If you’re interested in living as an expatriate, you might find yourself in a rather complex situation, especially if you don’t already have a visa. Deciding to relocate to another country is no easy decision and the process itself isn’t necessarily a cinch, either. To illustrate the challenges and steps of moving to and working in another country, let’s take a look at Canada. Of course, each country has its own rules to follow, but this will give you a basic overview of how another Western country works.
Marriage?
Of course, if you’re married to a citizen of the country your moving to, you’ll have more luck. And if you’re dating, well, the first thing you two should consider if you haven’t already, is whether or not you two are serious enough for marriage. This isn’t to apply unnecessary pressure, but if you two decided to have a legally recognized marriage, then your spouse could sponsor your citizenship.
A common assumption is that citizenship is granted immediately upon marriage with a Canadian citizen, but that’s simply not the case. The spousal sponsorship path would still require you to complete the formal application process, which might be delayed for any number of unexpected reasons. That being said, it’s still a viable option.
American businesses abroad
Another realistic possibility is looking into American businesses operating in Toronto. Though it might seem tedious, you could sift through Toronto’s list of top 100 employers, which includes American brands like General Electric, Accenture, Oracle, Pepsi, etc. Most of those organizations are continually on the lookout for new talent, especially when it comes to technology and digital marketing. Landing a job with one of them stateside could put you in a position to transfer to the Canadian affiliate office. However, there are no guarantees. As you might also imagine, most large businesses also have fairly strict policies that outline if, when, and how employees can make horizontal/lateral transitions.
Small businesses
A related strategy is exploring opportunities offered by smaller business based in Toronto. You can tap into free research on digital marketing agencies local to the city and figure out if any of them offer internships for recent graduates. This might mean committing to unpaid work experience, but it’s better than nothing, especially if it’s only temporary. Some employers could even sympathize with your situation and offer support or guidance.
Coursework
One final consideration is alternative coursework for professional development. In other words, you could explore curated group learning experiences through trade and technical academies or learn topics on your own terms through online education platforms. A program like this professionally-administered Digital Marketing Course Toronto boasts is just one relevant example of the former. And you probably already know if online learning platforms such as Udemy, Coursera, Skillshare, etc. Either way, things are very promising because Toronto was recently named the fastest growing market for tech jobs in North America.
