Mainframe COBOL in Canada?

Hi,

I'm thinking of a move to Canada but I don't know much about the market
there for jobs, could someone give me some pointers?  I'm a mainframe
developer, nowadays working in COBOL with IMS and DB/2 in the finance
sector.  The sort of things I'd be interested in are;

1.  Where are the COBOL users based, Toronto, Vancouver etc, big cities or
in the provinces too?
2.  Is there a typical version of COBOL/toolset used?
3.  How are jobs advertised, through agencies, web sites, newspaper ads?
4.  What's the job market like currently?
5.  Is there a healthy contract market out there, or is it mostly permanent
positions that are available?
6.  What's the pay rate for contract and permanent?

Thanks for your help.

Mike

Mike,

> Thanks for your help.

I can't give you any assistance on any of those questions, I'm afraid,
but I can give you some general warm feelings. I know three people who
have moved there (I've lost contact with them, otherwise I'd give you
details). Each one hasn't looked back, and when asked wouldn't come
back to the UK.

---

Doug

dwscott@ieee.org

Mike wrote:
>
> Hi,
>
> I'm thinking of a move to Canada but I don't know much about the market
> there for jobs, could someone give me some pointers?  I'm a mainframe
> developer, nowadays working in COBOL with IMS and DB/2 in the finance
> sector.  The sort of things I'd be interested in are;
>
> 1.  Where are the COBOL users based, Toronto, Vancouver etc, big cities or
> in the provinces too?
Many billion lines of COBOL are still in use:  in all the big cities in
all provinces.  The Ontario-Quebec Corridor would be the biggest market
followed proabably by Alberta.

> 2.  Is there a typical version of COBOL/toolset used?
It's pretty well IBM so you're probably up to date.  There's an ad on
one of the sites for a term position requiring JES2/3 & BD2.

> 3.  How are jobs advertised, through agencies, web sites, newspaper ads?
Yes.  Plus personal contacts, of course.

> 4.  What's the job market like currently?
Tight!

> 5.  Is there a healthy contract market out there, or is it mostly permanen
t
> positions that are available?
Probably mostly permanent but IBM itself advertises lots of term
positions.

> 6.  What's the pay rate for contract and permanent?
>
Don't know.  Probably acceptable, though.
> Thanks for your help.
>
> Mike

PL

That would depend from where you're coming from my dear Sir!

If you are from Merry England, then living in the rarefied air of the
'Leading Light O' The Commonwealth', the 'Land O' Adam Smith', 'Grand
Preacher of the Free Arms, Dope, Diamonds, Gold, & *All* Dry and
Sundry Goods' Trade, you are well adviced to stay there.

Why would a bloke ask for more?

Or move to NZ.

Most of the Olde Limey's firms are going back to India anyway, with a
glint in the eye and a spring in the old looters' legs.

At last, *cheap labour*. !

A few are left in Québec, where the bastards have still unilingual
receptionists. We can't wait to see the stuffy, ignorant, crass,
racist, grubby, incompetent,  well dressed and mannered gentlemen on
their way :=)

Well, since Ms Gandhi won, there might be a problem. Could take a bit
o' time to get the XXXXX offed. She no likes Poms either.

Not after her husband was blowned to bit by the Thatcher-Reagan axis
of 'fat cuttin' ( *other* must starve).

But I digress, barely!

By the by, Jerry Adams just recalled how the Iraq's Jail Psychos (IJP)
methods of torture were amazingly the same he went through with Her
Majesty's finest.

Very uncordial beasts o' burden. Hooligans with a badge. With ever
Official Secret Acts present, some are coming to believe that the IRA
was altogether an MI6 job. To prevent Ireland stabilising and
prospering.

Who coulda thunk you say, don't you?

If yer from Awstraylia, there's alaways some room, matie.

If yer from NZ,  move to GB.

If yer from Merka, please states state, color, age, cult, left or
right paw and...weight, of course!

Although highly unlikely, proofs of any acts of bravery fighting for
liberty would greatly advanced chances.

Gook luck to the candidates!




On Sun, 6 Jun 2004 16:47:16 +0100, "Mike" <mike_hughesdon@hotmail.com>
wrote:

>Hi,
>
>I'm thinking of a move to Canada

You could try looking at a couple of the major Canadian job boards,
www.workopolis.ca and www.monster.ca. You can search on keywords such as
COBOL, IMS, DB2 etc. and you can also narrow your search by city or
province.

I live in the Toronto area and have a similar background to yours. The job
market is tight right now, especially on the contracting side. I recently
took a permanent mainframe developer position with a major bank, after being
in contracting for many years. In the last two and a half years I was
"between contracts" for over 8 months.

I don't know what your chances would be of getting authorization to enter
the country and legally work though.

"Mike" <mike_hughesdon@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:vUHwc.205$Ki4.6@newsfe2-gui.server.ntli.net...
> Hi,
>
> I'm thinking of a move to Canada but I don't know much about the market
> there for jobs, could someone give me some pointers?  I'm a mainframe
> developer, nowadays working in COBOL with IMS and DB/2 in the finance
> sector.  The sort of things I'd be interested in are;
>
> 1.  Where are the COBOL users based, Toronto, Vancouver etc, big cities or
> in the provinces too?
> 2.  Is there a typical version of COBOL/toolset used?
> 3.  How are jobs advertised, through agencies, web sites, newspaper ads?
> 4.  What's the job market like currently?
> 5.  Is there a healthy contract market out there, or is it mostly
permanent
> positions that are available?
> 6.  What's the pay rate for contract and permanent?
>
> Thanks for your help.
>
> Mike
>
>
>

> Gook luck to the candidates!
>
What on earth are you on?

---

Doug

dwscott@ieee.org

Mike wrote:
> Hi,
>
> I'm thinking of a move to Canada but I don't know much about the
> market there for jobs, could someone give me some pointers?  I'm a
> mainframe developer, nowadays working in COBOL with IMS and DB/2 in
> the finance sector.  The sort of things I'd be interested in are;

The Royal Bank of Canada is probably hiring.

JerryMouse wrote:
> Mike wrote:
> 
>
>
> The Royal Bank of Canada is probably hiring.
>
>
If they are, they are among the very few.  Manulife, the Canadian
insurance company that just bought John Hancock, is moving to Microsoft
as fast as possible.  They think Unix and Oracle are too expensive.  In
general, even IBM in parts of Canada is pushing anything but the
mainframe.  COBOL also is looked upon as something to replace as soon as
possible.

On Mon, 07 Jun 2004 21:12:14 +0100, Doug Scott <dwscott@ieee.org>
wrote:
 
>What on earth are you on?

On Earth silly!

How's the HomSec biz?

http://shop.ieee.org/store/results....r />
03%2A+OR+
 %23meta%5FPRODUCT%5FNO+%2ASS95203%2A+OR+
%23meta%5FPRODUCT%5FNO+%2ASH95204%2A
 +OR+%23meta%5FPRODUCT%5FNO+%2ASS95204%2A
+OR+%23meta%5FPRODUCT%5FNO+%2ASH9520
 5%2A+OR+%23meta%5FPRODUCT%5FNO+%2ASS9520
5%2A+OR+%23meta%5FPRODUCT%5FNO+%2ASH
95206%2A+OR+%23meta%5FPRODU
CT%5FNO+%2ASS95206%2A%29+&mh=10&sh=0&ae=1

Nothing wrong competing foer some o' the swill I say!

Here's a freaky engineer's repors. German I might add. The best as
always.

http://www.bunkahle.com/Aktuelles/P...lp_the_USA.html

Live and learn!

Nighty night!

"Clark F. Morris, Jr." wrote:
>
> JerryMouse wrote:
> 
> If they are, they are among the very few.  Manulife, the Canadian
> insurance company that just bought John Hancock, is moving to Microsoft
> as fast as possible.  They think Unix and Oracle are too expensive.  In
> general, even IBM in parts of Canada is pushing anything but the
> mainframe.  COBOL also is looked upon as something to replace as soon as
> possible.

Not from where I'm standing  (Winnipeg, Manitoba).  "As soon as
possible" means wrapping web services around the legacy code.  IBM
pushes anything that will make them money, particularly services.  But
they'd be nuts to go out of the business that they own and make billions
from.

PL