Billstevo

Any Bricklayers recently moved to Canada? I,m on the way via an agency. They have arranged job interviews in the Ontario and Alberta areas and i will be out in October to sit interviews and if they prove successful i should be back to start work on a temporary visa in May 2007. Any advice with regards to where to head for and what salary to expect.Reading the forum, getting somewhere to rent may prove expensive. I,m coming over with my wife and two kids . Heres hoping someone can help.

Voyager970

Try this site here
Do a search for bricklayers and the rest is self explanatory

http://lmi-imt.hrdc-drhc.gc.ca/stand...v_main&lcode=E

Well done on getting job interviews

Eddie

dbd33

My brother is a bricklayer by trade. I offer his story as it happened, make of it what you will.

I needed some brickwork, I got estimates, couldn't believe the price, found out the cost of materials and called brickie brother (in the pub). He came to build for beer and the cost of the trip. We went on a booze cruise related to my work and the husband of a colleague offered him a job for $27/hour cash. That was in 1987. He had some trouble with the metric blocks but, after a short while got established. He's still here. He worked for the same firm for ten years or so then married a Canadian, became legal, and moved to the country. I know the owners of the firm he worked for quite well now; neither of them are legal in Canada but that don't count for much, bricklaying (commercial bricklaying anyway, only fools do houses) is all about ethnicity, Italians employ Italians, Jamaicans employ Jamaicans, it's not about being legal.

You can certainly support your family in Ontario or Alberta but watch Alberta, it's really boom-and-bust, they want you now because now is boom.

Billstevo

Eddie, Thanks for the web address, very interesting reading. Are you in the trade, if so how are you finding working in Canada, winters included.

Thanks again
Bill.

Billstevo

Whats so bad about doing houses is it as bad as it can be in England.
I heard it,s expensive to live on the wages offered in Ontario. I don,t expect to get top money straight away but i don,t want to bring my family over and struggle to get on.
Thanks for your help.
Bill

Posidrive

At least here in Alberta, nobody but the mega rich would even think about have a brick built house. Most new build houses that look like brick are just cultured stone stuck on the outside of the wooden frame. I briefly mentioned the idea of a brick house to our builder and you could see the dollars signs light up in his eyes.

dbd33

Yes, that's right, most houses just have a few bricks stuck on the front any old how. There's little money in it because it takes longer to set up than it does to lay the bricks and because house buyers don't know quality brickwork anyway; they're not going to pay more for a pig free wall. Factories, warehouses and the like have actual block walls and there's worthwhile meterage in building those walls.

Voyager970

Bill not a brickie but a welder, been away a from trade for 11 years so had to go to a welding school when I ws over to get re-certified, no problemoes !!!!

We are still in the UK, Glasgow and I just returned last week from Canada with a confirmed job offer in Stratford
PR application has been with the London office since July last year

Hope to move in August :scared: :scared:

Have a good look at that site as it contains loads of info on the skilled trades

Eddie

Billstevo

Good luck Eddie, hope it goes well. I.m out in October for some job interviews. I can,t wait to go. It means i,m nearer getting out of this place before it sinks under the weight of illegals.

Billstevo

I dont, mind what i do as long as i can survive on the salary. Blocks i can lay with my eyes shut ( some say it looks like i have!!!!!!). Is their much call for house extensions or are they big enough to start with? Thanks for your reply.

Billstevo

I need to rent a place when i get there whats the availability like in the Calgary area?

Butch Cassidy

At the moment Its Fluid. Not cheap though!!!

dbd33

Around here people expand their living area by closing in the porch or building on the deck; neither job calls for brickwork. It may be different in the suburbs where people have more room but I doubt they'd use brick; it's just not a popular option here except as a veneer.

Billstevo

Do you know of any reputable building companies i could get in touch with. I want to try and find out what they need out there.Thanks

dbd33

I don't know of any. I'll ask next time I speak to the bricklaying brother.