Pcallaway

Hi all,

My partner & I have made the decision after 8 years of talking about leaving the UK & have decided to finally make the move to Canada, somewhere in British Columbia close to either Victoria or Vancouver so it's convenient but out of way enough we can still do all that outdoorsy stuff.

We've got quite a lot of information online but have a few questions...

Is there a demand for carpenters in BC?

What sites would be best to use for job searches before moving?


What is public transport like? (My partner drives, I am a learner)

What are the average rental prices for 2 & 3 bed houses outside of the cities?

What suburbs outside of Vancouver & Victoria have the good schools? (We have a 6 year old)

We've done a lot of research over the years so we just need some advice off people who have made the move & how it's been, was it what you expected etc.

Thank you in advance 😊

Twitcher1958

Do you have your means to work sorted already? That has to be your first priority - lots of info in the wiki etc. I’m sure others will soon be along with specific info about the areas you’re interested in, once you confirm you have visa or PR sorted.

BritBC

I've lived in both Victoria and Metro Vancouver for the past 5+ years.

1. I can't speak specifically to carpentry but trades in general are in demand in the Metro Vancouver area at the moment as the population is growing significantly and there is a lot of new construction largely with townhomes (like terraced houses with monthly strata fees) and apartments. This seems to be the case on the island too but not at quite such a large scale.

2. You're best off checking out indeed.com, civicjobs.ca and workbc.ca to see what jobs are currently available, and also check the CIC NOC list to see if carpentry is there for your immigration path.

https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration...tion-code.html

3. Transit is good on the island around Victoria, there is quite a good bus service between (Langford - Victoria, Sidney - Victoria). The lower mainland of Vancouver however has an ok system IMO if you're around the skytrain routes but the further south of the fraser river you go the transit gets worse.

4. Rental prices have changed quite a bit since i last looked but you're best off checking out craigslist for Metro Vancouver - Victoria.

5. Victoria has quite a lot of very nice family orientated areas around it (e.g. Saanich, North Saanich, Langford).

For the lower mainland - I would say Langley is a good option as housing is slightly more affordable and its a growing area with good school options/also is commutable to Vancouver, Burnaby.

Please feel free to PM me if you have any questions

christmasoompa

We ask that questions are asked via the forums, PM's are really just for personal exchanges. That way everybody can benefit from the knowledge and experiences shared.

Thanks.

BristolUK

I swear I read this as an OP a few days ago.

scilly

First, determine whether you are eligible to immigrate to Canada.

Second, yes, there is lots of construction in and around Vancouver, so yes trades are in great demand ............. but are your qualifications transferable? In other words, you need to get your qualifications assessed.

Third, Metro Vancouver is now horribly expensive to live, and transit gets worse the further out you have to go to find affordable accommodation. Larger rentals, ie with 3 or more bedrooms, are in short supply.

Victoria is somewhat similar in regards to cost of rentals.

PMM

Hi

1, You are sort of putting the cart before the horse, unless either of you are a Canadian citizen, you are going to see if you are eligible to apply to emigrate.
2. Without a job offer, you are probably going to have to go the Express Entry route. See if you qualify here: https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration...nada-tool.html You will need 67 points to get into the Express Entry pool and around 460+ plus points to receive an invitation to apply.
3. You could see if you qualify under BC's PNP as well https://www.welcomebc.ca/Immigrate-to-B-C

Siouxie

Not for trades. They have their own EE route with a lower point requirement for invites - the lowest points in last round of invitations (for trades) was 241 points.

https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration...-previous.html

In order to work as a carpenter in BC - which is a regulated trade - the OP will need to look into getting their Provincial Certification (which will also help with points for EE) - http://www.itabc.ca/program/carpenter

PMM

Hi

1. Except there were only 2 draws for Federal Skilled Trades in 2017
2. 25/05, 505 Invitations, 241 points
3. 01/11, 400 Invitations, 199 points

paulhothersall

Squamish (and up the road but pricier in Whistler) is massively short of trades like carpenters. And with a steady building plan for the next 20 years all mapped out.

Bonus items are the outdoors but close to Vancouver / ocean . Oh and all the outdoor EVERYTHING

Snowy560

I don't think carpentry (7271) has a mandatory regulation requirement in BC. I have certainly known many carpenters (over the years) who completed their qualifications/training abroad who've have immigrated here on the basis of their skills ... unless something has changed in the last two years:

https://www.welcomebc.ca/Work-or-Stu...ming-qualified

I'm fairly sure this is still correct although I see conflicting information.

Aviator

You are correct, carpentry is not a regulated trade. However without a journeyman certificate it can make securing work harder and often lower paid. If one is self employed, then the certs don't make a lot of difference to employability and pay.

Siouxie

That's what I thought - my son's friend came over from the UK on an IEC and worked in BC whilst he was waiting for his PR, as a carpenter.

However, according to Jobbank.gc.ca Carpenter is now a regulated trade in BC.

https://www.jobbank.gc.ca/report-eng...atedOccupation

Aviator

The term regulated is loosely used sometimes. Carpenter is a certified trade, 'regulated' by the provincial training authority. A gas fitter or boilermaker is a regulated trade. A license is not required to be a carpenter, however an electrician or gas fitter requires a license.

Regulated Professions

A type of regulated occupation such as physicians, nurses, and lawyers. Regulated professions usually require several years of university or college education, practical experience under the supervision of a licensed worker in the chosen profession, and the successful completion of a licensure examination. It is important to note that provinces and territories sometimes expect different things from their regulated professionals. In some instances, this means that a person licensed in one province may have to re-apply for a licence in order to work in another province or territory.

Red Seal Trades

Trades for which interprovincial standards have been established, allowing for the portability of credentials. These trades are designated by the Interprovincial Standards Red Seal Program under the authority of the Canadian Council of Directors of Apprenticeship, the body which is also responsible for setting standards in the trades. Red Seal is a nationally registered trademark symbol that signifies the qualification of tradespersons and facilitates interprovincial mobility. This means that the holder of a certificate with a red seal endorsement does not have to pass additional exams if they move to different provinces and territories.