# think twice before you come to canada



## englishbrickie (Feb 21, 2010)

i came to canada in feb 2008. i was offered a job with an edmonton masonry company that promised me lots of work. good wages. i called the company a few times and spoke with the boss and he made everything sound rosy so i accepted the job offer and he got me a temporary work permit. as soon as i got word that the permit was ready i booked a flight and sold everything that wasnt nailed down. i moved to canada and was met at the airport and everything seemed ok for about a week. then i started losing time off work because the boss didnt organise the continuity of work very well. after about a month of only working a couple of days a week, i started getting restless because my savings were going down fast. the weather was getting better and i was still being messed about and treated like a slave. he thought he could treat me and the other brickie from the uk like dirt. we got fed up and looked for another company. as luck would have it,,we found another firm and they offered us a job. thats when we found out the we were only being paid 2nd year apprentice money. and the benefits were only minimum. so we accepted the job offer with the new company, unknown to our first canadian boss. when we called him on the friday to collect our paychecks..we were given seperation papers for no reason and with no notice.(good job we had the other job to go to) thats when we took a deep breath and started work for the 2nd company in edmonton. they too,,,promised us 2 years work and good money. all went well for 9 months. then out of the blue. for no reason and with no notice, i was given the boot along with 10 other foriegn workers. there i was..with 3 mouths to feed 5000miles from home and no job. the work permit ties you to the company that gets it for you. so you are knackered. i went to the office the next day and asked how long i would be laid off. the boss answered,,about 4 to 6 weeks,,,its a good job that i had a couple of private jobs to do and did manage to feed my family.that was march 2009 and i am still waiting for work..they stab you in the back and then they kick you when you are down. i would recommend to anybody that is thinking of coming here,,,think twice,,, i have had 2 jobs here with 2 contracts of employment for 2 years but they are not worth the paper they are written on. i have already booked the flights for me and my family to go back to the uk and we are in the process now of selling everything we can so we have some money in our pockets.


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## jen45 (Jan 17, 2010)

englishbrickie said:


> i came to canada in feb 2008. i was offered a job with an edmonton masonry company that promised me lots of work. good wages. i called the company a few times and spoke with the boss and he made everything sound rosy so i accepted the job offer and he got me a temporary work permit. as soon as i got word that the permit was ready i booked a flight and sold everything that wasnt nailed down. i moved to canada and was met at the airport and everything seemed ok for about a week. then i started losing time off work because the boss didnt organise the continuity of work very well. after about a month of only working a couple of days a week, i started getting restless because my savings were going down fast. the weather was getting better and i was still being messed about and treated like a slave. he thought he could treat me and the other brickie from the uk like dirt. we got fed up and looked for another company. as luck would have it,,we found another firm and they offered us a job. thats when we found out the we were only being paid 2nd year apprentice money. and the benefits were only minimum. so we accepted the job offer with the new company, unknown to our first canadian boss. when we called him on the friday to collect our paychecks..we were given seperation papers for no reason and with no notice.(good job we had the other job to go to) thats when we took a deep breath and started work for the 2nd company in edmonton. they too,,,promised us 2 years work and good money. all went well for 9 months. then out of the blue. for no reason and with no notice, i was given the boot along with 10 other foriegn workers. there i was..with 3 mouths to feed 5000miles from home and no job. the work permit ties you to the company that gets it for you. so you are knackered. i went to the office the next day and asked how long i would be laid off. the boss answered,,about 4 to 6 weeks,,,its a good job that i had a couple of private jobs to do and did manage to feed my family.that was march 2009 and i am still waiting for work..they stab you in the back and then they kick you when you are down. i would recommend to anybody that is thinking of coming here,,,think twice,,, i have had 2 jobs here with 2 contracts of employment for 2 years but they are not worth the paper they are written on. i have already booked the flights for me and my family to go back to the uk and we are in the process now of selling everything we can so we have some money in our pockets.


Hi, sorry to hear all this. What a dissapointment for you and your family.
Sounds like you are totally fed up and no wonder. Have you thought of maybe trying another province (ontario) maybe? before making your decison or have you just decided enough is enough and you are all coming back?.


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## englishbrickie (Feb 21, 2010)

jen45 said:


> Hi, sorry to hear all this. What a dissapointment for you and your family.
> Sounds like you are totally fed up and no wonder. Have you thought of maybe trying another province (ontario) maybe? before making your decison or have you just decided enough is enough and you are all coming back?.


we are leaving mainly because my wife is a teacher. she spent 11 years studying languages and has 18 years teaching experience. but she cant work here as a teacher without going back to school. she will have to do a course here that takes about a year and costs thousands of dollars. and during this time she cannot work because she will be in school every day..ridiculous to say the least...and that is the case in every canadian province,,not just alberta.


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## jen45 (Jan 17, 2010)

englishbrickie said:


> we are leaving mainly because my wife is a teacher. she spent 11 years studying languages and has 18 years teaching experience. but she cant work here as a teacher without going back to school. she will have to do a course here that takes about a year and costs thousands of dollars. and during this time she cannot work because she will be in school every day..ridiculous to say the least...and that is the case in every canadian province,,not just alberta.


Good grief..sounds ridiculous and crazy that your wife would have to go to school etc$$$........
How long were your plans in the making?? did you have to go through all the immigration process etc or was it work visa?
I bet all this stuff has made you all homesick.....well at least you gave it a go and through no fault of your own, didnt work out. So at least give yourselves a pat on the back for trying....
Good luck on your move back and hope everything goes smooth for you all.


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## Oggy (Jan 25, 2009)

I'm sorry to read of your experiences, englishbrickie! I've heard stories of people who have come into Canada on Temporary Work Permits and were later adversely affected by the economic downturn.  

A friend immigrated to Canada when a company offered her a position and they were required to pay full wages, even though they normally didn't pay that amount until additional training had been concluded (for both Canadian citizens and new arrivals from other countries). The government insisted those wage requirements be met before they could employ her. That was her experience, but it makes me wonder why others have experienced far different scenarios. Unfortunately, I'm not well versed on the different categories to know why this happens, but I feel that if people are offered work here, there should be protection against shady employers who want to take advantage.

I wish you all the best in your future endeavours.


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## englishbrickie (Feb 21, 2010)

Oggy said:


> I'm sorry to read of your experiences, englishbrickie! I've heard stories of people who have come into Canada on Temporary Work Permits and were later adversely affected by the economic downturn.
> 
> A friend immigrated to Canada when a company offered her a position and they were required to pay full wages, even though they normally didn't pay that amount until additional training had been concluded (for both Canadian citizens and new arrivals from other countries). The government insisted those wage requirements be met before they could employ her. That was her experience, but it makes me wonder why others have experienced far different scenarios. Unfortunately, I'm not well versed on the different categories to know why this happens, but I feel that if people are offered work here, there should be protection against shady employers who want to take advantage.
> 
> I wish you all the best in your future endeavours.


thank you oggy,,its a shame that canada has these silly ideas that diplomas from other countries are not good enough here,,at the end of the day it is just a means of sqeezing income out of immigrants and then hanging them out to dry.


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## englishbrickie (Feb 21, 2010)

jen45 said:


> Good grief..sounds ridiculous and crazy that your wife would have to go to school etc$$$........
> How long were your plans in the making?? did you have to go through all the immigration process etc or was it work visa?
> I bet all this stuff has made you all homesick.....well at least you gave it a go and through no fault of your own, didnt work out. So at least give yourselves a pat on the back for trying....
> Good luck on your move back and hope everything goes smooth for you all.


jen..if you have skype i could tell you some stories about the way foreign workers are treated that would make your hair curl. my skype name is thewanderer20 and you can search for me under that name in alberta canada. look forward to chatting


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## Oggy (Jan 25, 2009)

englishbrickie said:


> thank you oggy,,its a shame that canada has these silly ideas that diplomas from other countries are not good enough here,,at the end of the day it is just a means of sqeezing income out of immigrants and then hanging them out to dry.


On one hand, I'm glad the government requires that certain professions must meet Canadian qualification standards (let's all be on the same page), however, I think more research and changes need to be done. There have been discussions in parliament regarding this situation, but I'm not aware of the changes that have been implimented or will be in future.


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## patient man (Feb 14, 2010)

Its a pity that the nhs here wernt more strict with the foreign doc and nurses some of them are terrible, and dangerous with their practices


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## jen45 (Jan 17, 2010)

englishbrickie said:


> jen..if you have skype i could tell you some stories about the way foreign workers are treated that would make your hair curl. my skype name is thewanderer20 and you can search for me under that name in alberta canada. look forward to chatting


sorry dont have skype...feel free to email though. [email protected]


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## MandyB (Jan 14, 2010)

*Shame*

It's a shame you had a bad experience. My hubby was out of work for 2 years in UK when we decided to come here. He got a job in 4 days and has been there ever since. They pushed through the PNP for him as well. He is an electronics engineer.
I hope you find happiness.


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## jen45 (Jan 17, 2010)

There is a major company there that you might want to check out, they are the biggest or second biggest company in canada, they are called ELLIS DON, they do all the major construction work and big contracts, might give you some hope. cheers


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## androb (Aug 26, 2009)

*Teaching in Canada.*

Hello English Brickie Family,

My wife and I am currently applying for Permanent Residence status, and we have passed the initial application stage. My wife is a primary school teacher in the UK with ten years experience, some of this in Special Needs. I am applying as an IT Manager.

We made a research trip to Ontario last summer, and visited 'Ontario College of Teachers' (where she would need to register). They said that her qualifications would allow her to teach in Ontario. However, upon reading your post, we would love to clarify some details with you. Funnily enough!!!, our Immigration Consultant has said that my wife would easily pick up a Special Needs job (yes... they want our money).

We would love the opportunity to Skype with you for any advice you can offer, and to share your experiences. We are free to Skype any day 4pm - 12am UK time. We have just added you as a Skype contact. Our Skype contact is: and.rob

Kind regards.


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## Jennianne (Feb 8, 2010)

thanks for posting this! my hubby has been offered a job in edmonton (although still waiting on confirmation letter) he is a glazier have u came across flynn construction over there??

Thats one of my hubbys worries that it is just a work visa and they could sack you anytime and then you are stuck out there!!! we have 2 young boys so dont want to end up in that situation. I am a midwife and have been for 10 years but my qualification wouldnt be recognised over there either a bit like you wife's


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## englishbrickie (Feb 21, 2010)

Jennianne said:


> thanks for posting this! my hubby has been offered a job in edmonton (although still waiting on confirmation letter) he is a glazier have u came across flynn construction over there??
> 
> Thats one of my hubbys worries that it is just a work visa and they could sack you anytime and then you are stuck out there!!! we have 2 young boys so dont want to end up in that situation. I am a midwife and have been for 10 years but my qualification wouldnt be recognised over there either a bit like you wife's


just dont burn all your bridges in the uk. if the company has a work shortage..the foreign workers are the first laid off. they dont care if you have kids. i have in the last week about 2 more families that i know,,going back to europe. one man asked me to lend him the money for flights. i had to refuse because we need every cent we can raise. if you want a chat,,i am on skype


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## telcoman (Feb 11, 2010)

Try Vancouver, the construction industry is starting to pick up a lot there.


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## Jennianne (Feb 8, 2010)

We weren't planning to sell house here as houses not selling here just now and cause it was only two year work permit have u heard of Flynn Canada???


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## patient man (Feb 14, 2010)

jennie surely if you have a dgree you can work contact the nurseign authority and speak to them my wife is a nurse practicioner and there is no problems with her qualifications worth contacting them to clarify and equate your degree , my sister lives in canada and she says that nurses are well trained but fall short of the uk training best of luck


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## Jennianne (Feb 8, 2010)

I have a midwifery diploma not a degree contacted one of the hospitals in Edmonton and they said they didn't employ midwifes!!!


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## patient man (Feb 14, 2010)

have you contacted the nursing people in the province to find out exactly what you need to practice.
you may have to sit an exam but these are the regulating authority who will tell you what level you are at and if you can work in canadado you pr or hubby on work permit


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## MandyB (Jan 14, 2010)

*Flynn*



Jennianne said:


> We weren't planning to sell house here as houses not selling here just now and cause it was only two year work permit have u heard of Flynn Canada???


Hi
There is a huge Flynn thread on this board look through the pages and you will find it.

Good luck


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## englishbrickie (Feb 21, 2010)

Jennianne said:


> We weren't planning to sell house here as houses not selling here just now and cause it was only two year work permit have u heard of Flynn Canada???


the name flynn does seem to ring a bell but i cant say i know it. i,ll google it and see what i can find out.


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## Jennianne (Feb 8, 2010)

I've been on that thread lol u was just checking with Englishbrickie since he is in the construction business x


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## xxxxxxxxxxxxxxBob Loblah (Mar 9, 2010)

*ALL THAT GLISTENS IS NOT GOLD....with Bob Loblah*



englishbrickie said:


> i came to canada in feb 2008. i was offered a job with an edmonton masonry company that promised me lots of work. good wages.* i called the company a few times and spoke with the boss and he made everything sound rosy so i accepted the job offer and he got me a temporary work permit. as soon as i got word that the permit was ready i booked a flight and sold everything that wasnt nailed down. i moved to canada and was met at the airport and everything seemed ok for about a week. then i started losing time off work because the boss didnt organise the continuity of work very well. after about a month of only working a couple of days a week, i started getting restless because my savings were going down fast. the weather was getting better and i was still being messed about and treated like a slave. he thought he could treat me and the other brickie from the uk like dirt. we got fed up and looked for another company. as luck would have it,,we found another firm and they offered us a job. thats when we found out the we were only being paid 2nd year apprentice money. and the benefits were only minimum. so we accepted the job offer with the new company, unknown to our first canadian boss. when we called him on the friday to collect our paychecks..we were given seperation papers for no reason and with no notice.(good job we had the other job to go to) thats when we took a deep breath and started work for the 2nd company in edmonton. they too,,,promised us 2 years work and good money. all went well for 9 months. then out of the blue. for no reason and with no notice, i was given the boot along with 10 other foriegn workers. there i was..with 3 mouths to feed 5000miles from home and no job. the work permit ties you to the company that gets it for you. so you are knackered. i went to the office the next day and asked how long i would be laid off. the boss answered,,about 4 to 6 weeks,,,its a good job that i had a couple of private jobs to do and did manage to feed my family.that was march 2009 and i am still waiting for work..they stab you in the back and then they kick you when you are down. i would recommend to anybody that is thinking of coming here,,,think twice,,, i have had 2 jobs here with 2* contracts of employment for 2 years but they are not worth the paper they are written on. i have already booked the flights for me and my family to go back to the uk and we are in the process now of selling everything we can so we have some money in our pockets.


08Mar10Sorry to hear about your go-around and a costly one at that.* Obviously you did not do enough research into the pros and cons of woming to work in Canada.* While the Whole Wide World thinks and says that Canada is NO. 1, there is a vast number of people who came and say and went away disallusioned, angry, and broke.The modus operandi that you found with your two ( 2 ) employers has come about beginning in the early '80's.* It was about then that thousands of UK expats came to Canada and quite a few of them got managerial jobs.* Unfortunately they continuedto use the same procedures as they used in Jolly Old England which eventually drove them away.* Over the past 25+ years their operating practices have stained the system of the Real Canadian and has even filtered down into the trades.* In mid '80's when the price of oil went below $10.00/bbl, these former UK managers LAYED OFFREAL CANADIANS FROM THEIR JOBS AND ONLY KEPT ON OTHER UK WORKERS LIKE THEMSELVES. Lawsuits abounded in Canada....in particular in Alberta ( my home province ) and many UK managers got their knuvkles rapped when the Canadian owners of the corporations finally saw what was happening.* However, the practice was so inbred that it stayed....even up unto this very day.* For those of us like myself who have weathered the storm of unrully UK managers working in Canada, we have NO respect for them at all.* And more than that, we tend to avoid putting them on our payroll these days.So, while your bosses handled you very badly and lied through their theeth caausing you and your family hardship......they themselves more than likely had a parent, uncle, etc that educated them on their past experiences.* Very few people in Canada hold the UK in high esteem any longer.* A few yes, but very few.Ps:* One of the reasons Bob Loblah chose to build a house and live in Thailand was***** because of the infiltration of ' nasty ' UK managers into Bob Loblah's workplace.***** Ii's one of the thousand reasons that Bob Loblah has given up on Canada.***** The vast increase in crime ( not as bad as UK, ) drugs, rape, pedophiles walking***** the streets, corrupt government members ( on a par with the UK, )* and a whole***** list of totally negative things.Besides, the wonderful weather of Thailand sure beats 8 months of winter in Alberta.Yes !!!!!!!!Good luck.* Hope you came out on top.Bob Loblah


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## xxxxxxxxxxxxxxBob Loblah (Mar 9, 2010)

08Mar10
Hope you got Bob Loblah's FIRST MESSAGE AS A NEW MEMBER OF THE FORUM.

Thank You
Bob Loblah


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## englishbrickie (Feb 21, 2010)

thanks bob..on the contrary. most of the people i have come in contact with are of german descent. me and my wife will be glad to leave..flights are booked and just waiting for me to do a job that has been booked in since november and then we are gone...i came here hoping for a new start but ended up with being treated like crap because the bosses thought,,he is too far from home,,we can do what we like with him....


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## xxxxxxxxxxxxxxBob Loblah (Mar 9, 2010)

*YOUR BEING SO FAR AWAY FROM HOME .... with Bob Loblah*



englishbrickie said:


> thanks bob..on the contrary. most of the people i have come in contact with are of german descent. me and my wife will be glad to leave..flights are booked and just waiting for me to do a job that has been booked in since november and then we are gone...i came here hoping for a new start but ended up with being treated like crap because the bosses thought,,he is too far from home,,we can do what we like with him....


09Mar10
A whole lot of these ' Trades Managers ' are totally lacking in how to behave in social, human resource, and general behaviour. Other than using the " F " word every other minute, grunting, growling, and making fake laughter....they are absolute without grace and live the most awful lives at best. They ( in addition to people like you in your circumstances ) also hate educated people like Bob Loblah. As a matter of fact, Bob Loblah has ' run off ' a number of them in Bob Loblah's working lifetime. Once they
are made to become red-faced....they run away and hide aqway for long times.
However, unfortunately they continue to show up again in the trades shops and continue to make life miserable for others......without a clue of their poor mannerisms.

Ps: Did you try for work in Ft. McMurray. Numerous people in your situation went
there on speculation and did manage to find a job. If its not to late you should
look into it. Do you have a car. Its a 5 hour drive and $200 for petrol to go and
come.

Ps: Bob Loblah's oldest daughter is married and living just outside Birmingham, UK
Bob Loblah visits her regularly. She just loves it there. Of course, both her 
and her husband are college educated and now 8 years into their government
teaching jobs.

Bob Loblah


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## xxxxxxxxxxxxxxBob Loblah (Mar 9, 2010)

*IN LIKE FLYNN......with Bob Loblah*



englishbrickie said:


> the name flynn does seem to ring a bell but i cant say i know it. i,ll google it and see what i can find out.


09Mar10The first ' Flynn ' name that comes to mind is that of Erroll Flynn......the swashbukckling, indian-fighting, spyman, of the '40's & 50's film era in Hollywood.* Flynn had a very high profiled relationship with women and was considered by all to be a womanizer.* His own autobiography entitles " My Wicked, Wicked Ways ' only added to the mystic of his life.* However, his wild meanderings caught up to him.* In the end he was broke and was in Vancouver to make a sale of his boat when he developed pains in his chest and laid down on the floor and died.* Just like that.Years later, his last wife portrayed the old woman who was telling the story on the 1998 ' Titanic.Erroll Flynn was from TanzaniaPs:* As an aside, Bob Loblah had an uncle named Flynn.* He had several children.****** Bob Loblah was not close to the family, but understands that a couple of them****** are still around.....and there you have it.Bob Loblah


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## Weebie (Sep 16, 2009)

You can't blame Candaa for your misfortune. You went at a very unlucky time and if you had gone to Australia I reckon the same would of happened.


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## MandyB (Jan 14, 2010)

*I Agree*



Weebie said:


> You can't blame Candaa for your misfortune. You went at a very unlucky time and if you had gone to Australia I reckon the same would of happened.


I agree its a global recession and the country is looking after it own (nothing wrong with that!) The UK does the exact opposite so I'm really glad I'm not there now. 
Get off your high horse, sort your life out and do us a favour - leave this site.:boxing:


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## patient man (Feb 14, 2010)

iI must say I agree with Mandy, like i said before there is some sour grapes here ,if brickie and his family wanted to stay in Canada he would find the means for this to happen, he went with a work permit and promises of gold and now things have changed he wants to scurry away to another country and try his luck there. The PR route is a long haul but at least you have time toplan for any hurdles you might face and safe in the knolwledge that there is help and laws to protect and guide . Thats all lI have to say on that matter (Forest Gump). Life is like a box of chocolates you never know what your gonna get until its in your mouth lol.


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