BUNAC Work Canada
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Original post by ChrisBan
Original post by ChrisBan
Cool! How long did you stay there? I more than likely will take up the BUNAC flight option, just because I'd prefer to get to know some people before landing in Toronto! I've been looking forward to next month (fingers crossed) for just over a year now, and then only need to save up for a few months and get over tehre!
9 weeks
Have a great time!
I've actually decided to return home in a few days, Vancouver is beautiful but the job market is hard and I just miss my family a lot! I would not recommend coming here unless you have a lot of money you don't mind spending and a plan/preorganised job. It's a beautiful place if you're not on your own!
Original post by Lasuil
I've actually decided to return home in a few days, Vancouver is beautiful but the job market is hard and I just miss my family a lot! I would not recommend coming here unless you have a lot of money you don't mind spending and a plan/preorganised job. It's a beautiful place if you're not on your own!
Aww no thats a shame... sorry to hear that!
Original post by Lasuil
I've actually decided to return home in a few days, Vancouver is beautiful but the job market is hard and I just miss my family a lot! I would not recommend coming here unless you have a lot of money you don't mind spending and a plan/preorganised job. It's a beautiful place if you're not on your own!
Sorry to hear that. I'm worried about not having enough money to last until I find a job and being short for rent and things. I don't see myself having a prearranged job.
Anyone going to apply straight to the embassy and not through Bunac now you can apply through the embassy too? I'm going to wait until the website has more information on applying and then see.
Original post by shoegirl
Sorry to hear that. I'm worried about not having enough money to last until I find a job and being short for rent and things. I don't see myself having a prearranged job.
Anyone going to apply straight to the embassy and not through Bunac now you can apply through the embassy too? I'm going to wait until the website has more information on applying and then see.
Anyone going to apply straight to the embassy and not through Bunac now you can apply through the embassy too? I'm going to wait until the website has more information on applying and then see.
Ohh bloody typical... I bet you they've changed it so you have to be a student... none of this within 12 months of graduating and you still count as a student. Meaning I'd have to take up the non-student one
And that would just be my luck that they do that. It will be interesting to see what differences there are between the two, the BUNAC route and High Commision route... application directly to Canadian High Commision opens 18th January(edited 13 years ago)
Original post by Lasuil
I've actually decided to return home in a few days, Vancouver is beautiful but the job market is hard and I just miss my family a lot! I would not recommend coming here unless you have a lot of money you don't mind spending and a plan/preorganised job. It's a beautiful place if you're not on your own!
What sector were you trying to land a job in?
Original post by Kevin J
What sector were you trying to land a job in?
just retail. Retail here is a lot more formal and pushy than in the UK. No matter, Canada is beautiful and I've had fun
but time to go home!I was in Toronto rather than Vancouver but found the market fine there. Took me about 3 weeks to find work. I applied for lots and didn't have any responses in the first week or so, so took my resume (what Canadians call CVs) into the swap office who helped me redesign it a bit so it was more suited to Canada. I managed to get work with an agency after 3 weeks and then found a permanent job in a book shop about a week or so after that.
I would recommend making the absolute most of swap as I found the office very useful in terms of finding jobs and accommodation too. If you're looking for some work to get you started then do sign up with the agencies, eg. Kelly Sevices, Human Power etc. A couple of friends I met out there found work this way too.
Sorry to hear you had to go home. But you're right - Canada is a beautiful country!
I would recommend making the absolute most of swap as I found the office very useful in terms of finding jobs and accommodation too. If you're looking for some work to get you started then do sign up with the agencies, eg. Kelly Sevices, Human Power etc. A couple of friends I met out there found work this way too.
Sorry to hear you had to go home. But you're right - Canada is a beautiful country!
Original post by Brown56
I was in Toronto rather than Vancouver but found the market fine there. Took me about 3 weeks to find work. I applied for lots and didn't have any responses in the first week or so, so took my resume (what Canadians call CVs) into the swap office who helped me redesign it a bit so it was more suited to Canada. I managed to get work with an agency after 3 weeks and then found a permanent job in a book shop about a week or so after that.
I would recommend making the absolute most of swap as I found the office very useful in terms of finding jobs and accommodation too. If you're looking for some work to get you started then do sign up with the agencies, eg. Kelly Sevices, Human Power etc. A couple of friends I met out there found work this way too.
Sorry to hear you had to go home. But you're right - Canada is a beautiful country!
I would recommend making the absolute most of swap as I found the office very useful in terms of finding jobs and accommodation too. If you're looking for some work to get you started then do sign up with the agencies, eg. Kelly Sevices, Human Power etc. A couple of friends I met out there found work this way too.
Sorry to hear you had to go home. But you're right - Canada is a beautiful country!
The Canadian government are changing the application process this year... from my understanding you will now be able to skip past BUNAC (although I'm not sure whether this will be completely or not i.e. whether you still need BUNAC as a sponsor organisation) and apply directly to the Canadian High Commission. In your opinion are SWAP worth paying for the BUNAC route in the event that these changes could result in not needing BUNAC... if that makes sense?
Original post by ChrisBan
The Canadian government are changing the application process this year... from my understanding you will now be able to skip past BUNAC (although I'm not sure whether this will be completely or not i.e. whether you still need BUNAC as a sponsor organisation) and apply directly to the Canadian High Commission. In your opinion are SWAP worth paying for the BUNAC route in the event that these changes could result in not needing BUNAC... if that makes sense?
I've been wondering about this too. Worried about going over with no 'help' and not being able to find any work but not sure if it's worth paying more.
Original post by shoegirl
I've been wondering about this too. Worried about going over with no 'help' and not being able to find any work but not sure if it's worth paying more.
Well the job hunting is still down to you, they just provide a directory and a few other services. In all likelyhood we will still need to have BUNAC as the sponsor organisation. Don't get me wrong... I think what BUNAC offer and do is great. Its just that potential to save a further £200. I'd probably do the BUNAC group flight too and thats usually about £200 more expensive than going it alone, so the appealing aspect of it is the potential to save an extra £400 that could go on a months rent for example.
Hello fellow Bunac-ers! 
Thought I'd check this thread again to see what's going on. Has the application thing opened for this year yet??
I've applied to Ineos in Alberta to see if they have vacancies but they're a tiny branch over there. They're sending my CV to NOVA Chemicals cos that's a bigger company they're sort of friends with, but if that doesn't work I've got some websites from the careers people I can put my CV on for Canadian employers to see. I think I'd rather find a job in Toronto or Vancouver tbh, just to be near the Bunac offices, the events they organise, and to be sure I'd have all the conveniences you get living in a city. But then I'm not going to be too fussy; anywhere that needs a chemist would be good!
How's everyone doing?
Thought I'd check this thread again to see what's going on. Has the application thing opened for this year yet??I've applied to Ineos in Alberta to see if they have vacancies but they're a tiny branch over there. They're sending my CV to NOVA Chemicals cos that's a bigger company they're sort of friends with, but if that doesn't work I've got some websites from the careers people I can put my CV on for Canadian employers to see. I think I'd rather find a job in Toronto or Vancouver tbh, just to be near the Bunac offices, the events they organise, and to be sure I'd have all the conveniences you get living in a city. But then I'm not going to be too fussy; anywhere that needs a chemist would be good!
How's everyone doing?
Original post by lazyswot
Hello fellow Bunac-ers! Thought I'd check this thread again to see what's going on. Has the application thing opened for this year yet??
I've applied to Ineos in Alberta to see if they have vacancies but they're a tiny branch over there. They're sending my CV to NOVA Chemicals cos that's a bigger company they're sort of friends with, but if that doesn't work I've got some websites from the careers people I can put my CV on for Canadian employers to see. I think I'd rather find a job in Toronto or Vancouver tbh, just to be near the Bunac offices, the events they organise, and to be sure I'd have all the conveniences you get living in a city. But then I'm not going to be too fussy; anywhere that needs a chemist would be good!
How's everyone doing?
Thought I'd check this thread again to see what's going on. Has the application thing opened for this year yet??I've applied to Ineos in Alberta to see if they have vacancies but they're a tiny branch over there. They're sending my CV to NOVA Chemicals cos that's a bigger company they're sort of friends with, but if that doesn't work I've got some websites from the careers people I can put my CV on for Canadian employers to see. I think I'd rather find a job in Toronto or Vancouver tbh, just to be near the Bunac offices, the events they organise, and to be sure I'd have all the conveniences you get living in a city. But then I'm not going to be too fussy; anywhere that needs a chemist would be good!
How's everyone doing?
Hi
! Sounds awesome!There is a job going for the company I did a placement for in the UK... its almost exactly what I did on my placement year.. just in Canada. I don't want to send my CV in though until I've got my visa sorted because I can pretty much assume they'll see "waiting on visa" and just chuck it in the "trash" can lol. On that note... the process reopens in January with the added option of going directly to the Canadian High commision for your visa... I've got no details on what the requirements are for this but that opens after 18th January ( http://www.canadainternational.gc.ca/united_kingdom-royaume_uni/work-travail/index.aspx?lang=eng&menu_id=7&menu=L ) so I assume BUNAC will be pretty similar!(edited 13 years ago)
Original post by ChrisBan
Well the job hunting is still down to you, they just provide a directory and a few other services. In all likelyhood we will still need to have BUNAC as the sponsor organisation. Don't get me wrong... I think what BUNAC offer and do is great. Its just that potential to save a further £200. I'd probably do the BUNAC group flight too and thats usually about £200 more expensive than going it alone, so the appealing aspect of it is the potential to save an extra £400 that could go on a months rent for example.
Yeah all the extras with Bunac do add up. I wouldn't do the group flight as I want to fly to the US (and visit a friend) and then on to Canada, but just weighing up how useful SWAP would be! I need to do more research on the likelyhood of people employing me in Canada (probably very low with my skills!).
Hi lazyswot! Sounds like things are starting to go well for you. Hope they manage to find you a position.
Hey Guys, new to the forum.
I'm thinking about doing Work Canada in Summer 2011 and want to know about the kind of accommodation I could get (what about furniture etc.?) and the kind of Job opportunities available. I have a good deal of Bar experience in the UK and this would be my ideal area to get a job, but is this realistic?
Any info will be useful!
I'm thinking about doing Work Canada in Summer 2011 and want to know about the kind of accommodation I could get (what about furniture etc.?) and the kind of Job opportunities available. I have a good deal of Bar experience in the UK and this would be my ideal area to get a job, but is this realistic?
Any info will be useful!
Original post by Beatsmaheats
Hey Guys, new to the forum.
I'm thinking about doing Work Canada in Summer 2011 and want to know about the kind of accommodation I could get (what about furniture etc.?) and the kind of Job opportunities available. I have a good deal of Bar experience in the UK and this would be my ideal area to get a job, but is this realistic?
Any info will be useful!
I'm thinking about doing Work Canada in Summer 2011 and want to know about the kind of accommodation I could get (what about furniture etc.?) and the kind of Job opportunities available. I have a good deal of Bar experience in the UK and this would be my ideal area to get a job, but is this realistic?
Any info will be useful!
Hi welcome. I think depending on the province you need to pay for a bartender license or something. I've not really looked into that field because I'd quite like to stay away from it
As for accomodation, take a look around craiglist and chose the city from the following link that you'd most likely head to: http://www.craigslist.org/about/sites . From what I've seen on there, there are a fair few basement apartments which tend to come in cheapest, some furnished, some unfurnished. There are a few with rooms in houses, either with students or a family. Most come with bills included (water, elec, cable, broadband). On job opportunities, that depends. Career related work can be a bit more difficult. A lot of employers will look at the "1 year visa" on your CV and chuck it straight away. Unless they're specifically looking to take someone on for a fixed contract, it could be pretty difficult. If you want something a bit more casual, that will be a bit easier, but easy is then also defined on what city you go to looking for work. SOme will have plenty, some will not.
Original post by ChrisBan
The Canadian government are changing the application process this year... from my understanding you will now be able to skip past BUNAC (although I'm not sure whether this will be completely or not i.e. whether you still need BUNAC as a sponsor organisation) and apply directly to the Canadian High Commission. In your opinion are SWAP worth paying for the BUNAC route in the event that these changes could result in not needing BUNAC... if that makes sense?
Hey,
Sorry I didn't check this sooner! In my opinion I would still go with BUNAC. I was quite nervous before I went out so it was quite reassuring to know that the day after I arrived I could go to an orientation with other people in the same boat as me and they took care of things like social security and gave you general tips for living etc.
After that I also found the SWAP office useful for going it to get help with my resume (CV) as Canadians do it a bit differently than we do here. And then I used their notice boards to look for jobs and accommodation. SWAP told me about an agency which I joined and found work with them a couple of weeks after I arrived. So personally I found it really useful to have that support. They also run socials every week, which I went to a few of which were a good way of getting to know people - both BUNACers and Canadians, and its nice to have people to go out with straight away if you're going on your own.
I also carried on using the SWAP office throughout the year I was there as I didn't have my own computer with me so I could just go into their office use their computers for free. So even things like that were handy.
I want to go back out there when I'm done with uni as I'll be able to get a student visa again and I'll just go with BUNAC again as it just takes a lot of the hassle away really.
I think some people above were asking about jobs - my advice is just be as productive as you can, apply for lots of things and you'll find something. All the people out there I met had jobs within a month max.
Sorry for the essay there! Hope that's some help. I know I keep saying it but Canada is such a great country. I'm jealous of you all getting to go out there so soon!
Did any of you go about applying for jobs before you actually headed over there? I'm considering doing this as I've always loved Canada but I'm a bit wary about paying and then ending up on my own for the entire trip! I have travelled to Canada a couple of times so I have some friends there who are happy to have me stay with them while I need to etc, but I was really just curious as to whether you could apply for jobs and positions whilst still in England.
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