We are currently based in Mumbai, India. My husband is a senior technical writer and has 9 to 10 years of experience in the field of technical writing primarily in the IT sector. I am a housewife and we have a 5 year old son. My husband is a qualified Bachelor of Engineering and I am a Masters in Business Administration and have just taken a break from work.

We would like to consider Canada for immigration. We need to know:
- Can my husband get a job before we land in Canada if we already have the immigration visa?
- Would he need to do a certication or is his Indian qualification and experience considered?
- What is the job scene in Canada for senior technical writers?
- My husbands sister is a Canadian citizen, will that help?

Thanks.

You have no chance of Immigration...just stay in India....

Hi Achi Shetty,
Canadian immigration web site can be a good start: http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/index.asp
Engineering is a regulated profession in canada, but IT is not I am not sure about the job prospects for Sr. Technial writer, but for sure here in Canada IT is not as booming as india, I hope someone can add more.
Goodluck.

Hi Achi,

I am a Technical Writer. I worked in a Global Indian MNC for a few years. I was sent on a project to USA and I moved to Canada from there. I have lived in Canada for over 3 years and I believe it is a good place to live!

The career opportunities are less but the point to remember is that the competition is less too! Obviously, you won't find companies like Infosys, TCS, Wipro etc since population is less here. However, you will find many product companies here that are much smaller, have a flat organization structure and are stable.

Now answers to your questions:

- Can my husband get a job before we land in Canada if we already have the immigration visa?

No. I have tried this and it is impossible. I have tried this from India as well as from USA (same timezone), but employers here insist on a personal interview. Remote recruitment may be true for programmers, but for Technical Writers, they seem to want a personal interview.

- Would he need to do a certication or is his Indian qualification and experience considered?

Indian qualification and experience is valued here (if the type of work done, tools, domain etc is same). However, the quality of work (clients, products, domains etc matter most).

- What is the job scene in Canada for senior technical writers?

Check Monster.ca and craigslist.org for the location where you plan to land. It depends on the location.

- My husbands sister is a Canadian citizen, will that help?

It has no relation to your coming here. However, you can get some initial support when you land and till you find a good job or a contract.


Do you already have an Immigration Visa?

Canadian immigration has just changed laws and IT occupations are no longer in the list. There is an annual cap. Please check http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/immigrate/skilled/apply-who-instructions.asp

They are also shutting the special work visa for designers and software developers wef 30 september so apply soon. Here's the info:
http://www.rhdcc-hrsdc.gc.ca/eng/workplaceskills/foreign_workers/communications/ITendNotice.shtml

1st Oct onwards, the hiring company will have to get an LMO i.e prove that no local with same skill was available in Canada and hence the need a foreigner I.e you. This will be very hard to prove.

Hope this helps.

VL

Thanks to all of you for your replies! Appreciate esp the last reply by the technical writer. This is so much information. Yes we are doing pretty well in India, we just thought of Canada as an alternative as my husbands family is based in Canada and US. But judging from all ur replies we are better off here! Thanks again people for your honest and helpful replies. Warm regards.

I know I sounded a little blunt in my previous reply, but honestly people don't realize that the place is not like what people assume from back home.
It's not the case that companies are waiting here for hiring all the immigrants who have just landed....it's is a struggle for atleast the first couple of years....there might be exceptions...
if you are ready for that ...you are more than welcome...

Lets also not forget, 'All that glitters is not gold'