Hi all

Its been a while since I last posted on here. We returned from Calgary in December 2015 because I was made redundant from my Plumbing job. There were a lot of job lay off's in Alberta and I wasn't the only person who lost their job. I did have a 2 year TWP and so did my wife but we made the decision to return to the UK because my wife was unable to secure a job that paid enough to support all of us until I found new employment with a new LMIA and that was looking dull especially with the job climate in Alberta.

After our return to the UK we struggled like crazy to get on our feet, we had to stay with friends until we found a council house to rent ( social housing ). Our children have found new schools and settled back in to UK life.

For now it feels like 2 steps forward and 3 steps back. Its back to the drawing board for me. I still want to go back to Canada, I loved every minute while I was there. Having experienced the journey I've been on, I would do it all over again, the grass is so much greener on the other side ( so to speak ).

I find myself looking for a new employer either in BC, Alberta or Saskatchewan because my Plumbing credentials have been assessed and approved in those provinces. Does anyone know what the situation is like in Canada at the moment on the recruitment side? are there many companies hiring TWP in the trades? or if anyone has any experience or advice please don't hesitate to comment or inbox me.

Thanks

That must have been an extremely demoralising time, I feel for you mate. I can't help with your question but good look and I hope you get fixed up.

With the amount of construction going on there must be work in Vancouver. I decided to change careers last winter and got myself a plumbing apprenticeship from a company via Craigslist. (Changed my mind it was ruining my nails )

I also hear a lot of Irish accents recently from building sites and a lot of them must be from TWPs. Maybe try having a look through this site and maybe post a question about construction and TWPs. Canada boards.ie

hi magawish. sorry to here the bad news, i live near saskatoon, and things around here are grim, and were in the process of selling and moving to NS. since the oil has stopped production, and our dollar has dropped by nearly 30% things just are not happening here.
i was laid off in November, and i still havn't found anything any good. problem with sk is, unless your in a larger center, saskatoon, regina, p.a. moosejaw, then your stuck in a small town with the old boys club, and then it who you know, and not what you know. i have also had the problem of companies wanting me to move into saskatoon because i live 120km outside, and they would not employ you just because of that.
have a look on saskjob.ca and jobbank, but at the minute winnipeg seems to be the place to be, it may not be what you want, but may be what you need to get your PR. good luck

Thanks for the advice. I will take a look at saskjob.ca. I really don't want to give up, we have put too much into it and our hearts are set on Canada. When we were in Calgary we used an agent to prepare our PR and we were so close to submitting the application, when things went pear shaped. We all moved back to the UK in Nov 2015. I will keep positive and I will keep my fingers crossed that everything gets better in Canada and that work starts to flow again.

I'm not holding out any hope that Canada will pick up, so I'm actively looking for work back in the UK just so I can get out of here...what so appeals to you about Canada that makes you want to try so hard to be here?

[QUOTE=haggis88;11926207]I'm not holding out any hope that Canada will pick up, so I'm actively looking for work back in the UK just so I can get out of here...what so appeals to you about Canada that makes you want to try so hard to be here?


Hi

The time I/we experienced in Canada was amazing, the people, the weather, the scenery everything on a whole, even the work while it lasted. My wife had 3 job offers in 3 months, our children adapted well and we made friends with many other families within the neighbourhood where we were living. We enjoyed many weekends exploring and visiting the mountains. I can honestly say the only thing I didn't really like in Canada was how much my cell phone cost each month lol. I am back in the UK Manchester and I have been applying for jobs like crazy, I must have sent off over 50 cv's to different companies all over the UK and I've heard nothing back, I am currently a self employed plumber at the moment struggling to find work some weeks I have no work at all.

Not seeing any sign of recession in Lower Mainland BC. We've been hiring like mad just to keep up.

Fair enough, was just curious

I've had the opposite experience, having applied to more than 200 jobs in Alberta (Calgary, Edmonton, Lethbridge) in the last 6 months and having zero leads, barely even a rejection letter

Conversely, applied for 3 jobs in the UK out of interest, had 1 rejection, 1 phonecall to tell me that hiring has been frozen but as soon as it starts again I'm top of the list, and 1 skills test that is now pending an interview

What industry are you in? I've noticed a few things in BC, but if i'm moving again, I'm going back to where my family and friends are...i've seen plenty of Canada (and the US) with this current job, and honestly i'm just sick of North American culture

I am back in the UK Manchester and I have been applying for jobs like crazy, I must have sent off over 50 cv's to different companies all over the UK and I've heard nothing back, I am currently a self employed plumber at the moment struggling to find work some weeks I have no work at all.[/QUOTE]

the situation your in is what got my ass in gear to come to canada in the first place. I was made redundant twice in 10 months,once from trafford park, and once from leigh, i used to live in wigan. i really hope you find something soon.

the situation your in is what got my ass in gear to come to canada in the first place. I was made redundant twice in 10 months,once from trafford park, and once from leigh, i used to live in wigan. i really hope you find something soon.[/QUOTE]

Thanks I will keep trying

[QUOTE=haggis88;11926430]Fair enough, was just curious

I've had the opposite experience, having applied to more than 200 jobs in Alberta (Calgary, Edmonton, Lethbridge) in the last 6 months and having zero leads, barely even a rejection letter

Conversely, applied for 3 jobs in the UK out of interest, had 1 rejection, 1 phonecall to tell me that hiring has been frozen but as soon as it starts again I'm top of the list, and 1 skills test that is now pending an interview



Hope everything goes well for you pal, you will find something I'm sure, it just takes time.

Completely agree, there was only a story this morning on the news about the need for high rise tower crane operators because of all the towers going up.

It looks like Calgary has had it and I suspect this is the new normal. Downtown office vacancy over 20% and rising, value of building permit applications down 66% over 12 months and down 30% the 12 months before. Trades prices going down from what I hear. I hope to be back in the UK this summer after the end of the school year. There are jobs elsewhere in Canada (Vancouver and Toronto in particular) but nowhere in Canada holds much appeal without the ability to earn significantly more than in the UK.

Sad to hear for someone like me who wants to go to Calgary! Good to know though, cheers.