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Working for a Canadian company - help!

Obliviax

Obliviax

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Aug 21, 2001
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Hi everyone.

I got a great offer to work for a company based in Canada. My task is to introduce their product into the US while building a US team. However, the first couple of years, I will be the only employee they have in the USA. I will be paid on a W-2 with all of the tax withholdings addressed. I will probably take the position but am curious about things:
  • How different is the US vs Canadian culture?
  • How different are US vs Canadian employment laws and standards?
  • I'll have to get US Healthcare coverage and the company is going to add money to my income to cover it. For a family of three, what kind of expectations should I have in terms of monthly costs?
  • Is there anything I am missing that I need to consider?

Thanks in advance!
 
Obliviax said:
Hi everyone.

I got a great offer to work for a company based in Canada. My task is to introduce their product into the US while building a US team. However, the first couple of years, I will be the only employee they have in the USA. I will be paid on a W-2 with all of the tax withholdings addressed. I will probably take the position but am curious about things:
  • How different is the US vs Canadian culture?
  • How different are US vs Canadian employment laws and standards?
  • I'll have to get US Healthcare coverage and the company is going to add money to my income to cover it. For a family of three, what kind of expectations should I have in terms of monthly costs?
  • Is there anything I am missing that I need to consider?

Thanks in advance!
Click to expand...
IDK, but since you are working in the US, wouldnt US employment laws and standards be in effect?
 
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sluggo72 said:
IDK, but since you are working in the US, wouldnt US employment laws and standards be in effect?
Click to expand...
IDK, is that right? Probably because I will get a US W-2 with US Withholding. I'll check that.
 
Do you get both Canadian snd US Holudays off?

Will you be forced to eat poutine?

Will you join the company curling team?

Are they setting up a US shell company or actually expand into US?
 
I know someone who recently got hired by a Canadian firm. He goes through the interviewing process, gets his offer, and then asks where he should go to get his drug test. The hr manager told him he didn't need to worry about it, they didn't do that in Canada since certain things were considered legal there. A few weeks later, he sees the hr manager, and she asks him if he wants to hang out with her and her husband to smoke a few. Turns out she misinterpreted the meaning of his original question.
 
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psuro said:
Do you get both Canadian snd US Holudays off?

Will you be forced to eat poutine?

Will you join the company curling team?

Are they setting up a US shell company or actually expand into US?
Click to expand...

He will go to hospital and send his kids to university, eh?
 
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psuro said:
Do you get both Canadian snd US Holudays off?

Will you be forced to eat poutine?

Will you join the company curling team?

Are they setting up a US shell company or actually expand into US?
Click to expand...
I've been practicing while swifering my house

CUYI.gif
 
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Obliviax said:
Hi everyone.

I got a great offer to work for a company based in Canada. My task is to introduce their product into the US while building a US team. However, the first couple of years, I will be the only employee they have in the USA. I will be paid on a W-2 with all of the tax withholdings addressed. I will probably take the position but am curious about things:
  • How different is the US vs Canadian culture?
  • How different are US vs Canadian employment laws and standards?
  • I'll have to get US Healthcare coverage and the company is going to add money to my income to cover it. For a family of three, what kind of expectations should I have in terms of monthly costs?
  • Is there anything I am missing that I need to consider?

Thanks in advance!
Click to expand...

I work regularly with Canadians. They are EXTREMELY process oriented. That may take some getting used to depending on your work approach.
 
Midnighter said:
I work regularly with Canadians. They are EXTREMELY process oriented. That may take some getting used to depending on your work approach.
Click to expand...
Thanks...it is actually funny....their problem is a LACK of process. And while I consider myself to be "anti-process", I am much more process oriented than they are. In software, I am known as a "fail fast" guy. That failure, quickly recognized and turned around, is better than no-decision due to risk adversity. This company is at odds with their risk adverse clients but they have a really cool and unique product. The trick will be to make them look "not so risky" while maintaining that "fail fast" mentality that is much more aligned with digital commerce than the old brick and mortar thinking.

In the meantime, lake erie is at an all time high water depth!
 
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Obliviax said:
Hi everyone.

I got a great offer to work for a company based in Canada. My task is to introduce their product into the US while building a US team. However, the first couple of years, I will be the only employee they have in the USA. I will be paid on a W-2 with all of the tax withholdings addressed. I will probably take the position but am curious about things:
  • How different is the US vs Canadian culture?
  • How different are US vs Canadian employment laws and standards?
  • I'll have to get US Healthcare coverage and the company is going to add money to my income to cover it. For a family of three, what kind of expectations should I have in terms of monthly costs?
  • Is there anything I am missing that I need to consider?

Thanks in advance!
Click to expand...

If the company is based in Quebec, the culture can be vastly different. The officers and senior leaders I know who worked for companies based in Quebec, seemed to feel the Canadians felt they were above anyone in the States. Never really heard that about Canadians in leadership roles outside Quebec.

Have you thought about going on COBRA for 18 months for insurance? If you really like your insurance company, you may want to do that. Although it might be better in the longrun to get that wrapped up now and find a new carrier.

What kind of savings plan is offered?
 
The questions you are asking are those that an employee asks. You really are not an employee, you are being hired to be an entrepreneur and start what is essentially a new business.
If you are the only employee for a few years the company wants to see how the product is received before they let you hire people and expand what could be a losing proposition. So I would be more concerned about budgets such as advertising and travel. And a quantitative description of what constitutes success.
Canada is our second largest trading partner so I am sure there is plenty of documentation to address the employee questions.
 
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Ct. Lion said:
The questions you are asking are those that an employee asks. You really are not an employee, you are being hired to be an entrepreneur and start what is essentially a new business.
If you are the only employee for a few years the company wants to see how the product is received before they let you hire people and expand what could be a losing proposition. So I would be more concerned about budgets such as advertising and travel. And a quantitative description of what constitutes success.
Canada is our second largest trading partner so I am sure there is plenty of documentation to address the employee questions.
Click to expand...
all good points, thanks. They are already in the process of hiring a "team" but put it on hold until I commit one way or anther. It is software, so they think they have a three year window. It may be longer, but it is hard to predict longer than three years in high tech these days.
 
Obliviax said:
Thanks...it is actually funny....their problem is a LACK of process. And while I consider myself to be "anti-process", I am much more process oriented than they are. In software, I am known as a "fail fast" guy. That failure, quickly recognized and turned around, is better than no-decision due to risk adversity. This company is at odds with their risk adverse clients but they have a really cool and unique product. The trick will be to make them look "not so risky" while maintaining that "fail fast" mentality that is much more aligned with digital commerce than the old brick and mortar thinking.

In the meantime, lake erie is at an all time high water depth!
Click to expand...

Wettest 12 months on record - only going to get worse I think.
 
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If it is software that runs above the External User Interface are there any companies in the U.S. currently running it here so that you have reference users to help in the selling process? How does a U.S. user get support, from Canada? Are modifications needed to run the Canadian software package in the U.S. such as for regulations, the IRS, etc.?
Software is not an easy thing to sell and it can be a long cycle but since you are in that industry already you know that issue.
Good luck with the project.
 
Delco Lion said:
If the company is based in Quebec, the culture can be vastly different. The officers and senior leaders I know who worked for companies based in Quebec, seemed to feel the Canadians felt they were above anyone in the States. Never really heard that about Canadians in leadership roles outside Quebec.

Have you thought about going on COBRA for 18 months for insurance? If you really like your insurance company, you may want to do that. Although it might be better in the longrun to get that wrapped up now and find a new carrier.

What kind of savings plan is offered?
Click to expand...
Hmmm....hadn't thought about COBRA. That might be an awesome option. Thank you.

Company is located in Toronto.
 
Ct. Lion said:
If it is software that runs above the External User Interface are there any companies in the U.S. currently running it here so that you have reference users to help in the selling process? How does a U.S. user get support, from Canada? Are modifications needed to run the Canadian software package in the U.S. such as for regulations, the IRS, etc.?
Software is not an easy thing to sell and it can be a long cycle but since you are in that industry already you know that issue.
Good luck with the project.
Click to expand...
All great points....these are ones I've already addressed with them and am comfortable with the plan.
 
Obliviax said:
Hmmm....hadn't thought about COBRA. That might be an awesome option. Thank you.

Company is located in Toronto.
Click to expand...
Good idea to look into Cobra. From a cost perspective....Family coverage with a PPO option should run you approx $ 1,250 per month based on several criteria.....may beas high as $1,500 depending on other factors , but my bet is closer to $1,250. Good Luck with the new gig !!
 
91Joe95 said:
I know someone who recently got hired by a Canadian firm. He goes through the interviewing process, gets his offer, and then asks where he should go to get his drug test. The hr manager told him he didn't need to worry about it, they didn't do that in Canada since certain things were considered legal there. A few weeks later, he sees the hr manager, and she asks him if he wants to hang out with her and her husband to smoke a few. Turns out she misinterpreted the meaning of his original question.
Click to expand...

So you saying there's a job in Canada comparative testing brands of marijuana?
 
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Obli,

Not sure how serious as there was a lot of kidding in this post but I did it the other way. We were a US company that I was charged with getting a Canadian sales team up. Here is what I experienced / observed.
. Culture - Big difference if French or English part of Canada. Canadians in general are a bit more European in style. [more meetings, a little less decisive a little less confrontational] . The French side is more snobbish and anti US. [not unlike France] The English side in my experience while they are a bit different like and respect us.
. Can't speak to health care per se but they have a much higher cost of living and are used to things costing a lot more so don't be afraid to ask for enough to get your family a great quality policy.
 
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roswelllion said:
Obli,

Not sure how serious as there was a lot of kidding in this post but I did it the other way. We were a US company that I was charged with getting a Canadian sales team up. Here is what I experienced / observed.
. Culture - Big difference if French or English part of Canada. Canadians in general are a bit more European in style. [more meetings, a little less decisive a little less confrontational] . The French side is more snobbish and anti US. [not unlike France] The English side in my experience while they are a bit different like and respect us.
. Can't speak to health care per se but they have a much higher cost of living and are used to things costing a lot more so don't be afraid to ask for enough to get your family a great quality policy.
Click to expand...
I'd be spinning up a US team to represent a Toronto company. The US team would all live in the US.
 
Obliviax said:
I'd be spinning up a US team to represent a Toronto company. The US team would all live in the US.
Click to expand...
Toronto Co. = good news
one thing to watch for. Since they are used to paying more for "stuff" they'll expect the US to pay more as well. God luck, sounds like fun!!
 
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Remember to end every question with "eh".

For example:
What time is the meeting, eh?
Where are the donuts. eh?
 
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My only serious advice would be to make sure you have your "reason to enter the country" script down when going through customers. Canadian custom officials are very edgy about U.S. professionals coming to Canada and doing anything that might be perceived to be taking employment opportunities away from Canadian citizens. I ran a large US/Canadian sales team a few years back and had 2 key partners in BC. I once gave a less than specific answer to why I was entering the country and got pulled out of line and given a full 30+ minute interview on the exact details of my business/company/trip.
 
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ericstratton-rushchairman said:
My only serious advice would be to make sure you have your "reason to enter the country" script down when going through customers. Canadian custom officials are very edgy about U.S. professionals coming to Canada and doing anything that might be perceived to be taking employment opportunities away from Canadian citizens. I ran a large US/Canadian sales team a few years back and had 2 key partners in BC. I once gave a less than specific answer to why I was entering the country and got pulled out of line and given a full 30+ minute interview on the exact details of my business/company/trip.
Click to expand...
Funny you say this, when I went up I said I was coming to CA for a job interview. the guy gave me a dirty look and asked for the company name and a few other details. Maybe something like "I represent a Canadian company in the US to provide additional developer and support jobs".
 
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whart said:
Good idea to look into Cobra. From a cost perspective....Family coverage with a PPO option should run you approx $ 1,250 per month based on several criteria.....may beas high as $1,500 depending on other factors , but my bet is closer to $1,250. Good Luck with the new gig !!
Click to expand...

My cobra would be just under 2k a month.... Your cobra would be 1.02 x the cost your company and co-pay.
 
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