NineTails

I'm wondering, does anyone know where I can go to find out how to get a job working on the oil fields in Alberta? Not in a specialist role (I'm not oil expert or scientist) but how to get a general job in the fields that will help me get over quicker?

Tinpusher63

To be brutally honest. There is no chance of an unskilled worker getting a job in the oil patch in order to help immigrate to Canada.

You do realise there is a MAJOR downturn in the oil industry at the moment, no? Unskilled workers have been let go in the thousands and many many skilled workers too.

NineTails

I did not know that.
Feel free to delete this thread then.

energysolutions

I should start off by saying that "The Patch" has slowed down a LOT right now due to low oil prices.

The difference from this time last year (when oil prices were insanely high) is incredible

You don't say what your specific skill set is (Trade or whatever) but I found an employer with an LMIA who - by chance - has work in the patch and came out that way

I should say that I initially came with the intention of working in town but various things happened and I now work up north on a 14/7 rotation which I`ve adjusted to nicely and the pay is good

If you are going this route I`d advise doing a little homework on camps as some are good (like hotels) and others are not so good.......

I`ve just stayed in one that has took a huge nosedive, I believe, as a result of falling oil prices. Quality of the food went way downhill and the rooms are now only made every other day instead of every day previously.

If you find a camp which houses operators it will be a good camp in my experience - it seems no matter how low oil prices get those camps are exempt. It pays to keep the people who extract the commodity happy it seems.........

NineTails

My skills lie in software engineering, but I'm just looking at ways to get over faster. I heard the oil fields were a good way to go about it.

energysolutions

Sorry - I don't see that plan working.

The preconception that the oil field is crying out for any workers it can get is simply not true. It is always in need of good quality people with the correct skill sets (I still say this is valid even with the lower demand due to oil prices)

Work up north is attractive from a money/time off POV (but of course there are downsides too - being away from family friends for up to three weeks at the time is one, I was home for 7 days total in June) and so any unskilled positions (I genuinely can't think of one of the top of my head) would fill up pretty fast

NineTails

No worries, thanks for your feedback mate.

Right now I'm just trying to think of any and all ways I can get across quicker. Still saving up and applying through the skilled worker perm resident route, but I'm just wanting over now.

energysolutions

I was in your position once not that long ago (~2 years) so I know how that feels

On the work front I would advise trying to stick with something you know and are familiar with as that will give you the best chance when you get here. I know in my field many things were different to my previous experience which meant a whole lot of adjusting but keeping this to a minimum will make your changeover to life in Canada much smoother.

YMMV

christmasoompa

If you've applied under EE, then that's around 4-6 months processing, so there really isn't any quicker way over than that. Even if you were going on a TWP, then by the time the employer has advertised the job, applied for the LMIA (can take months), etc, that can take far longer anyway.

tee1

Jumping in here but what type of workers would you say are always in demand? I'm in the middle of a career change and am quite drawn to the oilfields for both the cash and time off. I'm trying to decide on a trade if you can offer any advise? I'm female but not deterred by it being untraditional haha. Is it better to drive north and try my luck? Thanks

energysolutions

So is half of Alberta it seems!

I have met many people who have changed career (formerly qualified teachers/chemists who are now tradespeople) and its not uncommon to meet apprentices of all ages

Thats one of the big differences from home - in general you could gauge how long someone has been doing a trade just by looking at them and doing the sums as its almost guaranteed they started pretty much straight out of school (e.g. 35 years old, left school at 16, spent 4 years doing an apprenticeship so been a qualified tradesperson for 15 ish years) - not so in Canada

For some reason there seems to have been a period where trades weren't attractive so no one wanted to go that direction and now it feels like they're playing catchup

To answer your question I`m in electrical but the company also has instrumentation, both are good bets, hard to say which is better but you should have a good look at whats involved with each and decide yourself. If its any indication there were no females on our electrical side but there were two on the instrumentation side

I came qualified but I`m pretty sure if you can find a company to indenture you and enrol in school you can start straight away up there as a first year which will get you 60% of journeyman rate

tee1

Thanks bud, I was actually looking into instrumentation, I've done a bit of electrical and think the instrumentation is more for me

energysolutions

From the limited exposure I have had with Instrumentation (I find that Electrical need to know a certain amount about Instrumentation to do their jobs correctly and vice versa as there is a definite overlap) I would say its a safe bet

I sense its a little more specialized than electrical which is good and bad.

Good in that there are less people doing it so less competition/more demand/better chance of finding a job (assuming there is work)

Bad in that there isn't as much Instrumentation work compared to electrical as a rule.

The work seems a bit less physical too. Long term I have some ideas in the direction I wanna go which are hampered until PR happens but I wouldn't rule out a second trade and Instrumentation is one of the options I would consider (dual tickets are highly sought after)

southstand

Jumping in here aswel, I am an electrician and planning on heading to Calgary in October, I know the oil industry is on a down turn at the moment but is there many jobs for electricians in Alberta?

tee1

Yeah it seems for every instrumentation job there's like 20 electrical ones. Only 2 places in BC (where I live right now) that even offer technical training but both SAIT and Nait do so I guess that's fine if making the move to Alberta. Most people I chat too say duel ticket is the way to go longterm
Don't suppose you work with any welders/pipefitter/plumbers? That's another option I'm considering