Companies in Canada

[nelpiper]

Can anyone tell me where can I find visualization companies in Canada?

Thank you.

[ihabkal]

Hi Nelson, Are you looking to immigrate there? Which province/city?

[nelpiper]

I'm not sure. To be honest I don't know Canada that well. That's why I'd like to research the companies there. Anyones that you know of?

Thank you.

[Frosty]

3D specific offices or archi offices? Canada is HUGE with great diversity from coast to coast. I think you will have to be more specific. East? West? Central?

 

By the way, we just hired a woman from Scotland last year.

[jinsley]

3D specific offices or archi offices? Canada is HUGE with great diversity from coast to coast. I think you will have to be more specific. East? West? Central?

 

By the way, we just hired a woman from Scotland last year.

 

I think I would aim for an architectural office... I don't know of too many large size 3d specific offices that are really stable right now and hiring.

 

We hired a dude from Scotland last year too, definitely a fun crew you guys have over there...

[ihabkal]

so for me the path is to become scottish first.

Just do a search online that's what I did when I went there looking for work. there aren't a lot though, 3 major ones in large cities at most, and a few mediocre ones here and there. James is right, you would have better luck in an arch office. but you need to know more than rendering like BIM and building codes and working drawings ..etc. as they like people with multiple skills (jack of all trades) there unlike in the US where they like people to specialize more.

 

oh an do more thing research where you might want to live first as climate and environment and language varies a lot in Canada, it is so big. like french in a city, and english in another. and the cold.

Edited April 6, 2010 by ihabkal

[nelpiper]

Thanks for all the responses.

I'm looking for a 3D company cause I already work in the ArchViz field. I don't speak french so It'd have to be an english speaking city. Any toughts?

 

Thanks guys.

 

BTW, Scotland is cold enough. Somewhere less cold perhaps

[jinsley]

Thanks for all the responses.

I'm looking for a 3D company cause I already work in the ArchViz field. I don't speak french so It'd have to be an english speaking city. Any toughts?

 

Thanks guys.

 

BTW, Scotland is cold enough. Somewhere less cold perhaps

 

don't worry about the french... its like a lot of miss-conceptions, not as widely spoken as people would believe. Japanese and Chinese dialects like Cantonese and Mandarin are probably more common now-a-days, at least in the lower mainland.

 

I wouldn't limit yourself to 3d only... with city requirements asking for plenty of design related illustration lately, I don't think I have been extensively involved in drafting using Revit or CAD for over a year now, except for modeling purposes.

 

I took a tally recently to try and break down the cost savings of having an in-house illustrator, and I was surprised to see that I was involved in 100 % (in one way or another) of the proposals and projects that went through our office last year. Whether it was a small graphic or marketing render, I provided over ~ 150 images. Compared to 2 years ago when I did a total of 10 images (although this might be because I have improved in time and quality), I notice the need for GOOD graphics is definitely on the rise.

 

If you have design and presentation skills, I would almost guarantee that you could find some sort of full-time work with an architectural firm. In my experience, if you could run the rendering and illustration department, they would be more than happy to train you to perform other tasks they require like Revit, CAD, etc...

[Frosty]

BTW, Scotland is cold enough. Somewhere less cold perhaps

 

Well, you just wiped out 90% of our country!

 

Most of Canada hits a severe deep freeze(-20C to -40C) for a good 1-2 months of the year and likely 3-5 months of winter - the only real exception being Vancouver and the surrounding area. Additionally, most of the country can get pretty warm in the summer 30C pretty easy and edge to 40C on occasion.

 

Like it was stated earlier, this is a big place with tremendous diversity - in population and natural and built environment. Read up on a few web sites about each province and the major cities as well as summer and winter activities. We don't stay inside all winter, we just change clothes!

[ihabkal]

I would like to add that it might not be easy to get a job and a work permit there during these tough economic times, it is already hard enough for a foreigner during normal times. But your commonwealth status might help a lot, maybe Canada and Scotland have business and trade agreements to facilitate work visas.

[nelpiper]

I have advanced knowledge in 3DS MAX, Photoshop, After Effects and a modest knowledge of Autocad. I also have recently got a certification in Photoshop and I still want to get more. What do you guys think of this? Would that be enough to try getting a job.

Thank you.

[ihabkal]

I have 12 year sof experience, over 1000 projects under my belt, worked all over the world, me and my wife are both architects, and I can't get a job in Canada right now. Maybe when the economy improves we will all have a chance. But now things suck.

You (I) might have better luck if we were refugees. Next Lebanon war, I am applying

Won't be long now!

[Frosty]

I strongly believe that getting into Canada with the ability to work and getting a job are two different issues.

 

Being a citizen of GB may help with step 1, but I'm unsure. Check with the Canadian consulate near you. It certainly aided in my family moving here from Belfast in the '70s.

 

Step two, getting a job, should be quite easy in some parts of the country. Some places have slowed down a bit in the last few years, but other areas such as Manitoba and Saskatchewan have actually grown throughout the downturn. Willing to live in the prairies? You can likely get a job. Willing to move to the far north? The government will likely pay to move you there. Fixated on Vancouver? So are most people and you'll have a lot of competition for the jobs that are available. Architecture in Canada is provincially regulated - each board has its own website. These sites will list EVERY architect/firm registered in the province and usually give you their contact info/website. Start there.

 

Ky Lane has also been talking about moving the The Great White North, you might want to talk to him about his experiences.

[jinsley]

I strongly believe that getting into Canada with the ability to work and getting a job are two different issues.

 

I agree with Steve on this... getting to Canada and getting work in Canada as a 3d illustrator are two different things. Depends on where you are willing to go, and whether you are willing to take a few other jobs before you get there. I spent 2 years designing concrete forms (boring as heck, but paid the mortgage), and 1 year drafting like a mad man before I was able to find a company willing to let me render.

 

Vancouver is a hard market to break into for freelance 3d rendering, unless you are the best of the best and charge like you are a student looking for experience. I am lucky and grateful to have held onto my home and paycheck the last year during the recession. Remote regions, or the prairies seem to be pretty good for work right now... I have 2 friends who went out to the oil sands when they lost their jobs last year looking for arch viz work and they have both been very busy with work.

 

If you go to the AIBC website, or any of the other provinces, you will see new jobs posted almost every day. Its just a matter of getting your resumes out to the firms listed, and getting your rent paid... which might mean flipping burgers or doing other odd jobs while things run their course.

[Frosty]

I have 12 years of experience, over 1000 projects under my belt

 

I'm not trying to start a flame war .... but seriously? That's nearly 2 projects per week, every week for 12 straight years.

 

me and my wife are both architects, and I can't get a job in Canada right now.

 

Licensed architects? Licensed in Canada/US? If so it should be pretty easy. Professionals get bumped to the front of the immigration line.

[ihabkal]

I'm not trying to start a flame war .... but seriously? That's nearly 2 projects per week, every week for 12 straight years.

 

 

 

Licensed architects? Licensed in Canada/US? If so it should be pretty easy. Professionals get bumped to the front of the immigration line.

 

yes for the first part, and licensed in Lebanon, where we were born and raised, studied in bomb shelters for 17 years.

I won't get into who is getting bumped into the front of the line because I don't want this discussion to get political. But it is surely not me.

Edited April 7, 2010 by ihabkal
replaced b with p

[Frosty]

licensed in Lebanon

 

But you are not licensed in Canada or the US. Your education is likely not recognized here (5 yr BArch or MArch from accredited school), you haven't completed the intern program (5600hrs under supervision of an NCARB licensed architect) nor passed all seven NCARBs. That's crucial. Your accumulated experience will not matter. Without recognized credentials, or some way of getting reciprocity for your Lebonese license, its unlikely you can ever practice architecture in North America. Not even the British licensing system is recognized here.

[ihabkal]

But I don't even practice here. If you remember I said I did renderings for 12 years.

I don't care or want to be licensed anywhere. I am only licensed here because it is the only way for a self employed person to get medical care coverage (insurance) in case of emergencies.

 

I edited to add that my education was recognised in the US wher eI worked for 5 years, and found equal to a bachelor of Architecture by two different specialized firms, this is how I got my work permit in the US.

 

Why are you getting so personal with me?

 

Just a note, every province has a different licensing system, architects from this privince can't prractice in that province. At least the US is united in this matter.

Edited April 7, 2010 by ihabkal

[Frosty]

Why are you getting so personal with me?

 

I'm not trying to attack you. This conversation is about Obtaining immigration to Canada. Professional status can make it easier if your qualifications are recognized. I don't think yours will be, but it's worth investigating with the CACB. If you had your education verified and started an NCARB record with the IDP process while you were in the US, this may be even easier.

 

Just a note, every province has a different licensing system, architects from this privince can't prractice in that province. At least the US is united in this matter.

 

Not exactly true. Each province does have a governing body as does each state. The difference between Canada and the US is that each state body is governed by the AIA. Canada does not have a national governance body like the AIA - the RAIC is sort of close I guess.

 

Following the NCARB exam system, the qualifications for all states and provinces is the same - except California which has an additional oral exam. Once licensed in one, can you be licensed in any other.

[ihabkal]

years ago I checked the qualifications evaluation body in Canada, they asked for $1750, the US ones asked for $100, that's why I applied to the US ones and not the Canadian ones.

I applied for immigration during the 2006 war as a self employed illustrator, they take about 300 self emplyed persons each year worldwide. Since 2006 and before, I saw many people from my country go there with falsified experience letters, falsified bank account statements, false intentions of making Canada their home and etc...most of them want to work under the table and not pay taxes and collect wellfare.

While in the US I met a lot of people who got their greencard by marrying a US citizen in exchange of cash or just by lying to that person making them think they are in a real relationship.

I think the whole system stinks. I would have had better chance if I was an exotic dancer. Honesty and hard work are meaningless in the process.

[Ky Lane]

Ky Lane has also been talking about moving the The Great White North, you might want to talk to him about his experiences.

 

Ugh.. dont get me started.

 

I spent a year in Vancouver on a working holiday visa, and couldnt find ANY work, even through creative headhunters like Aquent. Its a tough market. I have a masters in digital design, won awards for some of my web work, am relatively new to 3D arch (4 years) but have a good client base etc.. but no, noone wanted me.

 

Lucky for me, I also ride/race mountain bikes, and thats a more accessible industry there

 

Im heading back to Van next year regardless for a while. My partner is from there, and I need to meet her father before I ask her to marry me But, in that time being there, Id still like to work with a Canadian company - Im not good for doing nothing, and would love to work in an arch firm, or 3d specific studio to learn and teach and grow.

 

But, like most things these days, I have little say in what actually happens