Storming the Castle

My job search continues. I have long been a member of three job/resume sites. I actively visit them every day despite having activated email alerts regarding possible job matches. I am also exploring the Canadian Job Bank site and Craigslist.com. The process is very time consuming and, in its own way, exhausting. It seems every couple of days or so I find a couple of new positions to apply for. Those days are good ones. I can only hope that an employment agency or company emails or calls me regarding a position they feel might be suitable.

I am also signed up with a recruitment agency. I don't hear from them often but every once and a while my phone rings and they check in with me. My partner tells me that a very knowledgeable contact of his, who worked in this field, states that recruiting firms drop like flies during recessions. I can believe it. At the very least I am impressed by the phone calls I am getting by "my" recruiter, even if she hasn't found an appropriate job for me.

Navigating through the job sites isn't rocket science or particularly original but it still has to be done. One has to work as many angles as possible. My creativity in the process seems to be growing. One can only look unsuccessfully (depending on how one chooses to perceive it) through job listings so long (not that long actually) before they start thinking about how to work it a different way. I am enjoying this part. I won't elaborate the details but the research angles are endless. One has to make it all as interesting as possible if not fun. I might as well learn something more than I know about the process. I've always had fun learning, so...

A largely depressing situation occurred with two resumes submitted, where, during the process I found that both companies required the candidate to be either a permanent resident or Canadian citizen. I am neither but do have a valid Canadian work permit. It's heartbreaking because the positions were ideal for my skill set and interests. Argh!

I've written previously about the notorious difficulty of finding first employment for new Canadian immigrants. Both Eric and I understood this when we made the decision to move here. This would be a great place to mention that I am not regretting that decision. Not. At. All. Canada is amazing and Toronto is a great city. The only piece that is missing is employment. Life is good. Challenges abound but they are those that opportunity created. I can't complain.

Perhaps this post has become "train of thought." Choo! Choo! Or a string of non-sequiturs. Or perhaps it's just ending that way. LOL ...But it is very stressful to not have active employment for an extended length of time. In the past I have watched friends and family physically and mentally break down during a lengthy bout of unemployment and its accompanying job search. For various reasons I have never had this experience. I have never had to work hard to gain employment. I have not suffered physically but definitely notice the mental effects. I joined a gym as a healthy outlet to my frustration. It's just a matter of time before I look to become a barista at Starbucks. I love coffee and it's an honest buck. Hopefully I don't need to be a permanent resident.

Update of Sorts

Our lives in Toronto this February have been good. Work has taken Eric away and back for a couple of weeks now. I won't be seeing much of him until, I think, the second week in March. He returns on weekends which makes for rather lonely work weeks here on Oriole Parkway - just me and Caesar the cat. I can't really complain. He has a very stable job with a company that is doing well considering the world economic crisis. Every week I have a relative or friend in the states ask me how Canada is fairing. "Better than many countries," I say. While none have been personally affected, friends of mine here in T.O. have spoken of concerns regarding staff lay-offs at the companies were they work. The U.S. lost approximately 600,000. jobs this last January. Can anyone imagine the entire population of a city losing their jobs in a months time? How 'bout next month? 

I continue to pursue employment. I am sure that like everyone else in my position I regularly visit several job/resume web sites. I receive updates on saved searches from those that provide them. I scour Craigslist job ads regularly. I have to admit I have never, ever worked this hard to find a job. I find the frustration building and manifesting into unfocused anger. It's interesting. So far. Nothing my partner has had to deal with but when I speak of it he becomes concerned. He does not generally know me as an angry person. To deal with this negative energy, this week I joined a gym. It feels good. I've become more my normal self. 

My sister-in-law has hired me for two days this coming week. The company she works for does gigs all over North America and Europe. They have a show here in Toronto and I am to be a production assistant. She is wonderful to think of me. I am happy to accept. 

The rest of the week I will continue my job search. I am going to try something different but I am not sure how that will manifest itself. 

And I will keep going to the gym. 

Ask for what you want....

...and The Universe will provide.

Our actual immigration becomes less aspiration and more reality. Eric has the initial Toronto job offer in hand. I have to laugh as it all feels like a Twilight Zone episode. Is this really happening? Stay tuned...

The Meeting/Our Strategy

As I mentioned below, Eric met yesterday with a potential Canadian employer. Apparently the meeting went extremely well and Eric is expecting an job offer in the next couple of days. Though final details weren't yet agreed on, the discussion more than implied that our "sticking points" for acceptance will be exceeded. Wow. Now we wait. The meeting occurred here in San Francisco. The employer is flying back to Toronto today...so we'll see what happens in the next few days.

We decided to procure a Canadian job before applying for Permanent Residence. We have debt. If one already has a job then there is no unencumbered funds requirement. We figured that could be a much faster way to go. Otherwise, it would be a year or more before the debt was paid off and at least the minimum amount of unencumbered funds could be saved so we could apply under the skilled worker program. Eric's unique work skill set is such that would attract an employer willing to involve themselves in the process to hire a non-Canadian.

That being said, his potential employer will be applying for a Labor Market Opinion which basically states that there was exhaustive attempts to employ a qualified Canadian (but to no avail) and to authorize the hiring of someone outside the Canadian labor pool. Once authorized, Eric would receive a Temporary Work Permit to be employed in Canada. For health care eligibility and other reasons his Temporary Work Permit has to be for at least six months. For me to accompany him and also be eligible for health care, etc. it has to be for at least three years. A time extension can be applied for in the future if need be. During that three plus years we would apply for Permanent Resident status. A grand scheme as all the while we will be living in Canada. That is the plan. A three year situation gives us time to evaluate our lives in Canada while actually living there. Sthuper!

First Contact

Eric and I have been contemplating his meeting with the Toronto employer scheduled this Monday.

Probably of more significance is that we are "out of the closet" with our families regarding not only our desire to move to Canada but the active nature of it. I think this is a bigger deal because my brother, sister-in-law and nephew also live in the bay area. We'd be leaving them. My parents both live on the East Coast - Long Island, New York and Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Their location might not seem a significant factor except that they are both over seventy years of age and, I think rightly, having both their sons in the same area is comforting to them. We all wonder if they'd ever relocate to the S.F. Bay Area. The cost of living is prohibitive for them both. I am, however, a strong believer in human nature and circumstance and figure that it's just a matter of time before necessity of their age makes it an inevitability. Does my moving out of the area make the situation more difficult? Hard to say.

I recently had a chat with friends of ours who had a job offer in London, England. One of the reasons they mentioned for not accepting it was their older parents who live in the Los Angeles area. I could sympathize with this immediately. One would like to think that they will be able to take care of their parents properly in their old age but it's really difficult to know exactly what that will involve. Or where.

In any case, my brother seems understanding. His wife and he recently had to make a similar decision regarding whether to relocate. Their situation allowed them the option of staying - which they chose to do. My brother's concerns for Eric and I were mostly of a professional nature.

Eric's brother and sister have also been informed of our intentions and I am told they took the news well. They are significantly younger than the two of us and I believe I am warranted in wondering if they have completely contemplated the significance of our moving out of the area.

The meeting between Eric and the Toronto employer is this Monday...

Toronto?

As I've mentioned to several folk, there was professional interest in my partner's resume from two companies - one in Vancouver and the other in Toronto. Latest update is that the Vancouver position was filled with someone locally. However, the Toronto employer has scheduled an interview with Eric and has stated he has consulted an immigration lawyer. How 'bout that? Both are good signs. I especially like that the boss has decided not to rely only on the immigration info we have currently supplied. That he has inquired with a lawyer shows some serious (should I say focused?) interest pursuing Eric for the position.

Oh, Canada!

Welcome, my first blog now defunct, this is the new, improved and more "focused" version. I believe my "Welcome" statement says it all. My first posting is below...a very short account of where the journey became more than just a fantasy...

A couple of Canadian employers have shown serious interest in Eric's resume. References have been sent and there is a bit of waiting going on. We've decided to inquire with moving companies and continue to accumulate information regarding immigration and the transition from U.S. and Canadian living.