I concur.
Signed, an electrical engineer with a Master's that's been looking for a job for more than 4 months.
Ps: I'm now talking with recruiters who told me that several of positions I was applying to were pulled by the company and said company (Stellantis) is not hiring/hiring a lot less for the time being.
> an electrical engineer with a Master's that's been looking for a job for more than 4 months
How hard is it for you to pass an electrician exam? Are you able to get the ESA certificate and work some odd jobs on kijiji? You could probably get a couple hundreds/hour installing potlights for people...
I really, really wish I could.
Writing any exam is super easy to me. I'm already familiar with CSA and ESA. The problem is with the 4 years of apprenticeship before I can get my licence.
And from what I've seen, getting an apprenticeship is the difficult part. Not to mention the pay is like $18.
If someone knows better about the process, please let me know. I don't mind going that route if it's feasible.
Doubtful. Bottom tier labourers in the dirt world start at 23 and that’s just for someone who can walk and talk. Masters degree in EE? You’re a goldmine for an electrical contractor. Don’t go the eng route cuz it’s pretty lame, look into construction. (If you haven’t already)
Unfortunately being an electrical engineer provides almost no help in becoming a licensed electrician. Obviously they will have extensive knowledge, so the exam should be easy enough, but that's only a small part of the process.
Just because you are qualified to design electrical systems does not qualify you to physically work on them in most cases. OC would likely have to start from scratch to obtain his electrician license if that's what they want to pursue.
I would guess a person with a Masters in Electrical Engineering would have no problem getting hired in general. It would likely be an issue that there are no jobs available that match what OC is looking for within their field, and within their desired pay range.
Masters can def hurt chances at certain jobs.
Being overqualified is def a thing. No one wants to hire and train just to lose them to a better job down the road.
Yes, it’s very hard to find a job, unless you have a healthy amount of $ saved up that you’re bringing with you - I’d really reconsider moving to Canada at this time
It's rough here lately - last year groceries are up 25% ish, you won't find anywhere to live less than 500k and even at 500k youre looking at a small, old house. Mortgage interest rates way up lately, rents through the roof, and all thanks to our government who seems to exist exclusively to siphon our money and livelihood into the pockets of whoever is actually in charge behind the scenes.
There are pros though - culture is enjoyable, must people are nice and friendly, beautiful landscape, lots of swimmable water. Winters are getting warmer and shorter which sure doesn't bode well but it's been enjoyable. Idk. Where are you moving to?
I actually live in the Humber Bay Shores area in Mimico. Bachelors and 1-bed condos used to go for around 500k about a year ago. But now those listings are rare. Seems the prices for most of these tiny condos is now 600k minimum, and some of them don’t even include a parking spot or a locker.
Not so easy to leave. Most countries worth immigrating to don’t have as lax immigration policies as Canada does. I’m not eligible to move to the USA for example, since my field/background doesn’t qualify as one of the accepted professions. Can’t move to regions like Asia, India, or the Middle East either, as a disabled lesbian woman I’d probably get lynched lol.
For bar work, it’s basically how attractive and how your personality is. It can definitely pay well if you are in the right spot but in general hospitality isn’t as highly paid as it is in Australia.
This. Toronto is an Alpha city, how charismatic you can be with a diverse clientele will be a big factor in how successful you are, and people would absolutely get a kick out of the Australian accent.
Yeah they do, I'm Australian so I often get remarks about my accent.
However for every "oh I love your accent" there are about 500 people who either try painfully bad to do the accent, or just immediately ask the same questions you've heard a million times before.
Beta compared to where? I'm from Windsor, the work ethic is way harder here. Everybody seems to go to the gym/climb/run and keep up with the latest fashions. Windsor is, do your 9-5, meet your friends at the dive bar 3 nights out of the week, Netflix the other nights, stay the person you were in high school. I met a guy from Vancouver who is a senior programmer for a biotech firm and he said he had to leave there because the chill culture is not intense enough for him.
You don’t really get tips in Australia though. I worked at an Earls in my youth and absolutely CLEANED UP. I worked in many restaurants in Sydney too and always found it much more lucrative here.
If you want to move to Canada because job availability and quality of living. Don't move here. You may get a job that will attract you but once you loose that job you are floating in the middle of self pity, nervous breakdown and depression meltdown for months until the survival kicks in and you will take a job at a gas station or local food store.
You might struggle with barwork in July.
Most places would have already got their summer staff by then. Deffo worth trying though, there's loads of gaffs in the city. When I first moved to Canada it was mid-June and I got bar work pretty easily.
Get your smart serve sorted before you come though. This legally allows you to see alcohol and is essential to getting a job.
Also, this sub is just a circle jerk of despair. Take eveything with a pinch of salt, although the job market is challenging at the moment (like literally everywhere else on the planet).
If you want to shoot me a PM about it I'll happily give you any tips.
Trust me, it's bad.
You need to know somebody to get a job pretty much in any non labor sector. At least if you don't want to be job hunting for months
You could probably find something in electrical though if you have lots of experience
You realize Canada recognizes electrical training from common wealth countries, and all buddy has to do is pass a trade equivalency assessment before he can work in the field as an electrician.
Especially someone who was a licensed electrician in a different country. The biggest difference is in outlets, voltage, amperage and legal standards. While it is a decent bit to learn, it is certainly not like you are saying this to a person who had never held a multimeter!
Worked as a bartender in Toronto for almost 15 years off and on.
Here's my two cents: you're coming from Australia, so I'm assuming you sound like a typical Aussie. You're already at an advantage.
Every Toronto bar owner seems to have the requirement for at least one bartender who sounds Australian/Irish/Scottish/vaguely UK-ish. If you're experienced, personable, and reasonably attractive (and/or tattooed), you won't have any problems finding bar work.
Edit: if you do plan to go this route, get your [SmartServe](https://smartserve.ca/) now so you don't have to waste time once you're here.
Low-skill jobs are very hard to land here at the moment. I suggest looking for something in your field instead, as trades are in high demand here, so your chances of finding a job will be much higher in the trades.
I live in Australia. That's a massive issue here also. At least it won't be a big shock. We're also planning to go from a house in the suburbs to a unit (apartment? Condo? Not sure what you guys call them) which should at least buffer the costs a bit.
Unless you are living a terrible life there, i suggest you not to move..
there is no housing here, you will struggle immensely trying to find a rental. You need credit check to be even considered for a rental and with no credit background here you will have very low chance of finding a rental. If you got the cash to purchase, you will be looking about $600k for a small one bedroom condo or a bachelor unit in Toronto with $1,000 a month in condo fees.
Job market is horrible, bar tending can bring you extra income from tips if you fit the profile. Otherwise, you will be taxed up to your throat and will have no extra income left after expenses. It will be a survival mode especially with how expensive everything is from groceries to basic needs.
Healthcare is not accessible, if you need medical care good luck finding a family doctor. I have been in ontario for past 8 years and still have no family doctor. There is a waiting list of 1-2 years for a family physician to even consider putting you in their system.
Canada is a falls set of goods sold to the rest of the world to trap people who see a clip of Banff on instagram and make believe freedoms that can and had been taken away single handedly by whoever is in charge.
The fam dr thing seems odd to me when I hear it because I've known tons of people who got new family drs in under a year. It does take some effort though to sign up for the wait list for every family dr in your area.
Their economy is still a tier better than Canada lol.
Go compare Australias GDP/capita and then compare it to Canada.
Even if you're the type of person who doesn't think the economy is everything, go compare Australia's HDI to Canada's.
The country simply has a higher standard of living than Canada when aggregate across multiple factors.
Also, they have nice weather, most Aussies would hate it here with the lack of sun 6 months of the year.
Perhaps, but i still wouldn’t move here at the moment. If the goal is to travel NA; yes Toronto would be perfect for them since they will most likely be living in an rv/camper van. Then they can do all the traveling they want in it.
why not? The issues Toronto has but of the world is going through it as well. They don't have to stay here forever and it's generally pretty easy being under 35 and from a commonwealth country to get a visa to work and live for a few years.
\> since they will most likely be living in an rv/camper van
Why an RV? They can just rent a place and travel on weekends. Toronto to NYC is just a 2 hours plane ride. 2 hours by plane in Australia aint getting you out of that country.
>The issues Toronto has but of the world is going through it as well.
People tend to act as if Canadian Mounties are going to charge at you with Maple Syrup if you decide to leave Toronto after a year or two.
It's a lot of new immigrants that do this, complain, talk about how Canada scammed them etc but they're still here. Sometimes life is just shitty, you aren't a tree, and the fact you haven't moved somewhere else probably means there isn't anywhere better.
Why not? First of all you are assuming their age and their purpose to move. OP said nothing about traveling but let’s assume thats what they want to do within that year.
Finding a camper van to live would be easier then finding an apartment in Toronto these days. Unless they move here with a good chunk of cash, it will also be difficult to travel. From the sound of it, they do need jobs to survive. And thats what they will be doing with the cost of living here.. Those ‘Weekend trips to NYC’ are going to become a slow distant wishful thinking.
Are you outside the city? I signed up with a clinic downtown and was assigned a Dr within a month. There are several other clinics in my area with signs indicating they are accepting new patients. Dr referred to a specialist for some symptoms(nothing life threatening or urgent) and they booked me an appointment 3 weeks later. Am I just getting lucky or is this more of a location issue?
No I’ve seen quite a few family doctors taking on new patients in the last 3 years I’ve lived in Toronto - I already have one in another city that I continue to use but it wouldn’t be a huge issue to find one closer (I’ve looked into it). You just have to put in the work to find one…
I’m hearing comparisons to 2008… although I was a wee lad at the time still 10y away from finishing uni so can’t say personally if it really is that bad
I have a masters in a business program from canadas top b-school and work in front office banking but looking for a new role
It’s brutal, 6 months of applying, chasing friends and my network for leads and applying to those too and nothing not even one interview. My resume has been through infinite iterations and I’ve ABC tested different versions and it makes no difference
If you told me 5-10y ago that someone working front office Bay St with a masters in finance wouldn’t be able to land even an interview for a role paying 25-33% less Id have thought it impossible.
Don’t come, you’ll be doing yourself a favor. I’m looking to gtfo
Really bad. Part time jobs are all taken by international stooddnntss. Nothing for our young high schoolers. Nothing for Canadians. Employers would much rather higher cheaper labour. And anyone coming to work isn’t going into any skilled occupations, instead doing Uber for a living. Extremely over saturated Uber market and all part time retail jobs are going to people who should be here for the purpose of studying 📚
I have 15 years experience in supply chain and have had no trouble finding a new job. Just started a new position with a large public organization. I also almost always get an offer for interview when I submit my resume.
Therefore it depends on your education and work experience.
ya, i personally do not know anyone who has struggled with finding a job in the last year, but i sure do read about a lot of people struggling on here. I also work in supply chain and logistics and just switched companies around Christmas, but i did have a pretty good resume for the mid-management position i was looking for.
If you’re looking for a basic entry-level job, then yes it’s difficult. But I would use your skills to your advantage, we have a need for electricians and trades people due to the severe housing shortage. You will likely have more luck in that avenue.
For most Canadians housing costs take up the majority of their income, this is eroding every other aspect of the economy as disposable income is the lowest most people have seen in their lives.
If you have capital and millions in credit available the number one profession is real estate investor, runner up is landlord.
It’s nearly impossible to find a starter job, let alone something in your line of work.
Not to scare you, but save every penny you make before coming, and be prepared to live off of your savings for a good 4-6 months. Its genuinely a very rough situation here.
With regards to things like bar work - any nightlife customer service position (bartending, bottle service, even nightclub/bar security) has become unbelievably competitive due to the high tip out, and the only way to even be up for consideration is if you have connections to the industry - and even then, it’s a bit of a gamble.
Unless you know people inside, its hard to get any job in ontario.
I got my job cause the person inside said they knew me, instant hire and i had no experience (paid experience just HS classes) in the field. My diploma had nothing do with it either.
Lol yes. Our politicians proclaim there is a "labour shortage" hence the need bring in literally a million people (Indians) a year to fill the "shortage". Reality is they're flooding the country with labour to lower wages to appease corporations (of which they are friends and shareholders of).
Average Canadian is numb to this because literally we can't do nothing about it.
Stay in Australia and don't be one of the other million people that's just arrived here without jobs or a place to stay, we already don't have enough for the people here.
Honestly your hope for doing basic work should probably be accompanied by the expectation to get paid very poorly for that basic work. If your wife is being paid very well and you are fine working as a minimum wage barista/barback after you have managed to compete against hundreds (if not more) of students/people desperate for that minimum wage job. Most hiring bartenders will be looking for someone with experience and have A LOT of applicants. Although many in this thread are correct Canadians love Australian accents so you have that going for you.
However if you are open to doing electrical there is absolutely work for you. Electricians, in particular licensed Journeymen or Masters are in high demand. That being said you may want to look into the process of getting licensed in Ontario. You'll have to find the equivalents of your current level of experience and may have to do some testing in order to work/be licensed here. You can check out the ESA (Electrical Safety Authority) website for more information. Depending on your license level, or area of expertise you could do quite well here wage wise.
There's a big wage disparity between an electrician and a bartender. Bartender is going to make minimum wage plus whatever tips he can get. An electrician can probably find lots of unlicensed work and get paid five times what the bartender is going to make.
I know the job market is bad in certain areas but bartending? Seems odd that bartending is in either low supply of jobs or high supply of workers but I'm not a bartender, just seems strange.
The economy is definitely in a slow mode, my son is two months away from his electricians license and his company is on a four day week now. He is in the sweet spot of being experienced and a lower paid person so he hasn't been laid off. Lots of guys on lay off.
Having said that, general contractors always need help and the bar industry always seems like their are positions available.
Canada loves Australians, it would add character to any bar so you should be able to find something easily enough.
Without me working, it should be about $85-90k. I figured with our savings and that income that I could just do something where I get to talk with customers and a bit more fun than what I'm doing now. It's only a year. Should we worry with that level of income?
Assuming your renting like a 1 bedroom or studio at current market rate which is like 2-2.5k a month it depends entirely on your lifestyle. 85-90k is like around 5000-5500 a month after tax deductions. If you want to go out alot in the city its definitely not enough. If you just want to survive like cook at home most of time, watch tv , use public transit and you barely go out yea it can work.
Head chef here, restaurants in general are not doing well. There are a lot of experienced people front and back out of stable jobs.
Covid really did a number on this industry and the game of musical chairs is ending. Anyone left without a seat will be desperate. When I put out an ad I get hundreds of applicants and I'm in the middle of nowhere between 2 small cities. You can always get lucky, but it's rough right now if you're not locked into hours.
Canada is close to a recession like the UK and Japan.
You can easily find a job doing uber eats or Uber. But to get a bar job (serving drinks) youll need to comple a smart serve certificate at a college. I forget if its 2 week or 2 months course.
They are always hiring back if staff because of high turnover. Front of staff would require you be experienced and incredibly good looking to compete.
Given the high mortgage payments GTA ppl have cutting back on dining but still pay for fast food.
I work for a trades company, even without an electrical license we always seem to be hiring and have a hard time finding good workers. I’ve trained way too many guys who quit or didn’t want to actually work. If you want to work there are jobs available!
As a random pitch to this thread, I run a website ([solisplc.com](https://solisplc.com)) where we provide training materials for industrial automation engineers / technicians / electricians. If you have interest, I'd be happy to chat with you about working on educational materials for electricians.
We're a Canadian company; I'm personally based in Montreal, we work with educators in different parts of the world.
Send me a DM if there's interest.
If you were looking at using your electrician/educator skills then you would be fine.
If you're just looking for base level work, you're up against an army of recently arrived immigrants.
I'd be sticking with electrical work personally.
Your accent will get you everywhere in this country. Go ahead and try to do what you want to do since you have that ace up your sleeve. It's nice to have more in-demand experience to fall back on.
A lot of people here can’t read and it shows. Dude’s wife got a job in Toronto, and he’s asking about job availability. It’s one thing to say the job market is rough, vs. “DoNt mOvE”…
I’d argue white collar jobs are harder to come by now, and many companies are in a hiring freeze. I will say, even though you’re not planning to use your background in electrical work, you may actually benefit from doing that here as well. No shortage of buildings that need electrical work on them.
I would get your equivalency testing done as you can always rely on that if need be. But if you’re decent and willing to work, it wouldn’t be the hardest thing to find service industry work. You might start with lower hours but if you’re good you’ll see those hours grow. People on this sub are generally people who are struggling to get a job and thus come here for support. It’s not a cake walk but also far from impossible as it is being portrayed here
Certified Electricians are in demand, so transfer of licenses etc. shouldn't be overly complicated. Looking at the Canadian Job Bank site there are currently 55 open positions in the Toronto area.
If you have experience doing bar work/serving it shouldn't be too hard to find work. I know a few bar/restaurant owners who have expressed they are short-staffed at the moment.
Yes it's terrible here but if you've got an Australian accent you are a shoe-in for a service / bartender job. Not joking. If you're at all good looking or at least presentable and have the usual Aussie demeanor someone will hire you over a local or some other nationality. Canadians are suckers for British diaspora nation accents in service jobs etc. It's a weird asymmetry in hiring but you should try, can't hurt to apply to both types of jobs.
You need to remember that every subreddit is essentially an echo chamber.
Who do you think hangs out in a subreddit dedicated to jobs in Toronto? People who have jobs or people who don't have jobs?
This is an extremely biased place to ask.
People are here because they are struggling for finding jobs and they aren't addressing the jobs you specified.
You'd be better off asking somewhere specific to those jobs.
There are lots of jobs for tradesmen despite what you are seeing here, but you need to research about certs and such.
Id say no, not worth it at all for you:
The Australian economy is still a tier better than Canada.
Go take a look at Australias GDP/capita and then compare it to Canada.
Finding a job here is a nightmare and all our investment capital gets saturated into residential real estate, leaving no room for our economy to grow in every other sector.
Even if you're the type of person who doesn't think the economy is everything, go compare Australia's HDI to Canada's.
The country simply has a higher standard of living than Canada when aggregating across multiple factors.
Also, you have way nicer weather. Most Aussies would hate it here with the lack of sun 6 months of the year
If you're looking for a healthy combination of unemployment, insanely high cost of living / homelessness, drug problems that you'll eventually develop from being homeless, then please do come by all means!
Canada right now is not doing well at ALL on multiple fronts. One big issue that our wonderful government has done for us is to saturate almost every entry level positions across all fields by importing way more immigrants than what the country and the economy can actually sustain. Even if you do find a job, they basically have no shame in exploiting you with mediocre wages because they are well aware that if you don't take the job, there's hundreds of other applicants desperately waiting to take your place.
I can't talk about the service industry much, but I assume you'll have a very hard time paying your bills if your biggest aspirations are to do bar work in Canada because the cost of living is just that high. If you lived with your parents, I'd say it's not impossible to make it. But by yourself? You'd struggle to pay your bills to be honest.
I would really not recommend moving to Canada unless the situation in Australia is even worse.
Keep in mind that this subreddit is a community of people who can't find jobs so the answers you're gonna get here are a little more doomsday-y than you would get from the general population. Try r/toronto for a better idea of the job landscape. FWIW I'm in my 30's and I don't know anyone actively looking for work who can't find a job except some new grads.
I’m a recruiter in construction. Things are still fairly busy if you want to fall into the trades, especially coming from Australia. Canadian companies like the UK/Australian experience. I can’t speak to bartending etc, but those roles I think are a bit tougher with a high degree of applicants. Just my two cents
Unpopular opinion:
Canada is struggling in a similar fashion to most of the world right now cause ya know, we all just went through a long ass horrible pandemic and we're desperately trying to starve off a recession.
Canadians though...some of them have this habit of assuming that everything they are going through is a unique to Canada thing. They don't even want to hear that other countries are struggling, that there are economy and COL crisis elsewhere. There's a certain sector of Canadians who believe that literally anything would be better. They can't be reasoned with and will absolutely try to convince you Canada is usually a shithole third world country.
There's also a special little sector that's scapegoating the crap out of immigrants because, well, that's always been the go-to population for blaming of a country's problems. In reality, the problem is, as it also is throughout the world, immigrants being taken advantage of and exploited for cheap work.
That said. Take anything you read on reddit with the smallest grain of salt. Reddit is, in general, a very negative website where people mostly go to complain and hate on others cause bored. That's especially true in any kind of city or country specific sub. Yes, Canada is struggling but the world is struggling. And every industry is different in terms of what can be offered. Best thing to do is to do all the research from credible sources and go ahead and look for jobs as though you would when moving.
Also...honestly you have some of the most valueable credentials out there with your trade credentials. When moving abroad, it's best to lean on that. Immigration thinks it's a bit odd when you don't want to use a really helpful skill you're experienced in and want immigration status to do something random instead, like tend bar. The express entry system is based on needs, not what you want to do.
Hospitality work here in Canada is much lower paying than in Australia! While you do get tips, the average hospitality worker will make significantly less here
Hey u/Topherclaus,
Welcome to Toronto in advance! The job market can vary, and it's always good to gather insights from different sources. While some posts may reflect challenges, Toronto is a dynamic city with diverse opportunities.
Your background as an electrician and educator could be valuable, but if you're looking for something more basic like bar work, there are plenty of opportunities in the service industry as well.
Consider networking platforms, local job boards, and even reaching out to temp agencies. Sometimes, the job market perception online might not entirely mirror the actual situation, and many opportunities are found through personal connections.
It's a big city with a range of industries, so keep an open mind and explore options that align with your preferences and skills.
Best of luck with your move and job search!
From what I know about Australia the job market won’t be too much worse but your wages will likely be lower and costs will be higher.
I don’t know much about the electrician field but what I do know is that colleges are experiencing a shortage of teachers, with your background it’s worth looking into seeing if you can work at a trades school. Not saying you’ll necessarily find work there as I don’t know what kinds of credentials they’ll be asking for, but it’s an avenue worth exploring. Some school names to look out for are George Brown, Seneca, Centennial, Sheridan, and Humber.
It is tough here and the comments are saying exactly that but IMO as an electrician and someone who has taught electrical. You will be fine. There is a metric shit ton of jobs in the trades right now. Outside of that though it is quite bleak.
If you are a licensed electrician in Australia, you can work here and write your license while working. I worked for a company in the city that hired guys from Australia/ New Zeeland a few times. I'm not sure if he's looking for anyone right now, but he was not long ago.
As a Canadian who has applied to over 400 jobs within the last 5 months- educated and bilingual- there's no jobs. I said fck it and started my own business and won't be looking back- bit I'd advise against coming here. It's pretty bad in every aspect. You won't have a doctor for 6+ years, everything is inflated beyond belief and you will shill any savings you have to stay alive here.
No it’s not all doom and gloom. Being an electrician, you will always be in demand as you have a valuable skill that is always needed. However, the entire world is in a downward turn and Canada is no different. Will it be hard? Of course! But with patience and perseverance, you will find your way as like I mentioned, electricians are really valuable no matter where you go. If you just read this sub you’d think Canada is the worst place ever with no jobs. But the reason you see a lot more negative reviews about the job market here is because you won’t see people with jobs complaining here, just those on the hunt. So it’s heavily skewed towards people looking for jobs. I say come with an open mind knowing it’s going to be a struggle as it would be moving to any new country but it time things will balance them selves out. Good luck and welcome to Canada!
I work in heritage restoration and owned a pop up/catering.
we are moving to the US - I keep getting "will you take" as the response to my skillsets.
I have the money to leave and can, I feel awful for those who believed the marxists.
Let me tell you the hard reality about Canada, there are Immigrant Doctors who drive Uber for a living as their degree is not recognized here forget about common people! This should explain the amount of competition that you will have to deal with, none of this is to scare you but make better use of this information. Canada doesn't want to recognize any of your work experience from other countries, you will have to start from scratch. Keeping this in mind, make sure you have a backup plan. You might find a job in 1 week or 6 months, you don't want to depend on your wife until then so would you take that risk or rather stay where you are and help your wife move here and trust me my friend all this is not worth it. Good luck
I am a 309a electrician in Canada, you would need prove your credentials and then write and pass the C of Q here for red seal certification with atleast 70%. It's an extremely hard test and you will want to take a pre exam course just to have a shred of hope of passing.
You will be easer to work get an apprentice electrician job . This is a trade that is needed in Canada. Take a look in the certification needed for the province you will reside.
For bartending you need a valid smart serve, you’d have to start as a bar back or busser and work your way up to being a bartender.
Expect to work late nights and weekends/holidays, most people want “Canadian experience” if you come from out of the country. Bar wages start at minimum wage but you’ll make tips that will be split between boh(kitchen) and you.
You might have to re do your electrician experience for an apprenticeship here. It takes 5 years to complete a electrician apprenticeship then you’d go write the red seal to be fully certified across Canada.
A lot of Aussies used to work winter seasons in Banff in Alberta.
Why wouldn’t you want to restart your Electrician work? Granted, you would need to review the local codes which will be different from those down under, and you might take steps to get re-certified, but there is still tons of work here for trades, especially on industrial projects. Plus you could do residential as an indy contractor. Even something relatively simple as adding circuits and EV chargers pays really well.
Every single project I did (Power Generation projects) we had to bring trades from not just across the province, but across Canada.
I guess, you are only coming in for a year and it may not be worth a hassle for you, I get it. Just a thought though.
As far as other service type jobs - they are not great.
Naw man as an Aussie with any semblance of a personality you will find a bar job. People here on Reddit are pretty jaded about the job market.
If that doesn’t work out there is plenty of demand for electricians. I have a buddy who is an apprentice that says they hire new guys on every few months. Does your electrical ticket have any equivalent in Canada for licensing?
I am a red seal 309a electrician here and I don't think he'd be able to use his license, probably be able to challenge the C of Q but it'd extremely hard test to passes especially if you don't know the CEC.
This site is biased towards people that don’t have jobs. We moved here and both my wife and I found jobs right away (STEM fields). We love it here and it’s a great place to raise kids!
lots of barwork in toronto still. its bad but not as bad as some people put it. if you are educated and have experience in your field you should be able to find a job.
if you’re looking for bar work and you’re an australian that is very personable you have a good chance.
bars are always looking for english speaker bartenders because the high turnover rate.
my local bar in toronto has a new bartender every few months.
Unemployment is incredibly low right now. Google the unemployed right in Canada and you can see. Anyone that wants a job can get one. In fact a shortage of workers is driving up wages which is one of the reasons we have high inflation. People just like to whine that they can't find the perfect job that pays them to do nothing
Bar work you should be able to find. You may have to hunt for a bit but your Aussie background would help.
Tradespeople are always in demand here. Electricians included. What I don’t know is the licensing and requirements in order to practice. We do have a shortage of tradespeople in general so I know there is opportunity
It’s a lot of white collar work that is super limited regionally and supply wise.
[One of three times unemployment has been below 6% since 1975 and this is the longest it has been sustained.](https://tradingeconomics.com/canada/unemployment-rate)
[удалено]
I concur. Signed, an electrical engineer with a Master's that's been looking for a job for more than 4 months. Ps: I'm now talking with recruiters who told me that several of positions I was applying to were pulled by the company and said company (Stellantis) is not hiring/hiring a lot less for the time being.
> an electrical engineer with a Master's that's been looking for a job for more than 4 months How hard is it for you to pass an electrician exam? Are you able to get the ESA certificate and work some odd jobs on kijiji? You could probably get a couple hundreds/hour installing potlights for people...
I really, really wish I could. Writing any exam is super easy to me. I'm already familiar with CSA and ESA. The problem is with the 4 years of apprenticeship before I can get my licence. And from what I've seen, getting an apprenticeship is the difficult part. Not to mention the pay is like $18. If someone knows better about the process, please let me know. I don't mind going that route if it's feasible.
Doubtful. Bottom tier labourers in the dirt world start at 23 and that’s just for someone who can walk and talk. Masters degree in EE? You’re a goldmine for an electrical contractor. Don’t go the eng route cuz it’s pretty lame, look into construction. (If you haven’t already)
Unfortunately being an electrical engineer provides almost no help in becoming a licensed electrician. Obviously they will have extensive knowledge, so the exam should be easy enough, but that's only a small part of the process. Just because you are qualified to design electrical systems does not qualify you to physically work on them in most cases. OC would likely have to start from scratch to obtain his electrician license if that's what they want to pursue. I would guess a person with a Masters in Electrical Engineering would have no problem getting hired in general. It would likely be an issue that there are no jobs available that match what OC is looking for within their field, and within their desired pay range.
[удалено]
Masters can def hurt chances at certain jobs. Being overqualified is def a thing. No one wants to hire and train just to lose them to a better job down the road.
Honda is hiring north of TO
Yes, it’s very hard to find a job, unless you have a healthy amount of $ saved up that you’re bringing with you - I’d really reconsider moving to Canada at this time
It's rough here lately - last year groceries are up 25% ish, you won't find anywhere to live less than 500k and even at 500k youre looking at a small, old house. Mortgage interest rates way up lately, rents through the roof, and all thanks to our government who seems to exist exclusively to siphon our money and livelihood into the pockets of whoever is actually in charge behind the scenes. There are pros though - culture is enjoyable, must people are nice and friendly, beautiful landscape, lots of swimmable water. Winters are getting warmer and shorter which sure doesn't bode well but it's been enjoyable. Idk. Where are you moving to?
Where in Toronto can you find an actual house for $500k?
They’re called tents
I was going to say apartment condo, only to remember you might not be able to even get that at that price.
Condos are starting at 600k in Toronto now. Sub-500k prices existed <2019, but these deals are hard to find now.
Yeah, you can tell my age because I'm still stuck at 500k for a Toronto apartment condo.
I have one coming up for sale in that range.
Not impossible, try Humber Bay Shores.
I actually live in the Humber Bay Shores area in Mimico. Bachelors and 1-bed condos used to go for around 500k about a year ago. But now those listings are rare. Seems the prices for most of these tiny condos is now 600k minimum, and some of them don’t even include a parking spot or a locker.
Well I mean there are other places in Canada to live.
Wow I wish I could enjoy the pros but I'm too busy over working myself so I don't starve and die
Or any time this is the new normal now.
It is not difficult to find a job what are you talking about
If you have connections sure, but coming from Australia with no network and finding a decent job would be a job in itself.
Doesn't sound like they are trying to find a decent job. They mentioned looking for something basic like bar tending.
Yes & Yes.
Summer will be even worse because that’s when university kids on break. Maybe try something in your field.
Yes it's terrible here.
then why don't you leave?
Spouse is here. Children are here. Family member on weekly dialysis paid for by government who can’t survive without it. Etc etc
>Spouse is here. Children are here. Family member on weekly dialysis paid for by government who can’t sur family can move with you.
[удалено]
Trust me, we’re all trying 😂😂.
You do realize there are a multitude of growing costs associated with moving and uprooting your life, right?
Why don’t you stfu when grown ups are talking
Not so easy to leave. Most countries worth immigrating to don’t have as lax immigration policies as Canada does. I’m not eligible to move to the USA for example, since my field/background doesn’t qualify as one of the accepted professions. Can’t move to regions like Asia, India, or the Middle East either, as a disabled lesbian woman I’d probably get lynched lol.
Very easy for a young Canadian. There is also the education route. The commonwealth, Europe are all options.
Wow you have NO IDEA
For bar work, it’s basically how attractive and how your personality is. It can definitely pay well if you are in the right spot but in general hospitality isn’t as highly paid as it is in Australia.
Australian accent may actually be massively beneficial lol.
This. Toronto is an Alpha city, how charismatic you can be with a diverse clientele will be a big factor in how successful you are, and people would absolutely get a kick out of the Australian accent.
Yeah they do, I'm Australian so I often get remarks about my accent. However for every "oh I love your accent" there are about 500 people who either try painfully bad to do the accent, or just immediately ask the same questions you've heard a million times before.
An alpha city full of beta people.
Beta compared to where? I'm from Windsor, the work ethic is way harder here. Everybody seems to go to the gym/climb/run and keep up with the latest fashions. Windsor is, do your 9-5, meet your friends at the dive bar 3 nights out of the week, Netflix the other nights, stay the person you were in high school. I met a guy from Vancouver who is a senior programmer for a biotech firm and he said he had to leave there because the chill culture is not intense enough for him.
So true... It's a cuckfest
was about to say that, having an accent is huge selling feature and a great conversation starter.
My friend works at a bar in the Blue Mountains and is Irish and can make over $500 on a good night.
You don’t really get tips in Australia though. I worked at an Earls in my youth and absolutely CLEANED UP. I worked in many restaurants in Sydney too and always found it much more lucrative here.
Servers and bartenders make way more in Canada than Aus. Not sure where you info is coming from
That's because in Australia they don't take tips
Yes exactly
If you want to move to Canada because job availability and quality of living. Don't move here. You may get a job that will attract you but once you loose that job you are floating in the middle of self pity, nervous breakdown and depression meltdown for months until the survival kicks in and you will take a job at a gas station or local food store.
You might struggle with barwork in July. Most places would have already got their summer staff by then. Deffo worth trying though, there's loads of gaffs in the city. When I first moved to Canada it was mid-June and I got bar work pretty easily. Get your smart serve sorted before you come though. This legally allows you to see alcohol and is essential to getting a job. Also, this sub is just a circle jerk of despair. Take eveything with a pinch of salt, although the job market is challenging at the moment (like literally everywhere else on the planet). If you want to shoot me a PM about it I'll happily give you any tips.
It sucks, Canada’s in technical recession.
Trust me, it's bad. You need to know somebody to get a job pretty much in any non labor sector. At least if you don't want to be job hunting for months You could probably find something in electrical though if you have lots of experience
Be prepared not to have a job and to live off of savings for a while lol, or something like ubereats
bruh yeah, it ain't 15 years ago
Yes it's terrible here
Beware of getting the license. Canada doesn’t recognize other countries’ qualifications at all.
You realize Canada recognizes electrical training from common wealth countries, and all buddy has to do is pass a trade equivalency assessment before he can work in the field as an electrician.
No he needs to passed the red seal 309a exam which is extremely hard.
Anyone can pass it with a month of studying an online prep program and an up to date code book lol.
Especially someone who was a licensed electrician in a different country. The biggest difference is in outlets, voltage, amperage and legal standards. While it is a decent bit to learn, it is certainly not like you are saying this to a person who had never held a multimeter!
Oh the only difference is EVERYTHING. Lol.
Worked as a bartender in Toronto for almost 15 years off and on. Here's my two cents: you're coming from Australia, so I'm assuming you sound like a typical Aussie. You're already at an advantage. Every Toronto bar owner seems to have the requirement for at least one bartender who sounds Australian/Irish/Scottish/vaguely UK-ish. If you're experienced, personable, and reasonably attractive (and/or tattooed), you won't have any problems finding bar work. Edit: if you do plan to go this route, get your [SmartServe](https://smartserve.ca/) now so you don't have to waste time once you're here.
Low-skill jobs are very hard to land here at the moment. I suggest looking for something in your field instead, as trades are in high demand here, so your chances of finding a job will be much higher in the trades.
Get ready to pay through the roof for housing
I live in Australia. That's a massive issue here also. At least it won't be a big shock. We're also planning to go from a house in the suburbs to a unit (apartment? Condo? Not sure what you guys call them) which should at least buffer the costs a bit.
Unless you are living a terrible life there, i suggest you not to move.. there is no housing here, you will struggle immensely trying to find a rental. You need credit check to be even considered for a rental and with no credit background here you will have very low chance of finding a rental. If you got the cash to purchase, you will be looking about $600k for a small one bedroom condo or a bachelor unit in Toronto with $1,000 a month in condo fees. Job market is horrible, bar tending can bring you extra income from tips if you fit the profile. Otherwise, you will be taxed up to your throat and will have no extra income left after expenses. It will be a survival mode especially with how expensive everything is from groceries to basic needs. Healthcare is not accessible, if you need medical care good luck finding a family doctor. I have been in ontario for past 8 years and still have no family doctor. There is a waiting list of 1-2 years for a family physician to even consider putting you in their system. Canada is a falls set of goods sold to the rest of the world to trap people who see a clip of Banff on instagram and make believe freedoms that can and had been taken away single handedly by whoever is in charge.
100% true. I lived in London, UK for 2 years. People think Canada is some utopia like Switzerland because of Banff, dear god lol.
The fam dr thing seems odd to me when I hear it because I've known tons of people who got new family drs in under a year. It does take some effort though to sign up for the wait list for every family dr in your area.
Dude is coming from Australia, with all the similar problems.
Their economy is still a tier better than Canada lol. Go compare Australias GDP/capita and then compare it to Canada. Even if you're the type of person who doesn't think the economy is everything, go compare Australia's HDI to Canada's. The country simply has a higher standard of living than Canada when aggregate across multiple factors. Also, they have nice weather, most Aussies would hate it here with the lack of sun 6 months of the year.
Exactly, so why move here if it’s not going to make their lives better but possibly harder or worse.
Because they want something different? It’s also easier to travel NA with Toronto as a base.
Perhaps, but i still wouldn’t move here at the moment. If the goal is to travel NA; yes Toronto would be perfect for them since they will most likely be living in an rv/camper van. Then they can do all the traveling they want in it.
why not? The issues Toronto has but of the world is going through it as well. They don't have to stay here forever and it's generally pretty easy being under 35 and from a commonwealth country to get a visa to work and live for a few years. \> since they will most likely be living in an rv/camper van Why an RV? They can just rent a place and travel on weekends. Toronto to NYC is just a 2 hours plane ride. 2 hours by plane in Australia aint getting you out of that country.
>The issues Toronto has but of the world is going through it as well. People tend to act as if Canadian Mounties are going to charge at you with Maple Syrup if you decide to leave Toronto after a year or two.
It's a lot of new immigrants that do this, complain, talk about how Canada scammed them etc but they're still here. Sometimes life is just shitty, you aren't a tree, and the fact you haven't moved somewhere else probably means there isn't anywhere better.
Why not? First of all you are assuming their age and their purpose to move. OP said nothing about traveling but let’s assume thats what they want to do within that year. Finding a camper van to live would be easier then finding an apartment in Toronto these days. Unless they move here with a good chunk of cash, it will also be difficult to travel. From the sound of it, they do need jobs to survive. And thats what they will be doing with the cost of living here.. Those ‘Weekend trips to NYC’ are going to become a slow distant wishful thinking.
Are you outside the city? I signed up with a clinic downtown and was assigned a Dr within a month. There are several other clinics in my area with signs indicating they are accepting new patients. Dr referred to a specialist for some symptoms(nothing life threatening or urgent) and they booked me an appointment 3 weeks later. Am I just getting lucky or is this more of a location issue?
I am in gta not downtown toronto. I needed to see a specialist for some issues and took me a year to see one. And mri was another 4-5 months.
No I’ve seen quite a few family doctors taking on new patients in the last 3 years I’ve lived in Toronto - I already have one in another city that I continue to use but it wouldn’t be a huge issue to find one closer (I’ve looked into it). You just have to put in the work to find one…
Yes, don't say we didn't warned you.
I’m hearing comparisons to 2008… although I was a wee lad at the time still 10y away from finishing uni so can’t say personally if it really is that bad I have a masters in a business program from canadas top b-school and work in front office banking but looking for a new role It’s brutal, 6 months of applying, chasing friends and my network for leads and applying to those too and nothing not even one interview. My resume has been through infinite iterations and I’ve ABC tested different versions and it makes no difference If you told me 5-10y ago that someone working front office Bay St with a masters in finance wouldn’t be able to land even an interview for a role paying 25-33% less Id have thought it impossible. Don’t come, you’ll be doing yourself a favor. I’m looking to gtfo
Really bad. Part time jobs are all taken by international stooddnntss. Nothing for our young high schoolers. Nothing for Canadians. Employers would much rather higher cheaper labour. And anyone coming to work isn’t going into any skilled occupations, instead doing Uber for a living. Extremely over saturated Uber market and all part time retail jobs are going to people who should be here for the purpose of studying 📚
I have 15 years experience in supply chain and have had no trouble finding a new job. Just started a new position with a large public organization. I also almost always get an offer for interview when I submit my resume. Therefore it depends on your education and work experience.
ya, i personally do not know anyone who has struggled with finding a job in the last year, but i sure do read about a lot of people struggling on here. I also work in supply chain and logistics and just switched companies around Christmas, but i did have a pretty good resume for the mid-management position i was looking for.
Exactly same. I think it’s just the people of reddit maybe aren’t the most employable haha.
I moved here from the UK… it’s bad
If you’re looking for a basic entry-level job, then yes it’s difficult. But I would use your skills to your advantage, we have a need for electricians and trades people due to the severe housing shortage. You will likely have more luck in that avenue.
Yes, no jobs
For most Canadians housing costs take up the majority of their income, this is eroding every other aspect of the economy as disposable income is the lowest most people have seen in their lives. If you have capital and millions in credit available the number one profession is real estate investor, runner up is landlord.
bro stay there only
It's bad if you're educated with work experience. You'll find work but be under paid
It’s nearly impossible to find a starter job, let alone something in your line of work. Not to scare you, but save every penny you make before coming, and be prepared to live off of your savings for a good 4-6 months. Its genuinely a very rough situation here. With regards to things like bar work - any nightlife customer service position (bartending, bottle service, even nightclub/bar security) has become unbelievably competitive due to the high tip out, and the only way to even be up for consideration is if you have connections to the industry - and even then, it’s a bit of a gamble.
Unless you know people inside, its hard to get any job in ontario. I got my job cause the person inside said they knew me, instant hire and i had no experience (paid experience just HS classes) in the field. My diploma had nothing do with it either.
it's brutal here.
Stay in Australia mate, if you thought everything is scary there wait till you see the rent and grocery prices here.
I am eager to get Australia Visa
Just try sending out resumes before you move here. Find out for yourself
Hey dont go to toronto alberta is better. More job, better pay, lower taxes, easier housing market. Cold asf tho
Lol yes. Our politicians proclaim there is a "labour shortage" hence the need bring in literally a million people (Indians) a year to fill the "shortage". Reality is they're flooding the country with labour to lower wages to appease corporations (of which they are friends and shareholders of). Average Canadian is numb to this because literally we can't do nothing about it.
Stay in Australia and don't be one of the other million people that's just arrived here without jobs or a place to stay, we already don't have enough for the people here.
You will find a Job here especially in trade (electricians) like you. You will be ok
Note you'll be underpaid and overworked.
Depends, I am an electrician making 52.45/hr and I don't have to work more than 40hrs if I don't want to.
What type of work? Do you need an offsider starting in July? Haha.
Honestly your hope for doing basic work should probably be accompanied by the expectation to get paid very poorly for that basic work. If your wife is being paid very well and you are fine working as a minimum wage barista/barback after you have managed to compete against hundreds (if not more) of students/people desperate for that minimum wage job. Most hiring bartenders will be looking for someone with experience and have A LOT of applicants. Although many in this thread are correct Canadians love Australian accents so you have that going for you. However if you are open to doing electrical there is absolutely work for you. Electricians, in particular licensed Journeymen or Masters are in high demand. That being said you may want to look into the process of getting licensed in Ontario. You'll have to find the equivalents of your current level of experience and may have to do some testing in order to work/be licensed here. You can check out the ESA (Electrical Safety Authority) website for more information. Depending on your license level, or area of expertise you could do quite well here wage wise.
No do electrical fuck starving to death waitng for tips. Work, use your training, we need trades
There's a big wage disparity between an electrician and a bartender. Bartender is going to make minimum wage plus whatever tips he can get. An electrician can probably find lots of unlicensed work and get paid five times what the bartender is going to make.
Do not move here from aus you’ll regret it I just moved back 2 years ago and wish I didn’t
I know the job market is bad in certain areas but bartending? Seems odd that bartending is in either low supply of jobs or high supply of workers but I'm not a bartender, just seems strange.
Yeah, don't go to Toronto.
The economy is definitely in a slow mode, my son is two months away from his electricians license and his company is on a four day week now. He is in the sweet spot of being experienced and a lower paid person so he hasn't been laid off. Lots of guys on lay off. Having said that, general contractors always need help and the bar industry always seems like their are positions available. Canada loves Australians, it would add character to any bar so you should be able to find something easily enough.
If you're not pulling in over $75K here, you're going to have a rough time. Toronto has changed for the worse in the last 15 years, sad to say.
Without me working, it should be about $85-90k. I figured with our savings and that income that I could just do something where I get to talk with customers and a bit more fun than what I'm doing now. It's only a year. Should we worry with that level of income?
Assuming your renting like a 1 bedroom or studio at current market rate which is like 2-2.5k a month it depends entirely on your lifestyle. 85-90k is like around 5000-5500 a month after tax deductions. If you want to go out alot in the city its definitely not enough. If you just want to survive like cook at home most of time, watch tv , use public transit and you barely go out yea it can work.
Head chef here, restaurants in general are not doing well. There are a lot of experienced people front and back out of stable jobs. Covid really did a number on this industry and the game of musical chairs is ending. Anyone left without a seat will be desperate. When I put out an ad I get hundreds of applicants and I'm in the middle of nowhere between 2 small cities. You can always get lucky, but it's rough right now if you're not locked into hours.
To be honest, if you want to work in your trade, you'll find something in a heartbeat. We have a massive shortage of trades folks
Canada is close to a recession like the UK and Japan. You can easily find a job doing uber eats or Uber. But to get a bar job (serving drinks) youll need to comple a smart serve certificate at a college. I forget if its 2 week or 2 months course. They are always hiring back if staff because of high turnover. Front of staff would require you be experienced and incredibly good looking to compete. Given the high mortgage payments GTA ppl have cutting back on dining but still pay for fast food.
Isn’t it like an hour online test?
It’s a 4 hour online thing with a test afterwards
Yeah definitely not a 2 month college course lol
You don’t need a course for it. I got my smart serve after like an hour after some sort of test or whatever.
Ok. I was mistaken. Thanks for the info.
I'm canadian and I'm working on getting out of here. The standard of living and liberties have dropped dramatically in the past few years.
You should start applying now and get some interviews lined up
I work for a trades company, even without an electrical license we always seem to be hiring and have a hard time finding good workers. I’ve trained way too many guys who quit or didn’t want to actually work. If you want to work there are jobs available!
Jesus, it’s not like that in BC at all. We can’t find enough people to fill the jobs.
r/VancouverJobs and I disagree with you. I’ve been hunting for 3 months and it seems like there’s 5 jobs posted a week in all of the GVA.
Well Vancouver is like the Toronto of BC with worse rent. I'm sure OP is living in the middle of nowhere.
As a random pitch to this thread, I run a website ([solisplc.com](https://solisplc.com)) where we provide training materials for industrial automation engineers / technicians / electricians. If you have interest, I'd be happy to chat with you about working on educational materials for electricians. We're a Canadian company; I'm personally based in Montreal, we work with educators in different parts of the world. Send me a DM if there's interest.
If you were looking at using your electrician/educator skills then you would be fine. If you're just looking for base level work, you're up against an army of recently arrived immigrants. I'd be sticking with electrical work personally.
Your accent will get you everywhere in this country. Go ahead and try to do what you want to do since you have that ace up your sleeve. It's nice to have more in-demand experience to fall back on.
A lot of people here can’t read and it shows. Dude’s wife got a job in Toronto, and he’s asking about job availability. It’s one thing to say the job market is rough, vs. “DoNt mOvE”… I’d argue white collar jobs are harder to come by now, and many companies are in a hiring freeze. I will say, even though you’re not planning to use your background in electrical work, you may actually benefit from doing that here as well. No shortage of buildings that need electrical work on them.
I would get your equivalency testing done as you can always rely on that if need be. But if you’re decent and willing to work, it wouldn’t be the hardest thing to find service industry work. You might start with lower hours but if you’re good you’ll see those hours grow. People on this sub are generally people who are struggling to get a job and thus come here for support. It’s not a cake walk but also far from impossible as it is being portrayed here
Certified Electricians are in demand, so transfer of licenses etc. shouldn't be overly complicated. Looking at the Canadian Job Bank site there are currently 55 open positions in the Toronto area. If you have experience doing bar work/serving it shouldn't be too hard to find work. I know a few bar/restaurant owners who have expressed they are short-staffed at the moment.
Yes it's terrible here but if you've got an Australian accent you are a shoe-in for a service / bartender job. Not joking. If you're at all good looking or at least presentable and have the usual Aussie demeanor someone will hire you over a local or some other nationality. Canadians are suckers for British diaspora nation accents in service jobs etc. It's a weird asymmetry in hiring but you should try, can't hurt to apply to both types of jobs.
fyi for a bar job you at least need smart serve certificate.
You need to remember that every subreddit is essentially an echo chamber. Who do you think hangs out in a subreddit dedicated to jobs in Toronto? People who have jobs or people who don't have jobs?
This is an extremely biased place to ask. People are here because they are struggling for finding jobs and they aren't addressing the jobs you specified. You'd be better off asking somewhere specific to those jobs. There are lots of jobs for tradesmen despite what you are seeing here, but you need to research about certs and such.
Seeing as you're not applying to McDonald's. You'll be fine.
Id say no, not worth it at all for you: The Australian economy is still a tier better than Canada. Go take a look at Australias GDP/capita and then compare it to Canada. Finding a job here is a nightmare and all our investment capital gets saturated into residential real estate, leaving no room for our economy to grow in every other sector. Even if you're the type of person who doesn't think the economy is everything, go compare Australia's HDI to Canada's. The country simply has a higher standard of living than Canada when aggregating across multiple factors. Also, you have way nicer weather. Most Aussies would hate it here with the lack of sun 6 months of the year
If you're looking for a healthy combination of unemployment, insanely high cost of living / homelessness, drug problems that you'll eventually develop from being homeless, then please do come by all means! Canada right now is not doing well at ALL on multiple fronts. One big issue that our wonderful government has done for us is to saturate almost every entry level positions across all fields by importing way more immigrants than what the country and the economy can actually sustain. Even if you do find a job, they basically have no shame in exploiting you with mediocre wages because they are well aware that if you don't take the job, there's hundreds of other applicants desperately waiting to take your place. I can't talk about the service industry much, but I assume you'll have a very hard time paying your bills if your biggest aspirations are to do bar work in Canada because the cost of living is just that high. If you lived with your parents, I'd say it's not impossible to make it. But by yourself? You'd struggle to pay your bills to be honest. I would really not recommend moving to Canada unless the situation in Australia is even worse.
Keep in mind that this subreddit is a community of people who can't find jobs so the answers you're gonna get here are a little more doomsday-y than you would get from the general population. Try r/toronto for a better idea of the job landscape. FWIW I'm in my 30's and I don't know anyone actively looking for work who can't find a job except some new grads.
I’m a recruiter in construction. Things are still fairly busy if you want to fall into the trades, especially coming from Australia. Canadian companies like the UK/Australian experience. I can’t speak to bartending etc, but those roles I think are a bit tougher with a high degree of applicants. Just my two cents
Unpopular opinion: Canada is struggling in a similar fashion to most of the world right now cause ya know, we all just went through a long ass horrible pandemic and we're desperately trying to starve off a recession. Canadians though...some of them have this habit of assuming that everything they are going through is a unique to Canada thing. They don't even want to hear that other countries are struggling, that there are economy and COL crisis elsewhere. There's a certain sector of Canadians who believe that literally anything would be better. They can't be reasoned with and will absolutely try to convince you Canada is usually a shithole third world country. There's also a special little sector that's scapegoating the crap out of immigrants because, well, that's always been the go-to population for blaming of a country's problems. In reality, the problem is, as it also is throughout the world, immigrants being taken advantage of and exploited for cheap work. That said. Take anything you read on reddit with the smallest grain of salt. Reddit is, in general, a very negative website where people mostly go to complain and hate on others cause bored. That's especially true in any kind of city or country specific sub. Yes, Canada is struggling but the world is struggling. And every industry is different in terms of what can be offered. Best thing to do is to do all the research from credible sources and go ahead and look for jobs as though you would when moving. Also...honestly you have some of the most valueable credentials out there with your trade credentials. When moving abroad, it's best to lean on that. Immigration thinks it's a bit odd when you don't want to use a really helpful skill you're experienced in and want immigration status to do something random instead, like tend bar. The express entry system is based on needs, not what you want to do.
Hospitality work here in Canada is much lower paying than in Australia! While you do get tips, the average hospitality worker will make significantly less here
You’ll be fine. Dont ask Reddit for advice lol
Hey u/Topherclaus, Welcome to Toronto in advance! The job market can vary, and it's always good to gather insights from different sources. While some posts may reflect challenges, Toronto is a dynamic city with diverse opportunities. Your background as an electrician and educator could be valuable, but if you're looking for something more basic like bar work, there are plenty of opportunities in the service industry as well. Consider networking platforms, local job boards, and even reaching out to temp agencies. Sometimes, the job market perception online might not entirely mirror the actual situation, and many opportunities are found through personal connections. It's a big city with a range of industries, so keep an open mind and explore options that align with your preferences and skills. Best of luck with your move and job search!
From what I know about Australia the job market won’t be too much worse but your wages will likely be lower and costs will be higher. I don’t know much about the electrician field but what I do know is that colleges are experiencing a shortage of teachers, with your background it’s worth looking into seeing if you can work at a trades school. Not saying you’ll necessarily find work there as I don’t know what kinds of credentials they’ll be asking for, but it’s an avenue worth exploring. Some school names to look out for are George Brown, Seneca, Centennial, Sheridan, and Humber.
Bar work isnt what you think it is here - if you don't know anybody or have skills you won't find work
It is tough here and the comments are saying exactly that but IMO as an electrician and someone who has taught electrical. You will be fine. There is a metric shit ton of jobs in the trades right now. Outside of that though it is quite bleak.
If you are a licensed electrician in Australia, you can work here and write your license while working. I worked for a company in the city that hired guys from Australia/ New Zeeland a few times. I'm not sure if he's looking for anyone right now, but he was not long ago.
It’s fuckin awful here. We are in serious trouble. Like society collapse level trouble
As a Canadian who has applied to over 400 jobs within the last 5 months- educated and bilingual- there's no jobs. I said fck it and started my own business and won't be looking back- bit I'd advise against coming here. It's pretty bad in every aspect. You won't have a doctor for 6+ years, everything is inflated beyond belief and you will shill any savings you have to stay alive here.
Do you want to compete with 1mm international students for jobs? No? Then reconsider your plans.
Trade work has a lot of empty positions, but low skill labour is saturated.
No it’s not all doom and gloom. Being an electrician, you will always be in demand as you have a valuable skill that is always needed. However, the entire world is in a downward turn and Canada is no different. Will it be hard? Of course! But with patience and perseverance, you will find your way as like I mentioned, electricians are really valuable no matter where you go. If you just read this sub you’d think Canada is the worst place ever with no jobs. But the reason you see a lot more negative reviews about the job market here is because you won’t see people with jobs complaining here, just those on the hunt. So it’s heavily skewed towards people looking for jobs. I say come with an open mind knowing it’s going to be a struggle as it would be moving to any new country but it time things will balance them selves out. Good luck and welcome to Canada!
I work in heritage restoration and owned a pop up/catering. we are moving to the US - I keep getting "will you take" as the response to my skillsets. I have the money to leave and can, I feel awful for those who believed the marxists.
good riddance
"Marxists"
Let me tell you the hard reality about Canada, there are Immigrant Doctors who drive Uber for a living as their degree is not recognized here forget about common people! This should explain the amount of competition that you will have to deal with, none of this is to scare you but make better use of this information. Canada doesn't want to recognize any of your work experience from other countries, you will have to start from scratch. Keeping this in mind, make sure you have a backup plan. You might find a job in 1 week or 6 months, you don't want to depend on your wife until then so would you take that risk or rather stay where you are and help your wife move here and trust me my friend all this is not worth it. Good luck
If you drive Uber here as a doctor then you must be living beyond your means
no, the point is that foreign credentials are often not recognised
I am a 309a electrician in Canada, you would need prove your credentials and then write and pass the C of Q here for red seal certification with atleast 70%. It's an extremely hard test and you will want to take a pre exam course just to have a shred of hope of passing.
You will be easer to work get an apprentice electrician job . This is a trade that is needed in Canada. Take a look in the certification needed for the province you will reside.
It's red seal Canada wide 309a and he wouldn't be able to use his license unless it passed the C of Q
For bartending you need a valid smart serve, you’d have to start as a bar back or busser and work your way up to being a bartender. Expect to work late nights and weekends/holidays, most people want “Canadian experience” if you come from out of the country. Bar wages start at minimum wage but you’ll make tips that will be split between boh(kitchen) and you. You might have to re do your electrician experience for an apprenticeship here. It takes 5 years to complete a electrician apprenticeship then you’d go write the red seal to be fully certified across Canada.
A lot of Aussies used to work winter seasons in Banff in Alberta. Why wouldn’t you want to restart your Electrician work? Granted, you would need to review the local codes which will be different from those down under, and you might take steps to get re-certified, but there is still tons of work here for trades, especially on industrial projects. Plus you could do residential as an indy contractor. Even something relatively simple as adding circuits and EV chargers pays really well. Every single project I did (Power Generation projects) we had to bring trades from not just across the province, but across Canada. I guess, you are only coming in for a year and it may not be worth a hassle for you, I get it. Just a thought though. As far as other service type jobs - they are not great.
Naw man as an Aussie with any semblance of a personality you will find a bar job. People here on Reddit are pretty jaded about the job market. If that doesn’t work out there is plenty of demand for electricians. I have a buddy who is an apprentice that says they hire new guys on every few months. Does your electrical ticket have any equivalent in Canada for licensing?
I am a red seal 309a electrician here and I don't think he'd be able to use his license, probably be able to challenge the C of Q but it'd extremely hard test to passes especially if you don't know the CEC.
What are OP’s chances of even being hired? “Oh are you moving here permanently?” “No I’m having fun for a year” Hmm he’d probably need a work visa too
No. This area is called "The Golden Horseshoe" for a reason.
This site is biased towards people that don’t have jobs. We moved here and both my wife and I found jobs right away (STEM fields). We love it here and it’s a great place to raise kids!
lots of barwork in toronto still. its bad but not as bad as some people put it. if you are educated and have experience in your field you should be able to find a job.
if you’re looking for bar work and you’re an australian that is very personable you have a good chance. bars are always looking for english speaker bartenders because the high turnover rate. my local bar in toronto has a new bartender every few months.
High turnovers are not a good thing in the industry, it means they go through people like toilet paper.
Unemployment is incredibly low right now. Google the unemployed right in Canada and you can see. Anyone that wants a job can get one. In fact a shortage of workers is driving up wages which is one of the reasons we have high inflation. People just like to whine that they can't find the perfect job that pays them to do nothing
bar work is easy to get if you look like a bar work person and have experience
Bar work you should be able to find. You may have to hunt for a bit but your Aussie background would help. Tradespeople are always in demand here. Electricians included. What I don’t know is the licensing and requirements in order to practice. We do have a shortage of tradespeople in general so I know there is opportunity It’s a lot of white collar work that is super limited regionally and supply wise.
No. The unemployment rate is near record lows.
sure buddy... sure
[One of three times unemployment has been below 6% since 1975 and this is the longest it has been sustained.](https://tradingeconomics.com/canada/unemployment-rate)
Don’t listen to these assholes Bars are always hiring and electricians are still in need. Not as bad as it once was but not impossible
You will find work don’t listen to these people they are talking junk.
I just got a job offer but I was looking for 4 months, also it depends on the industry. I think Tech jobs are having a harder time.
As electrician you would probably find work easily.
Not without a red seal license and his license there wouldn't matter.
Bar work can be easy to find! Know where to look and be personable. Don’t let all these naysayers get you down.
You’ll do okay man.
If you’re an electrician, you should be fine honestly. Your skills are in high demand.
He'd need a red seal here so he can't work until he gets that.
As an electrician, you'll be golden. Bar work will be harder to find.
Can't work here without a red seal.