mandymoochops

I was under the impression that you could fly over and take the exam and come home again - someone I knew did that.

As I would see it the way to go would be

Send off application to be allowed to challenge the exam (ours took 6 weeks to come back to say Mr MMC had the criteria to be allowed to do so)

During this time study like mad.

Once approval recieved book the exam, fly out, take it, pass (hopefully) then fly back home.

Following this I would then apply for jobs, go down the TWP route, would be a breeze with the journeyman cert.

However

If you already have a job offer and LMO etc then as Piff says you may be given your twp at poe.

How far along the process are you?

mandymoochops

It is possible to get a job without it (Mr MMC did but on the proviso that he takes and passes his journeyman).

However it would be a damn site easier to get a job with the relevant Canadian qualification.

Companies have to jump through hoops normally to get you here so if you have done some of the legwork yourself (ie the exam) they will be far more likely to assist in the rest of the whole process.

nikkim

Hi there

Basically, we have just come back from okotoks (where my aunt and family love) and have booked to go back in July. I have not applied yet as I wanted to see if PNP was the best way to try and get in. Do you think if hubby was to apply to challenge exam, it is too early to do so now in order to take exam in July?

Also, he currently works as an RAC patrol and we have looked on the CAA website and their job descriptions seem to be the same as his job here. Do youthink he would need certificate (assume he would as he is still fixing vehicles).

We did consider emigrating under the family class but details on whether an aunt is a close enough relative are a bit sketchy.

Many thanks

Nikki

mandymoochops

I am by noooooo means an expert, however I would apply to trade and industry to see if hubby would be allowed to challenge the exam. Get that out of the way and then study like mad and book the exam for as soon as you get there in July. Hopefully if he passes he can scout for jobs whilst there, waving his shiny journeyman qualification.

Come back (hopefully with job offer in hand) and apply for the TWP route and go for pnp whilst you are there working.

With PNP you need a job offer first for the company to in essence sponsor you, which really you need for a twp too but it takes a little longer.

For your hubby to be accepted to take the exam he has to prove about 9000 hours of on the job experience and also send in his City and Guilds training stuff (or equivalent) and also have all relevant past employers be able to confirm this. We panicked as Mr MMC had been off the tools for about 10 years as he went from being a Heavy Duty Tech to an HGV driver, but that didn't phase them and we still managed to track down former employers.

Sorry if I waffle on (wishes I was as literate as Judy from Calgary at this point!) but anything else you need just ask - everyone here will help if they can

Piff Poff

This is what happened to us!

1. Hubby booked exam
2. Hubby came on holiday
3. Hubby was issued a 3 month temp work permit at border - they wouldn't let him in without it.
4. Hubby took exam, with no prior studying at all
5. Hubby failed exam (and he knows the a lot of the terminology as he has had yank cars for the last 20 odd years and has dealt with gettting parts from the US.
6. Panic set in - he had to pass exam before permit ran out
7. Put hous on market
8. Hubby handed in notice and flew out 4 weeks later
9. Hubby studied a bit a passed exam = phew!

You have to get permission before you can book the exam, you can't just rock up and take it, you have to have passed the exam to be a motor mechanic on proper money - don't know about RAC type stuff.

We have heard that the other Provinces take the City and Guilds qualification without the exam but a mechanic in BC moving to Alberta for instance will have to take the Alberta equivelency exam - that is how we understand it, someone will correct me if I'm wrong.I would be very wary about booking and taking the exam if you have no intention of staying just yet.

mandymoochops

Piff did the IO just issue a permit without job offer / lmo / all the bells and whistles then????

Most would consider that quite lucky although it never happens quite the way you want it eh!

Piff Poff

No he had the LMO and Job offer and the approval to do the exam when he booked the exam - didn't see the point of booking it until those steps had been done.

He got offered the job whilst on recce, this was through the realtor we chatted to, who knew someone, who knew someone at the garage he now works at. He was offered the job at the 3rd garage he went into, had a cuppa and a chat and 20 mins later came out with a letter and a promise to do the LMO and stuff.

The point the IO made was that if he is doing a trade exam it was because he wanted to come and work here, regardless of the PR app and the return tickets he had booked home 7 days later.

mandymoochops

You have highlited something there though about the whole 'networking' thing here.

In Drum not many jobs are advertised but you speak to anyone and they know someone who's looking for someone, it's like jobs are on the black market - can imagine a bloke in a raincoat holding one side of it open and saying "wot you want mate? I got customer service, motor technician and this one a bit thats special like, bank manager, cost you though - eh!!!"!

Piff Poff

Nice one!

GavinR

If you get a good enough score you can have the 'Interprovincial Red Seal' that way your qualification is valid in all Provinces, like mine

mandymoochops

Whats the score to get the red seal?

Piff Poff

Does that not cost more dosh? And can you take it as a seperate exam? That's what we were led to believe......We went up a lot of garden paths!

GavinR

I don't recall now, it was a few years ago in Ontario I did it. Didn't cost any extra though.

GavinR

The website is here http://www.red-seal.ca/Site/index_e.htm

Piff Poff

Oh I see what you mean!

Hubby just did the Alberta one as that was where we were comming.