Finally bought the ticket; will be in Edmonton on Wednesday. Considering getting a car to be mobile; will be staying with a relative. I'll let you guys know how things work out.

Alright guys took me a while to get an update going but I have been super busy and don't like using my phone for a long post.

So I am keeping well and happy out. Partying a nice bit and getting to know Edmonton. Have been hanging out with Kick, Scotian and VP whenever I can. DjembaDjemba is always working so have only meet him once but he is great fun plus I have got a few PMs about other guys arriving very soon.

As for work I am still with the landscape crew. The drilling crowd said that I will be joining around Dec 1st. Its a little set back but gives me more time to prepare and have some fun before I am working hard. It has started to get cold again. Little bits of snow most days and its harder to work and stay warm. Plus this is only the beginning of it. So the plan right now is keep working with my crew till I get called up drilling. Then take it from there.

I have settled in nicely and if I had more money would be having an epic time. The job I am at now pays 19 an hour which is good but I like to drink and eat well so it goes fast enough haha. Once I am on drilling dollars I will be setting up the lifestyle a bit with a new flat, truck etc.

As for anyone coming out I definitely still recommend it. Just be prepared. Read this whole tread and take notes. Have a plan and do your homework. Stay focused once you arrive and get ANY job as soon as possible. If you are motivated you will make it and if you are not you probably shouldn't come out here.

There is a load of opportunities and plenty of jobs and it is easy to move to a nicer job once you are here and settled in.

Looking forward to getting up there and posting about what the drilling is like first hand. I am constantly trying to gear myself up for when I am starting. Sometimes at work I even do the harder work on purpose so I in as good as shape physically as possible. To be honest I love the challenge of it all and think that the whole thing will make me more of a man and put a few extra hairs on my chest.

Looking forward to seeing some more people heading this way.

Irishman

Thats fucking motivating..jeez

We are all going to canada oil field in 2013 haha

Just to say also I am being fussy with my job choice that why it is taking so long to start. I want to do drilling and nothing else and it takes a while for them to get going. If I was not being as fussy I would have had plenty of chances so far to start with some really good jobs, one or two upwards of a 100K+ a year and inside most of the time. Call me mad but I would rather the two weeks on/ one off deal and the pay opportunists that come down the line with drilling and put up with the work pace and working outside. That's just me though.

Also any questions or whatever just post up here or PM me.

DjembaDjemba forgot what his reflection looks like.

2nd week of a 3 week straight shift boys. I got muscles hurting that I didn't even know existed.

This is real grit.

Will post when I'm back in town.

Irishman, being you European, can you tell us how did you handle all the immigration stuff, which kind of visa you got, and how you got permition to work in Alberta?

For what I saw online, it's harder or even impossible for foreign people without a special skill, or trade, or some university degree to get a work permit. Maybe you can give useful tips and ideas for other Europeans/ foreigners willing to work in the oil sands.

Not to steer anyone away from this great thread but I've found a good forum for the trucking jobs in the oil patch. Some companies will hire you on with just a class 5 license (normal car license), and train and pay for you to get a class 3 or class 1 license. Lots of fracturing companies are hiring.

http://www.thetruckersreport.com/truckin...-jobs.html

Guys,

It looks like I landed a job. Man what a grind but the jobs are there. It took me 10 days of constant looking, calling, driving, knocking, rejection. But here's the thing, you will meet someone new everyday and they wil tell you "go check this guy out or call this company. I'm Calgary and not in the sands yet as the trade I'm in won't let starters up there you need to be an apprentice already.

I got two on the spot job offers. One called me 10 min after I left and offered it. I already got an email from them and a start date. 30 min after getting off the phone. The other said to 'think it over' and call him this afternoon. That's the one I want as its indoors and with a great company.

But as I was driving everywhere looking, all I saw were HELP WANTED signs. Good lord. Everywhere and for anything. If you think you won't get a job you're wrong.

Scotian was right and continues to be right.

What are you waiting for?

Well done man, glad to see that you landed a gig, welcome to Alberta, You forgot to mention one thing though; its fucking cold here already!

I never saw snow before Halloween until I moved out west and its been snowy and cold for a few days now, glad I"m leaving for warmer climes in a few days.

Have a good winter guys

Me and my friend are looking to go up to the oil sands shortly. I'm going to have a degree in Kinesiology, but I'm not sure that will help me out at all. We are really just looking to bust our asses and travel as much as possible. Thanks a lot for this thread, I may have some questions for you when I get off work tomorrow!

Hi all who contribute to the forum,

thanks of course to scotian/irishman etc for the informative posts.
Have any of you guys heard of the Spanish company Repsol working out there??
I´m Irish but live in Spain and want to make the move out there.
Repsol have a refinery relatively close to where I live and I thought some experience with them would be helpful.

Anyway, thanks again for all the info.

Better than teaching English in a third word country

Hey guys. I've gotten some requests for a datasheet for Irish people/Europeans heading over here. Its not too hard a process but Ill try post it up soon. Been working crazy hours recently- just in from landscaping all day, had a quick nap and now I am out doing snow removal all night. Hopefully I get time this weekend.

Irishman do you have two jobs at the moment?

By the way, does anybody know if they will allow me to work with braids? Is there a strong black community in Edmonton? Just wondering if i will be able to find a hair salon to braid my hair.

(11-02-2012 07:00 AM)pitt Wrote:  Irishman do you have two jobs at the moment?

By the way, does anybody know if they will allow me to work with braids? Is there a strong black community in Edmonton? Just wondering if i will be able to find a hair salon to braid my hair.

Hey Pitt,
Finding someone to braid your hair, at least braidig it properly might be tough. I've been here since April and have only found 1 place in the city that can give a proper fade. The worst part is it's all the way on the north side of town. Next time I'm in there I will find out if they do braids as well.

And just an update for all you cats planing on coming out here. It was minus 13 with freezing rain and snowing yesterday. This is considered "good weather". Fuck.

Im currently at work with another 6 hours to go yet. Been working 26 hours straight with just a 2 hour nap in between somewhere. Same company different job. Paying my dues. Be prepared to work...

Just an update guys, I've received more job offers. I've just let the company I was going to start with on Monday I can't make it because another called me this am to start Monday for EXACTLY what I want to do. Better pay, benefits and killer opportunity to make more cheddar. This was impossible in Toronto.

It's unreal.

Who's coming!?

And Fuck this weather is schizophrenic. Ice fog all week. What the fuck is ice fog. The trees are coated. It's actually pretty cool.

(11-02-2012 08:34 AM)?Kick Wrote:  

(11-02-2012 07:00 AM)pitt Wrote:  Irishman do you have two jobs at the moment?

By the way, does anybody know if they will allow me to work with braids? Is there a strong black community in Edmonton? Just wondering if i will be able to find a hair salon to braid my hair.

Hey Pitt,
Finding someone to braid your hair, at least braidig it properly might be tough. I've been here since April and have only found 1 place in the city that can give a proper fade. The worst part is it's all the way on the north side of town. Next time I'm in there I will find out if they do braids as well.

And just an update for all you cats planing on coming out here. It was minus 13 with freezing rain and snowing yesterday. This is considered "good weather". Fuck.

I'm sitting at the Edmonton airport, so glad to be leaving Alberta and the shitty cold weather, enjoy the winter boys, dress warm!

(11-02-2012 12:59 PM)Zeus Wrote:  Just an update guys, I've received more job offers. I've just let the company I was going to start with on Monday I can't make it because another called me this am to start Monday for EXACTLY what I want to do. Better pay, benefits and killer opportunity to make more cheddar. This was impossible in Toronto.

It's unreal.

Who's coming!?

And Fuck this weather is schizophrenic. Ice fog all week. What the fuck is ice fog. The trees are coated. It's actually pretty cool.

Well done Zeus, tell us more about how you got the job, did you have a connection or did you just pound the pavement and hand out resumes? Are you getting into a trade, did the company offer to indenture you as an apprentice?

Yeah the weather in Calgary is even wackier than Etown because of the mountains, one good thing is the chinook winds that come over the mountains from BC and warm up the air down there.

Just to give any engineers an idea of what to expect if you're considering the oil sands:

I'm starting work in January (right out of university) at one of the major producers in fort mac. Salary is 91k, plus additional 6-8k in safety bonus, plus a 20% (18k) annual bonus based on a 3 year contract, plus company funded pension and 2 company matching savings programs, plus 6 weeks vacation, PLUS 30k signing bonus right now (based on 3 year contract) plus 200-400 hours overtime expected (15-30k extra)

Total compensation works out to about 115-120k + overtime.

This is standard 40hr/week job, and they bus you from your house to work everyday (for free) in a coach bus with internet.

(11-02-2012 01:42 PM)christpuncher Wrote:  Just to give any engineers an idea of what to expect if you're considering the oil sands:

I'm starting work in January (right out of university) at one of the major producers in fort mac. Salary is 91k, plus additional 6-8k in safety bonus, plus a 20% (18k) annual bonus based on a 3 year contract, plus company funded pension and 2 company matching savings programs, plus 6 weeks vacation, PLUS 30k signing bonus right now (based on 3 year contract) plus 200-400 hours overtime expected (15-30k extra)

Full compensation works out to about 115-120k + overtime.

This is standard 40hr/week job, and they bus you from your house to work everyday (for free) in a coach bus with internet.

Nice, not too bad for a guy fresh out of school! Will you be living in Fort McMurray? If so, is the company providing a work truck or will you be taking the bus to work?

I know that a lot of the sites now have implemented a bus only transport rule for a lot of employees to cut down on the terrible traffic jams in town. Not a huge deal but it is kind of funny seeing all these grown adults waiting for the buses every morning.

Here's the company that does all the bus runs in Fort McMurray: http://www.dtl.ca/ , its actually not a bad place to work either, I think drivers make around $35-40/hour.

Again, congratulations and good luck in Fort McMoney!

Yes it's transportation by bus. Can use a company truck for occasional weekend work. The only downside of being an employee of the big companies and not being a contractor is that I have to live in Fort Mac and don't get camp. So that's quite an extra expense.
After my three year contract I'm hoping to get a job with Imperial at the Kearl site which runs a 10-10 fly-out shift. I think that shift is just about ideal. With 7-7 or 6-6 (as many companies run by) being not enough time off to travel internationally, and 14-14 or 14-7 just being too long a shift and too damn much work!

Suffice to say, I'm pretty stoked.

How I got my job:

Basics: I hit the pavement hard.

FIrst thing I did was go to the union. They were very helpful and excited that I wanted to work in the trade. They gave me names of at least 5 companies they heard or knew that were hiring. They even gave me their cell numbers to call them if it didn't work out and he said "we'll get you in the trade" A good thing to hear after landing the day before.

I hit those companies. Roadblocks. Some of them want a Pre-apprenticeship. Bullshit. Fuck you.

Others wanted you already indentured. Well, everyone had to START not indentured so how the fuck am I going to get indentured if you don't do it.

I took H2S Alive course on a Monday. The guy behind me just got licenses in my trade. I asked him for some leads and advice. The thing he said and everyone before I talked to was DON'T STOP. Basically harass people. Get in their face.

In the meantime I was Googling like hell. Getting company names, adresses, who is hiring and plotting it on a Google Map. I had over 20 companies littered throughout the city. I would hit those companies, call more in between.

Last Thursday and Friday I took Standard First Aid. We had to pair up and I turn behind me and just nod to the guy. As we start, he asks me what I do. "I'm looking for an apprenticeship in this trade." He says "No shit. I'm a 4th year" I just left this company here. Go talk to this guy. He usually hires starters."

I google him. See that he likes fishing and get a loose dialogue of how to connect. I go there, ask the receptionist for him and as soon as he comes out I ask him for a start. Insta interview. Offers it to me and says think it over and call me tonight to comfirm.

I knew right away I wanted it, but played cool. I call him and he doesn't call me back. Right after I get a call from someone else offering me a job. I accept and was suposed to start Monday. Today, the first guy calls me and asks me to start Monday. And this was on top of other positions that if I really pursued I would have also got.

He is going to indenture me and its in the sub trade that I want.

Guys, it's just networking. Everyone will help you. You'll get bounced here to there. Get excited at a lead, get a flake. etc. Then it pours in. I had a resume in my hand everytime.

I didn't expect it this fast.

(11-02-2012 01:38 PM)scotian Wrote:  

(11-02-2012 08:34 AM)?Kick Wrote:  

(11-02-2012 07:00 AM)pitt Wrote:  Irishman do you have two jobs at the moment?

By the way, does anybody know if they will allow me to work with braids? Is there a strong black community in Edmonton? Just wondering if i will be able to find a hair salon to braid my hair.

Hey Pitt,
Finding someone to braid your hair, at least braidig it properly might be tough. I've been here since April and have only found 1 place in the city that can give a proper fade. The worst part is it's all the way on the north side of town. Next time I'm in there I will find out if they do braids as well.

And just an update for all you cats planing on coming out here. It was minus 13 with freezing rain and snowing yesterday. This is considered "good weather". Fuck.

I'm sitting at the Edmonton airport, so glad to be leaving Alberta and the shitty cold weather, enjoy the winter boys, dress warm!

Are you off to Bkk now Scotian?

(11-02-2012 03:16 PM)Zeus Wrote:  How I got my job:

Basics: I hit the pavement hard.

FIrst thing I did was go to the union. They were very helpful and excited that I wanted to work in the trade. They gave me names of at least 5 companies they heard or knew that were hiring. They even gave me their cell numbers to call them if it didn't work out and he said "we'll get you in the trade" A good thing to hear after landing the day before.

I hit those companies. Roadblocks. Some of them want a Pre-apprenticeship. Bullshit. Fuck you.

Others wanted you already indentured. Well, everyone had to START not indentured so how the fuck am I going to get indentured if you don't do it.

I took H2S Alive course on a Monday. The guy behind me just got licenses in my trade. I asked him for some leads and advice. The thing he said and everyone before I talked to was DON'T STOP. Basically harass people. Get in their face.

In the meantime I was Googling like hell. Getting company names, adresses, who is hiring and plotting it on a Google Map. I had over 20 companies littered throughout the city. I would hit those companies, call more in between.

Last Thursday and Friday I took Standard First Aid. We had to pair up and I turn behind me and just nod to the guy. As we start, he asks me what I do. "I'm looking for an apprenticeship in this trade." He says "No shit. I'm a 4th year" I just left this company here. Go talk to this guy. He usually hires starters."

I google him. See that he likes fishing and get a loose dialogue of how to connect. I go there, ask the receptionist for him and as soon as he comes out I ask him for a start. Insta interview. Offers it to me and says think it over and call me tonight to comfirm.

I knew right away I wanted it, but played cool. I call him and he doesn't call me back. Right after I get a call from someone else offering me a job. I accept and was suposed to start Monday. Today, the first guy calls me and asks me to start Monday. And this was on top of other positions that if I really pursued I would have also got.

He is going to indenture me and its in the sub trade that I want.

Guys, it's just networking. Everyone will help you. You'll get bounced here to there. Get excited at a lead, get a flake. etc. Then it pours in. I had a resume in my hand everytime.

I didn't expect it this fast.

Cool man, just out of curiosity, do you have a car there in Calgary for getting around to hand out resumes, go to courses, interviews, etc.?