Jilly345

Hello,

First post, so please be gentle!

We are in the very early stages of applying for PR in Canada and would really appreciate it if someone could point us in the right direction with regards to Employment in the rail industry.

Hubby is a Train Driver here in the UK (London-Birmingham Passenger Trains) and would love to become a train driver (Locomotive Engineer) in Canada. Does anyone know anything about the railway system? Specifically, if it is possible (should there be any vacancies) to transfer skills from the UK, Re-train and then become a driver in Canada, or is it a similar situation to the USA where a driver has to work they way up through the ranks as it were?

Looking at the Alberta and BC lists of 'Occupations Under Pressure', both state Locomotive Engineers, will this help our situation?

We have talked about emigrating for years, I just wish we had set the ball rolling a bit sooner! I complete 23 years with the Royal Air Force next year and would loved to have moved straight to Canada with my family, I realise that this will take a great deal longer (If we are successful) under the PR application so I was wondering about a temp working permit in the mean time.

I have relatives in Ontario and have always loved visiting. What an amazing country, there’s just so much space!! and the people are so nice too, what more could you ask for!

My trade is Logistics/Supply Chain Manager, I can’t see there been a shortage here unfortunately!

Any information or a pointer in the right direction greatly received.

Many thanks, Jilly

Almost Canadian

I know nothing about the "train driver" aspect of your query but wondered how you intend to "qualify" either for a work permit or for PR ? You state that your husband would love to become a locomotive engineer, from which I assume he isn't one at the moment. If a driver and an engineer are very different (and I assume they would be) he will not be eligible for the work permit at this point in time and your post makes no reference to the educational qualifications you both hold (which is usually the issue in obtaining sufficient points for most English applicants.

Please don't take my word for it but it would appear you are likely to be ineligible for both routes at the moment.

I guess that a BUNAC visa may be possible but, after 23 years in the forces, it would appear that you will be too old for one of those. If your husband is under 35 it may be an option for him.

You may wish to start your research here as this will explain the criteria for eligibility the above - www.cic.gc.ca

HTH

Judy in Calgary

Hi Jilly,

I know very little, if anything, about working on the railways in Canada. But I imagine the fact that locomotive engineers are listed amongst the Occupations under Pressure in BC and Alberta would help you.

PR applications in the skilled worker category are taking 5+ years to be processed. I would submit one of those applications only as a last resort.

I believe it would make much more sense to use the experience as a locomotive engineer to get a temporary work permit, if possible. Then, if the temporary employer is willing to offer a permanent job (subject to PR being granted), that will reduce the wait time for PR down to about one a year (a year during which you in any case would be living in Canada on the temporary work permit).

Suggest you read all the Wiki articles in the series on Canadian Immigration.

Then read all the articles related to job hunting in Canada.

Recommend you also read the thread entitled Tips on getting the most out of the forums.

Judy in Calgary

Ummm ...... locomotive engineer is the North American term for train driver.

Jilly345

Hi,

Hubby is a fully qualified Locomotive Engineer, This is the name for a train driver in Canada and has been for some years, He has also Been a British Police Office and an Aircraft Engineer.

I think we may actually qualify for PR (though I could be wrong! Checking out the points test on the official Canadian Website, if we apply in my name we come out with well over the 67 points required? Without an offer of employment, but then I may be missing something here?

Jilly

Jilly345

Hi Judy,

Many thanks for all your help, I will check out the websites.

5 years+ !! Was expecting about 3 ro 4!!

Thanks again
Jilly

Almost Canadian

OK rap on the knuckles accepted - I will leave this one now

Judy in Calgary

Jilly, if one of you has enough points to qualify for PR as a skilled worker, it's nice in theory, but it's almost irrelevant. As you've now found out, those applications are taking 5+ years to be processed. There are some people who believe that a PR application submitted via the skilled worker route today has little chance of getting a person into Canada at all, much less in 5 years. That's because there are so many people with higher priority (those being sponsored by spouses, those with arranged employment, etc.) in the queue.

As I mentioned in my earlier post, having arranged employment reduces your wait for PR from 5+ years to about one year.

Something I forgot to mention was that arranged employment also adds 10 points. If you think one of you qualifies for the points now, arranged employment should take you over the top very nicely (although I think that the fast-tracking of your PR application is a more salient point when it comes to arranged employment).

If your husband is interested in being a police officer again, that is another occupation that very well might be able to get him a work permit in Calgary or Edmonton. Both of those cities' police forces are short of staff. Some members of this forum belong to the EPS (Edmonton Police Service) and some belong to the CPS (Calgary Police Service).

Based on what some other British aircraft engineers here have reported, that is not the best avenue to use for gaining entry to Canada, if you have other options. There have been several reports here that, in that field, you have to start at the bottom again. Most people accept that they will have to drop a couple of rungs down the ladder when they start their Canadian careers, but that drop is greater in some fields than in others.

Another tip: The term "engineer" is a tricky one in Canada. It can be used for a professional engineer (who almost invariably is a degreed engineer) or it can be used for a train driver. But many people who call themselves engineers in the UK cannot call themselves engineers in Canada. They often are called technologists or technicians. You can read more about this in the Wiki article on Equivalency of Qualifications, which is one in the series on Job Hunting in Canada.

Steve_P

Can't say whether any are hiring locomotive engineers at this time but here are the links to the websites for the three main railway companies in Canada.

CN Rail Careers, Jobs at CP Rail and Via Rail Canada Careers

CP and CN are the only two that operate in Alberta and B.C.

Cheers
Steve

Jilly345

[QUOTE=
As I mentioned in my earlier post, having arranged employment reduces your wait for PR from 5+ years to about one year.

Something I forgot to mention was that arranged employment also adds 10 points. If you think one of you qualifies for the points now, arranged employment should take you over the top very nicely (although I think that the fast-tracking of your PR application is a more salient point when it comes to arranged employment).

QUOTE]

HI Judy,

Thank you for the sound advice, I guess the arranged employment may be the way to go, I come out with only 78 points without that, or 88 with, does immigration only consider the people who get 100 or as near as? but then as you say there are higher priorities than SW route, so maybe PR will be a none starter, it's not easy finding good advise on the web, but this site is a God send!

Jilly.

Steve_P

The CIC website indicates 67 is the pass mark, so at 78 you would have no worries, other than the up to 5 year wait at the moment.

Jilly345

Many thanks Steve,

I have looked at two of these, but will check out the other one too.

There is a company in Toronto ('GO' Transit) who are hiring 15 new Locomotive Engineers, they are creating a new route from Barrie to Toronto and have added 27 new locomotives to their fleet. Mark has sent his CV, but I have a feeling that they will probably recruit from within the company. It's my guess that it may be a lot of trouble to employ someone on a temp work permit.

I have to admit, although I have lots of relatives in Ontario, my heart has always been in the West of Canada, In fact we land at Calgary in 18 days and 2 hours!! Not that I'm counting!! Only for a two week stay unfortunately, but we are doing a bit of traveling and just can't wait.

Jilly

Steve_P

Well if you are in Calgary perhaps hubby can find time to stop in at the CP Rail head office in downtown Calgary.

Canadian Head Office
Canadian Pacific Railway
Gulf Canada Square
401-9th Ave. SW
Phone 319-7000

Perhaps if he can talk to someone in person he might get much better information than by email or the website.

Cheers
Steve

Jilly345

Steve,

Thank you so much! what a great idea!!

I do hope they don't think he's being too cheeky by doing that? But then if you don't ask you dont get !!

I will check it out on google maps!!

Your gallery photos and amazing by the way! I can tell you love photograph, I rest my case why Canada is an amazing place!

Jilly

Jilly345

Hi Steve,

Thanks for this tip, we tried to call, but the automated system just directs you back to the web site. So I sent an e-mail and got a lovely reply and have sent another to ask if OH could pop in and have a chat while we are in Calgary at the end of the month, fingers crossed for the reply!!

Thanks again for your help, It has set us off in the right direction I hope!

Jilly