Don - many people in your situation come to Canada and start a brand new life.
No one can answer your question but you, so the only way of knowing if you can get a job is by being here in person.
They will not hire you from Romania, you have no skills.
Be positive and good luck.
Check the Canadian immigration website cic.gov.ca

(12-08-2013 09:04 AM)Don Wrote:  Any advice or perspective in general on what i can do in my situation would be greatly appreciated.

Don, have you considered contacting the Canadian Embassy in Bucharest?

Running into Eastern Europeans here is not uncommon. Even if you don't have formal training or a certificate in a trade, it is not entirely necessary since there are many labor positions that require next to nothing in education and training.

Finding and contacting a company that would sponsor you to come and work for them might be the easiest and fastest thing for you to land a job here.

Read through the thread to get an idea about what other foreigners had to do to get a job in Alberta.

Here is the website from the Canadian Embassy in Bucharest about working temporarily in Canada:

http://www.canadainternational.gc.ca/rom...iller.aspx

(12-08-2013 09:04 AM)Don Wrote:  Hi guys, I'm a 20 year old white male from Bucharest, Romania. I'm currently broke and in dire need of a job. My dad got laid off his cvasi-high paying job(he didn't actually get laid off, the company filed for bankrupcy) almost 6 months ago, and he's too old and out of the game to land any job that pays anything even remotely close to that. We're currently living by Romanian standards in poverty(150$/family member) and it seems like there's no light at the end of the tunnel. The economic situation in Romania is in shambles, it's very hard to land a job without a college degree, most jobs that i can apply to have frequently 800+ other appliants and pay about 2$/hour. I'm going to list what i believe is some relevant information about myself from a hiring perspective, with the hopes that it will help any of you that are willing to give me some advice.

Education: I finished highschool and got my Baccalaureate degree, but with a pretty low grade.
Languages: I speak english fluently, most people assume that i lived in an english speaking country. I have no certifications to attest to this claim, but i could get a IELTS or Cambridge with a high grade - problem is the certification costs money. Unfortunately i can't speak any other languages.
Experience: I have a very limited work experience, i worked in retail for a short while, and did some other small jobs.
Other pros: I'm very fit, did sports and worked out religiously for over 2 years, i have a healthy strong body and i'm willing to put it to work. I'm also a very fast learner.

I have no blue-collar experience or skills currently. I am willing to travel thousands of kilometers away and live in a camp in Canada and mop the floors if it means being able to support my family. Could I ever land a job in the Oil Sands?

Any advice or perspective in general on what i can do in my situation would be greatly appreciated.

There's definitely Romanians in the oil sands, I worked at this one site and it was basically all Romanians, some of them didn't speak a word of English and they all worked for this company: http://www.giustigroup.com/ I would call or e-mail them and see what they have to say.

Hey I have every intention of going to the ND oil fields once Im out of the military.

What are some classes/certs I could take in the mean time that'll make me a shoe-in for a job there. Remember money doesn't really matter the govt will pay for my classes/certs.

Here is a new question that hasn't been asked. How do I bring my foreign wife to the oil fields. I am Canadian, born and raised. She is smoking hot by western standards and I'd like for both of us to make money but I don't want her getting raped by guys out there. Is there a safe place where she can work without having any problems? She'd like to either be a nurse, cook or a hairstylist. What sorts of girly careers do they have in Alberta that make decent money? I can't leave her alone over night she is terrified of ghosts.

(12-08-2013 11:06 PM)BadWolf Wrote:  Here is a new question that hasn't been asked. How do I bring my foreign wife to the oil fields. I am Canadian, born and raised. She is smoking hot by western standards and I'd like for both of us to make money but I don't want her getting raped by guys out there. Is there a safe place where she can work without having any problems? She'd like to either be a nurse, cook or a hairstylist. What sorts of girly careers do they have in Alberta that make decent money? I can't leave her alone over night she is terrified of ghosts.

Really, the only city in the oil sands is Fort McMurray although the Athasaca oil sands also extend to Slave Lake, a small city of about 15,000, and to the Peace River area. I have lived in Fort Mac and would live there again but I wouldn't want to live in those small towns because I'd be bored out of my mind. Fort McMurray is quite mutli-cultural and shouldn't be too hard to find work there but the costs are high.

If you want to be home every night and see your wife daily but also want to make the most money you can, then Fort McMurray is the place to be.

What about cold lake Scotian? Ever do a stint there? I see a few jobs that have a 10/4 rotation with loa..it seems work is slowing down in the sands apart from that.Company's I had ringing me in the summer are all saying the same thing call back in new year.. Lucky I have a job in city so I don't mind waiting.

I wonder if it'll become a classical situation of oversupply of qualified workers because word has been spread about the monies to be made. Applicants now are put on a waiting list here : http://www.bcit.ca/study/programs/2430dipma

(12-09-2013 09:50 AM)MunichSux Wrote:  I wonder if it'll become a classical situation of oversupply of qualified workers because word has been spread about the monies to be made. Applicants now are put on a waiting list here : http://www.bcit.ca/study/programs/2430dipma

So first its overhyped and now its overstaffed? Any other classic oil sands knowledge to share with us from Munich?

In other news my friend just landed a 150k a year job.

I didn't write it's overstaffed. I wondered if it's imaginable that knowledge spreads of the income possibilities and that, like in every supply/demand, downward pressure on wages will appear.

Hi guys,
does anyone know if it is possible to get LMO from Oil field companies for europeans if I have an experience in Oil fields???
Thanks for help boys.

Better get here ASAP and get certified and get some experience while you can because in a few years it's gona be a huge bonanza.

http://business.financialpost.com/2013/1...=4b61-7e57

MunichSux is right, Alberta is in a recession, unemployment is around 5%, when it booms it drops to 3% and pay skyrockets. Better to hustle hard and hunker down to prepare for the boom.

An update/summary on how things went for me in the oil sands:

I got there in the beginning of Oct and found a job within 10 days. Took me that long only cause I was lazy and only went to 2 companies head offices in person. The first company,one of the biggest
In the trade I'm in, the guy told me he'd hire me on the spot, but he'd have to wait a few days to see where he could send me. The second company, just up the street from the first company, I had initially emailed them my résumé and they had replied back within 2 hours that they were interested but I'd have to relocate to another city. I replied I was open to that. However, the person hiring me and with whom I'd be working was busy as his wife was about to give birth. So a week went by while I was focused on finding a place to stay at in Edmonton. Eventually, I did find a room in a quiet house near the industrial area just south of Whitemud in Edmonton. Then the guy from the 2nd company called me back saying he wants to hire me but I'd have to move to Slave Lake where he was located. I ended up moving there, but as mentioned, he was busy with the birth of his son, so work was slow for the first 10 days I moved to SL.

Finding a place in SL wasn't easy as its a very small city of about 1500 people and 80%of the town was destroyed in major wild fire 2 summers ago. Needless to say that it was hard to find a place there but I did find a room on a brand new house with a cool Québécois for 800$/month.

Work was still very slow in SL where I only worked 3 half days in 3 weeks there, a far cry from true 12-14 hours per day I was expecting and looking forward to in order to make the kind of money that is possible there. Work got even slower that even my boss was sitting at home with no work. He told me thins would pick up in January and that I should look for something else in the meantime.

After evaluating the situation, I was aced with a dilemma: go back to Edmonton and get a job there until work picks up again in my trade in the new year or return back to Toronto for the winter. At the end of the day, I returned to Toronto.

Why? Lack of work? Over hype of the oil sands potential?

Absolutely not!

The main reason I returned home was the extreme cold up there in AB where it was already -20 to -30 by mid Nov!!!and this was just the beginning as it gets even colder as I was told by people there.

I simply cannot take that kind of conditions as my body and system are not able to support and operate under these conditions. In the meantime, I already found within a week a decent job in a warm office in Toronto.

What's my plans for the near future?

I will stay here in my warm office job till end of March and will return to Edmonton then and will be working in my trade till the end of October/mid November at the most. I simply am not able to live or work year long in Alberta or as coined by our buddy Scotian, Hellberta during the winters there. I take my hats off to all of you guys who can manage to live and work there, even more so, outside under theses conditions! I truly salute you all!

While reading the past few pages, I noticed that some were saying nonsensical things about the oil sands being overrarted or over hyped. After being there in person, seeing, talking and working there myself, it's clearly obvious that only someone who has no clue, let alone been there themselves, would say anything like that!

The oil sands is the biggest legal lifestyle hack there is out there! But it ain't easy, you gotta be patient, persistent and tough skinned to make it up there. But if you do, the rewards are fabulous and totally life enhancing.

It would be a blasphemy for anyone to say that the oil sands are a hype! I met, talked with and even worked with countless guys who after no prospects of jobs or being under paid and over taxed in other parts of the country, were making a very healthy 6 figure and more working there. We are blessed to have quiet a few there for on these forums having great success, most of which I met in person there.

Guys working on a rig, on a construction site, electrician, carpenter, welder, scaffolder, pipe fitter, guys working in a paper mill, or inspectors inspecting the work of welders and any other trade in between you can imagine, making money hands over fists. But and this is a major but, they started making great money only after 6-12 months in their respective and chosen trade/field!

For anyone looking to get to the oil fields, by all means, but come prepared, that is, enough money to last you at least 3-4 months living expenses, that is at least 5-6K, with a drivers licence and a clear Game plan. Know in advance in which trade/field you want to get into. If possible, take a per-employment course as that will help you big time! The course I took helped me a lot and was the primary reason I got hired so fast!

Here's what you can expect realistically in a trade in which you take a course to be making once you start working:

-first year, working 6 months, 60-80K depending on the # of hours you work.
- 2nd year, with more experience and getting tickets in your respective trade, expect a raise of 25-50% from your first year pay rate. In my trade, starting pay for a newbie or trainee is anywhere between 18-19 to 21-22$/hr. After 4-6 months of experience, and passing a federal exam, you are bumped to 27$/hr. it's at this point that you start to become valuable and in demand and can get those juicy camp jobs with all the great perks that come with it like a free company truck with free gas and insurance.
- within a year later and passing another federal exam, you are bumped to 40-45$/hr depending on the company and location you work. THis is where you get to be worth your weight in gold literally specially if you've got a a brain and are not a clown and blowing it all on booze, drugs or strippers. This is when you reach the so desired 6 figures in 6 months in a very high paying, high demand trade.

In short, first year is going to be the hardest like in anything. But if you can make it past that, then you're set! I just can't wait for the spring to come fast enough not only for the weather to get warmer but most importantly, so that I can return to Alberta and resume working in my trade!

All in all, be prepared, come prepared, be patient and persistent and you will be joining the ranks of countless men who are all using the oil sands to build a skill that will give you a real skill, a real and very lucrative career to build the lifestyle you can only dream about and live like a rock star as Scotian is.

Look at the oil sands as a 5 or 10 years plan if you are over ambitious or younger. I'm looking at it as a 5 year plan to get established in my trade and to build the experience, contacts and bankroll to parlay that into an even more lucrative career or world opportunities around the world.

I have a feeling that this is what the Pet Shop Boys meant with one of their all time best songs, Go West! so Go West Young Man!!!Go West to the Alberta oil sands! This is where it's at!!!!

Anyone with carpentry experience looking for a job in the new year hit me up!! been doing pretty well for myself in Calgary doing exterior finishing been doing 5k a month with lots of freedom, make my own hours. 10k entirely possible for hardie guys with a good work ethic

btw has anyone done the Heavy duty mechanic route? it seems like an interesting trade but I've got no leads and don't know the hiring seasons, etc. All I know is that a lot of equipment leasing companies hire apprentices, and that almost all major contractors and companies have in house staff and you need to have a journeyman ticket for those jobs.

(12-12-2013 03:34 PM)zeeman Wrote:  btw has anyone done the Heavy duty mechanic route? it seems like an interesting trade but I've got no leads and don't know the hiring seasons, etc. All I know is that a lot of equipment leasing companies hire apprentices, and that almost all major contractors and companies have in house staff and you need to have a journeyman ticket for those jobs.

HD mechanic is a very good option for any of you aspiring grease monkeys, lots of money to be made (most HD mechanics are making $45-50/hour) and there's lots of options in the trade:

-In town work, there's TONS of shops in cities like Calgary, Edmonton, etc where you could work 40 hours a week and be home every night and its not only oil related, you could be working for a bus company, heavy equipment company, farming equipment company, etc.

-Field work up north, lots of HD mechanics doing to FIFO camp work for companies such as North American Construction Group, Thompson Bros, Construction, etc.

-Can work union or non-union and there's also the option to make even more money by self contracting, or down the road, opening your own shop and becoming a multi-millionaire.

If a young guy got in with Finning Canada (largest supplier of Catepillar parts and equipment in Canada) as a labourer or hired out of a one year HD mechanic course, he's basically be set for life. Actually, I just checked their website and there is currently an opening for a labourer position in Edmonton, here's the details:

UNLEASH YOUR POTENTIAL

Job Overview:
This individual will be responsible for general labourer duties in a service-oriented environment. The successful candidate will have a high school diploma, be mechanically inclined, and demonstrate a high degree of initiative. This self-starter will be able to follow directions, work well with others and have the motivation necessary to contribute positively to a team environment. This individual will have excellent organizational, interpersonal and communication skills and be able to work with minimal supervision. Experience working in a maintenance shop environment, along with preventative maintenance experience will be considered assets.

Note:
This position will work a Monday to Friday day shift
Please note that any future shift changes that may occur will be made in accordance with the terms and conditions of the Collective Agreement.
Responsibilities:
Promote and demonstrate a safe work environment
General cleanup of shop, yard and machines
Other general duties as required
**Candidate selection will be in compliance with the terms of the current collective agreement**

So there you go guys, a unionized labourer position in Etown, probably starts at $22/hour or so and will definitely lead to a high paying career with a huge company. Any of you going to apply?

Sounds excellent indeed. My initial plan is to get into the Oil and Gas. I hope to be in Edmonton by the end of March. I have a mate in Edmonton at the minute, so I can stay with him and get sorted.

My mate done a year with Savanna Drilling. Do you know much about them Scotian?

I do have an Electrical / Electronics Diploma from the UK but very little experience. I'm not sure how valuable that would be over there. I would prefer to get into that area but if I can't I can't!

(12-12-2013 04:44 PM)206Fan Wrote:  Sounds excellent indeed. My initial plan is to get into the Oil and Gas. I hope to be in Edmonton by the end of March. I have a mate in Edmonton at the minute, so I can stay with him and get sorted.

My mate done a year with Savanna Drilling. Do you know much about them Scotian?

I do have an Electrical / Electronics Diploma from the UK but very little experience. I'm not sure how valuable that would be over there. I would prefer to get into that area but if I can't I can't!

Are you coming with a work visa?

Quote: Are you coming with a work visa?

Correct. The Irish Visa doesn't open until Jan so haven't got it yet!

(12-12-2013 08:19 PM)206Fan Wrote:  

Quote: Are you coming with a work visa?

Correct. The Irish Visa doesn't open until Jan so haven't got it yet!

Then you'll be good to go, you're moving out at the best time possible but be prepared for the cold, late March often sucks in western Canada. I don't know much about drilling but there's enough info on the thread to point you in the right direction.

(12-12-2013 08:29 PM)scotian Wrote:  

(12-12-2013 08:19 PM)206Fan Wrote:  

Quote: Are you coming with a work visa?

Correct. The Irish Visa doesn't open until Jan so haven't got it yet!

Then you'll be good to go, you're moving out at the best time possible but be prepared for the cold, late March often sucks in western Canada. I don't know much about drilling but there's enough info on the thread to point you in the right direction.

It was BASTARD cold in Fort Mac today...my fingers just about snapped off after only ten minutes outside....fooking brutal.

(12-12-2013 09:15 PM)RCS Wrote:  It was BASTARD cold in Fort Mac today...my fingers just about snapped off after only ten minutes outside....fooking brutal.

This past Friday, we were the coldest city in the world. -40 degrees before windchill. Working that day was... lovely.

3 more months of this... lovely weather.

Little motivation to hit the bars with this cold. So I've been hitting the gym like a gym rat and bulking the fuck up. Added 25 lbs to my frame since May, goal is 40 lbs.

If there's one thing about this weather and this working lifestyle, it's that I can really focus in on the goals I've always wanted to achieve.

@206fan: I'm a former wellsite geologist and have worked on Savanna rigs before. Excellent company IMO, like the rest of the thread preaches, just work your ass off and if you display any modicum of intellect you'll advance quickly. Get to work soon though, spring break up is approaching!

Coming from a geologist perspective, feel free to ask us any questions about the rocks, it will really give you an idea on how important the rocks are in the oil patch, and we are so lonely in our shacks we love explaining shit to others! I think nothing is cooler than holding a chunk of rock that used to be a coral reef at the equator 350 million years ago (but then again, I am a complete rock nerd)!

Please don't piss in the sample bags, it really stinks up our shacks when we cook them up! Haha

(12-13-2013 05:28 PM)komatiite Wrote:  @206fan: I'm a former wellsite geologist and have worked on Savanna rigs before. Excellent company IMO, like the rest of the thread preaches, just work your ass off and if you display any modicum of intellect you'll advance quickly. Get to work soon though, spring break up is approaching!

Coming from a geologist perspective, feel free to ask us any questions about the rocks, it will really give you an idea on how important the rocks are in the oil patch, and we are so lonely in our shacks we love explaining shit to others! I think nothing is cooler than holding a chunk of rock that used to be a coral reef at the equator 350 million years ago (but then again, I am a complete rock nerd)!

Please don't piss in the sample bags, it really stinks up our shacks when we cook them up! Haha

Welcome to the thread, you should write a post telling guys how to get into your line of work. Do you work with wireline companies at all? A good friend of mine did that for a few years, mostly up around GP and Tumbler Ridge in BC, said it was a decent gig with good pay, he didn't have any previous training, high school drop out.

(12-13-2013 05:28 PM)komatiite Wrote:  @206fan: I'm a former wellsite geologist and have worked on Savanna rigs before. Excellent company IMO, like the rest of the thread preaches, just work your ass off and if you display any modicum of intellect you'll advance quickly. Get to work soon though, spring break up is approaching!

Yes! Happy to read this. I'm looking to get on a Savanna rig after new year. Going for my H2S ticket tomorrow and first aid soon after.