chrisc23

Hi there I am looking to move to BC at the beginning of next year to work as an electrician. Could anybody tell me what is required to get the relevant qualifications to be able to work there. Thanks in advance

christmasoompa

Hi there, and welcome to the forum.

You'll need a visa as your first step, if you wish to apply under the Skilled Worker program then you'll need to do that asap if you want to move early next year.

Then you'll need your Red Seal - do a quick search of the forum or the Wiki (on blue bar at top of page) to find the relevant info. I believe that as an electrician you need to prove you've done 9000 or more hours (which cannot include apprenticeships) to be able to sit the Red Seal, but that's just off the top of my head, so do check that. There are links in the Wiki to the Red Seal website etc.

HTH, good luck.

chrisc23

Thanks for the reply. What qualification can I get instead of Red Seal because I only have more than 9000 hours if I include apprentiship?

christmasoompa

There isn't another option to the Red Seal that I'm aware of. I don't believe you can work as an electrician in Canada without the Red Seal, but have a look in the Wiki or search the forum for more info.

How short of hours are you and have you checked that it is 9000? As I said, I'm not sure of how many you need, so do look in to it - I could be thinking of plumbers or another occupation!

R I C H

You can work as an electrician as long as you're supervised by a qualified Red Seal holder. I know of 2 individuals that have emigrated here from the UK that are working as electricians (new build domestic installations) and don't hold Red Seal qualifications. As long as their work is checked and signed off, they're perfectly legal.

amardan

Hi my hubby is an electrician and we also knew of electricians that did not have the Red Seal. You could go into the trade as a fourth year apprentice and then sit the Red Seal exam. If you have PR and are a qualified electrician and have proof of this some companies may take you on and allow you to sit the exam at a later date. It just really depends on the firm. Also, there is another way my husband worked on the oilsands and they paid for his red seal etc. I hope you find a way and good luck

chrisc23

I do not have my qualification until September but can I still apply for a permanent residence with my apprectice hours which total in excess of 9000?

christmasoompa

Have you actually worked as an electrician for at least one year full-time? To qualify as a Skilled Worker, you need to have done so, plus of course you'll need to make sure you have enough points and your years of work experience will contribute towards those.

chrisc23

do apprentiship years count towards this? I have worked as an apprentice full time for the last 4 years.

spikeyken

Hi Chris,

Assuming you go down the skilled worker route and you have sufficient experience to complete the application and that all gets sorted...... the next thing would be to contact the Industry Training Authority regarding getting your Red Seal. As some of the previous posts indicate, you need 9000 hours on tools experience to be able to write the Red Seal exam and this does not included your apprenticeship hours either. Once you pass your exam you'll be a Journeyman electrician.


Have a look at http://www.itabc.ca/Page614.aspx and the links there.
If you don't have sufficient hours to be able to challenge the exam, you'll be classed as an apprentice, and assessed to see how many hours experience you still need. Depending on how many hours you require I think the pay may be between 50-70% of a journeyman's rate.

The rules vary slightly from province to province but if you want to go to BC, get in touch with ITABC even if it's just to have a chat with them about your particular situation.

Hope this helps!

bozonightmare

Yes you do incude your apprenticeship in your 9000 hours.
No you don't need your red seal to do electrical work but you won't get paid sparks rate or be able to get jobs easily without it.

Bozo

wonderfulperson

Work permit first, if you have a job lined up that is, as work permit restricts you to solely that employer until you get permanent residency.

If you get permanent residency before you come over instead of a work permit that will help you better and you won't be restricted but can work for anyone straight away.

3 yrs later you can get Citizenship applied for, as long as you don't leave the country much if at all as it states you aren't to, in order to qualify.

If you get a work permit you will need an employer to sponsor you over (put a reference in for you to state why you are needed here).

As a skilled worker I was here on a work permit as I found it more affordable that way round, but in hindsight, to gain my taxes back on relocating and for the freedom once here straight away to work for whom I wanted, a permanent residency from the start would have been a far better idea.

In your case I'd go for permanent residency if you can, and you can work for yourself as an electrician in BC, many guys I know have their own businesses and find it far better, they are Canadians the ones I know of, and one Brit who is a contractor.

You can advertise yourself on craigslist here as that is a very popular well used site, and I have found many an employer on there myself, as well as hired private people with own businesses when I needed to move home (man and van for example - found them far better, cheaper and looked after my belongings far far better than a removal service I hired once that robbed me and did not give all my belongings back!)

Hope that helps.

christmasoompa

Where does it state that? To apply for citizenship, the applicant must have been physically present in Canada for 1095 days in the previous 4 years before applying - so trips outside of Canada are not an issue at all, as long as they have met the criteria and kept up their PR status. You can go on holiday for 9 months and still qualify for citizenship!

Plus don't forget that any time spent in Canada prior to becoming a PR (i.e. on a TWP or study permit) counts towards citizenship on half time - half a day for each full day spent there, up to a maximum of one year.

Just to clarify for anybody reading, an employer would need to do more than just 'put a reference in', they'd have to apply for a Labour Market Opinion (for which they must prove that they have advertised the job across Canada and been unable to find a Canadian willing, or able, to do it). Plus meet other criteria i.e. show that the job will pay market rate etc.

chrisc23

Hi guys thanks for all the comments. I can't seem to find a definite answer anywhere as to whether the 9000 hours includes apprentiship. I have also been looking into IEC program and then trying to get a job and once I have secured a job as an electrician I would apply for my permanent residency is that an advisable route to go down?

wonderfulperson

My employer wrote a letter to state why I was needed, simple as that, yes it was just that in my case as a skilled worker. So not necessarily what you say on that one is accurate for everyone.
And yes I agree to the number of days here to be legible, but not 9 months running out of the country you can't. I have the guidelines too and was given it on getting my permanent residency. I believe you can't leave the country for longer than a month at a time.

My advice to all is don't just read and believe all you read on here, go and check it out for yourself with Immigration.