Immigrating as a "Skilled Worker"

[Harry Cooper]

Hello.

I know this is probably a repetitive topic for you guys but I was wondering if pilots very often get immigration into Canada by way of Skilled Worker status. I tried the self assessment test on-line and would only pass if I had pre-arranged employment - is this difficult to get?

I have around 5000 hrs TT, 2500 hrs M/E of which is 1000 hrs Turbine command along with the usual ATPL, M/E CIR etc. My family and I would like a change from outback oz and are thinking about Canada for a few years.

Much appreciate any advice:)

HC

[Glorified Donkey]

Pilot is not considered skilled worker in Canada or the United States

[Chuck Ellsworth]

" Pilot is not considered skilled worker in Canada or the United States "

And it is reflected in the pay sacle. :uhoh:

Now if you were a truck driver that might give you a leg up pay wise. :E

[Mag5]

Pilot is not considered skilled worker in Canada or the United States
you are joking, right ?
in the NOC-List of skilled Workers, Pilots and Pilot Instructors are listed as Nr. 2271 http://www23.hrdc-drhc.gc.ca/2001/e/groups/2271.shtml
so being a pilot should qualify you for the skilled Worker programmer, or am i wrong ? :confused:

[sarcee]

I did emigrate here 2 years ago as a skilled worker and after getting a Canadian ATPL found a job right away as a Beech 1900D pilot which was pretty good as I'd mainly flight instructed before.

Pay is pretty low in Canada at first, conpared to what I could make with mt Masters degree, but then I am flying which is what I always wanted.

Good luck.

[Rieke]

I am german TRI/TRE on A 320 and A 330 and SFI 340 and try toapply at several companies in Canada including private operators. I cannot count how many applications I sent and not even one reply!
Truck drivers without any knowledge of english language got a working permission!!

[sprogette]

Hi,

Yes as a pilot you DO qualify as a skilled worker. I suspect unless you have some good contacts here it may be hard to find a sponsor/employer - is there anyway else you can up your self-assessment results? The pass mark is 67 now - can you take an extra year's uni course to up your points in education? Learn French? You can even see if you can score a work visa through other airside skills (dispatch. logistics?) initially (again a sponsor needed) to gain time in Canada (therefore get points through living here, maybe even apply under the provincial nominee program)....it's tough with a family. As a single person you could up and come over to search for a work visa job then apply for the skilled worker residency after a year (that's what my partner did)....have you researched all the other avenues of applying for residency - business class? If you do know someone over here very well you could get them to sponsor you but there's a huge level of trust in that....good luck!!

[sarcee]

Yes it is easier once you are here as a PR, a permanent resident. I don't think a company will hire you based on your being there waiting for a PR visa. I applied and got the PR moved here, got a grant for the license as you cannot fly on a foreign license and got the job.

[CD]

Pilot is not considered skilled worker in Canada or the United States
As was pointed out, this classification is considered a "Skilled Worker"...
Immigrating to Canada as a Skilled Worker (http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/skilled/index.html)
2271 Air Pilots, Flight Engineers and Flying Instructors (http://www23.hrdc-drhc.gc.ca/2001/e/groups/2271.shtml)

[Harry Cooper]

Hey everybody, thanks for your responses it is much appreciated.:)

[2PWRR]

Wow they must have realy screwed up at HRSDC and immigration and let me in as a skilled worker pilot (NOC code 2271) been here for the last 4 years and changed employers more than once without any problems from human resources or immigration !!!!

[jar66_b2]

Wait times for PR is currently over 2 years.

Applied for mine in Nov 2004 and only just got notification that it's gone through. That included it getting fasttracked as I got sponsored by my current (non aviation) employer.

[Married a Canadian]

Took 3 years for mine!!

I have also discovered that if you are in the country working at the time (on my work visa) you have to leave and then come back in to get your permanent residency card!?

Makes no sense to me.

In hindsight I should have come over here on a work visa and then applied from within Canada. The skilled worker program takes too long from abroad! I would have thought it no problem for pilots to come over and get a job and get the work visa once job is found.

[embrunman]

"get the work visa once the job is found" :confused:
How do you first get a pilot job without the visa?
I immigrated in Canada and the obvious first question my strange accent brought was:
"Do you have your PR card?"
(PR: Permanent Resident)
Not even a work visa will do, but a permanent status.
They want to see long term;
I have never heard of an airline sponsoring any pilots. The need is now , not in X months the full procedure will take.:hmm:

[Married a Canadian]

Embrunman

NAV Canada offered me the job as ATC over here..and then with that job offer I applied for my work visa. It was easier saying I had a job offer to immigration rather than saying I was looking..and the process time was quicker.

I assumed it would be the same for pilots...just shows though how it can differ within the industry and as you said if the airlines want to see "long term" then maybe a work visa isn't enough.

[MarkD]

Get a Canadian immigration lawyer. If I had it would have saved a lot of grief. Skilled worker can involve long delays ESPECIALLY IF THEY RETURN YOUR APP DUE TO SOMETHING NOT INCLUDED so get reading the docs ASAP and start assembling any police clearances, photos, certified copies of qualifications etc. you need now so that if you pull the trigger you can send off your app immediately.

[aviatn]

Before anyone does this crucial move, you might want to read and listen

www.notcanada.com

Not a pleasant website.

[embrunman]

A lawyer is useless if your case is straightforward: you want to immigrate as a skilled worker like thousands, you are not a war criminal that Canada wants to kick out.
Everything in the procedure is written black on white on internet or on the brochures the embassy will provide.
In this case, the lawyer will charge you a fee to read for you the materials nothing else and to follow through...
Why do you need to pay for that?
As for me, the full process took 20 months, back in 01. I had prepared everything, never wasted time, but then you send your documents and then you wait. :zzz:
At this point, there is nothing a lawyer can do, except wait with you and charge you for that:eek:

[MarkD]

embrunman - that's why I didn't get one. But it's not so easy if CIC decides to "re-interpret" the rules after your app went in, as happened to me and many others at the time.

[Winnie]

Like 2PWRR I have been in Canada for 5 years now, and am currently on a 3 year work permit. You can get a Provincial Sponsorship too, not too hard, just have to promise to move to that province. This will speed up the process fiercly.

Cheers
H.