Moving to Toronto - IEC Confusion! :/

edie s

Hey everyone,

I am planning on moving to Toronto in 2013 through the IEC scheme - I'm not going to do it through USIT, just going to do it on my own. I've been researching it a lot and have noticed that there is a lot of contradictory stuff on the embassy website - and there are loads of online forums with people just as confused as me.

The main thing is the fee that has to be paid. On the website it says the fee is to be paid after your application has been accepted, when you will be prompted to pay via an email. But then on one of the checklists it says to check have you paid the fee with the application. Throughout the forums there are some people who said they didn't pay with the application and because of this their application was returned, whilst others did pay and their application was returned because of that!

I know the 2013 process isn't open yet but I would love some insight on what others did, and if you have any other advice when dealing with embassy yourself.

Thanks a mil!

ladybird23

Hey I'm not much help with answering your question but I was wondering while you were researching the IEC was there any tips you could give in terms of applying for it?

Planning on getting my garda clearance organise this week to have it ready!

retalivity

Look at the IEC 2012/2011 threads on here....stuffed with all the info of what people did

edie s

hey retalivity, thanks ill have a look at it now!

hey ladybird23, i'm the same i'm organising my clearance on Tue to have it ready! From what I have read up so far everyone was saying that the embassy never email back and that they are quite unorganised so if you do end up putting a small mistake on your forms they will just send the forms back, which could take a good few weeks, rather than contacting you to get the correct info or whatever.

People just kept saying to keep on checking that the info on the forms is correct - other than that i have mostly just seen posts about being confused and looking for advice! I emailed the embassy last week to ask them to clarify when the fee should be paid for the 2013 round but I haven't heard anything back...if I do I'll post it up here straight away. If I come across anything that might be of help I'll put the link up aswel. I'm just hoping it all goes smoothly!

ladybird23

Yeah I think I'm just getting paranoid that I will mess something up. From reading other posts its very easy done! Am I right in saying you need to send off a cv with your form? Something else to get ready!

JustRoss23

Yea cv is needed i never had one in my life always got jobs through word of mouth:D..gonna be fun makeing one this week:D..yea garda clearance this week would be the right thing to do iam gona get mine also:D

slim1919

I am the same getting garda clearance organise this week too, As far as i can see and read so far you fill out everything they ask send it over and if they accept you you pay the fee this is a good blog has every thing you need to know http://workingholidayincanada.com/blog/?p=171

JustRoss23

Great Link slim1919 cheers:D

slim1919

its helped me out i just missed out on last years thank god had FA money have allmost 5 grand now, it lets you know most things this is all so a good website http://www.moving2canada.com/

slim1919

were you heading ross

JustRoss23

Calgary Bud all goin well wbu?:D

slim1919

toronto shting meself heading over on me own in the same boat as you only have a year at a trade and basic IT certs so be looking to get work doing anything i can, when you heading over.

JustRoss23

Ah not so bad yea i reckon it will be handy nuff get work i say we will meet peeps:D..whenever i get me visa i say hopefully march april wbu?

ladybird23

JustRoss23 wrote: »

Yea cv is needed i never had one in my life always got jobs through word of mouth:D..gonna be fun makeing one this week:D..yea garda clearance this week would be the right thing to do iam gona get mine also:D

CVs are a bit time consuming but worth putting time into! Get someone to help you who has experience doing them! I have quite a recent one so just a matter up updating it!

slim1919

Was planing on doing the same but might leave it till mid summer try and get as much money as i can and try and get some exp in something haven worked proper in the last two years so an internship or something would look good on my cv

slim1919

ladybird23 wrote: »

CVs are a bit time consuming but worth putting time into! Get someone to help you who has experience doing them! I have quite a recent one so just a matter up updating it!

thats true you are better updating it to the canadian format before you leave so you dont have to do it over there i have heard they wont even look at your cv if its in irish format

ladybird23

Canadian format? I didnt realise there were different formats for each country? What is that?

JustRoss23

If you type it in too google its just written in a differant layout:):p

ladybird23

Google...ofcourse!! Theres loads of different layouts for Canadian cv's! Oh well there'll be a bit of copyin and pastin into the new format, think i can handle that

slim1919

ladybird23 wrote: »

Canadian format? I didnt realise there were different formats for each country? What is that?

this is a good website i found http://www.moving2canada.com they go throw everything you need

slim1919

ladybird23 were abouts you heading

ladybird23

slim1919 wrote: »

this is a good website i found http://www.moving2canada.com they go throw everything you need

Perfect! Great help

ladybird23

slim1919 wrote: »

ladybird23 were abouts you heading

Not 100% sure yet, Alberta is standing out at the minute! What about you?

slim1919

ladybird23 wrote: »

Not 100% sure yet, Alberta is standing out at the minute! What about you?

Toronto for me you heading over with people or on your own

ladybird23

Going with my boyfriend, he wants to get work over there so headin with him! Albertas lookin good for his type of work ( shuttering). im a teacher but up for doing any type of work cos teaching jobs are scarce!

slim1919

ladybird23 wrote: »

Going with my boyfriend, he wants to get work over there so headin with him! Albertas lookin good for his type of work ( shuttering). im a teacher but up for doing any type of work cos teaching jobs are scarce!

Thats good adlest you have someone to go with, I like toronto because of the US cities it close to plan on seeing a good bit while i am there

ladybird23

I couldnt go it alone, too scary Going out to make a bit of money and hopefully see about us a bit, I hear theres some amazing places to see in Canada! Will be an experiecne if nothing else

slim1919

ladybird23 wrote: »

I couldnt go it alone, too scary Going out to make a bit of money and hopefully see about us a bit, I hear theres some amazing places to see in Canada! Will be an experiecne if nothing else

yes i am shting myself every few days i change my mide ha But the experiecne is probably the main reason i am going beats siting at home doing nothing getting the dole

slim1919

this is a good facebook page http://www.facebook.com/groups/293814990664354/ if you have any questions just ask and someone will help

edie s

hey slim thanks for that link! im heading over on my own aswel, it is fairly nerve racking alright!

ye ladybird im the same, the forums are great but i've read a few where people are freaking out and its after panicking me!

fingers crossed it goes well for us all!!

slim1919

edie s wrote: »

hey slim thanks for that link! im heading over on my own aswel, it is fairly nerve racking alright!

ye ladybird im the same, the forums are great but i've read a few where people are freaking out and its after panicking me!

fingers crossed it goes well for us all!!

Were you thinking about going and when

edie s

I'm going to Toronto, and am thinking mid-Summer! If needs be i will wait til sept, gonna see when, and if, i get my visa

slim1919

edie s wrote: »

I'm going to Toronto, and am thinking mid-Summer! If needs be i will wait til sept, gonna see when, and if, i get my visa

Went down to get my police cert done yesterday first step done only few to go:).
Same here you heading over on your own?

minnow12

I sent in a couple off applications for myself and a friend last year..
1. Get your Garda clearance ready
2. Have a cv covering the last 10 years ready. Ensure there's no unexplained employment gaps.
3. If you've been abroad for more than 6 months in the last 10 years get police clearance from those places.
4. Check the IEC website regularly.
5. When they open the visa's, download the application forms, complete and send away. Before you send them, save them onto your desktop as you will need a copy of some of them again. (Good idea to keep copies regardsless).
6. They will send you a "provisional acceptance" which is when they also request payment.
7. Send payment through bank, scan and copy everything you send, get receipts for everything you send. Copy all receipts, lodgement stubs etc. They don't ask you to send a copy of the stub, but I did anyway, didn't do any harm and can't hurt.
8.Wait. And wait.

JustRoss23

Good info minnow12 what would be the time-frame to be waiting to get granted the visa? like if i send it straight away when iec opens provieded there's so no mistakes how soon would i have the loi?:D

minnow12

Well, last year they said no more than 8 weeks, but it was actually more like 12. There was a huge backlog - everybody seemed to apply the minute they opened and they're dealt with on a first come first served basis. IEC were totally unprepared for the influx and the normal wait time for last year was at least 12 to 16 weeks. In fairness, they send you an email at each stage, so you know that your application is progressing, but they don't take calls and you can't enquire at random, no tracking number to check or anything like that. Again, that was last year, maybe things will be a little more efficient this time round!!! Here's hoping!!

JustRoss23

Thanks minnow12 are u in canada atm?if so hows it goin?:D

minnow12

JustRoss23 wrote: »

Thanks minnow12 are u in canada atm?if so hows it goin?:D

Not too bad at all - if you've a trade you'll fly it, no trade like me, and you'll manage ok... There's a lot of money in the trades - anything to do with construction or oil fields and you're in business.
Much harder for women to get decent paying jobs - plenty of work available at $13/ $14 an hour in offices/ retail etc., but that money is crap, especially when you consider the cost of living (in my experience) is actually higher than home. Compare that to what the guys are making (about $30\ hr depending on what they do) and it's very frustrating.
I like it here, but I'm working 2 jobs just to make ends meet. But then, all the guys work as much overtime as they can so all the Irish here seem to work at least 6 days a week, if not more..
Overall, it's good, looking forward to this winter I've been hearing so much about!

JustRoss23

Thanks for your great reply:D..yea iam in construction iam heading to calgary do you no how hard it is to get a job labouring in cons or in the oil fields?:D how much would you want to make a week to have a comfy life?:D iam travelling solo whenever i get my iec visa lol:D

minnow12

You'll be grand - it'll take you a week to get a job sorted -try to go with the bigger companies and make sure they have benefits aswell as a good wage.. don't be afraid to ask for money, they'll pay you!
Bigger companies have better wages, they'll send you on training courses to get your "tickets" - everything over here requires a cert of some kind, but they'll pay for you to do them in the big places. (Even to work in a bar you need to do a Proserve course). Fall arrest, WHMID, anything else you show interest in tell them and they'll arrange for you to do the relevant training course..
There are some companies that don't offer benefits - they aren't legally required to - but if, for example, you need an x-ray just to have a wisdom tooth removed - it's $500 for the x-ray ALONE!!! I dread to think what itd be if you broke your leg/ arm and couldn't work for a few months.

JustRoss23

God thats huge mulla:O...would your travel insurance cover that? how did you bring money over?just cash? gona stay in a hostel when i first arrive and hit the ball running to all them big companys:D

minnow12

just stick your cash onto your credit card - visa/ mastercard accepted everywhere.

JustRoss23

Dont Have a credit card:(:rolleyes: hahah

minnow12

Good idea to get one, even an Ulster bank visa debit..

JustRoss23

Yea i have an ulster bank visa debit card do u just mean leave my mulla in my account and just use my card and take out the money that way?:D thanks for your helpful comments:D

Undertow

I'm living in Oz for the past 2 years and was wondering if I need a garda clearance from back home as well as a police cert and traffic history report from Oz? Cheers!

mickob16

Would it be expensive using an Ulster Bank debit card in Canada..bank charges..currency conversion? Would using 2 paypal accounts be cheaper?

minnow12

Yep, don't stay in a hostel with cash. Oddly enough, the first hostel I stayed in wouldn't actually let me pay with cash, still not sure why, but it's def safer not to make yourself a target and also, what happens if all your dosh got swiped??? At least with a card, something can be done if it goes missing!
Also, set up a bank acc as soon as you get an address and the recmommendation from the banks here, for those who want to stay here long term, is get a credit card- purely and simply to start building up a credit history in Canada. Even one with a low credit limit. You can get a mortgage after a year, (as per BMO) obviously as long as you have a downpayment, and permanent residency etc, but the only real way to build up a credit history is through using and paying off your credit card every month.
Also, ask your bank if they do starter packages for newly arrived foreign workers in Canada. Most of the starter packages don't charge monthly fees for the first 6 mnths. or a year, (BMO and Scotia bank dont) but some do - sometimes up to $30 per month. This might change by the time you come over, so always ask .
If I've realised one thing here, it pays to shop around....

mickob16

Thanks minnow. Heading to Edmonton in Jan so trying to figure out cheapest ways to live until I get my bearings.

JustRoss23

Cheers minnow..do you no with the iec visa this year being up to 24months will we have to get backpackers or travelers insurance for the 24months? and do they check proof of this?:D

minnow12

To be perfectly honest, they didn't check mine, or anybody else that I saw... BUT that's only my experience and I'd definitely get the health insurance anyway, since it covers travel also. I got VHI backpacker, it was about 250 euro as far as I remember... Cheapest by far.