Electrician looking for work in Kelowna/ Okanagan

[squirkey]

Wow spilt milk indeed - g-mo, I should've sought advice on this forum sooner! Still, maybe it will work out for the best.

Andrew - we've not been to Okanagan yet, just the Vancouver area, but love BC in general and really like the look of the Okanagan. Is Kelowna as beautiful as it looks?

We have a contact in Calgary who thinks he might be able to hook us up with a job offer and go through the Alberta PNP. Apparently it's not as heavily Unionised in Alberta as BC although Red Seal is still a requirement. As Alberta has more of a labour shortage there might otherwise be work up at Fort Mac but we would need to give a lot of thought to taking that route (apparently they have 10 days on and 4 off ).

The ultimate plan would be that once Steve (hubbie) gets the Red Seal certification it would cover him in BC if we can move across once we get our PR visas. So Alberta is really just a means to an end unless of course we love it there too!

At this stage we want to be gone already, I'm sure you know the feeling! Once you've made the decision to go the waiting is hard. But if we can't get a job offer then we can sit it out if we really have to and wait for FSW paperwork, I'm sure we can maintain the momentum of our Canadian dream!

Sinead x

[guitsax]

Originally Posted by squirkey

Wow spilt milk indeed - g-mo, I should've sought advice on this forum sooner! Still, maybe it will work out for the best.

Andrew - we've not been to Okanagan yet, just the Vancouver area, but love BC in general and really like the look of the Okanagan. Is Kelowna as beautiful as it looks?

We have a contact in Calgary who thinks he might be able to hook us up with a job offer and go through the Alberta PNP. Apparently it's not as heavily Unionised in Alberta as BC although Red Seal is still a requirement. As Alberta has more of a labour shortage there might otherwise be work up at Fort Mac but we would need to give a lot of thought to taking that route (apparently they have 10 days on and 4 off ).

The ultimate plan would be that once Steve (hubbie) gets the Red Seal certification it would cover him in BC if we can move across once we get our PR visas. So Alberta is really just a means to an end unless of course we love it there too!

At this stage we want to be gone already, I'm sure you know the feeling! Once you've made the decision to go the waiting is hard. But if we can't get a job offer then we can sit it out if we really have to and wait for FSW paperwork, I'm sure we can maintain the momentum of our Canadian dream!

Sinead x

If you have a contact in Calgary and if its going to be a means to get in then I would say go! however it gets pretty cold there -- and we did'nt like it ( flat and dry)but thats our personal view - we have friends he has been there for 16years from SA .
But if it means a route in and having a job to go to ( security) then that is fantastic.
Our thinking was that the move to another country is a huge upheavel ( and we've done it before!! -- from South Africa - 10years ago) for the kids in particular as they are 6&13 , they both love Kelowna and are excited to be going there , we cannot at this stage decide to go another route ( I don't think they could handle that on top of leaving friends and everything they know). Your kids are young so you could get away with that.
Vancouver we found to be over crowded and not for us, Vancouver Island was our second choice -- it is beautiful!!, -- but the Okanagan Valley in general is beautiful. Kelowna is our first choice and has everything you need ( more than enough shops ) it's fantastic for sporting , kids activities, leisure , you name it... obviously there are bad sides -- that you will find anywhere you go > but the friendlyness and helpfulness of the people more than make up for it. I have read on forums about not been able to get certain goods in Canada -- we found that we could get anything we needed in Kelowna -- it is a case of adapting to Canadian Culture/ tastes and it may not have the pub on the corner or the fish & chip shop you love but there is so much variety that you will not miss those places/things.
Sorry this is long winded but we are passinate about the place and I say go for it!!! -- you will not regret it!!. We can hook you up with our friends in Calgary -- I can give you their details if you email me your personal email address.
Chat soon
Andrew