kgroonie

Hi there,

Im looking to move to Canada and try and get into the Oil and Gas Industry. I am actually in agriculture but looking for a career change. Obviously the North Sea is really tough to get a break into and I was wondering if anyone that works in Canada could offer me any advice, or even better work for a company that may be hiring?
Cheers
Kevin

christmasoompa

Are you a Canadian citizen or PR already? Just that I can't imagine any company is going to go to the hassle of hiring you on a TWP if you don't already have any experience in the industry, and you wouldn't get a positive LMO either.

Atlantic Xpat

No skills, No contacts, No residency in Canada? No hope I'm afraid.

dippy

I would agree you stand little to no chance of getting a position in Canada.... this isnt the way to try to get in anyway. I work in the oil industry in the UK and would offer the following advice. I suggest you consider getting your survival course which is the minimum qualification for someone to consider you. Its possible that a drilling company would be prepared to take you on as a 'roustabout' but it would demonstrate to them that you are keen if you first obtain things such as the survival course. See link

http://www.petrofactraining.com/trai...s/survival.asp

If you want to get into the 'operations' side of things it gets harder to find somene willing to take you on but again to demonstrate that you are motivated you could complete some theoretical qualifications in Process Operations..... these can be done via distance learning and would at a minimum give you some theory. The key thing it says I am trying to do my bit to prepare for an opportunity! I have attached a link.

http://www.petroleumopenlearning.com...nt/view/73/61/

My advice is that you need to think again about Canada as it is difficult enough with skills they want. If you have a Canadian Dream then you will need to get the skills first which I'm afraid takes time!

Remember, it is rare for great change or opportunity to suddenly drop into your hands.... you will have to work to make it happen!

nldfc

UK survival training doesent work here mate - need the Norwegian course at the very least

dippy

the link has details that cover Norway so presumably Newfoundland as well....

JET747

I worked also in the UK for 22 years in the Gas, Chemical and Petrochemical industry.

I now work for BP (although they are selling the NGL buisness off as well) in Alberta.

First thing to do is to become legal. I would say that it is a long shot to get a position on a temp basis - but even then you would need a lot of experience behind you to convince the agengy that you are worth it - you would be contract.

Once legal I would say it becomes a lot easier for you. However your lack of experience may go against you. However, I would look to the oil sands in Ft McMurry. With the price of oil being so high the expansion programmes will again be moved on and also there are companies building and hoping to recruit in the field. Some are fly in fly out which means that you can house your family away from 'sin city' up north. The companies here are always looking for hard working people who are willing to learn, I work with many Canadians that did not have anything before being taken on.

I would not bother with any survival courses. Courses in process theory will be good as a background for yourself and shows that you are willing to start i the industry. City and Guilds of London do such courses and maybe online - have a look.

I have 3 HNC in Chem/Mech and Multi Disciplinary Eng and a host of City and Guilds etc....however I still need to do the basic Canadian qualifications here...and build upon them. So apart from your own education I would not spend a lot of money when you need to do things again.

ANy other info drop me a PM. If you look at my previous threads you will see many links of companies and agencies......best of luck.

JET

Britsrus

Not so sure on the whole ‘work visa’ aspect, but in regard to the Oil & Gas industry in Canada, almost all the action is in Alberta. (with the exception of some off-shore rigs on the East coast).

Can you be more specific about the type of work you are looking for? Is it field operations or Head office work? (aka Rig pig or PowerPoint jockey)

Most of ‘big oil’ is turning the corner now after a tough couple of years, and there seems to be more appetite for hiring new people. If it’s an office based role you are after – aim for any of the big Oil & Gas companies in Calgary: Shell, Imperial, Husky, EnCana, Heritage, Suncor, Canadian Natural Resources Limited, Nexen, Syncrude Canada, Petro-Canada and Talisman Energy .

If you want to work on-site, so to speak, then each of the above have operations in and around Fort Macleod, Alberta. Also there is a big cluster of refineries/upgrader’s/petrochemical plants near Fort Saskatchewan too. Indirectly there are hundreds of supporting businesses that feed off these operations, such as HSSE, electrical, security, catering, transport, temp agencies, landscapers, etc that all tap into the growth.

I’d suggest you also think about contacting the UK offices of the above (many have some sort of presence) and investigate if they hire for expat terms on a fixed contract.

There is always a way.. just depends how much you wish to pursue it.
Best of luck.

kgroonie

Hi There,

Thanks for the possitive response. Im interested in anything to be honest, obviously having an agricultural background probably hands on field work would be more suitable ! Do you work in the Oil industry out there and would you have any contacts etc ?

Thanks again and look forward tyo hearing from you soon

Regards
Kevin

Britsrus

One correction to earlier post –

It should read ‘Fort McMurray’ not Fort MacLeod.

Go ahead and contact me privately if you wish. I might be able to help?

Geordie86

Hey Guys,

New user so go easy!

JET747 - Quick question for you! I am currently just waiting for my PR to finally come through (I was accepted for FSW an Industrial Electrician), and I am planning on heading to Alberta in september. Are there many recruitment agencies like in the UK or is it a cas of contacting the companies themselves?

Thanks for your help - I appreciate it!!

joycejimi

Hello All,

I would appreciate any advice from you all also. I am a geologist with a master degree in applied geology from the UK. I am now based in Vancouver, Canada and have been thinking of moving to Alberta in order to find an oil and gas job, but my problem is that I dont have any oil/gas experience. I only have experience in the environmental sector from the UK and I am really finding it difficult to find any position that I could fit into in the oil and gas industry. I would prefer office based job as I am a single mum with two kids and travelling for fieldwork is not an option at the moment. I dont like to continue in the environmental sector as I didnot enjoyed working in it while I was in the UK coupled with low pay.

I would appreciate any advice whatsoever regarding courses (survival courses) that I can take, that can make me marketable to the oil companies in alberta. Are online courses recognized in the industry. I have initially considered SAIT in Calgary, but the in-availability of childcare and other stuffs are making me put it off, hence I interested in short courses that I can take to prepare me for any office based position. Please any advice whatsoever will be appreciated.

Regards