAL to look for work or go for interviews on anything but a TWP/OWP or PR in Canada, I also don't agree with this sentiment. My employers waited almost TWO years for me. We had LMO issues and they went back to the lawyer and they managed to work it out.  

I also know of other companies that do put in effort to try and get those LMIA for workers they want. The biggest factor is how you sell yourself. You can still be confident and show committment while sitting in SA. 

[Jules 1,327]

I suppose one has to concede that your chances are *better* if you are physically here for several weeks trying to network and connect with recruiters and maybe even meeting some hiring managers. But don't confuse better chances with good chances. Chances are not good at all. Regardless of whether you are here or not, the odds of landing a job offer without a WP or PR is very slim. In fact the chances of securing a legitimate interview is going to be tough. 

If you have money to burn and want to do a LSD and perhaps have a vacation then I say go for it, but understand that the odds are not good unless you are in a very specialized industry (and if you have a scarce skill you won't need to make the trip in the first place).

[MaryJane 2,756]

I suppose it would be slightly different if the job interview was already lined up when you visit Canada, but if you are only taking your chances that you will get a job offer during your visit, then I agree with the general consensus here that it might not be a good idea.

[Nelline 2,229]

1 hour ago, MaryJane said:

I suppose it would be slightly different if the job interview was already lined up when you visit Canada, but if you are only taking your chances that you will get a job offer during your visit, then I agree with the general consensus here that it might not be a good idea.

Yes. My hubby came over in 2012 to be interviewed in person. He actually disclosed it at border control - and there were no issues, he was admitted, no questions asked.

[YolandaB 47]

Thanks everyone for their input.... I did get the feeling that NZ works vastly different than Canada...and yes it seems NZ issues a WP in a few weeks...

I am a little concerned from what I read here that its not easy to find a job...its actually scary of what @Jules has said that chances are not good at all....especially if you don't have a WP or PR yet. I'm not going to sleep for a week now... I thought it wasn't

that hard finding a job offer as Canada needs people / very immigration friendly, but I now start to think its going to be hard! We don't have enough EE points to be selected and our only way in was via a Job offer / PNP.

 

 

[DuncanP 20]

It is illegal 

[Jules 1,327]

3 hours ago, YolandaB said:

Thanks everyone for their input.... I did get the feeling that NZ works vastly different than Canada...and yes it seems NZ issues a WP in a few weeks...

I am a little concerned from what I read here that its not easy to find a job...its actually scary of what @Jules has said that chances are not good at all....especially if you don't have a WP or PR yet. I'm not going to sleep for a week now... I thought it wasn't

that hard finding a job offer as Canada needs people / very immigration friendly, but I now start to think its going to be hard! We don't have enough EE points to be selected and our only way in was via a Job offer / PNP.

 

 

The truth is that the real skills shortage only applies to a few job types and for those lucky people, they will have little trouble securing a job offer. But for most professional jobs, there simply isn't a skills shortage in Canada. In fact, in my personal opinion, I think there's an oversupply of skilled labour right now in many industries. Not saying there are no jobs - I'm saying there isn't a big shortage with employers waiting for people to apply. I think the government creates the impression that there's a huge shortage of skilled workers and in my opinion it is generally not true. 

When it comes to supply and demand the balance is heavily in favour of the employers and not the job seekers. 

[GerdaT 239]

Hi! Just want to get a few opinions from people who have gone before... 

Would you recommend already applying to different jobs and companies, and state that we are in the process of getting PR.

Or, should we rather wait for PR, and only then start applying?

I'm afraid we will not be considered because we dont have PR now, and once we have PR - they wont look at us again. ?!?!

Edited April 20, 2017 by GerdaT

[MaryJane 2,756]

1 hour ago, GerdaT said:

Hi! Just want to get a few opinions from people who have gone before... 

Would you recommend already applying to different jobs and companies, and state that we are in the process of getting PR.

Or, should we rather wait for PR, and only then start applying?

It shouldn't stop you. I know it's a big worry when crossing over and one way to alleviate this is to start applying for jobs. In all honesty, I don't think it will hurt.

Some employers, if really "interested", will ask for timelines and maybe wait for you. That is only some cases though.

1 hour ago, GerdaT said:

I'm afraid we will not be considered because we dont have PR now, and once we have PR - they wont look at us again. ?!?!

That is a small risk. Some companies have databases where they keep applicant's information. But the flip side is that I don't think they look at those applicants until the system flags them as a possibility. If all else, you can just create a new profile when you have PR, I think.

[YolandaB 47]

i must say if this is true this would be indeed a big wakeup call if it is indeed that difficult to find work in Canada !

There's only one thing worst than not getting PR and that is not getting a job...we have to live of something

[Jules 1,327]

4 hours ago, YolandaB said:

i must say if this is true this would be indeed a big wakeup call if it is indeed that difficult to find work in Canada !

There's only one thing worst than not getting PR and that is not getting a job...we have to live of something

The level of difficulty of securing a job is not easy to quantify because there are so many variables. One applicant can find work easy because they have a scarce skill set, or simply because they follow a great plan by going to the right city, they network, perfect their resume, apply for the right job levels and they happen to be damn good in an interview. Next person can struggle for a year because they went to the wrong city (every town or city has certain industries), they are sloppy in their job search, they dont plan properly, refuse to adapt and simply don't follow good advice. 

One person will say it's easy to land a job in Canada while the other says it's a horror story. Who is correct?

I landed a good job just a few weeks after I landed but I planned like my life depended on it (because it did!). I literally project managed our immigration. My wife thought I was obssessed. But there were no surprises and I expected success. Also helped that I am a person of faith and I had 100% confirmation that we were meant to make the move when we made it. Failure was never an option. 

[DuncanP 20]

23 hours ago, GerdaT said:

Hi! Just want to get a few opinions from people who have gone before... 

Would you recommend already applying to different jobs and companies, and state that we are in the process of getting PR.

Or, should we rather wait for PR, and only then start applying?

I'm afraid we will not be considered because we dont have PR now, and once we have PR - they wont look at us again. ?!?!

My suggestion is to only apply with PR. Do not food potential employers unnecessarily and you will no longer be on their radar. Waiting a little while for application to be approved won't kill you.

[Merida 124]

On April 19, 2017 at 7:43 AM, YolandaB said:

As we looked into going to New Zealand a year or so ago we found that we had a better chance of finding a Job there if we physically are present to meet with prospective employers and recruiters there

Perhaps you should rather look at emigrating to New Zealand.  Apparently, those who move to Australia/New Zealand from South Africa find adjusting there is much easier/quicker as the climate and culture is closer to South Africa's.

Unless you have specialized skills in high demand here, you are unlikely to secure employment from outside South Africa.  The employer is required to prove to the government that he was unable to find a Canadian/PR available to do the job.  The trades are in high demand and there is a separate stream for skilled trades: http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/immigrate/trades/apply-who.asp

Edited April 21, 2017 by Merida

[YolandaB 47]

I totally agree with @Jules that its "how" you look for work....we too manage our process like a project ! We busy doing our Resume's and learning about strategy before we apply for the right jobs at the right places and we pretty much think our only chance in is via a Job offer ! Also as @DuncanP said yes in a perfect would a PR would make life easier but I don't think well get selected without a Job offer though.

Our situation is we are below 400 points... so we need to secure a PNP and that we know we need a Job offer unless we get selected by the nominated state but I think they wont select us "without a job offer" right?

Does anybody know of someone that had below 400 points and got selected without a job offer for a PNP?

 

[DuncanP 20]

1 hour ago, YolandaB said:

I totally agree with @Jules that its "how" you look for work....we too manage our process like a project ! We busy doing our Resume's and learning about strategy before we apply for the right jobs at the right places and we pretty much think our only chance in is via a Job offer ! Also as @DuncanP said yes in a perfect would a PR would make life easier but I don't think well get selected without a Job offer though.

Our situation is we are below 400 points... so we need to secure a PNP and that we know we need a Job offer unless we get selected by the nominated state but I think they wont select us "without a job offer" right?

Does anybody know of someone that had below 400 points and got selected without a job offer for a PNP?

 

Most PNPs require minimum of 400 points 

[Hencolinde 82]

@YolandaB Yes I know of someone with very low points (335 to be exact) that was selected, us. We also knew that our only means of getting to Canada would be through a PNP. We did a bit of research and identified one that does not require a job offer. We chose Saskatchewan, mainly for this reason but also for various other reasons. We concentrated all of our efforts in getting everything ready and when the opportunity was there we submitted. We were nominated and we are just waiting for the golden mail to request our passports. In short, it is very possible to go the PNP route without a job offer. Don't give up. 

[MaryJane 2,756]

1 hour ago, YolandaB said:

Our situation is we are below 400 points... so we need to secure a PNP and that we know we need a Job offer unless we get selected by the nominated state but I think they wont select us "without a job offer" right?

The 400 points minimum is specific to Ontario.

Provinces that don't require job offers and give out PNPs: Nova Scotia, Manitoba, PEI, Saskatchewan, New Brunswick, Quebec.

There are other requirements that you may have to fulfill though if you go for other PNPs.

[Sparky6 134]

We had under 350 points as well and we applied for PNP to New Brunswick. And got I might add. Just make sure u have everything ready by the time you get the request to apply. It was free to send a EOI, and the PNP application was the least expensive of all the other provinces.

[Chantel & Graeme Franck 11]

Hubby and I have clearly had blinkers on when it comes to our immigration process.

 

We have completely missed the boat re PNP - I thought all PNP nominees need to come out of EE - I see that there are apparently some that you can apply for without being in EE and with CRS points less than 400. - So there is hope!  - I've got some reading up to do, as we are currently sitting on a CRS of under 400 (not high i know, but this doesn't mean we don't deserve to go to Canada).  But we are waiting for ECA's and hopefully that will push us closer to 400, and grant us entry into the EE pool.  In the interim I will have to start reading up on PNP and to which provinces we can apply to with our low score and not being in the EE pool.

Glad I happened upon this chat - Wish us luck.

[YolandaB 47]

Hi @Sparky6, What was your job codes to just send a EOI? Do you have to be in a specific Job (NB skills list) or did you just try and succeeded?

@Chantel & Graeme Franck , how did your research go about this? have you achieved closer to 400 points or and you looking at alternatives? We also scored lower than 400 so we will need to change our strategy

[Sparky6 134]

We had under 350 points as well and we applied for PNP to New Brunswick. And got I might add. Just make sure u have everything ready by the time you get the request to apply. It was free to send a EOI, and the PNP application was the least expensive of all the other provinces. My husband had an IT code they were looking for, I just put down my code as bookkeeper.