yamaha600

anybody know where the best place to live in canada for a carpenter and how much do they pay and is there lots of work

Novocastrian

14 New Tampon Crescent, Upthebum, AB.

mandymoochops

I'll elaborate on Novo's response.

Do you know how big Canada is???????????????????? theres not a special place for carpenters, all towns and cities have the same wants and needs as any town and city anywhere in the world.

A village with 3 people in is going to have less need than a city with 3 million????

Theres a section on this forum for working by proffesion, if you can't be bothered to search I can't be arsed to post a link.

Why not search the Canadian job sites such as Monster and Workopolis to get the answers you need.

Alberta_Rose

When I saw the thread title, I thought ... now somebody is BOUND to tell him exactly where to go .... and so they did!

But to be kinder for a sec .... I see you have another thread where you are asking about Calgary.

First I suggest you click here: http://britishexpats.com/wiki/Category:Canada and use the subtitles to find specific information re Calgary/Canadian housing/how to find a job etc etc etc ..... It takes time and reading! A LOT!!!

As for "carpentry" .... a LOT of houses in Canada are made of wood, so carpentry obviously ranges from framing houses to cabinet-making, and all points between. For all trades in Canada there is a thing called a red seal which you can read about here:http://www.red-seal.ca/[email protected]

When you say coming "with family" are you talking about your wife and children or your parents? It's hard to tell from the info you have given us.
If you want real help here, give as much info as you choose to share, as that helps frame a sensible and helpful reply!

Good luck.

mandymoochops

mmm i'm going to be a little kinder too.

There is a company in Red Deer Ab, (couple of hours away from Calgary) thats has its LMO and are pretty much always looking for cabinet makers, finishers etc.

An LMO (Labour Market Opinion) is what a company needs to be issued with from HRSDC (Human resources and development Canada) to be allowed to employ a foreign worker on a temporary or permanent basis.

If you don't know what an LMO is or indeed what route you want to go down to move here - then I suggest reading the WIKI (blue bar just left of centre at the top of the page) and find out your options.

Are you aware that you would have to resit an exam over here to be qualified as a carpenter though? and before you are allowed to sit the exam you need to be able to provide proof that you have the necessary schooling, training and work experience in the UK.

Theres lots of reading to do and lots of research too. You cannot just say "i'm a carpenter, truck driver, hairdresser etc - foreign countries will welcome me in with open arms" It doesn't work like that any more. Houses in Calgary are expensive, less so in Red Deer.

The cost of living is roughly the same as the UK so theres no pot of gold to be made either.

Sounds harsh but many people think - "oooh cheap and lots of work" the case is exactly the opposite.

Butch Cassidy

Three very helpful posters

redarmy990

can i just say this may help others

if you go to alberta you dont have to sit an exam as they recognise the british city and guilds qualifacation.

mandymoochops

are you absolutely sure about that??? They may recognise the City and Guilds as equivalent to an apprenticeship - but you sure as shit have to sit your exam for your Red Seal, everyone who wants Journeyman certification has to.

You cannot just tell people that because they have a city and guilds they will be qualified to work here because that just isn't true.

Edited to add here's the relevant bit from the trade secrets site and the link in case anyone else wants it

To work in a compulsory certification trade, a Temporary Foreign Worker MUST hold a recognized trade certificate or have an approved Qualification Certificate Program application in the trade before coming to Canada. Compulsory certification trades usually involve work where public and worker safety needs to be more closely monitored.

Once the application has been approved,
the employer shall advise Advanced Education and Technology (Apprenticeship and Industry Training, Apprenticeship Initiatives Branch) as soon as Temporary Foreign Workers arrive in Alberta
within 90 days of arrival, the worker and his/her employer should take the following steps to certification:
Participation in an employer or union sponsored trades refresher, technical English and trade terminology courses
Attempt or be scheduled to attempt required theory and practical examinations
within 180 days of arrival, the worker
must be certified, or
must have attempted the required examinations and demonstrated progress toward obtaining certification.
Under extenuating circumstances permission may be granted for an extension of up to 180 days if the worker and employer have shown progress towards certification. The employer must submit a written request to Apprenticeship Initiatives that describes the training the individual has participated and a formal training plan for the applicant which includes a minimum 40 hours trades refresher course. The plan must clearly indicate when the course starts, curriculum to be delivered and the name of the course instructor. If permission for the extension is not granted, the application will be canceled.


http://www.tradesecrets.gov.ab.ca/in...d_workers.html

redarmy990

when i was working in calgary i was journeyman carpenter and didnt have to sit the exam.so yes i am sure.
also i was working with a 29 year old canadian apprentice. what the f--- is all that about

snowdogs

I cant be to sure but i believe if you have a certain amount of hours experience you do not need to sit the exam you will qualify for something else.

Like i said not too sure as it was a while ago I read this.i did look into it as i was told i did have to sit red seal but on further research discovered i didnt

lancashirebird

Working in Alberta

To work as a Carpenter in Alberta, a person must:

* be a registered apprentice, a certified journeyperson, hold a recognized trade certificate (see Recognized Trade Certificates), OR

* work for an employer who is satisfied that the worker has the skills and knowledge expected of a certified journeyperson, OR

* be self-employed

i would say in the smaller citys that would not be the case or you may not get the higher rate of pay.
If your employer gave you the title of journeyman then i am afraid he was well out of order, a journeyman holds a licence to say that he can do the job and has sat the exam to prove it.

To qualify for an Alberta Qualification Certificate based on work experience, a person must:

* have at least 8,160 hours and 72 months of ‘hands-on’ work experience as a carpenter

It cost $400 or so to get checked out and that inc the first exam as well, believe me most employers that i know wouldnt touch a trademan without the licence

LB

snowdogs

yea that is exactly what I had read lancsbird

lancashirebird

plus if you live in the bigger citys they are used to doing the LMO route and have heard of different qualifications, when we came here my OH qualifications didnt mean anything to them.
But i was lucky a local expat runs his own electrical company and advised us to put REDSEAL approved on his resume, as he was redseal approved we was not telling any lies.............
it got him 6 job offers, we took one and he sat his licence within 6mths of being here.........

redarmy990

well i have over 18 years experiance as a carpenter so thats why i got journeyman class maybe

lancashirebird

i am not saying that you are not experienced in your field.......OMG my hubby was a manager back in the uk running his own department and earned more than any of the mangers here could wish, but they still made him prove that he was able to do the job...they even called his employer when he passed the exam to make sure the employer was happy with him

But as i have learnt here that you can only be classed a journeyman if you have passed the exams, so for your old employer to give you the title is not right