British Plumber to B.C Canada
 

Hi guys, first post here so i apologise if it happens to be posted in the wrong section.
I've spent hours reading and researching on this forum over the past few months and have found it all very helpful :thumb:. I have a couple of questions and i'm wondering if somebody could help me.

I am a plumber here in England, hoping to obtain PR and move to BC. I have taken the first step and have recently completed my IELTS, I will soon begin the process of applying for a certification challenge from ITA in BC. I have over 9700 hours of experience in my trade and have met all of the requirements.

Now my understanding is that upon approval and acceptance i will be invited to sit the Red Seal exam in B.C and that will result in me being qualified to work in my trade. I'm aware that this could potentially take up to a year to process and complete, but i am curious as to whether to begin my EE application now prior to obtaining certification or should i wait until after (with considerably more CRS points). As of now, without Certificate of Qualification, my CRS score sits quite low.

Any help would be greatly appreciated!

Re: British Plumber to B.C Canada
 

What is your current CRS score? Do you need a job offer to raise your points sufficiently high to get an invite to apply for PR?

Re: British Plumber to B.C Canada
 

You’ll need either a job offer or the Cert to qualify under EE (Federal Skilled Trade program). So if you don’t have a job offer then yes, you will need the Cert first before you’re able to apply.

HTH.

Re: British Plumber to B.C Canada
 

You don't necessarily have to take the Red Seal Endorsement exam - that's an inter Provincial thing. If it's your intention to remain in BC for the time being then just obtain your Certificate of Qualification for BC! You can always sit the Red Seal Endorsement (it goes on your Certificate of Qualification) later on if you decide you want to move Provinces :)
https://www.itabc.ca/program/plumber = pan down to the bottom of the page, grab the forms and fill them out, send them off and wait for confirmation! Once you have that your CRS points will increase - and for FSW (Trades) the points requirements are much lower, anything around 320 should give you an ITA.
:)

Re: British Plumber to B.C Canada
 

Thanks everyone! Just to clarify, i have 360 points as it stands, but will have 410 with a certificate of qualification. I have seen minimum draw scores as low as 290 so i am fairly hopeful with a score of 410.

Siouxie thanks for clearing that up, i have read your responses regarding a similar matter on another thread. Info you have provided is extremely helpful, i do in fact have these forms completed and signed by my supervisor, it's simply a matter of submitting them to ITA.

This is another thing that i'd like to clarify. I spoke with ITA a while ago and i enquired about the cert process. this was their response: 'Yes - if your application is approved, you can then contact ITA to schedule your exam. You'll need to score 70% to pass and receive your Canadian Red Seal. good luck!' From what you've just said Siouxie, if successful they issue me with a certificate of qualification and the Red Seal is an optional endorsement? So is they approve my application i will receive the COQ right away? Or will i have to sit an exam in B.C.

Long term i would probably choose to sit the Red Seal so if i do ever want to move province, i can do so without having to reapply for a COQ. Thanks again every one.

Re: British Plumber to B.C Canada
 

Latest FST draw was in the low 400s I believe, so if there is anything else you can do to boost your score as well I would do it (better IELTS or if an ECA would grant you any extra points) - not saying it will remain that high, although the trend has been ever increasing scores and quite big jumps of late (I was sat waiting for a draw last year, and it jumped up by 25 points between draws, then has gone a further 60 this year)

You need to pass the exam to get the COQ - they verify your work experience, they authorise you to sit the exam and if you score 70% you get a COQ. Reference COQ vs having the Red Seal - I can't speak for your trade, but when I sat mine - it was the same exam! so you could either get a Red Seal endorsed COQ, or just a COQ- same exam, same price to sit the exam and get the endorsed COQ - so no one ever just sat of the standard COQ. There was a box on the exam application form to tick to say "I also wish to challenge the IP Red Seal exam at the same time".