Thinking of moving to Canada from EU, help please!

New
_anonym

New

_anonym
Sep 21, 2020 38 Comments

Hi!

I'm a European who has lived and worked for all his life in Europe and I'm now considering moving to Canada with my family.

I've worked in different roles but my studies are MSc and PhD in CS and Eng. My current role is Senior Software Engineer (I'd say L3-L4 for American companies).

The main reasons to move to Canada are:

1. Advance our careers as in Europe, and especially in my country, this is very difficult.
2. Improve English all the family
3. Earn more money obviously.

I had a signed job offer as SDE2 from an Amazon filial to move to Sunnyvale some years ago, but I didn't win the H1B lottery and since then I haven't applied again to jobs in the US. I was relying on winning the diversity lottery which haven't happened so far.

Therefore, my idea of moving to Canada, where it should be easier to get the work visa. I think we would try Vancouver and Toronto.

I'd be grateful if you could share your experience, tips and hints on making this move successful and with the best outcome. Also, suggestions on other locations would be welcome.

Questions I'd like answers to:

1. Companies that I could apply to where the ratio of success for foreigners is not doomed.
2. Considerations between Vancouver and Toronto, or any other city.
3. Preparation I should go through before applying.

Thanks in advance.

#software #career #canada #faang #startup

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TOP 38 Comments
  • You will get shock when you in Canada, job prospect is very limited, super cold winter and sky rocket cost of living in Toronto, Vancouver. You will also have to compete with millions of new immigrants from India, China and many developing countries. Majority of those are in Tech.
    Sep 21, 2020 2
  • New
    _Kyle

    New

    _Kyle
    What's putting you off UK?
    Sep 21, 2020 6
  • Slack / Eng
    sibVaDkL

    Go to company page Slack Eng

    sibVaDkL
    Don’t limit yourself, try also the USA, too. Your education will put you easily as a top candidate. Plus your English is great.

    Don’t fixate on FAANG either. I used to work in FAANG thinking they gave the best TC but I found a company that pays me more with *excellent* benefits and culture!

    Now I spend quality time with my little one (priceless), bought a house, and (finally) LOVE my job.
    Sep 21, 2020 5
    • New
      _anonym

      New

      _anonym
      OP
      If applying to US jobs is still a possibility, which I thought it was not, I'd take it as well. I guess I could start working remotely with a bit of luck. The main issue is not to wait X months, I already did several years ago, it is that after waiting I didn't enter the 65k quota and I didn't land the job.
      Sep 21, 2020
    • Slack / Eng
      sibVaDkL

      Go to company page Slack Eng

      sibVaDkL
      Some companies (like Slack) are hiring remote workers. Unfortunately referrals are for people we actually know and worked with at a professional level.

      But whichever country you choose, I’d choose carefully: think long term. This COVID-19 and the current president are temporary.
      Sep 23, 2020
  • Speaking as someone who immigrated to Canada, these are things to consider when moving to Canada:
    -The winter is very cold and long with low sunlight. This can cause depression.
    -All the family must be onboard with the decision. I've seen some divorces after a couple of years in Canada that were triggered by the disruption that immigration causes.
    -Salaries are not as high as in the US
    -Income tax is high
    -Real estate is skyrocketing in Vancouver and Toronto, and the salaries don't follow the trend.
    -You may want to consider Montreal.
    Sep 21, 2020 2
    • Montreal salary is only a fraction of Toronto but cost of living is also much lower. I would prefer Toronto because the winter is at least not as extreme as Quebec
      Sep 21, 2020
    • New
      _anonym

      New

      _anonym
      OP
      Thanks!

      Cold is something we know and we have lived through in Russia.

      For different reasons, actually French-speaking Canada is not an option.

      And salaries against rentals and CoL seems to be a problem nowadays everywhere. We can't also live in Barcelona but in the suburbs due to this. However, the hope is that by investing now on career, language and working abroad would pay back if we decide to move back or somewhere else.
      Sep 21, 2020
  • Groupon
    DarkDanger

    Go to company page Groupon

    DarkDanger
    I'm Canadian. Canadians are highly educated. There are a lot of immigrants and typically welcoming. Your skills will be in demand (as a lot of Canadians get sucked into the US.) Several companies like Amazon and Google have set up big offices in Canada to get talent. Vancouver is the tech hotspot. Trouble with Vancouver is the cost of living. Getting a house is expensive, so you are looking at living outside the city with a commute. The labor laws in Canada are also decent, so working at Amazon is almost bearable. But there are a ton of tech companies in Vancouver... EA, Adobe, Oracle, Microsoft (though mostly solutions architects.) Vancouver weather is like Seattle. Mostly rain, sometimes snow, but close enough to the mountains you can go ski. The social infrastructure and labor laws are in your favor. The social and economic conditions are stable. If you go, stay (don't use it stepping stone to the US.)
    Sep 21, 2020 0