I know you guys must get tired of people asking but heres another wannabe driver looking to move across the pond.
A little about me, I’ll try to include as much as I can to help.
I’m 25, no dependents, got money (enough to support me for longer than a year if needed), 10-12 GCSE’s at C or above, a BTEC Certificate in IT and a degree in Outside Broadcasting. Only got Class 2 at the moment and a year and 4 months experience at that but since I don’t currently own a house I can leave at the earliest opportunity. And I don’t have a criminal record.
I have had a look at some of threads here but I’m lost on what a lot of the terminology means. I did try the eligibility test to see if I can get in via the Canadian Experienced Workers program but it asked me if I had taken a language test which stopped that as I never had one. even before that though it asked me about where I wanted to go and I have no idea what its like in any of the provinces for truckers.
I’m trying to gather as much info as I can about all this so if this is going to be a fools errand then please tell me now so I can stop chasing the dream.
He’s 25, he can get an IEC visa, so could go over without any real difficulty, take test and find a job, pretty much just has to decide which province to be in.
Good luck with that, most of the companies over here who’ll take you on with no experience aren’t worth working for - plus he wants to move to canada I’m presuming on a permanent basis so this wouldn’t be a long term solution
What Kiowan said.
By far the easiest way into Canada for you.
IEC (International Experience Class) visa for 18 -30 yr olds, if approved, you get a 2yr open work permit, so you can work in any job for any employer in any Province.
A high percentage of IEC visa holders go on to become Permanent Residents.
They have now made it easier to get this visa, before, it was on a first come, first serve basis and last year the 10,000 allotted visa’s were snapped up in 4minutes.
From this year, your name goes into a pool and you may or may not get picked.
If you are interested in this, go on the cic.ca website and read about it.
Also, apparently there are FB pages for IEC and also other forums with threads specifically for the IEC visas.
Once you get this visa in place, you have 12mths to activate it so you could do a recce trip to get the feel for where you want to live, work etc. Bearing in mind, some Provinces are a lot easier to gain PR than others.
I don’t think he’ll have any real problem if he can come on on the IEC route. I know people who’ve come to Canada with only class 2 experience from England and its never been an issue. I know the OP gets about a bit in the UK in his rigid, every bit as much as most class 1 drivers so he’s as long haul in the UK as its possible to be so is on the right path for 2 years experience for insurance purposes and combine that to the experience he’d get while driving in Canada on his two year work permit, he’d satisfy the experience requirement for PR too.
Radar, if you could obtain an IEC visa, what part of Canada and more importantly perhaps, what kind of work would you be most interested in trying first?
Thanks for the info guys. I stuck over 110,000KMs on my little rigid last year which is more than some of our artic guys. The type of work I want is extreme long haul. I don’t know that much about each province and what they have but I’d like somewhere that has a bit of civilisation. I don’t speak any French so that rules out Quebec. I’m in the process of reading up on all the Provinces as I can’t sleep.
There’s plenty of that type of work available mate. I’m not sure what the process for PR is if you start out on the IEC route, whether you apply straight for PR or if you still have to apply for PNP in whatever province you’re in. If you can avoid the need for PNP, and I’m sure others will soon tell us if you can or not, but if you can, then Ontario would probably be your best bet. Plenty of long haul work, better rates but on the downside it is quite like the UK/Europe in the sense its very crowded and busy in southern Ontario, which is where all the work would be. Manitoba might not be a bad choice if Ontario isn’t an option and for a young single lad, you might like it here in New Brunswick on the east coast, although most of the work is US eastern seaboard and with all the traffic and stress that goes with that, I doubt that’s what you had in mind. We do have extreme long haul work here though, my last firm being a prime and probably the best example. I got all over with them to every corner of the continent.
The first step would be to look more in to the IEC route and try that, but no matter what you do, you’ll be much better off getting in your two years experience in the UK and then getting a reference or something of the sort from your company to prove it. You’ll then be much easier to hire in Canada for their insurance requirements.
If you can’t get an IEC visa for whatever reason then its the same route we all took…which is choosing a province that has truck drivers on its PNP program, then finding a firm in that province who has or can obtain an LMIA which will enable you to get a temporary work permit. Then, depending on the province, you’ll be able to apply for PNP/PR together after either 6 or 12 months. I’d advise against Alberta due to their nasty immigration system that is best avoided like the plague. If you end up going down this route then I’d probably say Manitoba or New Brunswick would be your answer. Ontario doesn’t accept truck drivers on their PNP program so thats a non-stater, as it would be on the IEC route if you wanted to become permanent but had to do it via PNP.
I hope I haven’t rambled on too much and confused you further. I was in your boat back in 2009, 25 myself then and trying to work it all out. Like you I was single with a good bit of cash to back me up and in those days LMIA’s (called LMO’s then) were as plentiful as leaves dropping from tree’s in autumn so it was quite easy and I had nothing to lose by giving it a go.
This info is invaluable. I’ll have another look tonight. By the time this is all rolling it will be coming up for 2 years as I passed in August of 2014. One thing that did stump me was the eligibility test asking for a language exam result. I’ve never had to take a language exam before.
Radar19:
This info is invaluable. I’ll have another look tonight. By the time this is all rolling it will be coming up for 2 years as I passed in August of 2014. One thing that did stump me was the eligibility test asking for a language exam result. I’ve never had to take a language exam before.
Radar, don’t worry about the English test, you don’t need it till you do your PR application.
When you eventually come over, bring all your exam certs with you, they maybe enough proof of language, that you don’t have to take it.
If you are looking at this years IEC, you’ll have to do it immediately because it opened a few weeks ago.
If not you’ll have a year to really swat up and learn the imm system and get set up for next years influx.
It’s all on the cic.ca website, set your profile up and it explains what you’ll need to do if invited ie police certs, medical, proof of insurance etc etc.
Radar19:
I’m creating a CIC profile now. Can I take that English test online or do I have to attend a classroom session?
You do it in a classroom under exam conditions.
The results only last 2yrs in Canada, (apparently, you lose the ability to speak the language after that) and if the 2yrs is up before your PR is being processed, you have to re-take it.
If you have to take it then wait until you are almost ready to send your PR app in.
There are apps available for smartphones for practise tests for both Ielts & Cel-pip.
Cel-pip is only recognised in Canada but Ielts is recognised all over the world.
JIMBO47:
look up ielts for places to sit exam.they only last 2 yrs
…but I notice you seem to be well educated so do you need eilts for CIC ?
This is another thing that is hit & miss with CIC.
A doctor with a BA Honours degree in English on BE a few months ago got turned down and had to sit the language test.
Time & time again, it’s been said, it’s down to the person reviewing your PR paperwork.
russjp:
IEC is health related ? If that’s the case you’ll need an LMIA to get a work permit, didn’t think it was purely aimed at health services tgiugh
