If you’re considering relocating to Vancouver, your very first concern should be getting a visa. There will be plenty of time later to think about the job market, find a place to live or look for a school for your kids.

Don’t assume getting a Canadian visa is a mere formality. The process is often lengthy, admissibility criteria are getting increasingly restrictive, and quotas apply for each visa category.

In other words, you need to do your homework, and do it well ahead of your planned relocation date.

Where can you find the information you need?

The only fully reliable and up-to-date source for immigration matters is the government. You can either talk to the nearest Canadian embassy / consulate, or visit the official Immigration Canada website.

There is a whole range of visas you can apply for, depending on your age, your professional profile, and your relocation goals. Only a specialist can advise you on the best visa category to apply under.

Don’t rely on second-hand information, even if people seem to know what they’re talking about. It doesn’t matter how quickly your neighbour’s son got his visa last year – what you need to find out is how long it’ll take to get your own application processed.

What if you don’t have a visa?

Many foreigners don’t need a visa to get into Canada. However, without a proper visa or work permit, you’ll be considered a tourist. This means you can only stay in the country for 6 months maximum, and you will not be allowed to work.

If you’re planning on working or becoming a resident, you absolutely need a visa or work permit. There is no way around this.

It is your responsibility to make sure you can get a visa before making any significant commitment, such as renting a place or accepting a job in Canada.

As for landing in Vancouver as a tourist in the hopes that things will work themselves out… that’s really chancing it. I can only advise against such a risky tactic, as it could have serious consequences for you and your potential employer.

Emmanuelle

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Image by Nick 1297, via Flickr Creative Commons

Emmanuelle

Potlucks are fantastic. Everyone makes enough food for a small army, you end up with 7 cheese platters and 6 different desserts… life is good.

However, if this is your first time bringing food to a Canadian party, there are a few do’s and don’ts to keep in mind – after all, you don’t want to be “that guy” who brought the weird dish, do you?

What to bring?

- Dips and raw vegetables (cauliflower, broccoli and baby carrots), spreads and crackers, salads, cold cuts, cheese and fruit platters, desserts.

- If you’re going to a barbecue, bring a side dish to share, plus anything you’d like to throw on the grill: meat, sausages, salmon – or vegetables and tofu if you don’t eat meat.

- Vancouverites love ethnic food, so why not make a typical dish from your country? Pick something mild, as not everyone is used to spicy or pungent foods… and some people really hate garlic, as I learned the first time I brought Provençal food to a party…

Potluck etiquette

- Ask your hosts if there’s anything they’d like you to bring.

- Potlucks and barbecues are very informal. Dress casually. You don’t have to bring flowers or a hostess gift, but a thank-you email or phone call the next day is always appreciated.

- There are always leftovers at a potluck party. Don’t be surprised if your host offers you to take some home. (Yes, it’s OK to have leftover cake for breakfast. I won’t tell anyone.)

Potent potables

- BYOB means “bring your own bottle”. Even if the invitation doesn’t mention this, you’re expected to bring something to drink in addition to your potluck dish.

- If you bring a bottle of wine, it will usually be shared, or left open on the table for other guests to help themselves. Beers on the other hand tend to remain the propery of the person who brought them – don’t ask me why, this is the Great Unspoken Rule of Canadian parties…

- Most guests will bring alcohol, but you don’t have to. A couple of bottles of juice or mineral water would be great too – few people think of bringing them, and everyone ends up thirsty!

Allergies and sensitivities

- Be aware that many Canadians have food allergies or sensitivities. Eggs, dairy, seafood, and peanuts are the most common culprits.

- Let people know in advance if your dish has these ingredients in it. To be on the safe side, I avoid nuts altogether in potluck dishes, as these allergies can be severe.

Last but not least…

- Even at an outdoor event, don’t smoke without asking first, and avoid wearing strong perfume. People around you may be more sensitive to cigarette smoke or strong scents than you realize.

- Finally, don’t forget that Canadians dine early – don’t show up at 9:00 pm expecting the barbecue to be still in full swing, unless you don’t mind being the only one eating…

Happy Canada Day! (ahem… looks like the barbecue will be indoors this year, unless the rain stops soon…)

Emmanuelle

Image by reutC, via Flickr Creative Commons

This article from the excellent Matador Network touches on the same subject. Be sure to read the comments, as they add a lot to the discussion.

I find that Vancouver has a lot to offer to both extroverts and introverts.

The laid-back atmosphere and the huge numbers of fellow foreigners should give the outgoing folks plenty of opportunities to strike random conversations with strangers.

And what’s not to like about a city where even cab and bus drivers will go out of their way to be helpful and answer your questions?

But Vancouverites can be reserved, too. People generally mind their own business. They don’t pry and they don’t stare at passersby.

For a city its size, Vancouver strikes me as a very gentle kind of place. The pace is unhurried, and there’s enough room for everyone to be who they are and do their own thing.

And then of course there’s the serene, majestic beauty of the landscape, which to me is like instant meditation.

I can’t think of a better place to get lost in your own thoughts, sitting on a log on the beach with a good book, or journalling about your day by the bamboo grove in Dr. Sun Yat-sen Park.

Emmanuelle

PS: Falling squarely in the middle of the extrovert/introvert spectrum myself, I had never realized how many introverts felt pressured to become more extroverted. Is that something you’ve ever experienced personally? How do you cope with that kind of social pressure?

Image: Tofino, author’s own picture

If the lack of spring weather is getting to you, remember to stay active.

Exercising and getting enough natural light – even when it’s grey out – are the best ways to shake off the winter blahs. So go for a bike ride in Stanley Park, a long walk on Kitsilano beach, or a nice (indoor !) swim at the Aquatic Centre on Beach Avenue.

Need a longer break somewhere sunny?

Do like the Canadians, and book a vacation down in Mexico or Cuba, two favourite destinations for the sun-starved Vancouverites. All-inclusive stays in a beach resort can be pretty inexpensive, and you will soak up enough sun rays (not to mention fruity drinks) to recharge your batteries within a week.

Last-minute update: the Cuban government has just made health insurance mandatory for all foreign tourists. According to the new rules, your insurance policy will only be accepted if it covers medical evacuation by air, which means that MSP (BC health insurance) coverage isn’t enough. Ask your travel agent what additional coverage is available for your trip – if you travel abroad, you should have travel insurance anyway.

Have fun, and don’t forget the sunscreen!

Emmanuelle

Image by eNil, via Flickr Creative Commons

When you first moved to a new country, what were the top 3 things that helped you the most to settle down and adapt to your new life?

Most of the answers given by LinkedIn users revolved around 3 themes:

- The practical stuff: utilities, paperwork, finding a permanent place to live
- Doing your homework: getting the lay of the land and learning about your new country
- Making new friends, and finding people you can learn from

My Top 3 would be:

1. Getting my bearings as soon as possible
2. Exploring the city on foot
3. Learning where / how the locals socialize… and joining them!

What about you?
If you had to move on to a new country tomorrow, what would be most useful for you to do or know about?

Please share your own Top 3 in the comments!

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Emmanuelle

Images by NickPiggott (top) and johnbullas (bottom), via Flickr Creative Commons

Simply put, your contingency plan tells you what to do when things go wrong. It’s not about preventing things from going wrong – it’s about coming up with a strategy to deal with big bumps in the road, as efficiently and as painlessly as possible.

What to plan for

You want to plan for events that are concrete, life-changing, and relatively likely to happen.

Ask yourself, “What if happened? What would I do?” Jot down the steps you would take to deal with the situation, and keep this list somewhere safe, yet accessible (in case other people need to refer to it).

Start with what scares you most – we all have one thing that we’re almost irrationally worried about, be it getting ripped off by a business partner or becoming physically disabled. There’s nothing like a concrete plan to give you peace of mind, so address your biggest concern first, even if it’s unsettling to think about it.

There’s no such thing as a one-size-fits-all contingency plan. You know the risks you’re exposed to far better than I do. Generally speaking, though, there are a few broad categories that you may want to consider:

- Health concerns: What would happen if you got sick and were unable to work, either temporarily or permanently?

- Visa issues: Is there a possibility that your visa may not be renewed? If you’re an accompanying partner, could you lose your visa if your partner loses his or her job?

- Events beyond your control: Do you know what to do in case of a natural disaster? Depending on where you live, could political instability, general strikes or major construction and roadwork disrupt your business?

- Family issues: What if your parents need you back home due to an illness or accident? What will you do if your children or your partner are unable to cope with life abroad?

- Business issues: How would you cope with losing a key employee or business partner? What would happen should a customer sue you? Is your business overly dependent on a single client or supplier?

What not to plan for

Remember that you’re not planning for failure. If you develop a contingency plan around what happens if your business fails, you’re basically making it safe to fail. I don’t need to tell you what that does to your motivation and your drive to succeed.

I know some of us are more prone to worrying than others (hi, mom!), but don’t go overboard. You’re not writing the script for the next doomsday blockbuster movie, so please don’t waste time planning for events that are unlikely to happen – as scary as they might sound.

Only you know where to draw the line. Political unrest or armed conflict may be a possibility where you live, whereas it’s very unlikely to affect me here in Vancouver, BC. On the other hand, I live in an active seismic zone, so I do need to figure out what I’d do if a major earthquake were to hit the Pacific Northwest tomorrow.

So, yeah, it’s safe not to develop contingency plans in case of an alien invasion or vampire infestation – try to figure out how to market your products to them instead… 

How to create a useful, solid plan

You want to find a happy medium between half-baked strategies and obsessive planning.

Half-baked strategies are way too vague to be helpful. A perfect example is “Oh, if it doesn’t work out, I’ll just go back home.” You can see how this doesn’t get you any closer to having an actual plan. Too many key questions are left unanswered.

How long will it take you to wrap up your life in your home country? Will you need to sell your house, your car, your business? How will you go about it? How will you pay for your move? Once you’re back in your home country, where will you live? How will you earn a living?

You need to outline the critical steps and resources needed, and figure out how you would make it all happen if you had to. If you need to take concrete action, such as building up emergency savings or writing your living will, don’t procrastinate. Take care of it today, and get it out of the way.

Don’t try and plan everything down to the last detail, though. That’s just a waste of time. If an action step doesn’t require advance planning, leave it for when – or more accurately, if – you do need to worry about it.

Decide on a strategy, nail down the essential details, make a list that you keep in a safe place – and you’re done!

Give yourself a pat on the back and breathe a sigh of relief. Now that you’ve created a solid contingency plan, you can let go of your biggest fears, and go back to growing a successful business.

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Emmanuelle

Image by ArielAmanda via Flickr Creative Commons

Figuring out what to do with your company when you no longer can or want to work in it is a key piece of your strategic planning. It’s also one of the most easily overlooked.

Put your mind at ease

I guess it’s like buying life insurance: we don’t like to think about it too much, so we procrastinate until it’s too late, or until we have to scramble to make the necessary arrangements at the last minute.

But like life insurance, it’s much better to take care of your exit plan once and for all. Get that out of the way, and then you can go back to fully focusing on growing your business.

Plan with the end in mind

Although it may seem counterintuitive, planning with the end in mind from the very beginning ensures that your whole strategy is aligned with your end goal. The nature of that goal will depend on your personality, your ambitions and your aspirations.

You basically have three exit strategies:
- Dissolving your business
- Selling it once it reaches a certain size, or revenue, or profitability level, …
- Selling it when you retire

Structure your business accordingly

If you’re comfortable with the idea of simply dissolving your company once you’re done with it, then you can run it pretty much the way you want. You can operate under your own name or under a simplified structure such as a sole proprietorship.

Conversely, selling your company can be part and parcel of your overall business strategy. If you are a “serial entrepreneur”, or just someone who enjoys a change of pace every now and then, it makes sense to structure your business so that you can easily sell it down the road.

In this case, you will want to create an incorporated company with a strong branding, a solid client base and well-documented processes. What can you do to build a business that will appeal to buyers when it’s time to sell?

If your goal is to create a legacy, you may want to find a local buyer or a partner to continue your business. Or you may want to pass your company on to your children when you retire. Does this mean that you need to start training someone now? Where can you find a suitable partner or prospective buyer?

Taxes, lawyers and other fun stuff

Don’t forget to take the legal and fiscal aspects into account. The amount of red tape involved in transferring your company (or even dissolving it) may vary widely depending on your host country. It’s well worth consulting with a business advisor, a lawyer and/or an accountant early on, so that you know exactly what to watch out for.

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Emmanuelle

Images via Storm Crypt (top) and peminumkopi (bottom), via Flickr Creative Commons

You’re eager to get a head start on your job search before moving to Vancouver, but you’re not sure how to go about it. Is it even doable to look for a job when you’re not in the country? Argh – so overwhelming!

You may not be able to get a firm job offer before leaving, but if you follow this two-part strategy, you’ll be much closer to landing the position of your dreams soon after you get here.

Before you move

Realistically assess your job prospects

Realistically is the key word. Your credentials and your professional skills may be highly respected and in high demand in your home country, yet that won’t necessarily make you employable in Vancouver.

The first step is to check if your occupation is a regulated profession in Canada.

If it is, getting your foreign credentials recognised is sometimes possible, but it’ll be a long hard slog and you’ll need a way to support yourself in the meantime.

Is Vancouver a good fit for your skills?

Most jobs here are in retail, tourism/hospitality, and a few specialised fields such as video game development, construction/real estate, or the movie industry. There is a financial district downtown, where some banks, accounting and law firms have their regional operations.

However, the bulk of job openings comes from small and medium businesses. This means that you can’t limit your job search to the biggest local companies. You need to define precisely what you want to do, and target the most dynamic organisations – big or small – in your field.

It also means that if you’ve always had typical corporate jobs (like middle management, HR, marketing, etc), you’re going to have to be a little creative, because there aren’t many headquarters and big corporations around here.

Have a clear job search strategy

You must be extremely clear on what you’re trying to achieve by coming to BC, in order to make the right professional moves:

• What are your career goals? What about your life goals? How committed are you to living in Vancouver?
• Does your visa restrict you from taking certain jobs? How long does it allow you to stay?
• What do you have to offer local employers?
• How long are you willing to remain unemployed, or to stay in an entry-level job just to pay the bills?

Make as many local contacts as you can

Relocating abroad has become ten times easier since internet became widespread. Social media in particular is a godsend for us expats. So get online, and make all the local connections you’re going to need.

Vancouver bloggers can answer your questions about life here. LinkedIn. Biznik and Twitter contacts can help you with your job search. Expat forums and online networks will provide tips, moral support and links to useful resources on pretty much any subject imaginable.

Once you arrive in Vancouver

Send applications, but don’t stop there

You can visit this page for links to the main job listing sites in Vancouver. However, this is not the only way to find a job here – or even the best way, in my opinion.
Send applications if an ad catches your eye, but don’t use that as an excuse not to get out there and network.

Network. Every single day

It doesn’t matter if you do it online or in person (although face to face is certainly preferable), but you must make an effort to meet new people every day. Go to events, volunteer, join a club – allow yourself to have fun in the process… no one ever said that looking for a job had to be boring!

Now is the time to call on the contacts you made before leaving – let them know you’ve arrived, and that you’re looking for a specific kind of job.

Ask for referrals and introductions. Set up informational interviews. Get your name out there. The more visible you are, the better.

Build a support network

As we all know, looking for a job can be hard and scary. Especially when you’re doing it in an unfamiliar environment, far away from your friends and your family.

It will make your life much easier if you surround yourself with like-minded people who understand what you’re going through. Namely, fellow expats who are new in town and looking for a job.

Being a city of immigrants, Vancouver has plenty of expat clubs that can provide fellowship and moral support. I coordinate monthly get-togethers for newcomers from all over the world via the expat network InterNations.org. You can also try Meetup.com, one of the BC Newcomers Clubs, or do a Google search to see if your community has a cultural centre in Vancouver.

Was this post helpful? Do you need more personalized job search advice? Contact me to schedule a one-on-one consultation.

Emmanuelle

Images via Duane Storey (top) and svacher (bottom), via Flickr Creative Commons

Since other expats (you, maybe?) may have similar questions, I have decided to compile a little FAQ over a few posts, and to put said posts up permanently somewhere on the website for easy reference.

All right – let’s rock and roll! For starters, here are a few things you need to know about Vancouver.

Is Vancouver really such a great place to live?

In a nutshell: yes, yes and oh yes!
Vancouver consistently ranks among the best places to live in the world, and with good reason.

- Natural beauty
Vancouver is a stunningly beautiful city. The landscapes and the greenery are so arresting that they’re part and parcel of the quality of life here.

The many beaches, hiking trails, provincial parks and ski resorts minutes away from downtown are a nice perk too.

- Quality of life
You’ll find all the amenities of big-city life here, without the rush and crowds of your typical major city.
Vancouver is clean, easy to navigate, and very safe for a city its size – a definite plus if you’re a woman.

- Diversity and tolerance
40% of Vancouverites were born outside of Canada, so you’ll feel right at home among other expats.
Tolerance is a fundamental Canadian value, and you’ll fit in no matter what your skin colour, your religion or your sexual orientation.
And of course, you’ll get to enjoy the fantastic food and captivating celebrations that come with such ethnic diversity.

What Vancouver isn’t

- An Eldorado for young professionals
You don’t come to Vancouver to build up your savings, or to advance your corporate career. Rents and real estate are very expensive, and there are comparatively few “good jobs” to be had (most corporate headquarters for Western Canada are in Calgary, not Vancouver).
It’s not a bad place to start your own business, though, especially if you’re building a location-independent career.

- A nightlife hotspot
My friend Melanie summed it up perfectly in our recent interview: Vancouver is a great place to raise children, but if you’re young, single and wanting to party, keep looking. Early closing times, antiquated liquor bylaws, and a focus on outdoor activities translate into a lacklustre nightclub scene.

- Sunny
While Vancouver weather is ridiculously mild by Canadian standards, it does rain an awful lot here. If you suffer from SAD, that’s definitely a concern.
On the other hand, if you want to live in Canada but extreme temperatures aren’t your thing, coastal BC is just what you need!

Do you have other questions about what it’s like to live in Vancouver, BC? Leave a comment or send me an email!

Was this post helpful? Do you need more personalized relocation advice? Contact me to schedule a one-on-one consultation.

Emmanuelle

Images by Road Fun (top) and janusz I (bottom), both via Flickr Creative Commons

What is a brand, really?

My favourite definition of a brand is that it’s a promise of consistency that you make to your clients – in other words, when they see your brand, they know what to expect.

When you’re just starting out, potential clients don’t have many ways to know what you’re all about. They haven’t dealt with you before. They haven’t heard anything – good or bad – via word of mouth.

It’s up to you to earn their trust, show them that they’re in good hands, and swing them in your favour.

What is your brand?

What do you want your potential clients to take away from your website? What kind of flavour do you want to add to their interaction with your company (yes, flavour – no one wants bland)?

As an expat, being a foreigner will likely be part of your brand. How big of a part is entirely up to you.

If your nationality actually enhances your professional credibility – you’re an Italian fashion designer, a French pastry chef, or an American fitness trainer – by all means let the world know about it! Likewise, if you work with fellow expats or location-independent professionals, be sure to emphasize that you have a global mindset yourself.

On the other end of the spectrum, your background may only play a minimal role in your brand – for instance if you feel so completely at home in your host country that you don’t identify as an expat anymore.

In that case, you can take one of your personality traits, or even one of your quirks, and make it the focus of your brand – the more distinctive, the better.

Whatever you do, create a brand that truly reflects who you are and how you work. Don’t try too hard to be “cool”, or “super-efficient”, or “a mover and shaker”. I guarantee you there’s room for everyone in this world, so be genuine.

The marketing sin you don’t want to commit

One marketing sin destroys trust faster than you can blink: inconsistency.

The last thing potential clients want is to visit your minimalist, elegantly laid-out website, then come back a week later, only to be assaulted by jarring colours, pop-up windows and hard-sell copy full of yellow highlighter.

OK, that was an extreme example, but you understand what I mean. You can’t promise clients high-quality, premium products and have a two-bit logo that you made with one of those online generators. You cannot emphasize your attention to detail in your About Me page, and have a website full of dead links and typos.

Everything – from your visual identity, to your website content, to the personal information you reveal on Twitter – has to work together to provide a coherent experience for your clients.

When this experience is consistent over time, you have a brand.

At least that’s how I see it – what’s your take on the subject?

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Emmanuelle

Images via internetmarketing101.org (top) and Iain Tait (bottom), via Flickr Creative Commons