unique at last

I've had a look at quite a few threads but most seem to be quite far on in the process so I thought I'd introduce myself and say hello.

My husband and I have decided that we'd love to come and live in Canada. He's wanted to for many years and I am now fully on board. He wants to use an agent. Brazolot is who we have spoken to so for but we've not paid anything yet. Googling is making me uncertain about whether to use one or not. I've had a read of the wiki page and I'm leaning to not using one but we would love to be out there in the late summer if possible in terms of the children being able to start school at the beginning of the academic year.

Our details so far are:
I am 38 and a primary teacher. I am 'middle' leadership in my school (leader of infants and Literacy leader for the whole school).
My husband is an HGV driver. He holds class 1 and 2 as well as ADR (he delivers aviation fuel to airports).
We have 2 children aged 11 and 8.
We are going to sell our house we are in now, buy a smaller one to rent out in the UK and use part of our equity to go to Canada.

Any advice would be really appreciated. The agent suggested we could be in Canada via Express Entry by within about 9 months. Is this pie in the sky? Would we be able to do that ourselves or would using an agent speed things up a bit?

I've been looking at the CIC site but there is so much there. I'd love some advice from people who have been through the process.

From looking there, I think the first thing we need to do it to get our education and professional certificates (especially mine) verified and take the English proficiency test. Is it better to take CELPIP or IELTS?

Many thanks for any advice. I can't wait to get started.

Twitcher1958

I'll get in first before anyone else - the general advice here is that an immigration agent is really only needed if you have complicated circumstances - most people do it themselves. There is a lot of information in the Wiki above - that should help you a lot then come back with specific questions when you've done some research. Most regulars are happy to help those that help themselves.Lastly be very careful if you do decide to go with an agent - Brazelot wouldn't be the first choice of most people here so again, tread very carefully if you feel you have to go down that route - the money can probably be better used for something else.

unique at last

Thank you very much for taking the time to reply. I'm looking around the wiki at the moment. There is such a lot of information. I'll talk to my H more about using an agent. I think we can do this ourselves. I'm looking into getting our English proficiency test booked as soon as I can.

christmasoompa

Hi, and welcome to BE.

I will second that opinion given above, you shouldn't need to use an immigration consultant, and if you do then I would definitely stay clear of the one you've consulted with so far! Are you aware of the issues with finding work as a teacher in Canada? Hopefully you've found the wiki article about teaching in Canada by now.

Getting PR via express entry within nine months is perfectly feasible, but only if you score enough on the CRS to be selected from the pool - this would mean a score of above approximately 450. What is your current score?

Best of luck with it.

bc2015

Hey before you go spending money on the application, have you checked how many points you will get for Express Entry? At the moment, you would probably need around 450-480 points to be selected but that can go up or down obviously.

You should also do some research on job prospects. I believe that Canada teaching in Canada is massively oversubscribed and hard to find a job in. Not sure what the prospects for HGV drivers are.

Would second the advice on using agents - you shouldn't need to use one unless you have unusual circumstances such as criminal convictions etc..

Snowy560

If you do decide to use a professional, use a consultant or a lawyer who is regulated by ICCRC (the regulator) and thus licensed to give advice:

Search

Agents work for consultants/lawyers to bring in business. Agents are not permitted to give Canadian immigration advice.

S

unique at last

HI,

Thanks again for your advice and help.

I'm not sure that I'm planning on teaching in Canada. Teaching in the UK at the moment is awful (hence why we have such a retention problem and Canada hasn't). From the research we've done so far, despite me being our main applicant (due to my high level of qualification and experience) it looks like it won't be too hard for H to get a driving job. He's already made contact with some companies that have fuel sections of their business. Although HGV driving is a category D skill in terms of immigration, there is a demand for drivers. He will be our main wage earner. He also works at the moment for an international company so there may well be a way of getting a transfer via them as they also have a very large depot in the Toronto area.

We will be bringing enough money with us to support me for a while so I'd like to do some supply teaching while I explore other avenues and careers. If I can get into teaching in Canada, I may well find I get my teaching mojo back. I'm very good at what I do but the UK system is killing me and my love for the job.

As I haven't done the English test yet, I can only guess what our/my scores might be. I'm just looking at how to book the tests now.

christmasoompa

Sounds very sensible, my understanding is that there are plenty of jobs for HGV drivers, just not sponsorship, so if you can get PR then hopefully he won't struggle to find work.

Re: the IELTS exam though, I personally wouldn't spend money on it until you've checked your CRS score - it might be a guess, but your IELTS score will only affect it a little bit, so it's worth checking that you'll score over approx 450 as otherwise it could just be a waste of money.

The other thing you need to get done if you do want to apply via EE is the ECA (this usually takes longer than the IELTS), but again that's a couple of hundred to get sorted, and not worth spending out on unless you know you'll score enough to get selected from the pool.

HTH.

unique at last

Thanks, I'll go and try and guestimate it now. Is the ECA getting our educational credentials verified? I'm taking some time to get my head around the acronyms.

christmasoompa

Yes, ECA = Educational Credential Assessment. Can take around 6-8 weeks to obtain depending on which agency you use and their current timescales, and costs a couple of hundred dollars. So great if you do score above 450 or so, but not worth spending out on if you don't.

I'd just do a rough calculation - if you're close then definitely get the IELTS/ECA done, but if you're only scoring 350 or so, then there's just no point and you'll need to look at other visa options.

HTH, best of luck.

unique at last

Looking like 436 points. I think age may be going against us. My French is only GCSE level and that was some time ago so I doubt it would be worth me trying to get any extra points that way as I can only hold a very simple conversation in French - enough to get by on holiday but that's about it.

unique at last

You have been really helpful. Thanks you so much Christmasoompa.

christmasoompa

OK, so close though - the points might just drop down that low (lowest so far has been 451 irrc, hence the general advice on the forum to be scoring 450-480 as a minimum).

Forget the French, the lowest level is said to be equivalent to A level French, so unless you fancy a crash course I wouldn't bother.

Is there anything else you could do to get your points up? Which province did you want to move to?

As you're close to the previous minimum points score, it could well be worth applying anyway, particularly as unfortunately neither of your jobs are likely to get you there via a TWP. But I'd adjust your timescale expectations, as if you do get selected it could take a while.

Up to you I guess, if you don't mind spend a few hundred and giving it a go, then go for it - fingers crossed you'll be lucky and the points threshold will drop down to low enough.

Best of luck.

unique at last

Thanks. We'll book the test, get the certificates sent off and give it a go. I won't bother with the French.

Using the "Will I qualify" on the CIC EE page, and having selected Ontario, it's saying that it looks like we'll qualify for EE. Well do our best and see how it goes. If H's company would agree to transfer him then I think that would give us a whole other bundle of points so that will be worth looking into too. We're open to New Brunswick and other provinces too.

If we don't try, we'll never know.

christmasoompa

Sounds like a plan.

Sorry, I'm going to sound like a right Debbie Downer, but actually a company transfer wouldn't give you any extra points, as an Intra-Company Transfer TWP doesn't require a LMIA, and it's only a LMIA or PNP that gives the extra 600 points.

And just to be doubly negative, but a trucker wouldn't qualify for an intra-company TWP anyway (only skilled workers in certain categories do), even if he could get a transfer.

Sorry.