# Emigrating to canada



## 1927 (Jul 1, 2008)

Ok I know this is the US thread, but thought it was probably the most appropraite place to post.

I heard on the radio today that Alberta has such a shortage of workers that they are looking for 40,000 workers immediately. Now I had already given thought to moving to Canada and this made me think a bit more about exploring the possibility. I already know that I would qualify for a visa as a skilled worker, but having trawled thru hundreds of web pages there is no simple one stop shop for all the deatils.

So to short circuit the whole process do any of you know the easiest way to get sorted. Thanks


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## Yuwipi Woman (Jul 3, 2008)

Canadian Embassy?

http://www.international.gc.ca/canada-europa/united_kingdom/menu-en.asp


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## twistedAM (Jul 3, 2008)

Yuwipi Woman said:


> Canadian Embassy?
> 
> http://www.international.gc.ca/canada-europa/united_kingdom/menu-en.asp



Lightbulb moment, eh?


They even have an Alberta office...there's email addresses and phone numbers on it too!

http://www.international.gc.ca/canada-europa/united_kingdom/pr-office-alberta-en.asp


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## 1927 (Jul 4, 2008)

twisted said:


> Lightbulb moment, eh?
> 
> 
> They even have an Alberta office...there's email addresses and phone numbers on it too!
> ...



I wasn't being as dim as you might think!

Its just that looking at the official websites they don't give you a staright answer to lots of questions. Just thought there might be some people out there who had actual experince of the process or knew someone who had done it and might have some more useful ideas.


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## D (Jul 5, 2008)

I think it's quite amusing that you put this thread in the US forum.  51st state, etc.


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## looneytune (Jul 5, 2008)

Word of warning... the reason they're so desperate for workers is that homeowners have been cashing in on the boom by charging thousands of dollars for rooms and flats.  If you think London house shares are cramped you'd be better off going to Alberta to make some money and then moving on.


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## Johnny Canuck3 (Jul 5, 2008)

looneytune said:


> Word of warning... the reason they're so desperate for workers is that homeowners have been cashing in on the boom by charging thousands of dollars for rooms and flats.  If you think London house shares are cramped you'd be better off going to Alberta to make some money and then moving on.





They need workers because the oil patch, along with all the attendant businesses etc, has been booming.


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## twistedAM (Jul 5, 2008)

1927 said:


> I wasn't being as dim as you might think!
> 
> Its just that looking at the official websites they don't give you a staright answer to lots of questions. Just thought there might be some people out there who had actual experince of the process or knew someone who had done it and might have some more useful ideas.



But they give numbers on those sites and the Canadian Embassy is a lot nicer than the American one. There's even a number for the Alberta office.

Be old school and pick up the phone - that's what i was driving at.

For example, I spent ages looking at the UK visa site to sponsor someone and stuff like that just can't be explained on a website as there are always variables. I phoned the office in Sheffield and we sorted it out.

Anyway go for it and good luck - I'd love to live in western Canada!


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## 1927 (Jul 5, 2008)

Its all abit difficult to sus out tbh. You get extra points for already having a job lined up, but it can take three years to get visa. So what are ya meant to do, get visa first or job? Once you get the visa you have to be in Canada within 6 months, so that wouldn't leave much time for job hunting!!!

Thinking of Calgary as the salary/house price ratio is more favourable and the employment opportunities with my skills will be better. Pity tho   because Cardiff airport ahs direct flights to Vancouver and Toronto, but those cities are just so expensive.


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## spring-peeper (Jul 5, 2008)

Did you check with the company that posted the ad?  They will probably be the best ones to help you through the red tape.

If the jobs are in the oil/construction business, I'd just like to offer a couple of words of advice from some of the young people I know who have gone out west and returned.

Everything is very expensive, the hours are long and there is nothing to do there on your time of except for drinking and gambling.

Most of those returning are coming back with no money. Those who didn't fall/get involved with the drinking and gambling brought back enought money to put a down payment on a house.

Hope you come, it will definitely be the experience of a lifetime.


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## Johnny Canuck3 (Jul 5, 2008)

1927 said:


> Thinking of Calgary as the salary/house price ratio is more favourable and the employment opportunities with my skills will be better. Pity tho   because Cardiff airport ahs direct flights to Vancouver and Toronto, but they are just so expensive.



You can fly to Calgary from Vancouver for about $150.


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## 1927 (Jul 5, 2008)

Johnny Canuck2 said:


> You can fly to Calgary from Vancouver for about $150.



Shit,just realised how many posts you got!!!!


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## spring-peeper (Jul 5, 2008)

1927 said:


> Shit,just realised how many posts you got!!!!



yip - and based on his knowledge and internet search skill, he is the one to help you.

The offer to stay for a bit out my way is open.  Come see the east then go JC's side of the country.


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## Johnny Canuck3 (Jul 5, 2008)

1927 said:


> Shit,just realised how many posts you got!!!!



Yes, but it doesn't affect my Canadian-ness at all.


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## 1927 (Jul 5, 2008)

Johnny Canuck2 said:


> Yes, but it doesn't affect my Canadian-ness at all.



So  any advise to offer on getting a job and a visa to live in Canada?


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## Johnny Canuck3 (Jul 5, 2008)

1927 said:


> So  any advise to offer on getting a job and a visa to live in Canada?



Visa, I don't know. There have been suggestions about contacting the embassy, etc, that make sense.

Re: the job, it shouldn't be that difficult. If you're presentable with some skills, even manual labour skills, there's lots of work here. 

I'll let you in on a secret: your British accent of whatever variety will be a leg up. Lots of people here like them, for whatever reason.

As for Alberta, Calgary, the Oil Patch, etc., yes, there are jobs there. The Oil Patch is someplace to work only if your one and only goal is to sock away a bunch of money quick. Calgary is a nice enough city - I have relatives there - but if you plan on moving somewhere, I'd suggest that you check out a couple of other areas first. Visit both Toronto and Vancouver. Calgary is all about the economics. It's getting better, but I find it soulless, two dimensional. Living in Calgary is as close as you can get to living in an American city, without actually moving to the States [I don't mean the social problems, etc, just the 'feel'].

There is more depth in Vancouver and especially Toronto. Even Winnipeg has more of a soul than Calgary, but the winters probably wouldn't agree with you.

Edmonton isn't a terrible place either, but again, it's colder even than Calgary in winter, and when I say cold, I mean serious cold.


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## Gavin Bl (Jul 6, 2008)

If I didn't have a heap of family commitments, I'd be off to BC or Alberta like a shot - really good quality of life, stunning country too. When I was on hols there, it seemed that Canada was a nice balance between America and Europe - like America, only for grown ups


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## D (Jul 6, 2008)

I am well due for a trip north.  I am eager to revisit Montreal, Vancouver (and Vancouver Island), and Toronto.

Some friends just returned to NYC from the Montreal Fringe Festival.


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## twistedAM (Jul 6, 2008)

Johnny Canuck2 said:


> As for Alberta, Calgary, the Oil Patch, etc., yes, there are jobs there. The Oil Patch is someplace to work only if your one and only goal is to sock away a bunch of money quick. Calgary is a nice enough city - I have relatives there - but if you plan on moving somewhere, I'd suggest that you check out a couple of other areas first. Visit both Toronto and Vancouver. Calgary is all about the economics. It's getting better, but I find it soulless, two dimensional. Living in Calgary is as close as you can get to living in an American city, without actually moving to the States [I don't mean the social problems, etc, just the 'feel'].
> 
> There is more depth in Vancouver and especially Toronto. Even Winnipeg has more of a soul than Calgary, but the winters probably wouldn't agree with you.
> 
> Edmonton isn't a terrible place either, but again, it's colder even than Calgary in winter, and when I say cold, I mean serious cold.



If you're in the gas industry and offered zillions of pounds to work in Medicine Hat, AL I would still decline. A town that makes Pigsknuckle, Idaho look interesting.


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## Johnny Canuck3 (Jul 6, 2008)

twisted said:


> If you're in the gas industry and offered zillions of pounds to work in Medicine Hat, AL I would still decline. A town that makes Pigsknuckle, Idaho look interesting.



I wouldn't live in Medicine Hat either, although I'm from a place that's very similar to it.


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## spring-peeper (Jul 6, 2008)

twisted said:


> If you're in the gas industry and offered zillions of pounds to work in Medicine Hat, AL I would still decline. A town that makes Pigsknuckle, Idaho look interesting.



Everything is expensive because of the high cost of getting it there.

All there is to do there in your spare time is drink and gamble.  Most people go there for the high wages - sadly many come home broke 

On the brighter side, I also know a couple of young people who came back with enough money to buy a house.


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## 1927 (Jul 6, 2008)

Johnny Canuck2 said:


> I wouldn't live in Medicine Hat either, although I'm from a place that's very similar to it.



I had never heard of Medicine Hat until abiout 3hours ago.Popped into ses an old boss of mine who I have known for 20 years and we got talkibng about stuff as ya do. Turns out his mother emigrated to Medicine Hat years go and was married to a guy who had something to do with inventing the flame thrower!!


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## Johnny Canuck3 (Jul 6, 2008)

spring-peeper said:


> Everything is expensive because of the high cost of getting it there.
> 
> All there is to do there in your spare time is drink and gamble.  Most people go there for the high wages - sadly many come home broke
> 
> On the brighter side, I also know a couple of young people who came back with enough money to buy a house.



Huh?

Do you know where medicine hat is? It's on Highway 1, smack in the middle between Calgary and Regina. The railway runs right through it also.

There are reasons to avoid Medicine Hat, but they're mostly social, they don't have to do with the necessity to bring supplies in on a mule train.


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## spring-peeper (Jul 7, 2008)

Nope, I have no clue where Medicine Hat is.  

The thread was about the jobs in Northern Alberta.   Most of the youth from around these parts always go to Fort McMurray, so I know where that is.  Never even heard of anyone going to Medicine Hat.  I'm beginning to see why that might be.

I think I should get part marks for getting the province correct, though.


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## Johnny Canuck3 (Jul 7, 2008)

spring-peeper said:


> Nope, I have no clue where Medicine Hat is.
> 
> The thread was about the jobs in Northern Alberta.   Most of the youth from around these parts always go to Fort McMurray, so I know where that is.  Never even heard of anyone going to Medicine Hat.  I'm beginning to see why that might be.
> 
> I think I should get part marks for getting the province correct, though.



Are you an american, or a canadian?







Lower right.


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## spring-peeper (Jul 7, 2008)

British


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## Johnny Canuck3 (Jul 7, 2008)

spring-peeper said:


> British



Your army trains just outside of Medicine Hat, at Base Suffield.


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## spring-peeper (Jul 7, 2008)

Ah - that would explain why other brits have heard of it.


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## twistedAM (Jul 7, 2008)

spring-peeper said:


> Nope, I have no clue where Medicine Hat is.
> 
> The thread was about the jobs in Northern Alberta.   Most of the youth from around these parts always go to Fort McMurray, so I know where that is.  Never even heard of anyone going to Medicine Hat.  I'm beginning to see why that might be.
> 
> I think I should get part marks for getting the province correct, though.



It sits on one of canada's  biggest, if not the biggest, natural gas fields and is therefore probably one of those places offering jobs to foreign workers.


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## spring-peeper (Jul 7, 2008)

1927 said:


> So to short circuit the whole process do any of you know the easiest way to get sorted. Thanks



Try this link.  It's the Alberta government site.  Halfway down the page are a couple of links for "Temporary Foreign Workers/Potential Immigrants".


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## 1927 (Jul 7, 2008)

spring-peeper said:


> Try this link.  It's the Alberta government site.  Halfway down the page are a couple of links for "Temporary Foreign Workers/Potential Immigrants".



I have looked at so many pages of info in the lastw eek, but one link I found on there eld me to a  page I had never seen before which has made everything much clearer.thanks for the help, I now have a far better idea of what I'm doing and it seems that if i can get a job they will let me in on a temp basis if nothing else!!


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## spring-peeper (Jul 7, 2008)

Hope to see you over here, soon.


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## Johnny Canuck3 (Jul 8, 2008)

twisted said:


> It sits on one of canada's  biggest, if not the biggest, natural gas fields and is therefore probably one of those places offering jobs to foreign workers.



You see Halliburton trucks there. Halliburton got its start as an oilfield services company.


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## 1927 (Jul 8, 2008)

I've only been looking at doing this for the last week and I must say I am encouraged that I might have a chance. I emailed some companies askinmg if it was even worth applying,emailed my CV, sorry resume, to a few companies over the weekend and applied for a job last night,well nothing to lose eh!

One company said they didnt have anything suitable at present, but would I please send my resume.Another said theyc ouldnt sponsor anyone at teh moment, and another have emailed to ask some more questions!! I am pleased that they have even bothered replying to unsolicited emails, about jobs which may or may not exist and for which I am probably barred from applying anyway. Nice one Canada, I like you people already!!


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## Constellations (Jul 9, 2008)

hahaha, good stuff.  Canada sucks though


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## chainsaw cat (Jul 9, 2008)

1927 said:


> Ok I know this is the US thread, but thought it was probably the most appropraite place to post.
> 
> I heard on the radio today that Alberta has such a shortage of workers that they are looking for 40,000 workers immediately. Now I had already given thought to moving to Canada and this made me think a bit more about exploring the possibility. I already know that I would qualify for a visa as a skilled worker, but having trawled thru hundreds of web pages there is no simple one stop shop for all the deatils.
> 
> So to short circuit the whole process do any of you know the easiest way to get sorted. Thanks




Don't you dare, you owe me a pint!!!!


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