Indeed but it would seem that not even CIC know what they are doing at the moment. When they made the press release they had not even decided how much the new LMO fee would be, or what proof requirement is/was needed for the training conditions.
From reading other forums CIC officials still have not received direction on it either.
I think that knee jerk was the best placed description to what they have done there, RBC got caught replacing IT backroom staff with LMO’s which rightly generated a stink and they need to be seen to be making action. The issue in relation to the trucking industry would be the removal of LMO’s effecting all those there on TWP’s. When the employer re-applies to either renew their open LMO or create a new LMO it will effect all those currently there with TWP’s
I am by no means an expert but if there is a distinct industry pressure and reliance on the LMO, if it was removed it would endanger every driver and their families out there who do not have PR. So if indeed the bubble has burst it’s going to be way better being back here than over there praying for a LMO renewal.
Grim reading… Well I hope all the guys out there manage to weather the storm.
It’s just my luck that things change just in time for me ! But it ain’t over till its over, ill keep chasing the goal and pray for the best
Dereko:
Grim reading… Well I hope all the guys out there manage to weather the storm.
It’s just my luck that things change just in time for me ! But it ain’t over till its over, ill keep chasing the goal and pray for the best
Lol, 
Don’t get downhearted Derek. The politicians will do a lot of talking about being outraged etc, and make a feeble attempt in ‘taking some action’…then it will all be forgotten about.
Canada would be ‘doomed’ without the temporary workers, 95% of Tim Hortons cafe’s would close and the economy would totally crash… It’s a two tier system here, if you don’t mind being on the bottom tier to begin with you will still be able to go for it, they will just make it a bit trickier to get in.
There are still huge amount’s of hard working Philippene, Indian and Mexican LMO workers arriving every day for Timmys and the other menial jobs Canadians wouldn’t or won’t do.
And if they do change it… and you are here, at least you have experienced living life in a different country and looking at life from a different slant.
UK Prospects 
If Canada is blocked at least there will be some new truck driving opportunities in other ‘exciting countries’ such as Romania and Bulgaria, because from the start of next year, most of their truck driver’s will be working in the UK. 
Col 
Cheers col! Ill quite happy to contribute to tims!!
I was looking in to cranbrook the other day, as well as calgary, looks very nice.
If it all goes well I might have a question or two nearer the time (if that’s ok?)
well a good mate just received his lmo.Monday…and following day (yesterday),another e mail from his boss to be ,my bud now has to open a CIC account (gc key) fill in forms licence copy,company last worked for (they check companies house,require letter from HR department.).
- other stuff ,they also say no POE TWP …its true i have his emails on my computer and read them!
jimmy.
Spacemonkeypg:
I am by no means an expert but if there is a distinct industry pressure and reliance on the LMO, if it was removed it would endanger every driver and their families out there who do not have PR. So if indeed the bubble has burst it’s going to be way better being back here than over there praying for a LMO renewal.
I can only speak for Manitoba, but once you’ve worked for your employer for 6 months you can apply for pnp. When your nominated, this will take away any need for the lmo in future as Robin has said, you’d now be on applied status.
It took me 8 weeks to be nominated and only 8 months from landing to nomination. My work permit has already been changed from lmo to nominee, because, in order for my wife to get an open wp I had to change my wp to nominee. I believe this is just a recent change too. hth.
That’s interesting, all input is helpful at this stage, well done for getting your pnp
Ill probably end up out there for a couple months or so before the family come out just to get things sorted etc
Hopefully we’ll have enough spare cash to last until she gets her wp but don’t want to leave ourselves short
sats72:
I can only speak for Manitoba, but once you’ve worked for your employer for 6 months you can apply for pnp. When your nominated, this will take away any need for the lmo in future as Robin has said, you’d now be on applied status.
It took me 8 weeks to be nominated and only 8 months from landing to nomination. My work permit has already been changed from lmo to nominee, because, in order for my wife to get an open wp I had to change my wp to nominee. I believe this is just a recent change too. hth.
This is the way its always been in NB, at least since my arrival in 2009. The driver comes across with his wife for example and he receives a 12 month work permit, while she can’t work. After six months (now 12 months) the driver can apply for PNP and once thats granted (took me about 4 months) and the PNP certificate is used to generate a new work permit, this time not needing an LMO that work permit also allows the wife to obtain an open work permit. The drivers work permit is still tied to the company he is working for though. From the moment you receive PNP you are on implied status in Canada and dont need LMO’s for new work permits. Your PNP certificate is usually only valid for a year so if it expires before you’ve got PR you’ll have to get in touch with your provincial PNP office for them to issue you another certificate.
The way these new rules could pose issues is that in NB now for example you have to work for the same employer for 12 months before being eligible to apply for PNP. This means that the company will have to apply for a second LMO before you can even apply for PNP and LMO’s are becoming more and more difficult to obtain. Companies in NB are still getting them, but the wait has gone from a matter of hours/days to an average of 6 to 8 weeks now and this is before any proposed changes to the system that may make it harder.
I personally think this will be a temporary fad. The government wants to be seen to be doing something so they’ll tighten the screws for a while, until big business gets up in arms. Trucking companies will cry that they cant get drivers, that they’re losing business etc and gradually the government will open the LMO flood gates again to appease them.
“I personally think this will be a temporary fad. The government wants to be seen to be doing something so they’ll tighten the screws for a while, until big business gets up in arms. Trucking companies will cry that they cant get drivers, that they’re losing business etc and gradually the government will open the LMO flood gates again to appease them.”
I hope this is the case when I get round to an application … Robinhood, you need to run for mayor!!
There are many people hoping it will be a fad, it’s not just the trucking industry that is reliant on it. I have a few wheels in motion here in preparation for being out there in August and if it falls through i would have lost a lot without even leaving boarding a plane lol.
Spacemonkeypg:
There are many people hoping it will be a fad, it’s not just the trucking industry that is reliant on it. I have a few wheels in motion here in preparation for being out there in August and if it falls through i would have lost a lot without even leaving boarding a plane lol.
From what I’ve been told I believe the changes in the system wont be until 2014/15 so if you’re coming out in August I dont see there being a problem (Dont hold me to that though!!)
Like I say, I don’t think much will change. Canadian trucking companies will resist to the bitter end the option of improving terms and conditions so once the supply of foreign drivers is cut off, or at least stemmed, there isn’t suddenly going to be an influx of Canadians in to the industry and the foreigners with PR will still keep filtering out of long haul at the same rate to take up local jobs or other lines of work all together so before long they will have no choice but to open the gates again. No one in North America seems bothered in making truck driving not such a crap job so the only other option is to keep the water flowing for the continuous revolving door of driver turnover which is the current status-quo.
I’d agree with Robinhood about it being a ‘fad’, there are just too many vacancies which can’t be filled for whatever reason, but there is work everywhere in places like Alberta, and a definite shortage of people to take up those jobs. The big companies would be up in arms to the Gov’t if they couldn’t carry on bring in TFW’s to fill their needs, and companies like H&R would possibly go to the wall fairly quickly.
It looks like they (the restrictions) may be aimed more at the hospitality industry, with a view to curbing the influx of non english speaking worers, wxcept they can’t say that out loud as it will be construed as racist by the people who are often paid to be offended on behalf of minority groups.
robinhood_1984:
Spacemonkeypg:
There are many people hoping it will be a fad, it’s not just the trucking industry that is reliant on it. I have a few wheels in motion here in preparation for being out there in August and if it falls through i would have lost a lot without even leaving boarding a plane lol.
From what I’ve been told I believe the changes in the system wont be until 2014/15 so if you’re coming out in August I dont see there being a problem (Dont hold me to that though!!)
Like I say, I don’t think much will change. Canadian trucking companies will resist to the bitter end the option of improving terms and conditions so once the supply of foreign drivers is cut off, or at least stemmed, there isn’t suddenly going to be an influx of Canadians in to the industry and the foreigners with PR will still keep filtering out of long haul at the same rate to take up local jobs or other lines of work all together so before long they will have no choice but to open the gates again. No one in North America seems bothered in making truck driving not such a crap job so the only other option is to keep the water flowing for the continuous revolving door of driver turnover which is the current status-quo.
I really think you need to change employees and provinces mate.
I had a lousy time at H&R in 2008/09 exactly how you described conditions in one of your excellent earlier posts, and spent ages on here and elsewhere slagging the whole H&R thing of (and got a load of abuse for it, particularly… it’s always the company, never the driver, you’re a loser etc).
I then returned to Alberta and did a full year with a different company on flatdecks including oversize and loved it, working outside in all weathers, bad mine roads, permit regulations to follow to the letter etc and had NO COMPlAINTS whatsoever and made a wage that I was happy with.
I also disagree with you re Elogs… Peoplenet made us run legal with the blessing of the company, but they pay some downtime anyway if you are standing (very seldom).
My current company aren’t that bad at all, Mick. When I moan about NB its primarily about my first company and many of the others in the area and province as a whole who import drivers who are dire to work for. This is primarily the reefer companies who by definition of what the Maritimes export, make up a big percentage of the trucks as our main exports are seafood (crab, lobster and to a lesser degree, fish) and potatoes. In those jobs its all rush rush rush, followed by wait wait wait, basically everything you described at H&R, along with all the threats, bullying and so forth. In my first 19 months at the first company, I got fired 3 times for refusing to run bent, or drive all night after being awake all day at the yard ready for work. They always back tracked the next day after realising I wouldn’t be intimidated and I stuck it out there purely to gain PR and I literally jacked in the same week I got my passport request.
I’m now on dry vans and its a world of difference. I always have enough time to get where I’m going legally, I’m usually tipped and loaded well within an hour, so my down time is very minimal. I’m still of course at the mercy of mileage pay and right this minute I’m stuck in Virginia with no load, by the time I get moving tomorrow (I hope) I’ll have been here over 36 hours and that really annoys me, but that’s not an NB problem, its a North American one and to be fair, and I have to remind myself of this, its a rarity for me to sit on this job so however annoyed I feel about my current down time, it is far from common, unlike in the previous job mentioned above.
NB is a crap place for driving jobs in general, I’ll be the first to admit that, I always tell people not to come here but I’m now engaged to a local girl so can’t just up sticks as I feel like it and while we often discuss moving somewhere else in Canada with better work options (or even to the UK if necessary), I’m not prepared to uproot her from her family and everything she knows unless we really have no other option.
JIMBO47:
well a good mate just received his LMO.Monday…and following day (yesterday),another e mail from his boss to be ,my bud now has to open a CIC account (gc key) fill in forms licence copy,company last worked for (they check companies house,require letter from HR department.).
- other stuff ,they also say no POE TWP …its true i have his emails on my computer and read them!
jimmy.
Well he was told by CIC (my old running mate )that no TWP at POE and he had to send the dosh in and a ■■■■ load o forms its hard to say but he told me 20+ forms (white UK born & bred).and will take 2 months to process.
His boss to be told him thats what CIC wants from now on ,and i think they charged the employer $250 for the LMO.
one minute my bud was over the moon and the nextday ■■■■ on from a mountain! with the new changes…
nb. his boss to be has brought in a few drivers over a couple o yrs(alll still with him) due to growth and the locals working in the MB oilpatch.and not wanting distance work.
jimmy.
Thought it was time for a quick update…
Well I’ve passed class c and c+e (the latter in may) and have found myself some casual work for a fruit delivery co driving refridgerated artics (Volvo fh).
With these being auto, I’ve found going forward a doddle but reversing not so much!! It’s getting there though:) the main thing is that I’m loving getting out and about on the road, and the guys where I work are a good helpful bunch.
I’m looking to get a bit of driving under my belt before I make the career change and go full time so that I’m worth a bit more money salary wise but ultimately I’ve put a six month target in place, hopefully with this current company but I’m sure ill take whatever pays well at the time and has an open door for me
Can any of you guys tell me what counts for experience In canada? Is six months casual and 18 months full time gonna cut it or do most companies want 2-3 years full time verifiable experience?
Cheers
I wouldn’t worry about any of it being “casual” work. The company you’re at now only need to say “Yes, Dereko was working for us between date X and date X”. I did a lot of agency work when I first passed my class 2 and there were often gaps of days, or even a week at a time between work but my agency just gave me a covering letter with dates from the first day I worked, until the last day. Its not like any one in Canada is going to ask to see tacho records, that would mean nothing to people here.
Also bear in mind that in Canada, the very nature of the job and how you’re paid makes you’re a casual driver any way. Its all mileage pay so you only work when they happen to throw some work your way, and you only earn when that work has being thrown. If the company has nothing for two weeks, you sit at home for two weeks on no pay at all. So in general, Canadian firms wont care whether your driving in the UK was casual or full time as their definition of the job here is already very vague.
Thanks robin, that’s interesting… I may well just go part time at my current job then so that my monthly earning don’t suffer too much but I actually get a bit more drivingin ( not that earn £1000000’s by any stretch of the imagination but things are tight enough)
I’m just a bit like a kid in a sweet shop, trucking for me is a career I wanted as a kid so it’s GREAT to finally get a shot at it.
I would just add one thing and say not to tell any one in Canada it was only casual or part time work, just in case. Also make sure the company you’re at now know the score and if approached by a Canadian firm, to tell that firm that you’ve been employed between the respective dates and leave it at that. As I say, standards here are much lower than in the UK but thats no reason to make yourself sound less employable, not that you are, but you know how office wallah’s can be.
Fair enough bud, sounds like good advice. Ill plug on with casual work for now and see how it goes. Takes a bit of stress off …