Coming to Alberta - please just be aware
Dec 5th 2008, 8:33 pm
#47
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Re: Coming to Alberta - please just be aware
Dec 5th 2008, 10:29 pm
#48
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Re: Coming to Alberta - please just be aware
Dec 5th 2008, 10:42 pm
#49
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Re: Coming to Alberta - please just be aware
MOH has just had his hours cut back, so it's starting here. Though last time I tried to comment that all isn't clover in the job market here, Ontario, I was pilloried big time.
Dec 5th 2008, 11:04 pm
#50
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Re: Coming to Alberta - please just be aware
Perhaps I'm missing something, but shouldn't this reality check apply to all of Canada and not just Alberta? Jobs are disappearing everywhere and it's a pretty safe bet that the "Canadian Experience" requirement will mean that new immigrants get very little look in until the economy starts to recover.
I certainly wouldn't immigrate to Canada at the moment unless I was independently wealthy, which unfortunately I'm not.
I certainly wouldn't immigrate to Canada at the moment unless I was independently wealthy, which unfortunately I'm not.
Dec 5th 2008, 11:40 pm
#51
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Re: Coming to Alberta - please just be aware
I agree, the job market is being affected across the whole of Canada but I think Alberta will not be effected as much as Ontario and BC. We've had several projects cancelled that were being handled in our Vancouver office resulting in a fair few layoffs but the office in Calgary has just been awarded a couple of projects.
Dec 6th 2008, 4:29 am
#52
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Re: Coming to Alberta - please just be aware
Hey - where have all those guys gone who argued that Canada was going to miss all this? They seem to be strangely quiet right now. The OECD, who says the UK is pretty much going to be the hardest hit Western nation because of its third-world basket-case economy, has said that Australia will be one of the few countries in the OECD to avoid a recession - and I don't believe them either, let alone someone arguing on here. Obviously it would be great if its economy continues growing, but who seriously believes this? Everywhere is buggered because of human greed.
Dec 6th 2008, 5:31 am
#53
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Re: Coming to Alberta - please just be aware
Come to Canada & suffer or stay in the UK & suffer, you just have to decide which one is the lesser of two evils. The global economy is unlikely to improve for at least a decade. When will we all stop kidding ourselves and face up to the reality that all our governments have sold us down the river.
Dec 6th 2008, 6:00 am
#54
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Re: Coming to Alberta - please just be aware
Perhaps I'm missing something, but shouldn't this reality check apply to all of Canada and not just Alberta? Jobs are disappearing everywhere and it's a pretty safe bet that the "Canadian Experience" requirement will mean that new immigrants get very little look in until the economy starts to recover.
I certainly wouldn't immigrate to Canada at the moment unless I was independently wealthy, which unfortunately I'm not.
I certainly wouldn't immigrate to Canada at the moment unless I was independently wealthy, which unfortunately I'm not.
Didn't want to upset those not in the West by commenting on something I would be perceived to know nothing about.
Dec 6th 2008, 6:46 am
#55
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Re: Coming to Alberta - please just be aware
I would like to add my comments for those still in the UK thinking of coming to Alberta. I am sorry to be the prophet of doom. There will be many more instances of contract reneging as has happened in a previous post. Employers in Alberta have no hesitation in letting anyone go when times get tough and especially those on work permits – you will be the first. Contracts will be null and void. It has happened before and sadly looks like happening again. If Canadians are losing their jobs they will have no hesitation in casting you adrift - there is no safety net here.
PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE be aware that things in Alberta are turning and not for the good. The problems in Ottawa and the likelihood (OK put on hold for now) of a coalition government with no representation in Alberta are really not helping. I have stated before that companies are looking to BC and Sask to invest now. Even that could be coming to an end.
I know I will be shouted down as usual by some (funnily enough in the East) but I can only tell you what is going on Downtown Calgary. My usually very upbeat boss of my little oil and gas company is so down today and I think he and the rest of the guys feel completely betrayed. The thing I cannot forgive those bozos in Ottawa for is that they never – not one of them – put their country first. Power was all they were interested in and we are now suffering because of it. The antics of Ottawa have done more damage to this great country than any terrorist ever could.
I just think of the lovely folk in the UK with their dreams of a new life but who could be risking so much. So please think very carefully before you sell your houses and uproot your children, etc.
PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE be aware that things in Alberta are turning and not for the good. The problems in Ottawa and the likelihood (OK put on hold for now) of a coalition government with no representation in Alberta are really not helping. I have stated before that companies are looking to BC and Sask to invest now. Even that could be coming to an end.
I know I will be shouted down as usual by some (funnily enough in the East) but I can only tell you what is going on Downtown Calgary. My usually very upbeat boss of my little oil and gas company is so down today and I think he and the rest of the guys feel completely betrayed. The thing I cannot forgive those bozos in Ottawa for is that they never – not one of them – put their country first. Power was all they were interested in and we are now suffering because of it. The antics of Ottawa have done more damage to this great country than any terrorist ever could.
I just think of the lovely folk in the UK with their dreams of a new life but who could be risking so much. So please think very carefully before you sell your houses and uproot your children, etc.
Thanks very much for this post, and I have to say at this point I couldn't agree more.
We're on the verge of commiting to everything we've strived for the last few years in terms of selling our home, giving up a business, etc etc.. for hopefully a better life in Calgary.
I was offered a wonderful job, LMO, in place, AAIT approval, I've emailed the company to say we're on our way, and to date have had no reply!!
I then telephoned the company, but the person I normally deal with was not available so I left a message on voice mail - still no reply!!
In the past, their normal turnaround for replies has been within the hour!! At the very latest, the next day.
I've also heard that Calgary is on a downward spiral and I can also imagine if you are on a TWP you would be the first to go I'm sure.
I'm starting to get bad vibes about all this, and may consider sitting it out for PR..
We're so close to closing everything here, I'd really welcome anyone that's in Calgary to reply, and if they can, give their story on the situatuion as to the Electrical & Heating industry side of things please?
I did notice as the US & the UK fell into recession and then Japan etc etc.. There never seemed to be any mention of Canada in all of this, maybe it's starting to catch up with them - I suppose as it's global, it must do at some point!!
Scary times
Y
Dec 6th 2008, 7:04 am
#56
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Re: Coming to Alberta - please just be aware
Hi Jancal,
Thanks very much for this post, and I have to say at this point I couldn't agree more.
We're on the verge of commiting to everything we've strived for the last few years in terms of selling our home, giving up a business, etc etc.. for hopefully a better life in Calgary.
I was offered a wonderful job, LMO, in place, AAIT approval, I've emailed the company to say we're on our way, and to date have had no reply!!
I then telephoned the company, but the person I normally deal with was not available so I left a message on voice mail - still no reply!!
In the past, their normal turnaround for replies has been within the hour!! At the very latest, the next day.
I've also heard that Calgary is on a downward spiral and I can also imagine if you are on a TWP you would be the first to go I'm sure.
I'm starting to get bad vibes about all this, and may consider sitting it out for PR..
We're so close to closing everything here, I'd really welcome anyone that's in Calgary to reply, and if they can, give their story on the situatuion as to the Electrical & Heating industry side of things please?
I did notice as the US & the UK fell into recession and then Japan etc etc.. There never seemed to be any mention of Canada in all of this, maybe it's starting to catch up with them - I suppose as it's global, it must do at some point!!
Scary times
Y
Thanks very much for this post, and I have to say at this point I couldn't agree more.
We're on the verge of commiting to everything we've strived for the last few years in terms of selling our home, giving up a business, etc etc.. for hopefully a better life in Calgary.
I was offered a wonderful job, LMO, in place, AAIT approval, I've emailed the company to say we're on our way, and to date have had no reply!!
I then telephoned the company, but the person I normally deal with was not available so I left a message on voice mail - still no reply!!
In the past, their normal turnaround for replies has been within the hour!! At the very latest, the next day.
I've also heard that Calgary is on a downward spiral and I can also imagine if you are on a TWP you would be the first to go I'm sure.
I'm starting to get bad vibes about all this, and may consider sitting it out for PR..
We're so close to closing everything here, I'd really welcome anyone that's in Calgary to reply, and if they can, give their story on the situatuion as to the Electrical & Heating industry side of things please?
I did notice as the US & the UK fell into recession and then Japan etc etc.. There never seemed to be any mention of Canada in all of this, maybe it's starting to catch up with them - I suppose as it's global, it must do at some point!!
Scary times
Y
Glad the post is of help albeit not with good news. I think the bad vibe feeling about the job offer is well founded. I would be very wary now about coming on a TWP at the moment. As I have said employers here will not keep on a temporary worker when there are locals available.
I was chatting to a couple of guys last night in our local who are on temp work visas who have work until January but know that as Canadians become available they may not even last until then. They work in O&G.
I am afraid I do not know anything about the Heating and Elect industry hopefully someone on here will.
I will keep a few posts coming with updates. Brownstar has stated that Calgary has just been awarded a couple of projects. Brownstar are they in O&G? Whatever they are that is great news.
Dec 6th 2008, 7:24 am
#57
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Re: Coming to Alberta - please just be aware
Hi there
Glad the post is of help albeit not with good news. I think the bad vibe feeling about the job offer is well founded. I would be very wary now about coming on a TWP at the moment. As I have said employers here will not keep on a temporary worker when there are locals available.
I was chatting to a couple of guys last night in our local who are on temp work visas who have work until January but know that as Canadians become available they may not even last until then. They work in O&G.
I am afraid I do not know anything about the Heating and Elect industry hopefully someone on here will.
I will keep a few posts coming with updates. Brownstar has stated that Calgary has just been awarded a couple of projects. Brownstar are they in O&G? Whatever they are that is great news.
Glad the post is of help albeit not with good news. I think the bad vibe feeling about the job offer is well founded. I would be very wary now about coming on a TWP at the moment. As I have said employers here will not keep on a temporary worker when there are locals available.
I was chatting to a couple of guys last night in our local who are on temp work visas who have work until January but know that as Canadians become available they may not even last until then. They work in O&G.
I am afraid I do not know anything about the Heating and Elect industry hopefully someone on here will.
I will keep a few posts coming with updates. Brownstar has stated that Calgary has just been awarded a couple of projects. Brownstar are they in O&G? Whatever they are that is great news.
Hey no problem. I think this is a great, and realistic post. This is good news to me, as it may of saved me from making a huge mistake.
So I understand from people in Calgary, that the South Calgary Hospital project is way behind schedule, and so the company I was involved with cannot start their part of the project as the infrastructure is not in place.
I can understand their delay in taking on Uk guys at the moment as they can't pay guys huge amounts of money to just stand there, but what I can't understand is there non - reply to calls and emails given what they've offered me, and what I'm about to give up!!
There are other people I know here in the Uk too, who were also had offers from the same company and been told of delays and non - commital on the companies part!!
Worrying to say the least......
Y
Dec 6th 2008, 9:31 am
#58
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Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 36
Re: Coming to Alberta - please just be aware
Hi Jan,
Hey no problem. I think this is a great, and realistic post. This is good news to me, as it may of saved me from making a huge mistake.
So I understand from people in Calgary, that the South Calgary Hospital project is way behind schedule, and so the company I was involved with cannot start their part of the project as the infrastructure is not in place.
I can understand their delay in taking on Uk guys at the moment as they can't pay guys huge amounts of money to just stand there, but what I can't understand is there non - reply to calls and emails given what they've offered me, and what I'm about to give up!!
There are other people I know here in the Uk too, who were also had offers from the same company and been told of delays and non - commital on the companies part!!
Worrying to say the least......
Y
Hey no problem. I think this is a great, and realistic post. This is good news to me, as it may of saved me from making a huge mistake.
So I understand from people in Calgary, that the South Calgary Hospital project is way behind schedule, and so the company I was involved with cannot start their part of the project as the infrastructure is not in place.
I can understand their delay in taking on Uk guys at the moment as they can't pay guys huge amounts of money to just stand there, but what I can't understand is there non - reply to calls and emails given what they've offered me, and what I'm about to give up!!
There are other people I know here in the Uk too, who were also had offers from the same company and been told of delays and non - commital on the companies part!!
Worrying to say the least......
Y
Even if you had a job in Canada, there is no guarantee it would remain. Combined with a dreadful exchange rate, the downward shift in UK property prices and the rate that Canadian Houses have risen in the last few years, the economic reasons for departing the UK for Alberta have all but vanished.
Good luck to those that still intend to go!
Me, well when we get the Visa in hand, we intend to initiate it with a holiday and then do nothing. Using the two-in-five years residency rules, we can then wait for 3 years to see what happens and still be able to go and fulfill the requirements to retain the visa. If we still want to go...
Dec 6th 2008, 10:07 am
#59
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Location: Edmonton
Posts: 398
Re: Coming to Alberta - please just be aware
Canadian property prices cannot be generalised nationally, but in most places that saw big rises they have fallen substantially in the last 6 months - and they certainly look very affordable to UK-based buyers. I've just been on a househunting trip to Edmonton and £100 per sq ft is a rough benchmark for homes in mature neighbourhoods.
There's a lot of doom and gloom on the forums just now, and that's understandable. But there have always been risks to emigration and it's always been necessary to weigh them very carefully before giving up financial security in one country to move to another. Those risks remain very specific to individual circumstances. For some people, it's the taking of the risk that brings the whole project to life - the entrepreneurial spirit. For others, there may be little security in the UK, thus few reasons to remain.
Chutley's point is that economic reasons for migrating have all but vanished - and that's fair enough. But I would be surprised if many recent UK-CA migrants were motivated by money alone, and my point is that many of the other reasons have not changed.
Bottom line: financial risks have changed, but the need for each migrant to consider them very carefully with regard to his/her own circumstances has not.
Dec 6th 2008, 10:33 am
#60
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Re: Coming to Alberta - please just be aware
I think that anybody who leaves sound employment in the UK - with all the protection that offers - for the unknown of Canada, in the middle of an increasingly dire economic downturn is sailing into very dodgy waters.
Even if you had a job in Canada, there is no guarantee it would remain. Combined with a dreadful exchange rate, the downward shift in UK property prices and the rate that Canadian Houses have risen in the last few years, the economic reasons for departing the UK for Alberta have all but vanished.
Good luck to those that still intend to go!
Me, well when we get the Visa in hand, we intend to initiate it with a holiday and then do nothing. Using the two-in-five years residency rules, we can then wait for 3 years to see what happens and still be able to go and fulfill the requirements to retain the visa. If we still want to go...
Even if you had a job in Canada, there is no guarantee it would remain. Combined with a dreadful exchange rate, the downward shift in UK property prices and the rate that Canadian Houses have risen in the last few years, the economic reasons for departing the UK for Alberta have all but vanished.
Good luck to those that still intend to go!
Me, well when we get the Visa in hand, we intend to initiate it with a holiday and then do nothing. Using the two-in-five years residency rules, we can then wait for 3 years to see what happens and still be able to go and fulfill the requirements to retain the visa. If we still want to go...
Well I'm self employed but I take your point. Even if you were employed in the UK, the climate is not good. I deal some with companies here who laughed 6 months ago and thought they were recession proof!
Believe me, Two of them are not laughing now! Companies all over the Uk are folding by the day - so even if you're employed, it's no safety net.
I also take your point about the rate too, $.20 - .25 cts down on a large sum of money exchange can make a huge difference.
I don't mind the risk of going to Alberta - it's the chance you take, it just seems soooooooo disappointing that this company cannot be arsed to reply to emails and voice mails after offering, and seeing us through all the highs and lows of this process.
Even if they just did the decent thing and let me know where I stood would be something! Still, I intend to phone them again Monday and get an answer one way, or the other as to where things stand. At least then we can make arrangements accordingly.
PR is the way forward I think, at least I would have a little more security in all of this chaos!!
Cheers
Y