This article mentions that Canada is having an opposite problem than US when it comes to architecture.
Canada is suffering from architect shortage. That's right. And they want to make it easier for foreigners to work and live there. So get off your ass and make an igloo themed version of your CV.
Few observations from a Canadian who's lived in the US for the last 8 years:
-None of my Canadian arch. friends are unemployed. They are very busy, and they say the market had a small dip a year ago but is very strong right now.
-Place to look for job postings is not craigslist. Check out each province's arch.association's website (AIBC.ca for british columbia, etc...) Lot's of job postings everywhere.
-Arch. pay is generally slightly lower than the American counterpart (at least back in the boom days) BUT most Canadian firms will either pay you overtime or give you time off for banked hours. Having 5 weeks of vacation for busting your ass is a fair tradeoff IMO.
-Some job postings have disclaimers like: local experience only, or must know local building code really well to be considered. My friends swear to me that this tactic is to keep the asians out (Hong Kong?), and will gladly accept US resumes.
-For all it's worth, I've been applying for jobs in Vancouver for the past 3 months and have not gotten a single call back. It takes time, or maybe I suck. My guess is little bit of both.
In any event, it wouldn't hurt to try to apply. Unless you have a serious phobia of cold weather. Or hate hockey.
holz I though of you when I posted this. A lot of the firms looking to hire in Vancouver are doing a lot of wood frame type of construction. You could move up there and start a mini Passivehouse renaissance.
there's already a PH group in BC. i could probably transition pretty easily - and i've worked in metric before. might be worth a shot, even if the wife will balk at it (doesn't want to deal w/ int'l issues if it's less than an hour from the border)
A number of Vancouver firms have a satellite office in Seattle. It's a money loser for them right now, but they are holding on to them in case things ever improve. Getting your foot in the US market can be hard for Canuck arch. companies.
My friend migrated to Canada and is working now there near Dakota border, getting paid fairly well, and amer dollar = can dollar now, plus you get free healthcare and taxes are less...
i thought taxes were HIGH in canada not usa. we are the socialist country after all while usa is anti-government system....isn't it?
you know to be perfectly honest most canadian cities are within an hour or two of cities in the USA. it isn't such a hardship unless you move to calgary or edmonton, and even then calgary is so close to the mountains and the skiing and there's the chinook, etc. its hardly like moving at all....
Taxes are higher in USA for middle class workers because they have to feed all the poor, and the reach get only like 11% tax, middle class on the other hand pay about 30%, but it doesn't cover our schools and healthcare like it does in Canada.
Interesting theory Zen. May be true in some cases.
Taxes I paid on a middle to upper middle class income in NYC were actually higher than they would have been for the same kind of money in either Ontario or BC. If you are working in TX or WA (No state income tax), Canada starts looking like communist China. Also, Canada has a very high sales tax, and a criminal tariff on booze. The healthcare equals things out a bit though. Most Americans have no idea how much their employer pays for the coverage. If they did, they would realize that taxes don't really differ that much between states and provinces.
When I first moved to US back in '01 I was blown away at how much better my standard of living was here compared to Canada. I didn't even make much, but managed to live very comfortably. That has changed a lot since. The housing/healthcare/education bubbles are really hurting this country. I truly think that Canadian middle class is far better off these days. Minus the beaver attacks that claim 10% of Canadian children each year...
I don't know how to compare to the situation in the US really, but I don't think it's all that peachy in reality.
Friends of mine, most of them recent grads have / had a tough time finding meaningful work. Even cities like Edmonton (which still have strong economies and a ton of infrastructure / government work coming down the chute) aren't exactly easy markets to break into.
I mean, I imagine the Calgarys, Edmontons, Vancouvers, Winnipegs, TO, etc. are doing better than their American equivalents, but sadly that's not really saying much these days.
I went up to Montreal a couple of years ago. It was a pretty nice city, I didn't like the cold too much, and the hills + slippery sidewalks = a lot of bruises. But I bet in the summer time its really nice.
Are people working up there? I could see myself living there for a while. I'll even get into curling if it'll help me blend in a little more.
joe, you fail at basic reading comprehension. Perhaps you are not ready to apply for a job anywhere, yet alone Canada. Job resources were covered in the original post.
I understand one's inability to read through the comments before posting random shit. I do not understand posting in a thread while not reading anything past the topic title...
However, outside certain parts - Montreal is a glowing light, the low taxes really show. Much of it is barely livable, really, and in Ontario at
any rate 2/3 of Architects are self-employed with 1/2 employees max..
"jobs for everyone" just had me. I started foaming at the mouth. you got me. I fail on so many levels, and at so many things, and now I can add the internet architecture forums to that list. thanks for telling me its in the post though. my question was answered before I even asked! neat, eh?
-It's probably a good idea to have prior experience in site-planning for canoe and/or snowmobile parking.
-You must also know how to do metric-imperial conversions in your head.
-have knowlege of noting drawings using 'U' and 'RE' in words such as colour, neighbourhood, and centre.
Also I wouldn't recommend coming if you are close to retirement as there is a Government program that started putting seniors out on ice-flows as it's cheaper than housing.
What is the Vancouver equivalent of Home Depot... We should start that up... The place architecture firms drive to to pick up a few illegal immigrant American laborers...
yeah i think canada got hit less by the recession than the states, the banks there are just more conservative and the systems are better regulated so they didn't have that mortgage meltdown and banks going under etc... interest rates right now are even lower in canada... there is growth there... somebody said canada and brazil are the countries to watch for growth, which is kind of funny...
but keep in mind, the economy did not get hit as hard, but the economy is also much smaller to begin with... there have *never* been as many jobs in canada as in the states... job markets, and the number of firms have never been as high, and while there are cool offices doing great work, they tend to be smaller boutique firms, there are some large corporate offices, but nothing like what they have in the states... more A/E firms than design giants imho... unless you consider Busby (which merged with Perkins Will) to be a giant, but it really isn't, it's just a smaller office that got consumed by them...
There are some other big offices but what is considered mid sized in the states is considered big in canada I think... and canadian firms have laid off as well... i've heard of friends who had changed jobs during the economy... income tax is high... but education and health care are cheap... well health care is basically free... and standard of living is high... cost of living is probably similar to big american cities...
It's an economic indicator of actual wealth per person, takes into account cost of living and inflation, the poverty rate, cost of education and health care...
Elisabeth, that may make a difference if you were paying cash money for knockoff Gucci bags at a Bulgarian flea market. Otherwise the exchange rate between all major world currencies is fairly respected no matter where you go.
Come work in Canada. Jobs for everyone.
This article mentions that Canada is having an opposite problem than US when it comes to architecture.
Canada is suffering from architect shortage. That's right. And they want to make it easier for foreigners to work and live there. So get off your ass and make an igloo themed version of your CV.
Few observations from a Canadian who's lived in the US for the last 8 years:
-None of my Canadian arch. friends are unemployed. They are very busy, and they say the market had a small dip a year ago but is very strong right now.
-Place to look for job postings is not craigslist. Check out each province's arch.association's website (AIBC.ca for british columbia, etc...) Lot's of job postings everywhere.
-Arch. pay is generally slightly lower than the American counterpart (at least back in the boom days) BUT most Canadian firms will either pay you overtime or give you time off for banked hours. Having 5 weeks of vacation for busting your ass is a fair tradeoff IMO.
-Some job postings have disclaimers like: local experience only, or must know local building code really well to be considered. My friends swear to me that this tactic is to keep the asians out (Hong Kong?), and will gladly accept US resumes.
-For all it's worth, I've been applying for jobs in Vancouver for the past 3 months and have not gotten a single call back. It takes time, or maybe I suck. My guess is little bit of both.
In any event, it wouldn't hurt to try to apply. Unless you have a serious phobia of cold weather. Or hate hockey.
Standard part of our job description includes;
Must have knowledge of Igloos, parkas, toques and how to extract maple syrup from a tree.
Skill testing questions include; what kind of tree does maple syrup come from? And what's our national sport.... Its not Hockey!
Can anyone else verify this? Are there any other regions that are doing better than the USA.
would move to canada except alberta or manitoba or any of the northern provinces and thats probably where all the work is...
great! seattle is so close to vancouver...
holz I though of you when I posted this. A lot of the firms looking to hire in Vancouver are doing a lot of wood frame type of construction. You could move up there and start a mini Passivehouse renaissance.
there's already a PH group in BC. i could probably transition pretty easily - and i've worked in metric before. might be worth a shot, even if the wife will balk at it (doesn't want to deal w/ int'l issues if it's less than an hour from the border)
A number of Vancouver firms have a satellite office in Seattle. It's a money loser for them right now, but they are holding on to them in case things ever improve. Getting your foot in the US market can be hard for Canuck arch. companies.
My friend migrated to Canada and is working now there near Dakota border, getting paid fairly well, and amer dollar = can dollar now, plus you get free healthcare and taxes are less...
taxes are less in canada?
i thought taxes were HIGH in canada not usa. we are the socialist country after all while usa is anti-government system....isn't it?
you know to be perfectly honest most canadian cities are within an hour or two of cities in the USA. it isn't such a hardship unless you move to calgary or edmonton, and even then calgary is so close to the mountains and the skiing and there's the chinook, etc. its hardly like moving at all....
Taxes are higher in USA for middle class workers because they have to feed all the poor, and the reach get only like 11% tax, middle class on the other hand pay about 30%, but it doesn't cover our schools and healthcare like it does in Canada.
And we have a lot more poor people to feed on our taxes than Canada!
Interesting theory Zen. May be true in some cases.
Taxes I paid on a middle to upper middle class income in NYC were actually higher than they would have been for the same kind of money in either Ontario or BC. If you are working in TX or WA (No state income tax), Canada starts looking like communist China. Also, Canada has a very high sales tax, and a criminal tariff on booze. The healthcare equals things out a bit though. Most Americans have no idea how much their employer pays for the coverage. If they did, they would realize that taxes don't really differ that much between states and provinces.
When I first moved to US back in '01 I was blown away at how much better my standard of living was here compared to Canada. I didn't even make much, but managed to live very comfortably. That has changed a lot since. The housing/healthcare/education bubbles are really hurting this country. I truly think that Canadian middle class is far better off these days. Minus the beaver attacks that claim 10% of Canadian children each year...
damn flat tails! we shoulda made more tall hats.
pst and gst always kill me when i go back home. where i live now sales tax is 5%, thats it. going back to manitoba is a bit like a slap in the face.
I don't know how to compare to the situation in the US really, but I don't think it's all that peachy in reality.
Friends of mine, most of them recent grads have / had a tough time finding meaningful work. Even cities like Edmonton (which still have strong economies and a ton of infrastructure / government work coming down the chute) aren't exactly easy markets to break into.
I mean, I imagine the Calgarys, Edmontons, Vancouvers, Winnipegs, TO, etc. are doing better than their American equivalents, but sadly that's not really saying much these days.
I'm Gray and Bald....so I think my opportunities are limited for me in Canada....
There is work here and architecturally it's America, which means that Americans will be favoured after Canadians, so yes.
*must like ketchup flavored potato chips
I went up to Montreal a couple of years ago. It was a pretty nice city, I didn't like the cold too much, and the hills + slippery sidewalks = a lot of bruises. But I bet in the summer time its really nice.
Are people working up there? I could see myself living there for a while. I'll even get into curling if it'll help me blend in a little more.
Vancouver could be cool...if only I knew where all the cool kids lived
what are good resources for job hunting in Canada? job boards, forums, associations, etc..
joe, you fail at basic reading comprehension. Perhaps you are not ready to apply for a job anywhere, yet alone Canada. Job resources were covered in the original post.
I understand one's inability to read through the comments before posting random shit. I do not understand posting in a thread while not reading anything past the topic title...
However, outside certain parts - Montreal is a glowing light, the low taxes really show. Much of it is barely livable, really, and in Ontario at
any rate 2/3 of Architects are self-employed with 1/2 employees max..
Correction, 87% apparently, of Architects are self-employed.
"jobs for everyone" just had me. I started foaming at the mouth. you got me. I fail on so many levels, and at so many things, and now I can add the internet architecture forums to that list. thanks for telling me its in the post though. my question was answered before I even asked! neat, eh?
oh, here is a good link to the provincial architecture associations:
http://www.aaa.ab.ca/pages/public/aa_provincial.aspx
cheers!
Joe, that's a better link actually. Thanks!
BTW my post didn't mean to pick on you. It just looks that way. :)
If you are considering this, please note:
-It's probably a good idea to have prior experience in site-planning for canoe and/or snowmobile parking.
-You must also know how to do metric-imperial conversions in your head.
-have knowlege of noting drawings using 'U' and 'RE' in words such as colour, neighbourhood, and centre.
Also I wouldn't recommend coming if you are close to retirement as there is a Government program that started putting seniors out on ice-flows as it's cheaper than housing.
Goddamn imperial measuring system, goddamn asshole who came up with that should be hanged!
What is the Vancouver equivalent of Home Depot... We should start that up... The place architecture firms drive to to pick up a few illegal immigrant American laborers...
Was that insensitive?
look here, for the OAA, ontario's aia basically... toronto should have jobs...
http://www.oaa.on.ca/client/oaa/OAAHome.nsf/web/Employment+Opportunities!OpenDocument
yeah i think canada got hit less by the recession than the states, the banks there are just more conservative and the systems are better regulated so they didn't have that mortgage meltdown and banks going under etc... interest rates right now are even lower in canada... there is growth there... somebody said canada and brazil are the countries to watch for growth, which is kind of funny...
but keep in mind, the economy did not get hit as hard, but the economy is also much smaller to begin with... there have *never* been as many jobs in canada as in the states... job markets, and the number of firms have never been as high, and while there are cool offices doing great work, they tend to be smaller boutique firms, there are some large corporate offices, but nothing like what they have in the states... more A/E firms than design giants imho... unless you consider Busby (which merged with Perkins Will) to be a giant, but it really isn't, it's just a smaller office that got consumed by them...
There are some other big offices but what is considered mid sized in the states is considered big in canada I think... and canadian firms have laid off as well... i've heard of friends who had changed jobs during the economy... income tax is high... but education and health care are cheap... well health care is basically free... and standard of living is high... cost of living is probably similar to big american cities...
"Standard of Living"..another great seventies measure of, what exactly?
It's an economic indicator of actual wealth per person, takes into account cost of living and inflation, the poverty rate, cost of education and health care...
Whatever you do, don't go to Beijing.
Recent air quality reports by the US embassy ran out of conventional adjectives to describe it, so they gad to use the term "crazy bad".
oops. wrong thread.
Does it take into account the relative value of currencies, I wonder, generally the Canadian dollar tends not to be worth much internationally.
Elisabeth, that may make a difference if you were paying cash money for knockoff Gucci bags at a Bulgarian flea market. Otherwise the exchange rate between all major world currencies is fairly respected no matter where you go.
ahhh canadian accents. run. hide. no thanks.
and i heard the girls up there are busted so it must be true.
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