[jezza323]

So im currently entertaining the idea of moving to Canada for 1-2 yrs to work/experience the world a bit with my fiance/wife (6 weeks to go!) and this forum has more canadians than any other im on, so i guess its a good place to ask some questions

From the info I've been reading so far it seems like Toronto would be the city of choice for us (I'm a Software Engineer/Developer so would seem to be best option for work...). Anyone want to share some comments on living in Toronto?

And whats the Software industry like there? anyone know?

[Parallax]

I can't speak directly to the part of your post about living in Canada; but my impression is that the quality of life there is at least as good as it is in the U.S.
As to the getting married part: Have you considered going fishing instead?

[rparmar]

Canada rocks and Toronto rocks double. The most multicultural city in the world and amazing affordable food from every one of the 130 or so cultures. It's a city with a slower-than-usual vibe when compared to the USA cities I've been in.

I love the downtown life but am not so big on suburbs. But many Torontonians must do long commutes to live where it is affordable and still be near jobs. That kind of life sucks.

There are great parks, beaches and stuff you might not expect of a big city. You will have to put up with the brutal weather however, which ranges from -30 to +30 Celsius. And it can vary by over 30 degrees in one day.

Lots of software jobs for sure. Have you also considered Vancouver? It's like Toronto but with mountains and ocean added.

my impression is that the quality of life there is at least as good as it is in the U.S.

Understatement of the week.

[coelhom]

If you're looking for a Canadian city that has lots to offer, come to Montreal.
And if you're looking for a software haven, come to Montreal. We have plenty of software/video game/graphic design/movie production giants here.

Similarly to Toronto, we also have a vast variety of different cultures here in the city. I'm not going to go into detail and name them all, but there are tons. Montreal has so much to offer, it's hard to see it all even if you live here.
Also, if you like music, we've got plenty of music festivals (The Jazz Festival, Osheaga) and if you like to laugh, there's the Just for Laughs festival.
And if you've ever been tempted to take a weekend getaway to Paris, or anywhere in Europe, Old Montreal has a very similar atmosphere and architecture to most European cities so you wouldn't have to look very far.

I don't know, maybe some will disagree, but I think it's a beautiful city.

[jezza323]

thanks for the replies so far

while montreal would be nice i believe the working visa criteria are different there, and you must know at least some french (which i do not) so im not sure if it is even an option

[flyer]

You should look into Montréal. For software design opportunities, quality of life, atmosphere, entertainment, and so on.

And Montréal's culture is unique. French descendants ruled by the Brits has created something you won't find anywhere else.

[flyer]

thanks for the replies so far

while montreal would be nice i believe the working visa criteria are different there, and you must know at least some french (which i do not) so im not sure if it is even an option

You shouldn't worry about not speaking French in Montréal. Most people understand enough English to make your life easy. And there are some areas of Montréal that are predominently English speaking (West Island area). And the criterias for a visa are more or less the same Canada wide. You should definitely put Montréal on your list.

Beside, you could meet great people like me.

[lithos]

And if you're looking for a software haven, come to Montreal. We have plenty of software/video game/graphic design/movie production giants here.

And most of the game devs are hopeless.

[daacon]

I agree with what has been said to date, I have lived in Toronto and Montreal both great cities. I have been to Vancouver a couple of times and like it there as well.

I currently reside in a suburb just outside Edmonton, Alberta and have been for the past 31 years or so. Once the kids are self sufficient , we will probably move somewhere as while this place has a lot to offer (mountains , west coast is a day trip, really LONG summer days sunset around 10:30pm at its peak), the winters are just too long

I prefer the west, but have lived and or visited almost everywhere in this country from Nova Scotia to British Columbia.

Another city to consider is Halifax. A old city with lots of history , but overall a young population with several Universities and Colleges.

[rparmar]

Halifax is a lovely place -- not too big, not too small. Nova Scotia ranks way up there for natural beauty. Not too sure about the software scene however!

[SteveM]

I'm a PM in IT and live in Victoria, have worked quite a bit in Vancouver and just spent a few months in Halifax. Have you done some research for working Visas etc? I've also lived and worked in the US, but the rules between Canada and the US would be different than between Canada and Australia. Canada and Australia are both members of the commonwealth, so there may be something there to help.

I'm partial to the west coast since I grew up here, but the areas of Canada are really nice too. Basically the west coast is a rain forest, so you'll put up with rain during the winter but it tends to stay above freezing. Other parts of Canada can get quite cold, but you'll get more sun.

Markets are still recovering from the recession, so you might want to look for work prior to coming out? If you have any questions, you can always send me a PM.

[jezza323]

yes i have visited the canadian immigration website and have all the details, i have enough education/work experience (+5 yrs)/english skills etc to qualify for skilled working visa (permanent residency) provided i have an employer lined up and happy to "sponsor" me i guess...my fiance is also very close to qualifying on her own (she might have enough points, havent sat down and worked it out), and there is mention about special policies for Information Technology workers atm because they are in demand. so im very confident i could get a visa.

what i would need to do is find an employer in my city of choice wanting to employ me though - there are agencies that specialize in this kind of thing, would probably be the easiest choice.

i think i need to speak to more of the canadians around here so they can tell me how life there compares to here, lol

[daacon]

It's the same mate you have 30 degrees we have -30 degress - I think the cost of living, lifestyle would be very similar - biggest difference aside from the weather is we don't have accents eh , - Best of Luck !

[jezza323]

lol daacon

ive just talked to a friend from vancouver who lives here - she reckons cost of living is less over there, but so is the pay

she also said the coffee there is too weak (which doesnt sound good, cos i love my strong coffee!)

but other than that she only had nice things to say

[suzuki-j]

+1 for montréal
a lot of worl there also
you got ubisoft and much more

great city !
youll learn french pretty fast