Spark90

Hello again to all its been a little while since I've been on here.

I am just wondering, it maybe a long shot and little specific but I was wondering if anyone else has had any problems getting their trade assessed by the TEA and Ontario College of Trades.


in the middle of last year me and my wife started a thread on here regarding us wanting to emigrate to Canada, and after some research more specifically, Ontario.

Siouxie Was so helpful and gave us perfect links on how to make this happen, so gathering all we needed for the trade assessment, we paid our fee and sent everything off too Ontario college of trades.

our stumbling step is that they were unable to make contact with my current employer, even though we did preempt this and provided them with additional personal email addresses and phone numbers of who they needed to speak too.

we received an email explaining that they were unable to reach my employer, we phoned the college to query this and were advised to pay another fee, (it was a smaller fee as it was a reassessment) and try again.

i will note that they sub contract the the checking of this information out to accompany called Sterling Back check, who check all of these things to save big companies and cooperation's wasting time.


Both of the times we applied, we sent a follow up email explaining the fact that my employers were working remotely as they at the time were shielding due to the covid related pandemic. we went above and beyond to make it as easy as possible, stating everything from area codes and all of the details needed including clearly stating we were located in the UK. and further more on the second attempt we even spoke to my employer before hand and asked if required would they come into work and phone who ever needed to be contacted from the works land line number or even a pre arranged time. but still no joy!

So, with this being said has anyone had any joy with this? it maybe a long shot but any advice would be grateful!


Further more, not having any luck with this, we were thinking of our alternative options, and the main one being that we would travel out to Canada on a working visa, and apply while we are out there for PR but again we are struggling to understand all of the requirements needed for this. or should anyone have any other ideas on how to make this happen it would be greatly appreciated.


our previous thread was in may 2020 with the title 'Qualifications confirmation please?( Bench joiner)' should that help.

kind regards

Ross & Jo

Siouxie

You mentioned Nova Scotia in your original thread - have you looked into the Atlantic Provinces Pilot Project as a route to PR? There is a list of 'designated employers' who can offer a job and 'sponsor' you for PR; it will mean going to every company website and looking to see if they have a job you can do, then apply (and keep your fingers crossed), but if you are determined it may be possible.

Designated employer list pdf - open in firefox and no download needed https://novascotiaimmigration.com/wp..._employers.pdf -
You would need to get your Red Seal endorsement if you wanted to work as a 'carpenter/cabinet maker' so you might have a similar issue, but not all trades are regulated in NS.. see top link below..
https://www.nsapprenticeship.ca/get-started/trades
Trade equivalence - based on hours: https://www.nsapprenticeship.ca/trad...fiers-military

Are you in the Express Entry pool already - ?

Spark90

Siouxie! Once again! thank you for taking the time to reply to us. Ill be honest, I thought I had but looking a little more into it, I don't think so. but in doing so now it looks like a very good program, and it certainly looks towards making things a lot easier and more straight forward. looking through all of the information like you said, I would need to get my qualifications certified, but what I wonder, and this will lead onto not having been in the express pool yet, is if its better to have my qualifications certified before applying would be appropriate, as I could understand from an employers point of view that could take time when employment is needed as soon as reasonably possible. as I also know that from applying in Ontario that i would need to sit an exam, which can only be done from inside Canada and in turn the province in which it is applied for. hence wondering if its better to emigrate on a working visa and apply from within where i maybe able to work as well apply and almost visit the employers. but from a small amount of research Nova Scotia seems very viable. would that be naive of me to think this?

as i said also regarding the express entry pool, we wanted to have the qualification equivalency check in place as presumably, that would be what takes the longest amount of time to source.

Once again, thank you for taking the time to reply.

Ross & Jo

Spark90

additionally, something my wife has just mentioned, she has a teaching degree, but isn't looking to going into to teaching, would we need to get her qualifications certified in order for her to work in general? this maybe not a question you are able to answer but worth asking asking all the some.

Many thanks once again.

Ross & Jo

Siouxie

Most welcome!

You can't work in as a carpenter/cabinetmaker without certification in most Provinces (regulated jobs) - so unlikely to get a valid job offer without it - without a valid job offer, you can't get a temporary work permit.. a catch 22 situation.
The good thing about the Red Seal endorsement is it means you can work anywhere in Canada with it, you aren't restricted to the issuing Province. You can challenge the red seal exam - in the same way as you can challenge the Provincial certification exams.

Regarding the challenge - you don't necessarily have to sit an exam, not all trades require it.

Perhaps keep following up with your former employer about getting your references for Ontario.. or else start another application for Nova Scotia / PEI / New Brunswick (Atlantic Provinces) if you find any employers that are looking for your trade(s).

In regard to your 2nd post - if your wife wanted to teach, she would need to 'convert' her teaching certificate to a Provincial one - it's a regulated industry as well... if she doesn't want to work as a teacher it may be worth her getting an ECA to get the points - have you considered her being the primary applicant?? Have you checked what points she might get? Follow christmasoompa's post in the wiki 'as if you have had the ECA done, the IELTS etc., and have minimum funds' https://britishexpats.com/wiki/Quick..._by_step_guide

Worth checking!

Farmer on a bike

A carpenter is not a regulated trade in Canada. Licensing is only compulsory in Quebec, voluntary in all other provinces and territories. Cabinetmaker is voluntary licensing across Canada. Qualification is useful, can enhance remuneration and employability, but not mandatory.

Siouxie

Unfortunately you are not quite correct. Carpenter is a Regulated trade in almost every Province - despite the 'description' showing otherwise. Many of the Provinces are now switching to Red Seal Exams for any trade certification they don't have themselves.
See: https://www.jobbank.gc.ca/marketrepo...bdisable=true- requirements.

Cabinetmaker is also a regulated.trade See: https://www.jobbank.gc.ca/marketrepo...ments/16991/ca

Farmer on a bike

Having served on a number of trade certification committees and steering committees in BC, my experiences are seemingly different from yours. Unfortunately the federal government sources are not always clear or accurate, it is confusing regulated trades with certified trades. Rather than enter into a pointless debate over what a 'regulated' trade is and is not, I suggest the OP does their own research and discuss with the regulatory bodies in their destination province.

Siouxie

I apologise, a Certified trade rather than 'Regulated' (as the official websites state) - but the end result is the same for most. The OP has already applied to Ontario for a Certificate of Qualification Trade Equivalency. I was suggesting they use the links to check the Atlantic Provinces to ascertain if they might be able to apply for jobs without one.. - Jobbank has links to each Provincial licensing/certifying body.


A Certificate of Qualification is necessary to work in most trades in many Provinces.. a C of Q is also a requirement for anyone who wants to apply under Federal Skilled Worker (Trades) Express Entry for PR - unless they have a valid job offer.

Farmer on a bike

It is required in only 10 trades in BC at present. Some trades are also regulated, such as by ICBC, Technical Safety BC etc. and must be qualified to perform the function unsupervised. More mandatory certification will be coming in BC, but not yet.
Most provinces are the same, although they each make their own requirements, over time, most align with each other. Not being certified would ordinarily make it harder to get a job and pay would be lower. In the current labour climate, even this may not hold.
https://engage.gov.bc.ca/skilledtrad...certification/

Siouxie

BC isn't relevant to the OP - they wish to go to either Ontario (1st choice) or Nova Scotia .. and have started the certification process for Ontario

Farmer on a bike

As the discussion has been around 'you cannot work without certification' or it being a 'regulated trade'. It may be useful for others reading the thread to know that certification in many trades is not yet mandatory in most provinces and only a few trades are actually regulated. This is quite separate from immigration requirements, employability and pay scales.

Ontario compulsory trades, https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=...RX-4riuF5z_rvs

NS compulsory trades (Yellow dots are compulsory trades). https://www.nsapprenticeship.ca/get-...n_cabinetmaker