Opinion needed please
 

Hi All,

I have posted on the forum over the last few days. I am a commercial diver by profession. Over the last year I have contacted many dive companies all over Canada, most tell me that they may consider me for employment only if and when I manage to get over there. Two companies [I]may[/I] try and organise a work permit for me, however there is not enough dialoge between us to make me feel confident this will happen for sure.

A guy who I have become to know quite well (in Vancouver) has told me that he is happy to write a letter saying he will employ me for the sake of the immigration people (he is originally from the UK and seems to know how the system works) however when I do arrive in Canada I will need to look for a job, but at least i'm there right..........

The thing is, do I sit back and hope that one of the dive companies does actually make me a job offer........or do I go with my guy from Vancouver who seems to know what he is talking about (he says the fast track system should take around a year to a year and a half ?)

Meanwhile I will try and do some training to make myself more employable, even if it means another trade like crane operator or NDT work (non distructive testing), I will need to 'cross over' my tickets I know but I think the more i'm prepared for diving or crane op' etc the better.

So, my fellow Canadian fans whats your opinion on what I should do ...... Do I bug the two dive companies in the hope of a job.....in the hope of getting my PR ? Or do I go down the immigration 'fast track route' to get me over there ? Incidently I do have other friends in Oshawa who might be able to get me a job providing i'm over there. I dont like indecision and I'm getting REALLY feds up with this country.

I hope I have explained all angles of my problem !

Bring it on boys and girls !

Rich

Re: Opinion needed please
 

Your job is on the noc list for canada no0643 yur prob better off going through the skilled worker route then yu wouldnt need a lmo

have yu had a look at the wikki bar at the top which is packed with info.
i spose it all depends on whether you have kids an willin to take the risk - bearin in mind if your found out that you lied yu may be booted out an not allowed back in for a certain amount of years, id send thousands of my cv's off and find a job 1st if it was me tbh if yu do underwater weldin etc im sure yu'll find something soon jus keep pluggin away

good luck anyway whatever yu decide to do jus my opinion is all. :thumbsup:

Re: Opinion needed please
 

Hi Scottandsel,

I have looked up the skilled worker 0643, it appears its for military officers. I am ex Army, but not an officer (I worked for a living !:rofl:) Being a diver is not a big deal over there (unless someone tells me different:confused:) I don't have any kids, I have probably sent my c.v. off to most, if not all the dive companies I can find on the internet. As i've said the ones that replied stated 'if you do make it over come visit us' As usual it's catch twenty two time.

Whats your background ?

Rich

Re: Opinion needed please
 

0643 isn't on the list of 38 occupations in demand that would qualify the OP for a SW visa, so without an approved job offer (LMO or AEO) he wouldn't be eligible.

And OP - it's worth noting that having a guy who will 'write a letter saying he will employ me' isn't enough to qualify, he'd have to apply for an AEO for you. Plus of course a fraudulent job offer could result in your PR being rescinded, even years later, so it's quite a risk to take.

Have you looked at the Job Hunting section of the Wiki? If not, that's well worth a read and will tell you how to go about finding a job in Canada (hint: sending emails rarely results in a job offer, so if thats all you've been doing you need to re-think your strategy!).

Good luck. :)

Re: Opinion needed please
 

Hi,

Thanks for your input. I will indeed have to go back to the guy in Vancouver and ask him to look at his proposal more closely and formulate it so I can make a judgement. With regards to email companies, I should have explained further. I spoke to (as well as emailed) a lot of companies regarding diving work, my telephone bill is proof ! As I have said most would be happy to talk about employment providing I was 'in country' :unsure:

I am quite happy to return to Canada and talk to people any time. I think i'll need to retrain possibly, or do more diving related courses. Either way i'll keep on trying.

Cheers,

Rich

Re: Opinion needed please
 

Re: Opinion needed please
 

Atlantic xpat,

Thank you ! I have just telephoned the man in charge at the company who was very helpful. Unfortunately it is for a 6/8 week contract and its impossible to say if and when he can help me at this present time.

It's given me a boost though, that I can tell you.

Cheers,

Rich

Re: Opinion needed please
 

Just to re-iterate what Christmasoompa has already said, it is not just a matter of writing a letter. The employer must have the job offer approved by HRSDC who verify that the employer actually exists and is trading, that the job pays a reasonable wage, and that there are not sufficient qualified Canadians and existing PRs who are able to do the job.

Even if you get the AEO (and I am sure yours will not be the first dodgy application ever made) you have to live with the consequences. It is possible that someone in government will find out and you could be deported. More of a concern for me would be that someone (and this is someone who clearly has little respect for the law) has something over you for as long as you are in Canada.

Re: Opinion needed please
 

Hi JonboyE,

Point taken. I have today sent an email to dave in Vancouver to ask him these type of questions. He does have good intentions, despite the way he is prepared to go. I will continue to phone dive companies up and speak to them. I think last year was a bad time for all concern, hiring people was not everyone's top priority.

Cheers,

Rich

Re: Opinion needed please
 

Was it Ron P that you spoke too ?

Re: Opinion needed please
 

Hi nldfc,

No, it was a very nice chap called Ian White.:D Not that Ron P isn't a very nice chap ! ;)

You seem to know a lot more than your saying nldfc :sneaky:

Rich

Re: Opinion needed please
 

Not at all mate The offshore industry in the East Coast is a very small place - I know Ian and Ron from some of the offshore society functions etc plus we do any of the subsea testing for Pro-Dive (with downlines etc not actually going down there to do the tests)

Pro-Dive seem to get a lot of the smaller dive jobs here along with another company called Afonso diving - may be worth dropping Alex an e-mail

I think his contact info is in the website somewhere http://www.afonsogroup.com/diving.php

Re: Opinion needed please
 

Hi nldfc,

I've just phoned him, he's fairly busy but not so busy that he needs extra guys at the minute. He will be happy to have my C.V. in case things change.

Cheers though,

Rich

Re: Opinion needed please
 

beg pardon its 7382 on the noc list but dont think that on 38 most wanted either my oh wanted to go out after gettin his dive instructor qual but got advised unless he was gonna open his own business there wasnt a lot of call for it tbh, luckily he has his class 1 to fall back on - yur ex army - my oh was a scaly back lol done 16 years what bout yu?

Re: Opinion needed please
 

Hi Scotandsel,

I'll check out the 7382 later. I take it class 1 is HGV ? Scaly Back ha ha ..........haven't heard that for a while. :)I'm ex Royal Engineers. I want to move anywhere where theres plenty of work and interesting things to do. I'm thinking I may have to retrain, maybe crane op or something which isn't as difficult to get into .....

Where do you guys live ? been out there long ?

Rich

Re: Opinion needed please
 

Update on your NDT testing qualifications

Was speaking to a couple of guys from Spectrol last night - It seems if you come over on a TWP for 1 project then UK qualifications are recognised - If you come over on an open TWP then they arent normally recognised..
Also if you are landed they arent recognised

Thats only the Newfoundland take on it - it may vary from province to province

Re: Opinion needed please
 

at the mo in crete, greece came here for oh to finish his dive instructor but all gone pair shape! plan was dive in summer drive in winter, drive job fell through an he's been pullin his hair out all winter, divin here ok at the hotels all over crete but no work in winter ...
so he's admitted i was right all along an should have gone straight for canada (i didnt wanna come here tho knew it was only temp) but then being female .... i'm generally always right! been here 7 months .... too long! :thumbdown:

if you have your class 1 go for long haul driving fair few companies advertising

Re: Opinion needed please
 

Hi nldfc,

Apoligies for my late reply, I have been working away diving. Thank you for your information with regards to the NDT quals' I think I need to settle a few things here before pursuing the NDT work in Canada.

If anything else comes to light please let me know, thanks.

Rich:thumbup:

Re: Opinion needed please
 

Hi Scottandsel,

Sorry I haven't got back to you sooner, I have been working away from home. Given the fact that your always right :D What would your OH do in Canada ? Dive or Drive ?:blink:

Regards,


Rich

Re: Opinion needed please
 

drive - gonna do the long haul thing based hopefully from new brunswick, will get there on twp, he was lucky he did his class 1 in the army and fell back on it when he left, he wants to eventually do the ice roads - nutter!
but i shall be busyin meself (as wont be able to work for 6 months) gettin paperwork together to apply for pr asap, an prob some college courses and gettin back to fit with my mountain bikin, runnin the hounds ragged an cant wait!

Re: Opinion needed please
 

Hi, So where are you guys right now ? and how did you manage / organise your TWP etc ? Finally......did it take long to organise ?

Rich

Re: Opinion needed please
 

we're still in the cess pit that is crete, greece

oh started sending off stacks of emails with resume attached in feb an had a few co's come back, anyway the co that oh wants to go to came back to us around middle of april, we had to send work ref, proof he drove class 1, police cert, passport/birth cert/drive licence copies,
now he's waitin for his work contract to come through, then the lmo will be sent through an he'll pick his twp up at the airport when he gets to canada.

some companies will want you to fly out for interview an some will be happy with fone interview, one of the truckers on here had his interview over vid cam on pc! we didnt need to fly out.

as i said we'll go on the twp then apply as soon as we get there for pr cos that can take up to a couple of years

think you prob need to decide what your gonna do out there, but bear in mind whatever your gonna retrain in, cos co's normally require you to have at least a couple of years experience

Re: Opinion needed please
 

oh by the way my oh said "your a wedge head then?" lol

Re: Opinion needed please
 

well good luck to you both, seems Greece hasn't been good for you at all. Where in Canada will you be living ? I am trying the diving route......it's been slow but i'll keep plugging away. Can I ask what ages you both are ? As a diver I need to get a shift on (42) but if I retrain as NDT then I'll have more scope and time i think.


And yes.....i'm a wedgehead ! ;) I'm working away again now for a further 10-14 days.....

Re: Opinion needed please
 

I don't know if it is any use, but Pro Dive are looking for people however, they do want Canadian Certification - it may be worth your while to contact them regardless. http://www.workopolis.com/EN/job/11387058

They have a lot of links on their website for different companies etc that use Divers... maybe worth a look.

http://www.prodive.ca/links.htm

Diver Certification Board of Canada - could be your answer to getting a job!

:)

Re: Opinion needed please
 

we're both 40 but as my oh keeps reminding me im 90 days older than him .... so petty!!!!! lol
we're heading for new brunswick - do keep pluggin away dont give up on it - looks like souxie given you some excellent links there - good luck with those an hope all goes well, jus keep emailing an contactin an something bound to come up!

when we told my dad we were comin here for oh to finish his dive inst he tried to talk us into going where he is as he reckons loads of dive centres needing people as he likes his divin - only a hobbie tho plus not helpful to you really cos he in fethiya/eludinez - turkey!
sometimes i wish we had gone there, no euro probs there, pathetically cheap still too, but muslim - oh he say dont ****** think so! lol

what are you doin at the mo for work then anyway - all this going away mallarky? 10 - 14 days - sounds like a holiday to me :thumbsup: