Most Canadians are ready to hit the road for new opportunities, Monster poll says

Three of four Canadians polled say they're willing to switch provinces or at least consider such a move for a better career opportunity

MONTREAL - About three quarters of Canadians responding to a new Monster.ca online survey say they're willing to move - or at least consider moving - to another province for the right work opportunity.

And that may come as good news to the growing number of Canadian employers currently struggling with a labor shortage that is spreading as our workforce ages, as baby boomers retire and as unemployment across the country remains at its lowest point in more than three decades.

The new online survey involving 3,217 Canadians asked visitors to Monster.ca the following question: "If you were offered a better career opportunity in another province, would you relocate?"

More than half, 52%, chose the following response: "Yes, I am willing to live elsewhere." Another 22% responded that they would consider making a move depending on the province, for a total of 74% of respondents indicating their willingness to hit the road for the right job.

"We're seeing a workforce today that is increasingly willing to move in order to pursue new opportunities," said Peter Gilfillan, Monster Canada's vice president of sales and general manager. "Much of the interprovincial migration we are seeing has been to the West and this is expected to continue but there is no doubt that as employers face increasing worker shortages across the country and beyond, we will see this migration trend growing everywhere."

Fewer than one in four people (24%) responding to the survey said they were unwilling to consider a move.

Gilfillan added that new statistics are showing that Canadians are doing more than just ponder their opportunities - they are packing up and hitting the road to other provinces, primarily the west, in large numbers. New data released this month by Statistics Canada, for example, shows that British Columbia led all provinces in interprovincial migration in 2007 by attracting nearly 13,400 people, a 31% increase over 2006.

The action in B.C. has been driven largely by the province's strong economy and its wide range of job opportunities, many of which come with incentives designed to lure workers, Gilfillan noted.

He added that another new report, this one from the Canada West Foundation, shows that three in 10 Canadians now reside in one of the four western provinces, and that Alberta alone was responsible for one-quarter of the new jobs in Canada over the past two years. The report by the Calgary-based group is a snapshot of demographic and economic trends in British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba and shows that interprovincial migration - primarily to B.C. and Alberta - has led to the majority of growth being seen in the west.

These polls are not scientific and reflect the opinions of only those Internet users who have chosen to participate.

For insights on how to pursue a rewarding career path, visit Monster for this and other career-related articles: Ten To-Dos Before You Move for Work (http://career-advice.monster.com/new-job-tips/Ten-To-Dos-Before-You-Move-for- Work/home.aspx)