u/cowboysaurus21

I'm a social worker in the US currently looking for jobs in British Columbia. BC is recruiting healthcare workers from the US. I got through the initial step of getting registered as a social worker, and I'm eligible for a work permit under CUSMA once I have a job offer.

The issue I'm running into is how to answer job application questions about my work authorization. I need a job offer to get a work permit, but I'm worried employers won't even look at my application without one.

I have contact info for recruiters at the health authorities and have contacted them directly, but haven't had much luck. They either don't respond or just tell me to apply on the website.

Has anyone dealt with this? If anyone has experience with Canada specifically that would be great, but similar experiences with other countries is helpful too.

I have a potential job offer with Island Health (they just need to check my references) and I'm wondering if anyone has any experience working for them. Would you recommend it or not?

Living on Vancouver Island would be a dream, although the particular area is not my top choice. It's also the first job in BC that I applied for so I'm not sure if I should look around more. They have also been VERY quick to move me through the application process -- I got an interview the day after I applied, and reference check the day after the interview. I'm not sure if that means they really like me, or if they're desperate for staff because people keep quitting.

I'm an international applicant (US) so I want to be very thoughtful about where I work, since my work permit will be tied to my employer (i.e. I can't stay in the country if I quit my job).

Any experiences you can share are appreciated! DMs are fine too, but please comment here first (I don't always get notifications about new DMs).

I'm interested in hearing about people's experiences with AI tools in the workplace.

• Does your workplace use them?

• What do you think about the AI tools your work uses?

• Has your work required you to use them? What has the response been if you don't want to or have concerns?

For context, I've been in private practice for the last 4 years but I'm now looking for a regular job (most likely in a health care or mental health setting). I have a lot of concerns about AI use in social work and I'm curious how folks are navigating that.

(I'm not interested in debating the merits of AI in this post.)