Mastersgrad

MillieF

Hello and welcome to BE! You've picked a great time of year for a recce trip. Spring is almost upon us by then and everyone is cheering up!

I have been here 7 years so I can't tell you much about looking for work before you arrive, but there will be someone along shortly, I am sure, who will have up to date info.

I know that previous posters have asked about HGV and not far from me in Woodstock there are loads of Haulage companies, it is a hub I believe as it is so close to the border.

In NB you have your 3 Cities, Fredericton (the Capital, and solidly Government centered) Moncton (bigger population, more entrepreneurial?) and Saint John (busy and historically more blue collared). All very different feeling and even rather different climacticly. If I had to do it all over again in NB I'd move to Moncton.

I don't know much about NS but my family travel there often and love Halifax.

Out of the cities it is profoundly rural, which some people absolutely love and it doesn't suit others.

We need more people, badly. We have an aging population, poor immigrant retention and need to regenerate. There are opportunities here for the right sort of people.

Why are you thinking of moving to this bit?

Mastersgrad

Siouxie

How exciting! Did you work out a route to be able to apply for PR in the end?

Regarding job hunting - I'd thoroughly recommend reading a few of our wonderful Wiki sections on the subject - https://britishexpats.com/wiki/Categ...Hunting-Canada


Regarding becoming an HGV (commercial) driver - there's more to it that rocking up and expecting a license to be exchanged, you generally need a couple of years experience and air brake exams may feature too. You can read more here: https://novascotia.ca/sns/paal/rmv/p...#appprocessgp4


We have a sub forum for trucking too - lots of good info! https://britishexpats.com/forum/trucking-118/

Mastersgrad

Atlantic Xpat

Careerbeacon.com is a careers website with an Atlantic Canadian focus (although it has widened across Canada of late). Filtering on manufacturing jobs gives this list: https://www.careerbeacon.com/en/sear...category_id=13

Big employers in NS - Iriving (Oil, Pulp, Shipyards), IMP Aerospace etc. Google is your friend as is Linked In. Your husbands lean engineering skills may be a good route in.

carcajou

Where is BristolUK for this thread?

Mastersgrad

BristolUK

I have no experience of the job market here, having retired early before my move.

Siouxie

For the Atlantic Immigration Pilot Project you can qualify to apply if the employer is on the designated list for that Province. Each Atlantic Province has a designated Employer list - you can find the links in the link below
Atlantic Canada Live Event


More info on AIPP = https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration...ion-pilot.html


As to the HGV (Commercial vehicle license) - he would need 2 years of experience or have MELTS and have a minimum of 1 year of experience in order to obtain a Class 2 (or 1) license in most Provinces - and there are often additional tests to take. It won't be a quick route to PR if that is what you were thinking (some Provinces don't include trucking in their Provincial programs). If he is having to pay for it he may be better waiting until he arrives and take it here.

scrubbedexpat133

I would suggest that your husband would be a chocolate teapot in NS and NB regarding his current field of work. Any sort of change and or improvement is generally met with fear and excuses as to why we just do it like we always have. Anything that might require an ounce more of effort,thought or cost will be roundly poo pooed as impossible. I of course say this with tongue in cheek but I am not joking either. In terms of manufacturing then you are most likely to find work in Halifax, Saint John and Moncton. Fredericton and Charlottetown PEI are nice places but not much in the way of manufacturing. He will quite likely end up working for the evil empire (Irving) as they basically own everything. Google is your friend regarding how they like to operate.

I am an HGV driver that lived in Moncton for 8 years before moving to Windsor ON. I would say that unless your husband is looking to do it as at least a medium to long term career change that going down this route will not serve you well. The industry is very different here than in the UK and is in a state of change right now. This will take several years to settle. The jobs that you would be able to get are long haul. On the road 7-10 days home for 2. It is a difficult life for experienced drivers. There is a shortage of drivers. There is a reason for this. The money just is not worth it. Well paid local jobs are few and far between and generally sewn up by the locals. If you do decide to go down this road then most employers would want at least 2 years experience so it would depend on your time frame. The UK HGV is not recognized here and he would have to take the theory, air brake and practical test here. Millie mentioned Woodstock NB. I dont doubt for a second her good intention but avoid this like the plague. Cowboy country.

Mastersgrad

thank you for the info! We have been cross referencing the designated employer lists with google searches to see which companies look like his skills may fit most! How far in advance would you suggest to contact employers? We were thinking maybe mid/late April as we go at the end of May?

no we knew it wouldnt be a quick process if he decided to get his HGV licence but its a potential rout eventually if need be. Is the MELTs similar to an IELTs? Not come across that before!

thanks for all your info and help

Mastersgrad

thanks for all your info! Definitely helps with how we approach employers. He has actually contacted Irving a couple of times as they have been advertising a lean manufacturing opening for quite some time now but they don’t seem to interested, he has been emailing and liaising with HR via linkedin but no luck really.

We wouldn’t be able to travel to Woodstock on our trip anyway as it is approx 5 hrs drive from where we are staying but were just interested in our options if he were to get his licence. Again thanks for your input

scrubbedexpat133

If you have read the Wiki it mentions that Canadian employers are slow or dont respond to people out of the country. Irving are no different unless it is something highly specialised/rare skill set. The job may well be penciled in for someone they are just advertising it to go through the motions. Another problem that you may come up against it that companies like to promote within first, hire friends and family second then if that fails recruit. Preference is then given to locals. As a foreigner you are basically at the back of the queue. I am not trying to be negative or rain on your parade its just that we have to work harder to get the same opportunities as the locals do. I would keep an eye out for local job events etc when you are here. If you are able to meet someone at these events it can help your chances. It is more about who you know than what you know.

Tumbling_Dice

When you are on your recce trip see if there are any job fairs on. Getting yourself in front of a human being in NS is absolutely key. From time to time there are job fairs especially for immigrants. From the link below, looks like there is one in April:

https://canadianimmigrant.ca/careerfair/halifax

And, from the below link a few more dates:

Halifax Job Fair - July 29th, 2019

My experience was that this was a more efficient way to get in front of a human being than calling / e-mailing / pounding the streets. It is also a great way to start your network building. I hope this helps as an idea as I note none of the dates seem to coincide with your trip dates.

EDIT: I just noticed on that last link that May 11th is mentioned. Get the resumes all Canadian formatted and, if that date coincides, go along.