Hiya,
Depressed southern neighbor here looking for some advice. I’m sure you can guess where I’m going with this, so let’s not mince words: what’s some advice on getting to the Vancouver area, obtaining a visa, and a job, etc.? I’m not really looking for nitty gritty details on legal processes and what not, I can find that info documented in various places online (unless you just have a really good link chocked full of info for me). I’m more so looking for some insight from the denizens of the area that know it well.
I’m a millenial that’s been in tech my whole life. I know it’s a massive field, but because I’ve been on linux terminals since I was a wee lad I know how to do… well almost everything that has a job title for it and even at an older age I can pickup new languages and systems with relative ease. Besides that, I’m also an electrician, mechanic, and musician. I’ve been loosely looking for jobs, but so far what I’ve seen seems to be in the city and I need to refine my search. I generally prefer to be closer to the forest, or the mountains (glacier snowboarding is on my bucket list, before they all melt), but I wouldn’t turn down the city if it came down to that.
What are some not-so-populated areas of the west coast that still have at least a semblance of infrastructure? I don’t really care about nightlife, I just want to do tech things and mind my own business without everything that’s happening around me right now (I’m currently in the epicenter of the southern maga dipshits).
I’m curious, too… what’s the temperature like as far as Canadians accepting educated, healthy, non-fascist US citizens? In other words, do you think there might be some bias against me just because of where I currently reside? Take note how I don’t call myself American, because my ancestry is not indigenous to this land. I just happened to be born here.
Any advice on places to checkout/avoid, companies to checkout/avoid, etc. would be awesome and I appreciate it.
And just in case it’s a requirement, you should also know that I put a spoonful of Maple Syrup in my coffee every morning, nothing else. It’s a magical thing! Started doing that many moons ago and I’ll never take coffee any other way now.
ETA: After a couple of comments and staring at the map, I probably should have said British Columbia rather than specifying Vancouver, that’s my bad. Seems to me like the remote areas up there may be more my speed.
There is nothing on the west coast except for vancouver and victoria. I am a linux admin in victoria. One of the most expensive places in the entire world. It’s nearly impossible to get a job here even as a born in victoria person but pm me and I will help you the best I can.
Also vancouver island is extremely xenophobic to newcomers just before you get your hopes up.
I think Kamloops is pretty underrated and might be a better stepping stone.
Avoid Kelowna.
Prince Rupert is depressing but incredibly beautiful and the port is a good source of jobs.
Prince george is great but if you aren’t straight and white or asian I wouldn’t really recommend it.
You may want to look into edmonton because it’s one of the last places in the country where housing is reasonable. But it’s not for the faint of heart.
On the topic of temperature, the only nice weather in the entire country is southern vancouver island. Vancouver is ok but it’s wet. It’s cold in the rest of canada.
Maple syrup in coffee? Bro that’s unhinged lmao
lmao, I replied way too fast! Thanks again for the other infos.
I meant more the temperature of how I would be received. I absolutely love cold and shoveling snow, weirdly enough. Lived in Vermont for almost 10 years.
Don’t knock it 'til you try it! Gotta be black coffee though, no other sweeteners or cream.
Where are you from? Vancouver would be warmer in the winter compared to Vermont.
I was born in southern US (Georgia), but I’ve traveled around a lot and lived in almost every climate (I was in a School Bus for a while, floating between national parks and forests). Vermont was definitely the coldest, but Texas surprised me one year.
Anywhere in BC except for east of the rockies and the northeast you would have no issues I think
Damn, that’s rough to hear! I appreciate it, though. PM inbound.