Hay expats,

This is our situation.

My wife and I currently live in the Uk. We are both 30yrs of age. Married and have our first child on the way. My wife is a Paediatrics nurse and I am a Police Detective.

I have applied twice for the Edmonton Police but failed both times by low marks on the written tests.

We now have the option of applying for a PR visa through my wife's qualifications. If we do this, she may not work initially or work part-time because of childcare etc. She may also choose a different career path. Maybe wedding planning?

Myself, I have 3 options really:

1. Try for the Police again. 3rd time lucky...
2. Fraud Investigations for banking sector or other companies as my last job was banking and I have Fraud investigation experience through the Police.
3. Plumbing industry. I am only level 1 here but looking at my C&G level 2. (Downside is apprentice money with having a family. Also not sure my qualifications would count in Canada? Also no onsite experience?)...

Apart from these, a different career path altogether. Ideally the Police would be my option but if I dont pass, I have no option but to choose something else.

We will just need a job to come to for starters so any advice will be really appreciated.

Thanks

Steve & Lisa

Insurance companies seem to do big business in fraud investigation.

excellent...any brand names you can provide in Alberta

Lazy bones

You can always be a PI if you can stand it, basically workman's comp. fraud and marriage infidelity.

Insurance companies mostly hire PI's and they do the surveillance and background investigations. Yes it is big business and very busy at the mo, most PI's at our company are putting in around 50-70 hours a week. Just yesterday i did 18 hours, day before was 16 hours, today i am shattered and doing a report

Not sure about Alberta, but you may have to look outside the box regarding investigation work.

Which is why I stopped doing it, the hours are killer.

It can be hard on the hours still steve. My last two days are not the norm, but close to it. Maybe after 15 yrs i am just used to it. At least here i get paid per hr and not celery.

Its worse in the uk though, doin 10-15 hours a day then the 2-3 hours commute, maybe the reason why i am happier here.

Summer is the time to make the money and winter becomes a regular 8-9 hour day.

May I suggest a reconnaissance trip to Edmonton in February.

We have been to Edmonton many times. We have friends there and actually got Married in banff in Feb this year and drove the icefields to jasper on to Edmonton then back to Calgary for the flight home. As a PR I can continue to apply for the Police and other jobs so I have a job when landing.

Just a word of warning in case you aren't aware - the quota has been halved for this year to 500. Given that it only took just over 2 months for the nurses quota to be reached last time (when it was 1000 applications), plus the fact that there will be many people who have been waiting for the quota to reopen (who will have already done their application and supporting docs ready for mailing on 1st July), it's safe to assume it'll fill up incredibly quickly this time around.

So, if you haven't already got everything together, don't delay!

Really i thought most Edmonton police officers were semi literate?..well they seem to be whenever i have encountered them

There was a very nice BE poster called Rae who is in the Edmonton police force, he may be worth a PM. Plus, not only did he catch villains but he also likes to play miniature golf at the West Edmonton Mall.

You're paid in vegetables ?

Perhaps they talk way above your head and it's you who's semi-literate.