At the coalface: a Brazilian IT pro abroad

This is the first of our At the Coalface series, where Brazilian IT professionals give their take on issues related to career development. In this article, project manager at a Canadian digital media firm Ester Kataoka comments on the differences between working in her native city of Fortaleza and building a career in Toronto, Canada.

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People in Brazil always ask me how is it like to work in IT in Canada. I am never quite sure what exactly they meant by that – do they want to know whether the market is thriving or if the salaries are high?

In any case, I do understand this curiosity that people have, but there’s nothing mythical or special about working overseas. I had a positive experience working in IT in Brazil, as those initial years formed the professional I am today. But the salaries were quite low – particularly in the Brazilian northeastern state of Ceará – and that eventually wears you out.

However, the single and most significant difference between working in IT in Brazil and Canada is the way people deal with their employees, how they go the extra mile to create an enjoyable working environment.

I work for a company where I am the only immigrant – which is unusual in Toronto, since 49.9% of the city population is composed of immigrants. Canada is famous for being very tolerant of diversity and they are extremely well educated, and I found that this is indeed the reality.

My role includes project management and technical support to users. My level of proficiency in English is very advanced, but sometimes I do get stuck. Even then, my clients and co-workers tend to be absurdly patient and even give me a little help from time to time. But they are very professional: there is a clear separation between work and friendship.

My husband, who is also Brazilian, works as a developer for mobile devices. His firm has also prioritized the welfare of their employees and there is always a keg of beer available (you can drink while you work) and a kitchen full of snacks. They just get it: a happy employee is a productive employee!

The IT market in Canada is great and there are plenty of vacancies in all areas, but qualified professionals are scarce. The pay here is mostly based on hours and the province of Ontario has the highest rates in the entire country, at $10.25. The minimum yearly wage in the area is around $30k, which is way higher than average salaries in Brazil, especially where I am from. Even someone who does basic technical support can get at least that much here in Canada.

I don’t think I will go back to Brazil anytime soon. Even though my country is experiencing a period of growth, Canada offers a series of advantages, stability and a quality of life that Brazil just cannot offer.

Another interesting thing here is that employers value degrees much more than technical certifications. The former is a key differentiator in a professional’s resume. Foreigners often have an advantage over the Canadians, just because most professionals from overseas will typically have a university degree.

Despite these differences, the key advantage of working in IT in Canada goes back to my initial point: you are valued, managers give you credit and thank you when you do a good job.

I actually find it funny whenever that happens. I am often surprised by that kind of attitude, since I never experienced that in Brazil –  being praised in front of the team or having your boss come to you and say you did a great job. But hey, truth be told, your ego goes through the roof and it feels great.

Image by superk8nyc licensed under Creative Commons.