Well this is new.
For those of you who don’t know, Australia pays exceptionally high and Canada pays exceptionally low. So from a fairly decent wage in Oz I’ve gone to half of that in Canada.
When I was first offered my contract (I work in Digital Marketing) I was actually offended. I had prepared myself for a low figure but the figure on the paper was 7grand less than even that. Add to that only 2 weeks holiday, down from 4 and I was shocked.
I negotiated for the company benefits (which kick in at three months) to be added into my salary as I already had comprehensive health insurance as a condition of entry to Canada with my Visa.
I also had it written in the contract I would get a salary review (verbal that it will increase) and a potential role change from Account Coordinator to Account Manager at 3 months.
AND did I mention I have to provide my own phone and laptop? Walking to and from work with my laptop over my shoulder each day is going to cost me in massages. It’s only been a week but I can feel it already.
I do get some great perks though. They have ‘Friday Lites’ which essentially means we work from home from 9-1 at home on Friday then we are done for the day.
I get to attend some cool events. For instance on Thursday I have Centre of Gravity festival in Kelowna so I get to go away from Thurs-Mon and hang out there learning PR.
Getting my head around having a budget is really difficult. Especially when I had it so good before. My spending habits are different to when I was at uni working three jobs 5 years ago.
So now I am learning to budget all over again. I earn enough to stay here, play and travel but that’s about it. Definitely going to be a challenge.
In that respect I’m glad it’s not for too long!
Enjoy the event in Colonna, don’t forget the mango Café and the big plus is that it is cheap cheap cheap and super delicious I love the Malaysian soup it’s called the lafsa (not it but close) grin
I will! I have it on my list. Ric’s for dinner tonight and hopefully there one night during the weekend. It’s only 9min walk from my hotel 🙂 I am guessing a laksa? Yum!
I feel like you’re my parallel twin in the universe – or something equal. I am a Kiwi, moved to aussie to save up some money to travel and ended up in North Vancouver. The money thing is SUCH a shock. Like, I’d been told about it but nothing prepared me. I went from SO much money in Aussie (almost too much for what I was doing) to a whopping $10/hr. Which luckily, got bumped up to $12/hr/ Most I got anywhere was $16/hr and I thought I was livin’ the dream! haha 🙂 I’m so thankful I don’t work in retail anymore. Those poor suckers really are poor. BC’s minimum wage NEEDS to change. Your job sounds coooool.
Haha awesome! Brother from another Mother! Or sister… Anyway, you get my drift! Are you still in North Van?
Yeah it really sucks. It’s shocking. It’s def fun but I am EXHAUSTED. That may have something to do with my social life too but I maintain that it is work related exhaustion.
Sister from another mister!! haha, work hard, play hard – equal amounts of burn out. Sounds like you make the most of whatever it is you’re doing, so as long as you’re happy I say.
I’m in Mount Maunganui at the moment but planning on heading back to Canada when it gets closer to the time I’ll find out about whether I’m granted permanent residency or not. Then I can kick things up a notch and start easing into Vancouver life and appreciating all it has to offer. Are you on a one year work visa?
Nice – good luck with that, was it a difficult process? Yup I’m 3months in to my 1year IEC visa.
Is your MR Canadian by any chance?
I’ve never spent much time at the Mount, seems like a really laxed, pretty place.
Thanks 🙂 you’ll probably end up wanting to stay. So many people do! Sucks the aussies get better visa privileges than us, makes it so much easier for them to stay.
The process has been not so much difficult but time consuming and logistically a pain in the ass. Yeah Scott is from Ontario. Lived in Vancouver for about five or six years. The mount is so nice. I love being so close to the beach. You are from Hastings? I’ve been there once. Ages ago so i don’t remember much. Probably a bit different to van! 🙂
It sucks how Aussies get it so much better!
Yeah I love living right next to English Bay here too 🙂
I’m from Feilding actually – shhh haha. You prob haven’t been there, and it’s a lot different to Van! Was in Brisbane the last 5-6years though! 🙂
Haha I lived in Brisbane for just over a year before heading further overseas.Oh right, Fielding, yes I’ve passed through to/from Wellington and on the way to Palmy. I’m from a tiny town too, typical NZ! 🙂