Pudseytwo

We are a couple in our 40's with a 13 year old daughter looking to emigrate to possibly Ottawa but flexible at this stage.
My husband is a apprentice trained plasterer with a 3 year City in Guilds qualification and 25 years plastering experience.
He is at present a contracts manager for a suspended ceiling company with 10 years experience. Therefore he can either look for work in either field.
Any help in which would be the best direction to go in would be very much appreciated - Cheers !

christmasoompa

Hi and welcome to the forum.

Unfortunately, the construction industry has been badly hit by the recession in Canada, so it's not a great time to be looking for work.

Having said that, it sounds as though he's got good experience behind him so may be lucky.

Have a read of the Wiki (on blue bar at top of page) for info about what you'd need to do to get a visa sorted, and how to go about job hunting in Canada.

Best of luck.

KJM

From my own personal experience

Construction is down and employers are looking for people with Canadian work experience so you can have all the experience in the world and it doesn't help at this moment in time.

I am a construction professional and more qualified then most of the people going for the same job. My competition is winning the job due to them having the Canadian work experience.

Out of full time employment now 4 months

Pudseytwo

Thanks from you both for replying, that's what we thought.

My husband was hoping he could get a job on the tools then when he had a little more Canadian experience he could look to go back into management. He is quite fortunate that he can do plastering, drywall, partitions and suspended ceilings and most other building work so he was hoping that he might find something that he could do.

KJM I note that you are in Calgary, we thought that there would be a lot of building going on there as we looked at the OUP list and construction managers were on the list, how often do they up date it ?
Just feel like we are going around in circles at the moment.....

Although we have found this site/forum to be most helpful on a lot of points.

Thanks again

islandboy

Hi
As already said. the construction industry has taken a big hit recently but there are signs it is about to turn around. I work for a Steel fab firm ,we work on large projects and looking at the construction hot sheets ,there is a lot of new work coming up. add to that all the work that was put on hold due to the downturn which is just waiting in the wings there will soon be busy times ahead. As previously stated Canadian experience is sought after. You may have to take a lesser job to build up some Canadian experience. I know it may be hard to understand, but construction techniques and especially terminology can be very different here. When I first came, although things were familiar, I honestly felt I was talking a different language.
Good Luck

Pudseytwo

Thanks for taking the time to reply, it sounds just like the situation here.
I think things have hit rock bottom over here in the last few months but are starting to steadily pick up, well they seem to be at the company that my husband works for.
Not sure how long it will take to get our PR as we are just starting out with it all, but maybe by the time we get everything sorted out things might have picked up.
My husband and myself have never been out of work ( I have been working since I was 13 am now nearly 47) and are expecting to do anything that we can to make it through the first year or two.
We are just hoping that our lack of French language skills don't work against us.
Thanks again

christmasoompa

If he qualifies as a construction manager (and meets the other criteria i.e. minimim points, proof of funds, no criminal record, passes the medical etc) then he could apply as a Skilled Worker.

Definitely your best option as then he could do any job in Canada once he'd got PR - I assumed you were looking for a job to get a Temp Work Permit.

But if he is a construction manager then he's got an easier route open to him anyway.

Pudseytwo

Thanks again.....

Just starting putting everything together now and see what happens

budcolin

Hi Pudsy

We got our PR through the skilled worker route, which took around 3 years (applied 2005), but i believe it takes around a year now.
I'm also a plasterer, and from what I gather most of the work is in drywall, taping etc.
You should try and contact some companies in the area direct and just ask what the work situation is like and the potential for future employment....that's what I did and i got a job offer.
Well worth a try.

Good luck

treadstone

Just dont waste any money with jobs in ** they dont come up trumps for you.

alilane

^^ Have to disagree with ********** ... my OH is currently over there as a carpenter - though I think he said he literally was the last one to arrive .. apparently they recruit every so often so if there is no call for skilled workers at the moment then they're not going to send anyone over...

treadstone

Thats not what i meant. If you have your supposed job offer and have paid your money and are still waiting then call me suspicious but it aint gonna happen.