I'd like to ask for advice; thank you

Question

I'll be done with college diploma in about 8 months. I don't know anything about immigration. Can I search for a job now? Or should I wait till I graduate? I would accept any decent job; not necessarily in my field.

Another concern, a very important one, from what I see it all looks so helpless, like they don't want to accept any immigrants. So, my question is, how do you even start? The embassy won't tell you much; it's a fact. This is important because if I knew I had a chance, I'd start learning the country's language right now. Thanx a lot

ps) I'm interested in Scandinavia (esp. Norway) or Australia and Canada.

Answer 1

You can start looking now, but I would recommend planning to finish your studies before you begin working.  In most cases, having a completed degree will help you with immigration possibilities, since it helps to demonstrate that you are a skilled worker who will benefit your host country.

This will vary quite a lot from country to country.  I believe that both Canada and Australia work on a point-system for general immigration, and Australia is notorious for needing particular skill sets that they're lacking.  This changes all the time, but one year they'll be desperate for plumbers, and another they're yearning for hairdressers.  You can find more up-to-date information on various online forums that are more specific to Australia.  Canada's program is generally held to be a little more straightforward with more points awarded to those with higher education.  For almost any country, if you find a job in advance, your employer will generally help you obtain the necessary immigration permissions.

In general, Norway doesn't accept many people for general immigration, but it's not hard to get a residence permit if you get a job offer beforehand and have the support of your employer.  If you live in a European country, you may be elligible to enter Norway for a few months to look for a job, but many employers prefer to hire a fluent Norwegian speaker, and there may be some small culture differences (i.e. Janteloven) that make it difficult to interview for positions as a foreigner.

To find a job in Norway, you'll almost certainly need to find a job in your field or that you have sufficient training/expertise for.  In the immigration application, your employer has to demonstrate that they really need you and that the position can't be filled with someone already in Norway.  Some of the most popular fields for international hires in Norway are IT and Oil/Gas.  However, this may not necessarily rely on a university degree if you have certain other vocational skills.  There is usually some market for construction workers and technicians like plumbers and electricians (all of these jobs are often filled by other European immigrants) as well as unusual jobs like ethnic chefs.  You can find some listings for available jobs at the Labor Administration website (choose "Vacancies on nav.no in English"):

http://www.nav.no/page?id=805312736

In general, if you're looking to find an international job, I would start by considering companies in those countries that are in your field or one that you're interested in or qualified for.  You can inquire to see if they job openings that you would be elligible for.  Also, there are a number of international companies that have offices in many different countries.  Some are more willing to hire international employees into other centers than others.

And if you're really after any old job, either try to find contacts in that country who could help you with your job search from abroad, or choose a place that will let you come and stay for a short period to search for a job.

Answer 2

Finsh first your studies because looking for a job in Scandinavia is easy when you already have a  college degree.