Hi
We are Bob, Claire and Matt, we currently live in Devon in the UK. We finally received our visa after three years last August and are now planning to land in February and then move out in July. Yippee!

OK so that's the great bit, the problem is we've thought ourselves in circles about where to go when we get there. We originally wanted to go to BC, Revelstoke was a favourite or Invermere. But we are concerned about work and now, house prices. We are having difficulty selling our house here. Bob is an electrician, plumber and heating engineer (fully qualified) in the UK but is having difficulty getting a straight answer about how to transfer his qualifications in BC. Even when we were there last year no-one could give us a straight answer.

So we are now wondering about Alberta? We really wanted to live in the mountains but common sense says get a house and job and established first. I'm a healthcare director and programme manager which I know will be hard to find work in, in Canada. But having scrubbed loos to put myself through Uni once I'm not too proud to do it again if I have to.

Matt is 15 and looking forward to the move even though he will miss his friends, but he loves Canada.

I would appreciate any advice/reassurance anyone can give. Oh and if anyone wants a UK holiday home on Dartmoor I have one going v cheap .

Best wishes

Claire

First, I think you need to study this information:

http://www.cicic.ca/en/page.aspx?sortcode=2.17.20

http://www.red-seal.ca/Site/index_e.htm

Second, if I were in your shoes, I'd strongly consider Calgary and environs and forget about Revelstoke/Invermere for now because of the relative employment perspectives.

Thanks Ocean will do, although when we went to see Red Seal last year they couldn't give us a straight answer, maybe because they were re-organising the system?

.... I don't know about that, but you may be a complicated case: "Bob is an electrician, plumber and heating engineer". Sounds like he is a jack of all trades and that complicates the picture..... again, if I were in your shoes, I would find out which of his trades (electrician, plumber or heating engineer) pays the most or he likes the best and gets certified in Canada for that single trade (at least to start).... his long list of trades is like throwing them a curve ball.

BTW.... all his trades are in great demand in Alberta.

Where we are (NW Calgary), we are about ten minutes from the Canada Olympic Park, which has now an international-standard terrain park and half-pipe, and is building a new course for free-style boarding/skiing. OK it does get busy evenings and weekends, but the kids LOVE it, and he'd probably go there with all his friends and you wouldn't have to take him! I hardly see my 15 year old at the weekends, he often spends all day there. Once you have a season ticket they can go whenever they like for as long as they like with no further charges, and they frequently have competitions and also live music there.

If you prefer mountains, the nearest mountain resort is Nakiska, less than an hour from here, and in about an hour and a half you can get to Sunshine, then further on to Lake Louise for a really great day or weekend etc.

http://www.canadaolympicpark.ca/winter.asp
http://www.skinakiska.com/
http://www.skibanff.com/
http://www.skilouise.com/

None of this is about work of course, just how lovely it is to live here

Work salary and career info here:

http://www.jobfutures.ca/en/home.shtml

http://www.workfutures.bc.ca/article...n&article=home

Rich.

Hi Claire,

I'm Just across the 1a From Morwenna.
I would echo everything she says.
I would also say IF you want mountains (and work for Bob) Canmore is growing (still LOTS of construction).

However Revelstoke has announced that they will be going ahead with developing their ski operations SO lots of construction to happen there as well.

(Gee did I just sugest someone goes to BC instead of Alberta, I better go lie down )

Although I would agree with you and Morwenna. If the OP is concerned that they are getting priced out of the housing market in Revelstoke.

It would appear Calgary would be out of the question.

And Canmore prices are higher than here, I think

Hi ,
The govt. of Alberta website has good info. for trades people. There is a
free trade agreement between BC and Alberta ,so the registeration is
transferable between the 2 provinces.Also try the job bank .
www.jobbank.gc.ca which is Canada wide job postings.
Also check www.tradesecrets.gov.ab.ca regarding certification.

Most of my relatives are in Alberta, my cousin from Singapore got a
job last year in Fort Sasketchewan after failing to find a job in Toronto
and Ottawa as a med. technologist.My first job was also in Alberta.

Hope that helps.
Yoong