Hi all ! as anyone any experience or heard of Challenger Freight from Ontario they have sites all over or Obasa out of Moose Jaw ? any info on these would be appriciated ............... THANKS

Hi there. I looked into their web and they seem a cool company to work for. I don't think they do the PNP though. Regards Garry

talking to challenger at the mo but it dosn't look to hopefull, they're happy to employ brit drivers but only on a two year contract then say you must return home for four months before they can re-employ you, which isn't really worth a carrot!
think unless things change drastically the chances of getting a driving job through pnp for anyone in ontario are very remote.

I don't know a lot about Challenger except that they are a big company and there drivers are happy enough. I spoke to one while waiting inline at Port Huron border, he was very happy there and he said that they are very strict on safety, eg. if theres anything wrong with the truck, it doesn't move til it's fixed, if a driver is out of hours, he doesn't move etc
HTH a little
Andy

Do you have enough points for the SW class?, as if you have a job you get 15 more points (10 for arranged employment, 5 for adaptability - so you could get a job offer, go over on a TWP, then apply for SW (they fast track applications from people who are already working in Canada)

This is what I'm looking at doing. I was looking at PNP, but don't want nights out, so that left companies like Hoffman's, but Alberta doesn't offer what we want from Canada.

At first we wanted to move to Canada straight away, but my wife is now studying at home, so if she passes her exam's next june she will earn more points for the application. I'm starting evening classes for french, so I can take take the French test - again more points.
Both of our extra learning can be done at home, so if a super dooper job comes up, we can go for it and still study in Canada

Although this means we wont be able to move out until next year now, we feel we will have more choices of job's and area's

With the extra points for already working in Canada we would have enough already (if had a job!), but want to be prepared incase the points needed goes up.

hello mate,
yes between us we qualify for the required minimum, and your right going this route opens many more doors jobs wise, like being home every weekend, better mileage rates etc on top of the fact you choose where you want to live, weather that makes it worth all the hasle of the paper work involved etc instead of having a truck firm virtually do everything for you in a different province? i don't know, spose theres only one way to find out.
as far as i can see this is what erb are doing in ontario and hence they use an imigration lawyer but seeing as that lawyer wants 7k and i havn't had a reply from erb i've more or less struck them off the list.

One thing I've read many times on here is don't pay anything like £7k!!!

I think the Temporary Work permit is easy enough to do yourself, and that would get you started - and most people on the immigration forum say the whole application is easy enough, as long as you don't have a complicated case ect...... (but I have never done any of it, so don't know for certain)

Also, you may have read it also but I think some companies get a lot of e-mails from drivers, and don't respond as they know alot are just dreamer's ect..... It's harder with the time difference, but phoning is meant to be much more ssuccessful(and only cost's 1p a minute using some phone companies) I phone the USA quite often, and it's cheaper than some calls here!

Good luck!

P.S. the wiki thing has a bit for making your CV look more Canadian, and how to make your CV/Resume look better (plus I had a bit of help from other's on BE, thanks Gremmie!)

am thinking that if you already have PR then this 2yr contract thing wouldn't be an issue?
challenger is on our list to contact when we go out for recce in october, interesting to hear something on companies in ON. any other infor on this and ERB and any others is most welcome

the two year thing is purely down to the work permit being for that duration i.e once it's run out you can't legally stay in the country but i've read many cases where people have applied for extensions and been out there for four years at a time, the real issue is that there are quite a few disadvantages only being on wp against pnp and then pr, realistically i don't think anyone would sell up in the uk and move over there based purely on a wp unless you had very little to loose.
at the mo the whole process seems very confussing, theres some provinces who are happy to take truck drivers via their pnp but the firms in those areas seem to be only offering wp's to those drivers and saying you can apply for pnp after six months? but clearly on the provincial goverment sites you can apply for pnp before you ever set foot in canada and there seems no reason for this six month wait, is that so the companies are garaunteed your services for six months before you move to a better job? i don't know.
point is on a wp if the company decide your not for them(or you decide they're not for you), it's basically find the next flight home because that wp is percific to the company you went to work for and no one else, which all seems a bit dodgy to me, basically you've sold your sole to the company!
as for ontario it seems a bit hit and miss because things are changing almost on a daily basis so it's unclear if truck driving will be considered a skilled trade at the mo, even the truck companies aren't sure, the only deffinate is this two year wp so thats the way they're going at this time as a way of filling seats.

If you are looking into Ontario read this:- and may i suggest you send an E.mail to the Ontario Trucking Assoc and ask them which if any companies do PNP + the rules and regs of the PNP in ON. I did the same for Manitoba and they were very helpful



Canada-Ontario Commit to Introduce Provincial Nominee Program
Could Help Qualified Foreign Truck Drivers Come to Ontario
(Toronto, Nov. 21, 2005) – Today, official word of a new Canada-Ontario immigration agreement was signed and includes the commitment to develop a Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) within the next 12 months. A PNP will allow the Province of Ontario to select immigrants based on skilled worker shortages. The province would identify a specific skills need, and facilitate their immigration to Ontario. According to today’s joint federal/provincial announcement, over the next twelve months, Ontario will develop a pilot PNP. As well, during this time, Canada and Ontario will develop the terms of a Temporary Foreign Worker agreement. These programs will give Ontario the opportunity to identify newcomers who will help meet its economic priorities and labour market objectives. Ontario is one of the last provinces to put in place a provincial nominee program.
Many Ontario Trucking Association members have been keen to see such an agreement consummated. Carriers in other parts of the country, including Saskatchewan and Atlantic Canada have recently been successful, for example, in bringing in a limited number of truck drivers from the British Isles. This announcement, combined with last week’s announcement that truck driving is now an apprenticeable and therefore skilled trade, could enhance the chances of truck drivers being included in the program.
Ontario’s trucking industry is facing a severe shortage of drivers. The trucking industry has one of the oldest workforces, with more that 13% of the drivers being over than 55 years old. A recent federal study indicated that Ontario needs 20,000 new truck drivers a year just to keep pace with economic growth and the retirement of these older drivers.
OTA president, David Bradley cautions that the details still need to be worked out over the next 12 months, but says there is a growing awareness of a long-term driver shortage that is going to get a lot worse before it gets better. Bradley also cautions that even if truck drivers are included in a PNP, “it is not a slam dunk process, carriers have to seek out qualified people and make certain commitments. The floodgates are not going to open.” So, he says “current drivers do not have to fear an influx of new drivers. The tight capacity that has been reflected in the market in recent years will continue going forward. A PNP would provide some potential relief for those carriers that wish to avail themselves of the opportunity.”
-30-
Media Contact: Rebecka Torn, Communications, (416) 249-7401 Ext. 224
The Ontario Trucking Association (OTA) is a business association representing motor carriers operating into, out of and within Ontario. The trucking industry is one of Ontario’s largest employers. Trucks haul 90% of all consumer products and foodstuffs produced and consumed in the province and 80% of Ontario’s trade with the United States. Founded in 1926, the association’s membership comprises trucking companies of all sizes, shipping all types of commodities, from all regions of North America. OTA is a member of the Canadian Trucking Alliance. The Globe & Mail has stated that “OTA and CTA have been among the most successful lobbyists in the land.”

© 1995 - 2007, Ontario Trucking Association
555 Dixon Road, Toronto, Ontario
M9W 1H8
Tel: (416) 249-7401 | Fax: (416) 245-6152
Email: [email protected]

I might be wrong, but I think most PNP's are applied for after working in Canada for 6 months.

If you want guaranteed PR, I think the only way is apply for the SW route from the U.K., and wait (poss 5 years).

We are planning to go via TWP, then apply for PR after a while - and keep our house in the U.K. (will be rented out before we leave), but will remortgage, so we will have enough money to get started - and try not to go on a spending spree when we get there! (every £1 borrowed on a mmortgagemeans paying back £2)

Cheers gremmie ! i think you answered that one us !

Just a few thoughts ! i ve been looking into this for a couple of years , my wife has family in Surry BC & Hamilton ON, and i look through all the posts on this site over the last few weeks, and what gets me is a lot of people are trying to move to Canada has a truck driver for a better life , better standard of living etc, so how does moving to a strange country a completly different style of living and then effectively dumping the wife and possibly kids for ten or more days in a strange community where they know no one! possibly hopeing that other Uk wives will introduce thereselves? is that really better for the wives or is this more to do with driving a big rig ! myself we re hoping to move to within easy commute distance of relatives, anyway I hope everyone finds what they looking for ! ( A BETTER STANDARD OF LIFE ) Gremmie you seem to be one of a few on here that seem to talk sense keep up the good work mate and i wish you and your wife all the best for the future !i ll buy you a beer if we ever meet up somewhere! i myself will be travelling to BC at the end of October then onto Ontario, im going to look into the PNP route a bit more, then TWP as that seems to be a better route to better jobs & possibly pay & conditions! anyway i waffle on to much .

PS. ive got interveiw with an immigration consultant whos out of winnnipeg, meeting her in london on the 2/10 (dont worry its not costing me anything !) i ll see what she has to say about both the PNP & TWP 's should be interesting !..................

SOS mate that wasn't a reply to your post just a genral observation ..........

simple question, why come on here asking for info, then in your next post tell everyone that they're all daft to be going in the first?