Hi All
We are looking at the possibility of moving to Manitoba to live, eventually gaining permanent residency, I am a hgv driver here In the UK.
We are a family of 4, our children are aged 10 and 4 so any information both good and bad on areas to live, schooling etc would be greatly recieved .

Thanks

I think you first need to figure out where you will be working - no point worrying about where to live just yet. Given how scarce LMIA's are for truckers, you may find you don't get your first choice of location (or even your second or third choice!), so the best thing to do is try and secure the job and LMIA first, and then the school and housing will follow on.

Best of luck with it.

Might be easier to get PR first because as far as i know there aren't any trucking outfits bringing in drivers from over seas.
It use to be possible to get PR first as one of my closest friends here did then move over but you'll have to ask on here if that's still possible now.
Ive been here ten years and the rules aren't even close to being the same now.

I can only echo the sentiments of the other posters, it all depends on where the job is located. Manitoba is almost 3 times the size of the UK; granted most of it is uninhabitable, and as such the majority of the population live in and around Winnipeg. If you go the PR route, my advice would be to follow the masses and start in Winnipeg, then once established and work is found, make your mind up from there. If you already have work offers, move to that area.

Thanks for the replies guys, getting told conflicting things about the PR, if I come over on a Temp permit with work lined up can I eventually obtain PR ? People saying yes and no !!
Cheers

Manitoba used to accept PNP applications for truck drivers a few years ago but that has now changed and a truck driver no longer qualifies under the PNP.

Since when? Have you got a link to show that change?

OP - I was about to say yes, you can definitely apply for PR under the PNP in MB, but it seems that's no longer the case. Hopefully FL will be able to provide some more info on the changes.

Edit: I've just checked the MB PNP website and I can't find anything saying they're now excluding truckers? FL, if you could clarify, that would be great.

Truck drivers are skill level C (NOC 75).
Under Express Entry workers applying under skill levels 0, A & B can apply for the Federal Skilled Workers stream
NOC Group 75 workers are not covered in the Federal Skilled Trades stream
Cannot qualify under Canadian Experience Class as those are also skill level 0, A or B
The Manitoba PNP is now only accepting applications for skilled workers, family class and business.
From around 2006 to 2011 Manitoba used to have truck drivers as part of their PNP programme and a stream of its own to apply under. They then closed that avenue so I don't see how any truck driver even with an LMIA could get PR unless the PNP changes or they marry a Canadian.

The 'Skilled' Worker stream under the PNP includes all Skill Levels. So unless they've specifically excluded truckers recently, they can still apply under the PNP using that stream.

HTH.

Correct. I gave out the wrong info as per my explanation in the other thread.
TBH I haven't seen many truckers getting PR since they changed their criteria from about 5 years ago and now only allocating 100 spots in the Skilled Workers already in Manitoba Expression Of Interest stream that includes truck drivers.

Recent stats show the following truck drivers 2009- 210 2010 - 143 2011 - 105 2012 - 58 and 2013 - 62

Very few LMIAs have been given out for truck drivers and the stats above show the numbers given for those already in Manitoba with a job as a driver with continuing employment. I tend to think the OP is over 30 and doesn't qualify for the IEC so would need an LMIA which we all know are very difficult to obtain. It can be done but its certainly not as easy as it used to be.

100 spots but that's only in the last draw - which is the third one they've done since the program opened a month ago.

There are plenty of truckers still getting PR in MB, if you look in the truckers forum you'll find a few there that have got PR within the past year or two.

I agree that the LMIA will be the tricky bit, but hopefully once there PR should be perfectly possible.

Thanks guys
I've been in touch with a company who have an LMIA available for a temp worker I was just unsure on wether to come over and meet them If there was little chance of PR one day .
Thanks

As long as they're paying for you to travel over to meet them, then go for it. It's certainly not the norm to be expected to pay for an interview trip yourself though (most are just done online so no need to go to Canada at all).

Do just double check that you would be eligible to apply for PR via the MPNP, but if so, then there's no reason why you couldn't apply for PR unless they change the rules between now and then.

Good luck, fingers crossed for you.