AlexGrant88

Evening all, I'm a 31 year old truck driver from the UK. I'm currently working for Waitrose at their Leyland depot. I've been driving class 1 trucks for over 5 years and I have experience hauling hazardous goods, refrigerated and some farm machinery on flat deck. I'm aware at the moment Alberta has added trucking to the refusal to process list for LMIA's. I was wondering if anyone knew of any companies that had pre approved LMIA's? Alternatively I've also been looking at companies in Saskatchewan and BC close to the Alberta border that may also hire foreign workers.
I'm moving to Canada to live with my girlfriend living in Edmonton, we were hoping to live together for a year before she can sponsor me for residency. Unfortunately covid-19 seems to be scuppering our plans at every turn.
I'm also very open to general farm work in the Edmonton area if anyone knows of any farmers needing help. I do have some experience in a farm environment so it's not all entirely new. I know I seem to have picked one of the hardest provinces to move to but you can't help who you fall for haha.

christmasoompa

Hi, and welcome to BE. I think that in all honesty, getting a LMIA for a trucking job is very unlikely at the mo given the situation with unemployment and Covid over there, there will be plenty of Canadians looking for work. Also, don't forget that one of the requirements for your gf to sponsor you as her common-law spouse is that you've lived together continuously for at least a year, which may not work with long haul trucking and the absences.

You don't by any chance have an Irish passport do you (or a route to one, i.e. an Irish grandparent)?

AlexGrant88

Thanks for getting back to me. I think so too, I know there's a lot of Canadians looking for work but there's always so many trucking jobs available. I've called so many recently that say they have pre approved LMIA's but then tell me they only hire Indians or I must already be in Canada to be eligible. I guess it's just a bad time to be looking unfortunately.

I don't have an Irish passport and as far as I know, none of my family is irish sadly.

christmasoompa

Ah shame, just thought it was worth checking in case you were eligible for the IEC visa under Irish citizenship, as you're just too old for the UK program.

Marriage maybe? I'll get my hat.

Best of luck.

AlexGrant88

I was actually waiting for the IEC at the start of this year to get a RO visa through Bunac (up to age 35 in the UK with an RO) but IRCC hasn't done a draw since March. I did find out, much to my annoyance that IRCC had released a limited number of RO visas in October through Go International for essential work. No advertising or anything, I spoke to Go International and they said they only informed people who had contacted them previously. Gutted!

Haha I'm actually going through a divorce right now and we did want to wait till we got married. I am waiting to hear from Skyforce transportation in Edmonton, I called them on Tuesday and the lady was pretty enthusiastic so fingers crossed.

christmasoompa

An RO IEC is a long shot anyway, sooooo oversubscribed! So sounds like the potential job in Edmonton would be a better bet, fingers crossed for you. If you've not read it already, our Job Hunting section of the Wiki has tons of useful info in too.

Best of luck.

wardy_1990

bison have a run from saskatoon to states and back, think they may have had immigration experience at some point could be worth a shot. a lot if British drivers seem to have started in manitoba then moved after 2 years.

mike639

Hi Alex,

Good to read about your aspirations. Very good decision in my opinion. Far easier life and vastly more opportunities, although you probably know that already. I am currently on a work permit with a trucking company and will be applying for my PR again soon. I used to be a PR in the past but I went back to Europe for too long and it got revoked. So I am doing the process all over again. I came back less than 6 months ago.

I know of two trucking companies who would definitely hire you. I do not know whether they are in a position to do so in the current climate.

I also know of a lawyer in Chicago ( I know that's not Canada) who is hiring for an American trucking company. You will get a green card after 6 months this way. A couple well seasoned European trucker friends of mine are moving from Canada and going this route.

Finally, should you find a Canafian company that has LMIA'S, you may still have issues getting the actual work permit. Canadian border officers used to do this at the border when you flew in but not since Covid (unless it has changed again since I flew back in). You will need to apply for this yourself before you come to Canada. I had to do this. I utilised a Canadian Immigration consultant to do it for me. She was great and got it for me no problem.

I can give you all this information no problem. Can you send me a PM please, as I need to have posted three times in order to send a PM to you?

wardy_1990

think I saw a review on indeed for seafood express that was from 2020 that they were doing lmia (lmo) for trucking. supposed to be a decent firm too, considered applying myself once but alas we may end up back in berta.

AlexGrant88

Hi, thanks for your response, I've sent you a PM

AlexGrant88

Isn't Seafood Express in PEI? I saw the government of Newfoundland advertising for foreign drivers to go and work there but it would probably take me longer to get from there to Alberta to see my girlfriend than it would from here in the UK. I'm hoping that with it being the new year, companies may be inclined to hire from abroad again to kick start their businesses.

wardy_1990

aye mate beggars can't be choosers and all that just thought I would throw in any I see.online

AlexGrant88

Oh no I don't want to sound ungrateful for the help, I really appreciate it. I had discussed with my gf, her moving with me but she landed her dream job in Edmonton last year so it was a no go really. I think my limit would be BC, AB and SK, at least if I was to end up in either province to the sides of Alberta, I could get to Edmonton fairly quickly.

wardy_1990

no worries we're all here to help each other, trucking thread us awful quiet it seems. I think from the days before trimac used to do lmias and I know only last year bison were, hope you find what your looking for I know what it's like to be waiting for a bite.

AlexGrant88

Yeah I've come up across so many trucking companies in AB advertising for truck drivers on LMIA's but when I contact them they either say I have to already be there or in one instance called me a liar when they asked how much I'd have to pay to get there and I said the work permit costs $155. I can only assume they thought I was going to be paying for the LMIA that they most probably didn't have. I spoke to a lady from a British Expats in Edmonton facebook page and she asked me for my CV and gave it to her boss just before Christmas so I'm hoping I might hear from that. I just really hope this year I can actually make some progress and get over there.