Getting a job in Europe from Canada

Hi guys,

I'm currently consulting in Canada, working mainly with .Net + SQl/Oracle back end. I have about 6 years of experience. I'd love to go to work in Europe for a couple of years. What are the chances of getting a job there while still working in Canada. Has anyone done it? Thanks for any advise/info.

Boris Bergman
Friday, April 2, 2004

Perhaps it matters whether or not you're a EU citizen (if not there there are presumably visa/work permit issues; or perhaps you want to work as an independent, international business/contractor instead of as an employee).

I expect it can also matter what languages you know (French, German, ...).

I did it by finding a job while on holiday there, but I'm also an EU citizen.

Christopher Wells
Friday, April 2, 2004

I'm a canadian citizen and speak English.

Boris Bergman
Friday, April 2, 2004

Boris, there is Burger Kings in Europe, I always wanted to work McDonalds to get some international experience. Lets switch ;)

Flipper
Friday, April 2, 2004

"I'm a canadian citizen and speak English. "

Wow! that's a lot of information you are disclosing. Watch out dude!

Cosmo Kramer
Friday, April 2, 2004

Being a commonwealth citizen, if you are under 30 you can get a working holiday visa in the UK, which lasts two years.

See www.ukvisas.gov.uk and search for working holiday visa.

Rhys Keepence
Friday, April 2, 2004

It will probably be pretty difficult. Anyone wanting to interview you will have to pay the air fare over for you, and in the current economic situation there would have to be a pretty compelling reason to do that (like, you are one of the top 'n' people in the worldat what you do, where 'n' is a very small number).

Saturday, April 3, 2004

The working holiday visa is what a lot of Aussies, Kiwis and Saffas in the UK are on.

Recent changes allow you to work for the full two years in the UK in any profession.

The best thing is that you get the visa, and you are not tied to any employer. A normal work visa on the other hand requires you to first have a job offer, and the employer has to jump through hoops to justify why they hired a foreigner. That and the fact that the normal work visa ties you to the employer makes the working holiday visa appealing as a way to sus out the country/jobs/companies.

The only caveat is that there is an age limit.... I think it is now 30. (check link above)

Ireland also has a working holiday visa scheme, although I think it is only for one year. Irish music, women, Guinness and the booming tech sector would make it an ideal first choice.

Another potential visa is the ancestory which you can apply for if any of your grandparents was British. Valid for 4 yrs (I think) and after that you can apply for British passport.

Tapiwa
Saturday, April 3, 2004

Like " " said, get yourself over here first and then hunt for a job. The hiring cycle is normally too quick to be currently-living-abroad friendly. Especially so if you will need a work permit.

One more visa type is the highly skilled professional. Don't think it ties you to an employer, and I think you can get it without a secured job offer.

Tapiwa
Saturday, April 3, 2004

Is one of your parents a British subject?  If so, then you are entitled to a UK passport, at which point you can work in the EU.

David Jones
Saturday, April 3, 2004

Check out HSMP visas for UK (Highly Skilled Migrants Program). You can apply for one if you're under 28 and, obviously, highly skilled.

Vlad Gudim
Monday, April 5, 2004

"Ireland also has a working holiday visa scheme, although I think it is only for one year. Irish music, women, Guinness and the booming tech sector would make it an ideal first choice."

--- you obviously don't live here :) Having moved here from Canada myself, there's quite a few things you need to get used to, and it can be a real PITA for the first three months or so.

jedidjab79
Monday, April 5, 2004

I believe the quickest solution would be to move to Rumania and get fast-tracked. ;-)

cr
Thursday, April 8, 2004

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