Hello all. First post (early days!)
 

As the title says me and my girlfriend are at the very early stages of considering a permanent move to Canada. Canada is the only country that has ever appealed to me. Everything I have heard about it just sounds perfect.

The situation we are in is as follows:

I run a small cabinet making company manufacturing handmade, bespoke furniture and kitchens. 12 years + in the trade. 4 years in business.

My other half is a receptionist / secretary with city and guilds qualifications in interior design.

We would be going out to Canada with £30,000 to £40,000 (British pounds).

We have a trip to Canada planned next Spring and we plan to travel from Calgary to Vancouver to get a feel for the place and to assess the potential for work etc in that area.

So to all of you experienced lot, what do you reckon? Feasible? Crazy?

I suppose what i'd really like to know is if anyone could offer advise on the potential for work and how easy it would be to gain citizenship with our careers?

Like i say, it's early days and I know there's loads more research to be done and knowledge to be gained but this just seemed a great place to start!

Many thanks in advance for your time and help. Jim

Re: Hello all. First post (early days!)
 

Hi Jim,

I can't help with stuff about Canada as I am in the US, but I just wanted to pop by and say hi and welcome you to the forum.

I'm sure some of our members will be along shortly to give you some pointers, but in the meantime have a read through the other threads, and our wiki as I'm sure you will find it useful.

Re: Hello all. First post (early days!)
 

You need to have a way to work legally in Canada. On the basis of what you have stated, this will mean finding an employer that will be willing to go through the motions required to satisfy CIC's requirements.

As suggested above, the wiki is a good place to start and, once you believe either a TWP or PR with arranged employment is a possibility, you can then return to seek further advice.

I wish you all the best.

Re: Hello all. First post (early days!)
 

I agree with post number 2 & 3 above & do come visit for a few weeks, at least twice - once in the dead of winter (Jan-Feb) then again in mid summer (July -Aug) when its stinking hot & humid. The rest you can do research from the forums on BE as well as search job opportunities in Canada, look at the cost of living etc.

Good luck - but do come for a visit first ... twice at least

Re: Hello all. First post (early days!)
 

Hi, thank you for your replies. I'm thinking of taking a CV out to Canada on our recce trip and actually visiting some joinery/cabinet making workshops, hopefully this could be a good way of getting work, I always think good old fashioned face to face propositions are the most credible.
Might it be a good idea to just go out there on a temporary visa of some sort with the intention of finding solid work and then making things more permanent?

Jim

Re: Hello all. First post (early days!)
 

Hi, thank you for your replies. I'm thinking of taking a CV out to Canada on our recce trip and actually visiting some joinery/cabinet making workshops, hopefully this could be a good way of getting work, I always think good old fashioned face to face propositions are the most credible.
Might it be a good idea to just go out there on a temporary visa of some sort with the intention of finding solid work and then making things more permanent?

Jim

Re: Hello all. First post (early days!)
 

Not sure what you mean by 'temporary visa of some sort'? If you mean a temp work permit, then you'd need the job offer first, not the other way around. Or do you just mean a visitor visa? You can't work on that, although you can job hunt.

Sounds like you've got the right idea though, to go out and meet people face to face. You've read the Job Hunting section of the Wiki?

Re: Hello all. First post (early days!)
 

Not sure why you think the OP couldn't apply for PR under FSTP? It sounds like he's a carpenter, so wouldn't need an employer to do anything for him?

And he also mentions AB, so if he is a carpenter and heads there, no LMO is required either.

Re: Hello all. First post (early days!)
 

Hello and welcome to BE! :welcome:

If you are under 31 then you might consider the IEC working holiday visa, which would give you a 1 year open work permit. The program opens again in Dec/Jan.

If you have carpentry qualifications or experience, you could look into the Federal Skilled Worker Trades stream as that is on 'the list' of occupations. You can read more here: http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/immigra...plications.asp

If you are able to find a company willing to employ you, your options would be to get a TWP (LMO required) or else to apply under one of the Provincial Nomination Programs. You can read more here: http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/immigra.../apply-who.asp Once you got Provincial Nomination, you would be able to apply for a TWP (no LMO requirement).

Alberta is currently running a pilot scheme for TWP's where no LMO (Labour Market Opinion) is required. You can read more here: http://www.albertacanada.com/immigra...n-workers.aspx and here http://www.albertacanada.com/files/a...steam-pipe.pdf

:)

Re: Hello all. First post (early days!)
 

I don't think it will be too hard to find work in the Vancouver area if you are authorized to work here. I agree that meeting face to face is the best way. Most employers are receptive to this approach. See in the wiki about Canadianizing your CV. Bring photographs of your work. Try to think of a convincing reason why you will be content to work on the tools after you have run your own business.

Employers in the woodworking industry will probably not know much about hiring foreign workers. If you are over 30 there is not a temporary visa you can apply for. First, you need a job offer and the either the employer will apply for permission to hire you (a labour market opinion leading to a temporary work permit), or you and the employer will jointly apply to the province for nomination as a permanent resident. It is worth your while to learn about both processes so you can explain them to potential employers.

Don't worry about the climate in Vancouver. It si very similar t0 the UK. A bit wetter in winter, and bit warner and sunnier in the summer.

Re: Hello all. First post (early days!)
 

I know that the FSWT has categories for carpenters but from the OPs description he is more a joiner/cabinetmaker than a carpenter.

Re: Hello all. First post (early days!)
 

I don't know what he is. Not all carpenters would dare call themselves cabinet makers and not all cabinet makers would dare call themselves carpenters. They are very different trades. I am a carpenter, but under no circumstances would I describe myself as a cabinet maker.

I have no idea about what the current rules for immigration are; I leave that for the experts on the forum.;)

Re: Hello all. First post (early days!)
 

Erm... as my original post said... I'm a Cabinet Maker.

Thanks again for some really informative replies especially Siouxie. Definitely feel like I've got a direction to go in now, a lot of work ahead but until we do our first recce in the spring i'm just playing things by ear...

Thanks again. Jim

Re: Hello all. First post (early days!)
 

You also said you make bespoke furniture, etc. But if you don't do the duties listed under the carpenter NOC code, then forget the visa info Siouxie and I have given, as it won't apply to you (i.e. If you come under a different NOC, then you won't be eligible for a TWP without LMO, or the FSTP etc).

How old are you?

Re: Hello all. First post (early days!)
 

I think the OP might qualify for FSWT under NOC 7204. The title says carpentry trades but the job descriptions include cabinet makers.