I have been in Canada 13 years and have had a few interesting jobs, the best being teaching for around a year. My experience as an electrician in Britain is 6 years with the electricity board, ministry of defence and the prison service. I was also an electrician at several electrical contractors for 10 years. In Canada I was an electrician (journeyman electrician) for a year in British Columbia. In BC the procedure for applying for a journeyman permit involves providing employer signatures and if not available, to have an affidavit certified. I went by way of an affidavit in BC. This option is also available in other provinces but it is not available in Alberta.

I was expecting a question at the end of that !??!

Or at least an angry reaction to a situation given the red upset face in the titlle of the thread

My question is how are they going to get trade workers from overseas to go to Alberta if they aren't going to have this option? Lets lobby our MLAs and find out why. The only explanation I have had is there are more restrictions because of the tar sands. But can anyone say why for sure?

Perhaps this restriction is to be abolished.

Seems to me that the Alberta and B.C. governments signed an agreement last year that allowed for the free flow of workers between the two provinces.

If this is the case then these kinds of rules will have to be harmonized.

This is what I was thinking of http://www.tilma.ca/

You have to sit an equivelency exam. (apparently Canadians have to do the same if they are not Red Seal approved - but I'm not sure).

That's right Piff...anyone working in a compulsory trade in Alberta that do not hold a Red Seal, whether they are from out of Province or abroad, must sit some kind of equivalency exam or challenge the exam by sitting the Qualification exam or commence an Apprenticeship. The link below gives very clear requirements and instructions what is expected when working in Alberta in a compulsory trade like Electrician, Auto Mechanic, Hairstylist, to name a small example.

http://www.tradesecrets.gov.ab.ca/in...38_profile.asp

Thank you