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Hello everyone,

I am planning to move to Canada, Toronto within the next year, and I'd like to know what to expect.

I'm a system admin with 9 years of serious experience, starting with NWDOS7, MSDOS, LANTASTIC, on to NT3.5/NetWare2..6 etc, and loads of summerjob and occasional experience since I was 14.
MCSE2k3, CNE, BA (Business Management) some additional diplomas.

Currently working in a medium size software company, taking care of about a hundred workstations and about 30 servers - NT4, 2000, 2003, exchange2003, IIS, sharepoint - more or less the whole MS product line, and linux servers running Suse and Debian for email frontends, testing platforms, mysql, apache, php etc. Backups, NAS storages - all the works.

What I'd really like to know is, how easy is finding a job
in Toronto or GTA, a job for my profile that is, and what am I supposed to expect from the employers. The picture should be quite unlike our local Israeli situation I presume.

All comments are welcome

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Dani AI

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is right that experienced sysadmins generally find opportunities in the Toronto/GTA tech market, but there are a few practical realities to plan for before and after you move. Check current labour-market outlooks and advertised openings on the Government job site (Job Bank) and confirm immigration/permit steps at Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) — rules and demand change over time, and this thread is from 2007 so verify current guidance.

Before you arrive:

  • Sort immigration and work-permit paperwork (IRCC) and arrange certified copies of diplomas, certs and reference letters.
  • Prepare a Canadian-style resume and LinkedIn profile emphasizing measurable results and contactable references.
  • Have a plan to get a Social Insurance Number and local bank account shortly after arrival.
  • Look into bridging or newcomer employment services in Ontario that help internationally trained IT professionals integrate.

What to emphasize in applications and interviews:

  • Show recent, demonstrable experience with automation, scripting, cloud or virtualization, security basics, and site reliability/monitoring practices — these are frequently tested in technical interviews.
  • Quantify impact (uptime improvements, backup/restore metrics, performance gains, cost savings) rather than listing environments.
  • Be ready for hands-on tests or scenario questions and for employers to ask for local-style references.

Search tactics that work in GTA:

  • Use Job Bank, major job boards (Indeed/LinkedIn), specialist recruiters and contract/contract-to-hire roles to build local experience.
  • Network via local meetups and user groups to turn contacts into interviews.
  • Learn basic Canadian payroll/tax norms through the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) so offers and net pay are understood.

Practical note: update certifications and skills to match current tooling and cloud platforms, and keep all immigration and labour-market checks current before committing to a move.

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Member Avatar for aniseed

I don't know about the specific trends but sysadmins are always in demand.

Member Avatar for DimaYasny

thanks for the reply :)

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