Moving to Canada at 32

irishrebe

Hi everyone,
Hope you don't mind me posting here because this idea of  moving to Canada is quite a new one. I'm 32, Irish and recently single and feeling very unsettled. I went to Canada last autumn to visit friends and attend an event and absolutely loved it. I'd never considered living in Canada before that, but I felt so at home there. I spent time in Montreal, Toronto and Ottawa and liked them all. Is there any chance at all of me being able to move to Canada? I don't think I'm a 'skilled worker'. I trained as a translator and work freelance at the moment. I also did high level TEFL (did DELTA and worked in universities), but I don't think either of these things is something they're looking for? I have no dependents, am fluent in French and won't necessarily require work when I'm there, if my freelance career keeps going reasonably well (but the option of having it would be reassuring). Any pointers or advice would be welcome, or anyone who was in the same boat as me.

JonnyF

you can apply for the working holiday visa until you're 35, which gives you a two year work permit. you'd have a pretty good chance of getting a visa if you apply now. if you like it there's a pretty good route to permanent residency from there.
good luck

jme2010

Go for it...fill out the questionnaire on the site and it will tell you if you're eligible.

To be eligible for the Working Holiday category, you must:

be an Irish citizen,
have a valid Irish passport for the duration of your stay in Canada—your work permit in Canada will not be longer than the validity of your passport,
be between the ages of 18 and 35 (inclusive),
have a minimum of CAN$2,500 to help cover your expenses in Canada,
have health insurance for the duration of your stay—you may have to present evidence of this insurance when you enter Canada,
be admissible to Canada,
have, before departure, a round-trip ticket or demonstrate that you will have the financial resources to purchase a departure ticket at the end of your authorized stay in Canada,
not be accompanied by dependents, and
pay the fees.

irishrebe

Thanks guys. I'm surprised to hear it might be possible. I'd written Canada off thinking I was too old for the visa (thought the cut off was 30) and wouldn't have any useful skills. I'll do the questionnaire when I get home. So the route to permanent residency would be doable? The worst fear would be settling down and making friends and then not being able to stay. That's why I've come to Spain, because I know I won't be kicked out, but struggling with the cultural differences here tbh!

TheAbstracter

I'm 32 as well and heading over in the summer on an IEC WHV. I'm a software developer with a third level qualification and a few years experience so I have enough points to apply for PR straight off the bat but it's a considerable investment of time and money. Plus I want to actually spend time there before making the commitment.

Another route to PR that you could look at is to apply through the CEC (Canadian Experience Class), you can do that so long as you have one year's skilled work experience in Canada in your field and your field is of type/level 0, A, or B on the list here: National Occupation Code

Using the tool above translators have an NOC of 5125 with a type/level of A. So you could probably apply for PR in time.
http://noc.esdc.gc.ca/English/noc/Profile.aspx?val=4&val1=5125&ver=11

Additionally if you're fluent in French you can get extra points for that.

the_syco

irishrebe wrote: »

am fluent in French

You son of a b|tch :pac: If you do decide to stay in Toronto, one of the ONIP categories is "fluent French". See more here.

jme2010

TheAbstracter wrote: »

I'm a software developer with a third level qualification and a few years experience so I have enough points to apply for PR straight off the bat

Is that true? I thought you also need something like $15,000 in savings to go straight to PR...rather than IEC -> 1 year CAD experience -> PR.

I'm 30, also software engineer with 3rd level and post grad with 4 years professional exp. But I wasn't sure about the points calculator being accurate.

TheAbstracter

jme2010 wrote: »

Is that true? I thought you also need something like $15,000 in savings to go straight to PR...rather than IEC -> 1 year CAD experience -> PR.

I'm 30, also software engineer with 3rd level and post grad with 4 years professional exp. But I wasn't sure about the points calculator being accurate.

You are right you do need those savings as well (Proof of Funds) for PR through the Federal Skilled Worker stream. The Canadian Experience Class does not require that proof of funds but does require a year's experience in Canada. You should also qualify for PR through FSW if you have those quals + exp + funds. In the latest FSW draw the points required for an invitation were 413, achievable with an in demand 3rd level qual and a few years work experience even outside of Canada.

I haven't yet applied for PR as I want to test the waters there before investing the time and money in the process.

JahRama

I moved to Canada last July at age 34. I was employed as a hotel general manager in Ireland and happy to see I have assumed the same role here at a luxury property. I am absolutely delighted I made the move. If anyone is seeking employment we have roles this summer where Skype interview and job offer can be provided. Just let me know

Tades86

I got my approval early January so Im making the big move in January 2019. Im also 32 and never done anything like this before but nows the time. Im planning on moving to Ottawa. Has anyone got any advice or tips for me?

All help is most welcome.

jme2010

Tades86 wrote: »

I got my approval early January so Im making the big move in January 2019. Im also 32 and never done anything like this before but nows the time. Im planning on moving to Ottawa. Has anyone got any advice or tips for me?

All help is most welcome.

You only have a year to activate so be careful with that timeline.

Start saving and look to bring enough for a few months of rent and food maybe 5K+ depending.

Personally it would be harder to adjust in the dept of winter there, perhaps try move when the weather is milder, give yourself a chance to acclimate.

artvandelay48

jme2010 wrote: »

Personally it would be harder to adjust in the dept of winter there, perhaps try move when the weather is milder, give yourself a chance to acclimate.

This. Ottawa is significantly colder than Toronto.

Tades86

Thank you both for your advice. Im not ready to move anytime soon and i want to be at home for Christmas.
Ill do some more research then maybe Ottawa isnt the place for me.

artvandelay48

Tades86 wrote: »

Thank you both for your advice. Im not ready to move anytime soon and i want to be at home for Christmas.
Ill do some more research then maybe Ottawa isnt the place for me.

Ottawa is a great place to be in the summer though. Lots of green areas and loads of events in Dows Lake. Very close to gatineau park as well. The winters are definitely doable but coming from Ireland to regular temps of -15 is a bit of a shock.

Tades86

artvandelay48 wrote: »

Ottawa is a great place to be in the summer though. Lots of green areas and loads of events in Dows Lake. Very close to gatineau park as well. The winters are definitely doable but coming from Ireland to regular temps of -15 is a bit of a shock.

Ill have to invest in some proper thermals so. I have ski suit so im hoping that will help.

Can I ask if you are currently living in Canada?

artvandelay48

Tades86 wrote: »

Ill have to invest in some proper thermals so. I have ski suit so im hoping that will help.

Can I ask if you are currently living in Canada?

Nope. I'm Canadian and live in Ireland.

JonnyF

any experience in how long it takes to get an invite to apply? I'm in the YP pool right now, along with 4 others, and there's 2k plus slots available.
should I expect something in a week, a month?

Staccato_1238

Hey, I'm new to the boards. Just setup my profile to do a bit of research on the IEC visa.

From what I gather after reading through the forums it seems as though €5,000 is a realistic figure for moving over with.

Has anyone on the forum travelled over with less?

My goal all along was €3,500 so it might be back to the drawing board for me depending on your advice i'm afraid

I'm traveling over with a friend of mine in the Summer, July hopefully, and I dont have my heart set on any particular location.
It seems that Toronto and Vancouver are ridiculously expensive and tough to find employment?

I'd love to hear from anyone who has any advice whatsoever.

jd83

It depends on your accommodation plans and what type of work you are looking for.

You will burn through 3500 quick enough if your eating out and going out every night etc before you get a job sorted but you could make it stretch if your frugal easier said than done though.

irishrebe

Hey guys, just wondering if anyone can help. I'm applying for this and need a police cert, but I'm abroad right now. I went on the Garda website and the contact us page isn't working properly. I lived in Dublin (both north and south) and I need to get my cert from them. Anyone have the contact info or in the same boat?

jme2010

irishrebe wrote: »

Hey guys, just wondering if anyone can help. I'm applying for this and need a police cert, but I'm abroad right now. I went on the Garda website and the contact us page isn't working properly. I lived in Dublin (both north and south) and I need to get my cert from them. Anyone have the contact info or in the same boat?

I think you have to apply in person I'm afraid. I tried to get one for myself and the other half and they said she must be present.

Maybe it's different if you're abroad. Either way you need to type up a a letter to the superintendent of the local garda station with all your previous address's.

irishrebe

jme2010 wrote: »

irishrebe wrote: »

Hey guys, just wondering if anyone can help. I'm applying for this and need a police cert, but I'm abroad right now. I went on the Garda website and the contact us page isn't working properly. I lived in Dublin (both north and south) and I need to get my cert from them. Anyone have the contact info or in the same boat?

I think you have to apply in person I'm afraid. I tried to get one for myself and the other half and they said she must be present.

Maybe it's different if you're abroad. Either way you need to type up a a letter to the superintendent of the local garda station with all your previous address's.

Thanks for the info. This is just unbelievable to me, in this day and age. Who remembers the exact address of flatshares and college rooms they lived in 15+ years ago?

Doylers

irishrebe wrote: »

jme2010 wrote: »

irishrebe wrote: »

Hey guys, just wondering if anyone can help. I'm applying for this and need a police cert, but I'm abroad right now. I went on the Garda website and the contact us page isn't working properly. I lived in Dublin (both north and south) and I need to get my cert from them. Anyone have the contact info or in the same boat?

I think you have to apply in person I'm afraid. I tried to get one for myself and the other half and they said she must be present.

Maybe it's different if you're abroad. Either way you need to type up a a letter to the superintendent of the local garda station with all your previous address's.

Thanks for the info. This is just unbelievable to me, in this day and age. Who remembers the exact address of flatshares and college rooms they lived in 15+ years ago?

Well if you em *cough* had nothing in your name at those addresses the guards would never know you even lived there. So one could hypothetically put their parents house only and have no issues......

On the subject of handing it in, I went to hand it in and there wasn't anyone at the desk so I may have flung it behind the plastic separator onto the floor for a guard to deal with upon their arrival :D Time is money!
Its a standard sheet you fill in, name, dob, current and past addresses, licence number, driving licence number, birth cert number, reason for application. Plus 2 a copies of ID, a bill if you have one to prove address(I think) and a return stamped envelope.

TheAbstracter

irishrebe wrote: »

Hey guys, just wondering if anyone can help. I'm applying for this and need a police cert, but I'm abroad right now. I went on the Garda website and the contact us page isn't working properly. I lived in Dublin (both north and south) and I need to get my cert from them. Anyone have the contact info or in the same boat?

You don't need to apply in person at all, you can just write to your local Superintendent's office (or local where you last lived in Ireland at least), list all addresses and the dates at each. You must also provide the stamped addressed envelope that they use to send the cert to you. I've never included an envelope addressed abroad and I don't know how you'd manage without an Irish stamp. Can you send it to someone here in Ireland and they could forward it on to you?

It only took about a week to get my cert, but that was at a smaller station than in Dublin, YMMV.

http://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/moving_country/moving_abroad/leaving_ireland/police_certificate.html

For example Blanchardstown details. You'd address the letter to the District Superintendent there (not Division Superintendent).

blackbird 49

irishrebe wrote: »

Hey guys, just wondering if anyone can help. I'm applying for this and need a police cert, but I'm abroad right now. I went on the Garda website and the contact us page isn't working properly. I lived in Dublin (both north and south) and I need to get my cert from them. Anyone have the contact info or in the same boat?

My son received his PR at the end of January, When he was looking for a Police Cert, i downloaded the form filled it out for him, i only filled out addresses for the houses we lived in over the years which was 3, Went to the Garda station were i live asked if it was okay for me to fill out form as my son was in Canada he said yea no problem, he received it back about a week later, he lived out for college i did'nt put those address down, it really just to show if you have or have not a criminal record