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.

  • ghost_towels@sh.itjust.works
    31·
    18 hours ago

    Hi there! I’m a Canadian but grew up around Maryland, came back to Canada about 25 years ago. Vancouver island and the coast in general is really expensive, and there’s no rentals unfortunately. Personally I don’t think people here are opposed to newcomers, it’s just the squeeze on the already strapped housing that’s pisses people off. We’ve had decades of rich folks (from all areas) buying summer homes and taking away places for people to live. That being said, if you’re a good person, and you seem to be from your responses, people will see that.

    One place I haven’t seen mentioned is Smithers. I really like that town! Super cute, has a brewery and all the stores downtown actually have businesses in them. Added plus of a ski hill you can see from downtown. Not ridiculously expensive either, for bc. Will get cold in the winter, obvs, but I saw you lived in Vermont so nothing you can’t handle. Also shout out for Vermont! I spent my summers there as a kid, miss it something fierce. Personally I love Fernie but it’s just as expensive as Victoria since it’s Calgarys Whistler. If you are really keen on the coast Powell river is good, also Campbell River and Port MacNeil. All three would be places I’d move.

    I’m not in the tech field at all so can’t help with that part but pm me if you have any questions about the coast or stuff like that. Good luck friend, may we all get through this.

    • madame_gaymes@programming.devOPEnglish
      21·
      17 hours ago

      Yea, the rich folk thing is exactly why I would expect to have issues. They do that to places, New Zealand is another good example. I am definitely not rich, though. Kinda curious, are there “vanlife” type people up there? I live in a RAV4 right now, used to live in a skoolie. I won’t take away any of your houses, I just need a water/food source and maybe a gym.

      I like the sound of this Smithers town. And looking at the map, there are a bunch of peaks in the area, definitely my style. Zooming out a bit, it seems that whole general area right there is right up my alley and on a major road.

      Thanks for the offer and the infos, I may just hit you up for some more insight at some point! Especially since you’ve sorta done what I want to do, although you had the benefit of being from CA originally.