Need advice on moving to Canada (Montreal)

luxurina

luxurina

sooo luxurious...
O.G.
Nov 27, 2007
868
122
#1
I'm contemplating moving to Canada if I can't find a good job in the US after I graduate:shrugs: I've been in the US for 8 years and I'll be sad to move:crybaby:, but if the economy doesn't get better I'm left with no choice.

I'm thinking about living in Montreal, because I speak French and was wondering how much a one or 2 bedroom apartment would cost. I'm not very familiar with Montreal but I would like a nice and safe area (at least).

Also how is the job market ? Does it seem like there is a lot of layoffs and hiring freeze?:confused1:

Any insights would be very helpful!:smile:
 
#7
Hi there,
I am a Montrealer and I would seriously consider rethinking the idea of moving to Montreal!
If you are in the US, stay there! In my opinion, the US has better job opportunities, depending on what field you are in, of course. Not to mention the fact that Canada is also heading into a recession and our economy will be facing some serious hardships in the near future which will make it hard for foreigners and immigrants to secure jobs. Also, it is essential that you have impeccable spoken and written french in order to secure a "good" job, as you are competing with people for whom French is their mother tongue. I don't know whether or not this is the case for you!
Cost of living is pretty inexpensive. Depending on what part of the city you live in, a 1 bed can be anywhere from 450 (more ghetto) to around $900 for somewhere rather nice. 2 bedrooms in a "nice" area (this term is relative of course) are around $1000-1500.
Again, I don't know what field you are looking for employment in, but there has definitely been a downturn in hiring, sales and salaries in general!
In the end, you must do what is best for you, but I think the US has (and will have) better opportunities for recent college grads and other young professionals!

Just my two cents! :smile:
 
#9
Yes I'm fully bilingual...I have my BS in Accounting, a minor in marketing and a masters in Communication..I'm looking for something in PR hopefully fashion PR.

pursecrzy said:
Good point.

Are you fully bilinguial? It's a huge advantage for some jobs.
What kind of job are you looking for?
Click to expand...
 
#10
akeh said:
Hi there,
I am a Montrealer and I would seriously consider rethinking the idea of moving to Montreal!
If you are in the US, stay there! In my opinion, the US has better job opportunities, depending on what field you are in, of course. Not to mention the fact that Canada is also heading into a recession and our economy will be facing some serious hardships in the near future which will make it hard for foreigners and immigrants to secure jobs. Also, it is essential that you have impeccable spoken and written french in order to secure a "good" job, as you are competing with people for whom French is their mother tongue. I don't know whether or not this is the case for you!
Cost of living is pretty inexpensive. Depending on what part of the city you live in, a 1 bed can be anywhere from 450 (more ghetto) to around $900 for somewhere rather nice. 2 bedrooms in a "nice" area (this term is relative of course) are around $1000-1500.
Again, I don't know what field you are looking for employment in, but there has definitely been a downturn in hiring, sales and salaries in general!
In the end, you must do what is best for you, but I think the US has (and will have) better opportunities for recent college grads and other young professionals!

Just my two cents! :smile:
Click to expand...

I grew up speaking French, so the language is not an issue. Actually it is a requirement for anyone who want to immigrate to Quebec. I feel the same way about the US having more opportunities..However the immigration situation seems to be getting harder. In order for me to work in the US I will need a company to sponsor me (not that many companies are open to that, and now with the economy it's an added hurdle). So bottom line after I graduate I get a work permit for a year (practical training), but now they changed the law and if I don't get a job related to my degree withing 3 months I will have to leave the US. It's just such a stressful situation, and I feel so much pressure already...Canada seems like a good option, because if my application is accepted I will get a working permit that's kind of the equivalent of a green card here and I can work in whatever field without requiring sponsorship .
 
#12
Does it have to be Montreal? A lot of my friends moved to Calgary after graduation because of the stronger job market. I'm not sure if you're interested in that, but it might be a good last resort in your situation. Good luck.
 
#13
However Calgary is extremely expensive to live. I knew of a few people who ended up moving out of Calgary after a year or so due to the high cost of living. What they were making just wasn't enough to cover a lot of their necessary expenses. Another strong job market right now seems to be in Saskatchewan and I believe it's still relatively quite cheaper than Alberta and British Columbia.

Honestly, I would avoid the whole eastern Canada as a potential employment opportunity. There aren't a lot of opportunities right now. Though you do have your undergrad in accounting and could try to get into some kind of accounting work with some of the bigger accounting firms - the issue would be why would they hire you over someone who's not on a work permit? You would need to bring something that's unique and different from what a regular candidate will offer. I don't know if your master in communication translates much around here. In the city where I live, a lot of immigrants and foreigners with their work permits can't find work due to high unemployment rates or the work they can find is completely unrelated to their fields, ex. driving a taxi, washing dishes, etc. and they have undergrad and grad degrees with years of experience. It's just the reality of the economic situation here. I don't want to discourage you but unless if you know people and make connections it would be quite challenging to land a PR job in fashion in Canada (most likely you'll be looking at Toronto). You can still try (it doesn't hurt to try) and move up here to Canada and do your best! Don't be discouraged and be open to all kinds or work opportunities even if it isn't in your area of specialty.
 
#14
If you are looking to work in Fashion PR that I would recommend moving to New York or Paris. There are very few fashion head offices in Canada & although there are a few in Montreal a lot of them are just satellite offices with just a dozen people working in them.
 
#15
There is definitely a lot to think about and consider..It is a big decision. I just want to make sure that I keep my options open, and that I have back up plans in case the US thing doesn't work out.
 
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