Moving to Canada

[Byrne11]

Me and my partner are considering relocating to Canada after marriage. I’m wondering if anyone has advice or has went down this route before I’m a TRI 3000 hours on the 737. What would my prospects be like in Canada?

[Hueymeister]

The big 2 pay peanuts for up to 5 yrs…unlikely to get any acceleration with your TRI. Things may be subject to change with pilot shortage south of the ice wall. Then you’ve also gotta get your licence converted…

[bafanguy]

Things may be subject to change with pilot shortage south of the ice wall.

What is the "ice wall" ?

[Byrne11]

I’m currently paid peanuts in the Loco world in Europe, so I can get over that. I did look at air Canada/Westjet as I assume that’s the ones your talking about, how much would you expect to get paid?

[Hueymeister]

Game of Thrones reference. Canadian Border.

[Hueymeister]

Can’t quote accurately, but year 1 likely less than $60k, which if you live near Toronto or Calgary will not buy you much…groceries/housing are very expensive..and Trudeau’s outfit seem to want to push us hard into a deep recession..

[+TSRA]

Both WJ (https://www.airlinepilotcentral.com/airlines/canadian/westjet)and AC (https://www.airlinepilotcentral.com/airlines/canadian/air_canada)are unionized, and the pay structures are shown on the other side of the hyperlinks.

Neither offers a DEC program and, although your TRI is a worthy professional accomplishment, it only looks good on paper here; Canada doesn't have an equivalent rating. The closest would be an ACP, but the equivalency there is a TRE. What is also not shown is that neither company pays for commuting, with most commuters I know paying over $600/month. That can always change in an agreement, and WJ had a commuting policy before. But it is almost impossible to own a house in one of the major cities right now unless your partner has an extremely good job. If I remember the stat correctly, something like 45% of airline pilots in Canada commute, with many of the others facing 2-3 hour drives.

As far as prospects though, those are pretty good. You've got solid jet time and a history of training that will have your foot in the door at almost any operator once you have the paperwork that shows you have the right to work here. But Hueymeister is right, most of the FOs I fly with have to work a second job to survive or they otherwise rely heavily on the wage of their significant other. In many cases, two people are barely able to hold their heads above water right now and are amassing huge amounts of debt. That says nothing of the fact that the Government of Canada seems intent on marching us kicking and screaming into a recession, if not actively trying for a depression. But that's what you get when you bring on a drama teacher as PM; drama.

I digress. There are parts of the country that are still affordable, and companies in those locations pay well enough to have a decent lifestyle. And, having lived around the world, there are not many other places where I want to raise my family.

[Hueymeister]

Byrne11, I have PM'd you.