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Canada's Tech Firms Capitalize On Immigration Anxiety

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Re: Canada's Tech Firms Capitalize On Immigration Anxiety

#191

Post by stale2002 »

winter_blue wrote: post #184
stale2002 wrote: post #133

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Uhh, how about instead, we let Europe do that. And then us in America and Canada can see how that works out for them. The beauty of countries is that different countries can try vastly different things, and then we can look at the results afterwords and see which countries made good decisions and which made bad decisions.

Well, the United States is a living example of a country that tried that, and um ... hasn't failed because of it. Until the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882, there were no restrictions on immigration. And after that, the immigration of white people was still completely unrestricted, until the Immigration Act of 1921. And after which, it was still relatively easy for citizens from Western European countries to move to th…

Sure. Back in the day, every new immigrant was one more able body, able to help colonize the rugged expanse, as well as work the farms, factories and railroads.

These days, we don't need any more able-bodied factory workers. We are no longer an industrial-labor economy. We need service and skilled labor, instead.

Re: Canada's Tech Firms Capitalize On Immigration Anxiety

#192

Post by bogomipz »

stale2002 wrote: post #189
bogomipz wrote: post #181

Earlier quoted context omitted.

>"Depends on the price. Everyone has one. (or at least SHOULD have one)" No, not everyone has a price for which they are willing to exchange their happiness for. I also completely disagree that everyone "should" have a price they are willing to exchange their happiness for. It's strikes me as quite odd that you choose to pronounce these things(your opinions) as universal and absolute truths. There are many people who…

"Artists, teachers, journalists, social service workers" Sure. And if someone offered any of those people 100 million dollars, to work at a job that they liked moderately less than their current job for a single year, it is a universal truth that they should do it (unless they already have a billion in the bank I guess). It is not about trading happiness for money. It is about trading a small amount of happiness NOW…

>"And if someone offered any of those people 100 million dollars, to work at a job that they liked moderately less than their current job for a single year,"

Are you just trolling then?

The "what if someone offered you 100 million dollars?" game is a game that children play. Your insistence on repeatedly interjecting this bit of childishness is just bizarre. The context of the discussion and the OPs comment is working as a salaried employee.

There was was never any question of a job "liked moderately less." The OP said quite unequivocally that they "hate" living where they live. Hate is a pretty strong emotion, it does not describe a state of being moderately less happy.

Re: Canada's Tech Firms Capitalize On Immigration Anxiety

#193

Post by anth1988 »

didibus wrote: post #135
eigenvector wrote: post #5

"For years, Canada's tech industry has watched in frustration as Microsoft and Google hired the country's top computer science grads for high-paying jobs in Seattle and Silicon Valley. Now Canada believes it has found a new way to lure American and international tech workers." Is it... paying more so people don't have to choose between their country and financial security? Let's see. "Canadian tech companies are eage…

I'd love it so much if Canada had comparable salaries. I'd move back for sure, at least if it came 10% within Seattle and SV. But, I'm not sure it's possible for companies to do so. I mean, first of all, in the US, outside of a few cities like NY, SV, Seattle, Bellevue, you start to see lower pay which gets closer to Canadian pay. Appart from that, Canada just doesn't have the same market. That's the biggest differen…

Will you really be comfortable in Vancouver or Toronto?

Re: Canada's Tech Firms Capitalize On Immigration Anxiety

#194

Post by alacombe »

xordon wrote: post #185
alacombe wrote: post #167

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> I dont understand the hate on Canadian salaries. Its a safer, more liberal country that looks after its poorest. No, it doesn't. "It" prefers to import "refugees" en-masse and giving them free shit, rather than fix poverty for Canadians.

I don't see how blaming refugees is helpful.

I'm not. I'm blaming the priorities of the federal government. This, and running a $30 billions deficit.

Re: Canada's Tech Firms Capitalize On Immigration Anxiety

#195

Post by anth1988 »

Pxtl wrote: post #26
ChemicalWarfare wrote: post #14

Not sure how exactly they are planning on "luring American tech workers" when they are paying much less on average, taxes are higher and real estate prices in large cities where these jobs are typically at are pretty insane compared to most of the US.

Toronto and Vancouver are Canada's big insane housing markets. There are smaller tech communities in Ottawa, Waterloo, and Montreal, and those cities have normal housing markets.

and will pay even less.

Re: Canada's Tech Firms Capitalize On Immigration Anxiety

#196

Post by someSven »

inputcoffee wrote: post #123
alphonsegaston wrote: post #28

While I agree with this sentiment overall, what pay differential can compensate for a more general stability? It would be great if someone could get a high-paying job and not worry about being bankrupted by an unforeseen medical disaster, but that's not the case in the US. And by the same token, almost no amount of pay (within the tech spectrum) could convince me to live in the cities in Texas where right-wing extrem…

Not sure why you are getting down voted but I was thinking along the lines of the healthcare point. It is a Nassim Taleb type of point: you're basically making extra money writing healthcare puts, but when there is a crash, you get wiped out.

If the Canadian system works like the German one than you can come back to the public system even when you are already ill. At least if you've been insured before for a while and you are not to old. If you are broke then it works even then. Sorry, if that might drive some people nuts now.

Re: Canada's Tech Firms Capitalize On Immigration Anxiety

#197

Post by refurb »

kspaans wrote: post #165
guiomie wrote: post #162

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Salary are usually 1.5 to 3 time higher. You can save much more money.

Until you have to put kids through school or have a big medial emergency that isn't covered by your insurance.

There are very good public colleges in the US. They don't need to go to Harvard. Plus, if your kid in Canada wants to do medical school or dental school, you'll still be shelling out tens of thousands of dollars per year.

As for medical care, most tech jobs have very good benefits. If you have a major medical problem, you might be out $5K before you hit your out of pocket max. The higher wages and lower taxes in the US mean you can easily handle it (but you do have to plan for it).

Re: Canada's Tech Firms Capitalize On Immigration Anxiety

#198

Post by refurb »

rb808 wrote: post #101

I dont understand the hate on Canadian salaries. Its a safer, more liberal country that looks after its poorest. If you want cut throat lifestyle that pays the most - with the guy who cooked you dinner keeping one eye out for an ICE van, your ex-slaves in prison and some homeless guy going through your dumpster - you'll love the US. If you want to live a fairer society (Canada, France, Germany, Australia etc) don't c…

some homeless guy going through your dumpster

Are you saying Canada doesn't have homeless people going through dumpsters? I would invite you to take a walk down East Hastings in Vancouver. It looks a lot like the worst parts of SF.

Re: Canada's Tech Firms Capitalize On Immigration Anxiety

#199

Post by moolcool »

mahyarm wrote: post #170
ska wrote: post #140

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Path dependence and all that, so I'm sure this is how things worked out for you. People should be aware though, your example isn't even close to usual. Work the numbers for a simple case - for round numbers take 100k/yr and 1000/month disposable. To do 8x that you are adding basically another 100k, post tax - so add another 35 k. Do at this rate you have a salary multiple of 2.35. This just doesn't happen in general,…

For Canadians it's the status quo. I was looking for my first job out of college, offers in Canada were 1/2 what they were in Seattle. Cost of living was lower than Vancouver. A TN visa was a low barrier. This story repeats over and over again.

Everyone in this thread is talking about Vancouver, which is a housing nightmare. The scene in other Canadian cities is more practical

Re: Canada's Tech Firms Capitalize On Immigration Anxiety

#200

Post by refurb »

Pxtl wrote: post #40
jankotek wrote: post #15

Could someone explain how taxation works in Canada (including VAT, compulsory insurances, council tax...). Quick googling says income tax has doubled in 2017. edit: Here is a source for doubled tax, looks like google parser is wrong https://pasteboard.co/hMazP1hHs.png

> Quick googling says income tax has doubled in 2017. reply This is not true, and was likely posted by a conservative hardliners. Canada uses an after-price sales tax like the USA, but in higher quantities - it will vary between 5% and 13% depending on province. Also, all provinces are currently implementing a carbon pricing system, so some provinces will have an additional sales tax on carbon intensive goods like ga…

Great summary. In terms of income tax, the rates aren't all that different in Canada, but the income level when they kick in is.

For individuals:

Top rate - US - $418,000+ taxed at 39.6% Top rate - Canada - $220,000+ taxed at 33%

Also, provincial taxes tend to be a percent of your federal tax. It's been a while since I lived there, but Alberta used to be 50% of whatever your federal tax rate was.

No home mortgage deduction either and the equivalent of a 401k (RRSP) limits contribution to 18% of your income up to a max of ~$20K.

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