Glad to be back
 

HI guys sorry to burst the bubble but!!!!!!
I've never been so glad to see the UK ground beneath my feet than i have the last two months,
At the beginning of last year my husband was offered a trucking job in canada,
OH my god things like that don't happen to everyday Joe's like us we looked into the company the very flashy brochure, talked to the guys on the phone, what a fantastic opportunity we can't turn this down.
The house went on the market nervously we waited for a buyer, which came nine weeks later after we'd dropped the price 15k for a quick sale after all they wanted us there within six months and time was ticking, so the house sold along with the furniture which we'd built up over the 20 years we'd been married, sold the lot after all we wouldn't be needing it, we didn't have a lot to show for it after the mortgage and other things we're settled, but never the less a tidy little sum for us to rent somewhere to get us on our feet,
And off we went up rooting kids and pets on our new adventure Our new life.
The biggest mistake of our lives
I don't know if these guys know what there doing with families like us, i think the thought would be something along the lines of once the brits are here with the family in tow they won't go back,
The job's we're crap couldn't make a living unless you we're prepared to drive 24/7 and truck's we're pants the contracts we're being changed on a weekly basis, yes we knew trucking meant long hours,but this was bordering on dangerous, these guy's must have no conscious or their on another planet.
families are giving up everything they possess for the promise of a better life.
there's as many families coming back as going out, six truckers on our flight back alone, i know what work for one doesn't work for another but all those who are embarking on this adventure
I just want to say Please please be careful what you wish for

Re: Glad to be back
 

Did you consider changing jobs?


One of the keys to getting established is being flexible. The first job may just get your foot in the door. If it doesn't work out then look for something else. I recently retired from my third career.

Re: Glad to be back
 

[QUOTE=shelly1]HI guys sorry to burst the bubble but!!!!!!


Just out of interest, how much research did you do? Was your hubby already a trucker? Doesn't Canada have driving regulations, tachographs etc?
Linda

Re: Glad to be back
 

I don't mean to be rude and don't know the ins and outs of your situation......but did you thoroughly research all aspects of taking on a new life in the particular part of Canada you ended up in. Its different of course if you were led to believe certain things but the reality turned out to be different, as you base your decisions on what you understand the facts to be.
Its sad that you got your fingers burnt, and yes , theres a lesson there for others who may be tempted into the rosy painted picture.
But I can't stress enough - research, research, research, meet the company you are going to be working for beforehand, interview them as much as they interview you, find out if the salary, benefits etc being offered is going to allow you an acceptable standard of living in chosen province, have some idea what the cost of living will be, what the taxes etc will be. There is so so much to establish before jumping in and for those of us who went down the skilled worker application route, plenty of time to think, research and assess all these things and more. We were lucky, I know, as we came here with a good job offer for my husband in his field of industry, but he worked very very hard to achieve this over the 18 month wait and was determined to put us in with as good a chance of making things work out as he possibly could.
As for other other 'emotional' aspects....well those are the ones you can't research or plan for, you have to learn those things the hard way.

Re: Glad to be back
 

Echo echo echo.I have said the same many times and will continue to shout it from the rooftops if need be.

Rich.

Re: Glad to be back
 

And remember - if you only have a work permit as opposed to permanent residence (PR), you are in a really weak position if the job doesn't work out as planned.

At least with PR you could look for another job, move elsewhere in Canada etc.



Jeremy

Re: Glad to be back
 

probably one of the reasons why there are sooo many trucking jobs going...The hours are long and the family suffers.

Sorry to hear things didn't work out for you guys, hopefully you'll get back on your feet in the UK.

Re: Glad to be back
 

Hi there,

Sorry it didn't work out.

I know things may be difficult if I ever do make it out there, and I may end up coming back with my tail between my legs. However I have not filled out an application yet, and still have a lot of talking to with my wife, and if we do submit an application it will take 4 years to process.

I figure that will give us a lot of time to research and plan (and save up).

At the end of the day, one thing I AM thinking is:

"If I don't do this, will I be a bitter 65 year old always going on about how I once had enough points to qualify for a move to Canada?"

If my wife agrees and the research suggests the move is possible, then I want to give it a try. With that mindset, if it doesn't work out, I doubt I'll call it a mistake. In short I'll be able to say "At least I gave it a go".

Chris

Re: Glad to be back
 

Thanks for your replies,
I can honestly say with hands held high
We we're interviewed as a family the kids as well as us, we asked many questions and we're told the bad with the good we didn't jump in without checking and researching as much as we could, lets face it when your responsible parents you don't drag your family half way around the world on a whim, we knew it was long hours and hubby would be away, we have that life here its not new to us, our biggest mistake was to believe what we we're told, yes we got our fingers burnt and yes we lost all we had, an answer to one question is your work permit only allows you to work for one company, if money is no object and you have time to wait around you can jump ship to other companies but you have to wait the same process out again, unfortunately we weren't in a position to do that, we have had a stressful last couple of months, from being asked do we have work permits to be back in the UK, to finding somewhere to live, to shipping the pets back over the Atlantic, if we'd have had to live in a cardboard box i would have still been grateful to be here, but we're back and slowly getting back to normality and extremely glad to be here. thankyou for your replies and your honesty but we're not the first and I'm sorry to have to say it but we won't be the last.
I wish you all luck in your quest to find the better life, we've found ours

Re: Glad to be back
 

Chris i agree with you totally if I'd dug my heels in and told my hubby NO i also would have been in later years saying if only.
I am only telling OUR story so people will hopefully sit up and think,
Do i regret the whole process???? i can honestly say no i don't regret it, it turn out to be a big loss to us, if i could live my time over I'm sure i would do it again just the same, but maybe stay a bit longer next time, but thats me.
if you've got the chance take it, just be very very careful.

Re: Glad to be back
 

I am so sorry that things did not work out in Canada for you all, you must be exhausted by it all :(
I hope things are now looking brighter for you and your family and wish you all the best for the future.
Linda

Re: Glad to be back
 

If you are on a work permit, you cant do that, its only good for the job that got you over here. A case of buyer beware.

Ask why they cant get Canadians to take the trucking jobs before you decide to jjump on the plane. Sorry it didnt work out Shelly:(

Re: Glad to be back
 

At least you made a go of it.
If you hadn't you might always have regretted it and wondered what if?

Unfortunately the employment regulations in Canada are very lax and increasingly so. The country trades mainly with the US and therefore must remain competetive re: labour laws. This is good for business but crap for workers. I was routinely fired from companies when business slowed down and they complained even if I tried to take a day off on holiday. British workers are treated far better. In Britain I earn twice what I could earn in Alberta and I enjoy a great holiday entitlement which is very important, especially when you have a family.

Re: Glad to be back
 

I agree the laws on driving hours are reasonably governed in the UK, I say reasonably because there are ways around lots of them!
I think as it has been said before it very much depends on what profession you are in! My hubby is a nurse and although Canada does not recognise his experience from the UK the wages for nurses here in Canada are greater than that in the UK. They also seem to be more respected. That along side the fact that money goes much further has given us a better standard of life.
The down side (and there always is a trade off in life) is the holiday entitlement is "pants" he gets 2 weeks, where as in the UK he would have 56 days!!!!! Oh yes and the fact that holidays are given on seniority here, so anyone who started before him can have first choice over their holidays, so for the next 10 years he won't be able to have any summers or christmas off, without swapping lots of days and promising his body in return!!! :D
So in return for a nicer place to live and raise our family, we will visit UK off peak times, and work with what we have, rather than see it as a hurdle that cannot be overcome! This works for us! :)

Re: Glad to be back
 

Personally I would rather have the 56 days holiday and be paid less.