Im thinking of trying Australia if I can get in and in 8 weeks I’m there for holiday so I’ll see if I like it. Failing that there’s America. A friend said I should give it a go.
So say at the least I went over on a working holiday visa, what would I need to do to qualify for driving a big rig and what are my chances?
I want to be in a warmer climate where people speak some form of English.
The Saxmachine:
I want to be in a warmer climate where people speak some form of English.
Good luck with that then, your average American doesn’t speak English English and many parts of Canada have an unfamiliar word which they use to answer anything you say, it sounds like the caveman ‘Uggghhhhh’ and is always accompanied by a blank look 
Find a northerner, Londoner, farmer or just some one from Norfolk and our language is pretty poor already without being on a different continent.
I’ll just try not to laugh when some one says “fanny”
as i was told in arkansas ,thank you for speaking english!!.. WTF … well you are from schotchland (well it sounded like that).
Unloaded in west LA…guy says you sound like the girl in the office ,sooooo he takes me through to office ,took me over to her ,she was pure brum & im very strong scots accent…
we both had a laugh over it. guy still though we sounded the same! jimmy.
Just ask them if they forgot what it’s like to speak english.
But ignoring the language barrier, what are the work prospects?
would say driving a truck in usa is not possible unless ya marry a citizen,pat H knows more and prob will join in …
why not canada ? if you pick the right firm you will be in usa most of the time…
yanke,siemens group…
JIMBO47:
would say driving a truck in usa is not possible unless ya marry a citizen,pat H knows more and prob will join in …
why not canada ? if you pick the right firm you will be in usa most of the time…
yanke,siemens group…
I posted links to both in the Saskatchewan Thread if you are interested in Canada, couple more there too they have a partnership with the Saskatchewan government
Like Jimbo says the U S is almost impossible to get into, i looked at it 10 yrs ago and gave up, if it’s warmer climes you want Canada’s ok if your not here in winter, again as Jimbo said you could be in the states most of the time anyhow, i think N Z is easier than OZ more so for driving. if you really want the states you could go over on a harvest work visa, go to a good news agent and pick up a copy of the “farmers weekly” or search webb for U S grain harvesters hiring overseas.
But if you can take a bit of a nip in the air i would well reccomend Canada.
Well as long as you don’t get the damp air then I might as well give that a look
What sort of wage can you expect to earn as well? I don’t want to hear what you “could” earn but what you are likely to earn.
Paid by the mile I worked 10 months last year and made $44,000.00 before taxes. I have been getting infomation from companies the lowest I have found is .33c per mile but with them if you get 11,000 miles per month they add 4c per mile to all the miles.
yes between $40–$50 gross depending on company+4% holiday pay… no night out money as such ,but you can claim around $25 per night rebate on your taxes for nights out ,when your taxes are done each yr.
if you come on a TwP your contract will have a minimum amount you can earn for first 3mnths (imo $3500).eg when your learning the ropes your wages will be made up to $3500 gross per month ,but that is very achevable on the rd.
jimmy
TwP? Is that temp work permit?
The Saxmachine:
TwP? Is that temp work permit?
YES
Any decent long haul job will be paying a gross of aroundabout 40cpm, they may pay part of it as a bonus of some kind, but it doesn’t matter what you call it, 40cpm is 40cpm, if you’re doing van work it’s very easy to do 12000miles a month, that’s with having a couple of days off after each trip/week 
The way the tax structure is over here you only end up paying around $5k a year in tax, you get the rest back in a lump sum rebate around this time of the year, you claim a per diem allowance for each night out you have, anything you need for the job like boots, overalls, a sat nav and lots more can be claimed back, to give you an idea, I had 251 nights out last year and my tax rebate is just under $10k out of a total of $14k, pretty much every day I worked I had a night out, so it’s not all go go go
Thanks for the info. I’ll have a look and see what I can try out at some point.
Are there many companies taking on British drivers?
The Saxmachine:
Thanks for the info. I’ll have a look and see what I can try out at some point. Failing that there’s America. A friend said I should give it a go.Are there many companies taking on British drivers?
I dont want to appear rude but you make immigrating sound like buying a shirt or something equally glib. Most of us that have come over spent months if not years planning and researching a move, so please do some research on the Canada Immigration web sites and learn what is required from you before even thinking of a trucking company name. We will gladly help those that help them selves
JIMBO47:
yes between $40–$50 gross depending on company+4% holiday pay… no night out money as such ,but you can claim around $25 per night rebate on your taxes for nights out ,when your taxes are done each yr.
if you come on a TwP your contract will have a minimum amount you can earn for first 3mnths (imo $3500).eg when your learning the ropes your wages will be made up to $3500 gross per month ,but that is very achevable on the rd.jimmy
If you are a driver with a TWP on the APNP scheme in Alberta you will NOT get a guaranteed (or made up) minimum wage. You could earn $1000 a week, but if you don’t get the miles, or are broken down, you may only get $100 in a week, and that is it with some companies.
The contract has to guarantee you approx $53k PA, but it’s BS., and not enforceable.
BTW: “A friend said I should give it a go.” Hardly a reason to up sticks and move continents!
sorry did not realise alberta did not have the minimum wage written into your contract ,checked my old contract,manitoba, and it says $3500 per month for first 3months then $4000 min for rest of contract…and $100 a day on training trip Can only speak for myself myfirst run i received the $100 a day everyday ,even when waiting wkend to unload in L.A. and even when interstating (passenger) .la-phoenix-dallas,
my trainer was american citizen .after my accident(torn hamstring) my wcb claim was made up to the $4000 a month by the company,all it took was phone call to remind them.
ok $100 a day is not much but was only working as super single not double team when out for the trip.
JIMBO47:
sorry did not realise alberta did not have the minimum wage written into your contract ,checked my old contract,manitoba, and it says $3500 per month for first 3months then $4000 min for rest of contract…and $100 a day on training trip Can only speak for myself myfirst run i received the $100 a day everyday ,even when waiting wkend to unload in L.A. and even when interstating (passenger) .la-phoenix-dallas,
trainer was american citizen .
.my ei after my accident was made up to the $4000 a month by the company,all it took was phone call to remind them.
ok $100 a day is not much but was only working as super single not double team when out for the trip.
My training was a 10 min chat,and intailed knowing which stickers for north bound freight and which for southbound freight. The boss said if all on your resumee is true about all the different borders crossed in different langauges CAN-USA should be a breeze. So of I went 10 mins schooling and headed to Iowa City, I think all these mentor trips are for ■■■■■■■. … Its all in here gremmie08.blogspot.com/