veteran

Greetings to everyone,

I came across this site when I was doing a search for expats living in Canada. My question is, has anyone that moved over and became a citizen, managed to join the canadian forces? If so, what was your experience through the recruiting process?

I have applied to join the air force as an officer, took the test, interview and medical recently, just waiting for the security screening to come back from Ottawa. Am going in for an engineering occupation

Ta

Dave+Jules

You need to seek out Airborne Sapper he is in Canadian Forces after leaving UK forces.

happy hatter

A friend of mine has done the very same, he found it quite easy once he had PR, (via his Canuck wife) but they weren't willing to entertain him until he had done all the leg work and he was very experienced, by comparision I know another who went to Oz and they fell over themselves to get him across.

veteran

But am going in as someone who is now a Canadian citizen, not a PR holder, and because am originally from the UK, check need to be done. Am looking at it in terms of job security, and good benefits, chance to learn new skills and serve my new country

ontres

English, emigrated 1953, joined RCE 1957 as a sapper Retired after full career, as officer.

No regrets whatsoever. Able to improve education on company time. Travel and action galore. Pay good. Many lifelong friendships.

Recommended.

ex_REME

Hi Vet

I enrolled in the CF green mob two months ago after many years with the UK green mob. In terms of job security it's the same as UK. I am on an initial contract of 9 years, although they vary in length from 2 to 9 years I think. Compulsory retirement is now 60. There's a good few of us in Ottawa inc ex RAF, we may have met??

I only became a PR a few months ago so had to get the Citizenship waiver to enrol.

I took the full recruitment session, medicals, aptitude test and interview, sound like you did too. Took a few weeks to get a job offer and I believe Brits are now exempt the initial security screening so I could start pretty quickly after the offer. Shouldn't take too long to get next level of sy clearance too.

Benefits are good pay and free uniform! Pension after 10 years (preserved) or 20 for an immediate I think. Not much adventure training or sport like the UK mob. Med and dental are covered too as per UK.

Drop me a PM if you like, but I only check in once in a while.

Best of British old Man!!! Watch for the H** in the Sun.

veteran

Thanks ex_REME. I did get a call yesterday from a captain that interviewed me last month. He said I have been cleared for level 2, but the occupation am going for (communications and elctronic engineer in air force ), requires level 3 clearance, so it might take another 6-8 months because of my UK connection.

They did give me some choices in the Navy that only require level 2 clearance, but it will mean after finishing basic training in Quebec, I'll have to go to Halifax, and then Nanaimo for a number of years.

This will be a heavy constraint on my family. My main choice will put me in Kingston and Ottawa after basic training.

ex_REME

Hang on in there, and enjoy the time off whilst you can. Skiing season starts soon!

Hope to bump into you sometime if you land (hah, sorry, childish pongo joke) in Ottawa.

Howard1944

You must be able to speak French to become an officer.

veteran

Wrong.....but it's part of the training. You need a university degree to become an officer than anything else

Howard1944

Vet, Yes ,you need a degree, but you must also successfully complete a French language immersion programme to be an Officer.

Failure to successfully complete this programme means you will not retain your Rank.

airbornesapper

Crap...I don't speak a word of it. I have been in the CF 21 years and commissioned from WO in Jan 98...I am Regular Force.

I was 9 years in the Royal Engineers.

Anyone have questions, I should be able to answer.

I posted a pile of info on the pension aspect...if you do a search on Canadian Forces that should chuck it out.

All the best to one and all...Kev out....

airbornesapper

Again...wrong...pers selected CFR or for the SRCP do not require a degree or speak French.

Nor are you very likely to get French training. In 98 I was supposed to do a 6 month French course on commissioning but was sent instead to Bosnia the day after my Knife Fork and Spoon course finished.

I have never been able to get on another course. Don't get me wrong, speaking French is an asset, and one that gets you more points on your CR (here called a PER).

Cheers, Kev..

airbornesapper

Ex REME are you planning to transfer your BRIT pension to the CFSA (CF pension). Have you been told about "your right to elect." That is a key form which you have 12 months from enrollment to submit after that its game over.

If you don't transfer you will have to do 25 years for an immediate annuity. It has been that way since 1 April 2005 for new entrants.

I transferred 9 years...so now I am in my 30th (30 equals 60%) vice 21 (which is obviously 42%). Have you seen this link...to work your own numbers?

http://www.admfincs.forces.gc.ca/pen...e.asp?sel=calc

If you do sign the election, (for me looking back it would have been financial suicide if I had not) there are things you need to know. PM me if you want to discuss..

Cheers, Kev

Souvenir

I've met a number of senior officers with neither a degree or a second langauge (OK, no French). Whether or not it is a requirement, or is a requirement that isn't enforced, is rather a moot point. As you say, anything that gets you more points on your PER is a good thing. There is probably not much separating people at the higher end of the merit list, so anything at all that sets you apart helps. I didn't realise what an art form PERs were until I started helping to write them.