What are the chances of an American getting a job in Ft McMurray? (to live)

[lovinCarl]

My husband applied for an IT job for the oil industry in Ft Mcmurray.

Are they pretty open minded about hiring Americans there?

We'd love to go to Alberta (we are looking for very cold weather areas) and right now would be moving to AK in April but if he should be lucky and land a job in Ft McMurray we'd be even happier

[ajau]

With oil currently at $34/bbl and the rumour mill in Alberta in overdrive about which projects will be "delayed" next in Fort Mac it might not be a good time to count on a Fort Mac job.

But assuming that he did get an offer there is the issue of working visas. It is actually quite hard for an American to work in Canada and vice versa. TN visas (1 year supposedly renewable temporary work visas) for certain strictly defined job classifications are available but you can't just cross the border. Reason for this is that diplomacy works on reciprocal deals (both good and bad) and the US is pretty unfriendly towards average Canadians who want to work in the US. Heck, its almost impossibly for a Canadian to work in the US if you're not an academic, recognized "artist", or work in the medical field. IT used to be easier to cross borders with but the US clamped down on Canadian IT people going to the US and Canada concurred.
Truth is that it is easier for an Indian, Mexican or Filipino to come work in Canada than it is for an American.
I personally wish this would change but you have too many people in power on both sides why have to placate interests groups with little self esteem in their abilities to survive in the 21st century without erecting barriers to worker mobility. Thats politics.

[lovinCarl]

Originally Posted by ajau

With oil currently at $34/bbl and the rumour mill in Alberta in overdrive about which projects will be "delayed" next in Fort Mac it might not be a good time to count on a Fort Mac job.

But assuming that he did get an offer there is the issue of working visas. It is actually quite hard for an American to work in Canada and vice versa. TN visas (1 year supposedly renewable temporary work visas) for certain strictly defined job classifications are available but you can't just cross the border. Reason for this is that diplomacy works on reciprocal deals (both good and bad) and the US is pretty unfriendly towards average Canadians who want to work in the US. Heck, its almost impossibly for a Canadian to work in the US if you're not an academic, recognized "artist", or work in the medical field. IT used to be easier to cross borders with but the US clamped down on Canadian IT people going to the US and Canada concurred.
Truth is that it is easier for an Indian, Mexican or Filipino to come work in Canada than it is for an American.
I personally wish this would change but you have too many people in power on both sides why have to placate interests groups with little self esteem in their abilities to survive in the 21st century without erecting barriers to worker mobility. Thats politics.

That's soooo true. you can be an illegal immigrant w/dark skin and it is "Oh woe is you" and we all should bend over. BUT if you happen to have white skin you're screwed. No compassion should be spared over you.

Well I guess we'll see. I'm all for Alaska (my dream) but he's excited about trying for Canada so we'll see who wins come April LOL

[KevK]

Originally Posted by ajau

With oil currently at $34/bbl and the rumour mill in Alberta in overdrive about which projects will be "delayed" next in Fort Mac it might not be a good time to count on a Fort Mac job.

But assuming that he did get an offer there is the issue of working visas. It is actually quite hard for an American to work in Canada and vice versa. TN visas (1 year supposedly renewable temporary work visas) for certain strictly defined job classifications are available but you can't just cross the border. Reason for this is that diplomacy works on reciprocal deals (both good and bad) and the US is pretty unfriendly towards average Canadians who want to work in the US. Heck, its almost impossibly for a Canadian to work in the US if you're not an academic, recognized "artist", or work in the medical field. IT used to be easier to cross borders with but the US clamped down on Canadian IT people going to the US and Canada concurred.
Truth is that it is easier for an Indian, Mexican or Filipino to come work in Canada than it is for an American.
I personally wish this would change but you have too many people in power on both sides why have to placate interests groups with little self esteem in their abilities to survive in the 21st century without erecting barriers to worker mobility. Thats politics.

You know that part about visas is something you never see on many post here. It seems that large numbers of people in both the USA and Canada just think that they can simply pack up and move to the other- as if they were moving to another state! They never seem to mention that you need the permission of the other country to enter, reside and work there. And that permission is not all that easy to get unless you are a highly skilled professional or you marry somebody from the other country.

[Cornerguy1]

And that permission is not all that easy to get unless you are a highly skilled professional or you marry somebody from the other country.

Hate to be the bearer of bad news, but even marrying a citizen of the other country doesn't convey the right to work in that country........there are still major hurdles and standards to meet even with a marriage.

[ajau]

Can't say much about the US Immigration policy but in Canada actions speak louder than words. Our immigration policy seems to be geared towards bringing in "sandwich artists" from overseas with boatloads of cash (of dubious origin) who can open up their own franchise and bring over the whole family.

Heaven forbid we bring in electricians, heavy equipment operators, or even desperately needed elevator mechanics (elevators in Alberta are some of the worst maintained I have ever seen, 3rd world included). Nope, instead of bringing in the hard working, average joe middle class folks who just happen to be American, Canada brings in the sketchy small businessmen of Asia and Eastern Europe to our doorstep.

[KevK]

Originally Posted by Cornerguy1

Hate to be the bearer of bad news, but even marrying a citizen of the other country doesn't convey the right to work in that country........there are still major hurdles and standards to meet even with a marriage.

There are some hurdles but marrying a citizen of the other country goes a very long way towards being able to live and work there. When I married my wife who is from Canada, it took us about 4 months to get a work permit for her (she is now a citizen). I expect if we decided to move to Canada that it would take me about the same amount of time and I would not have to prove anything besides being in fairly good health, free of a criminal record and being married to a citizen of Canada. I do not have to be a highly skilled professional, speak French or have alot of money to enter and work. I do not even have to swear alligence to Tim Horton's!

[KevK]

Originally Posted by ajau

Can't say much about the US Immigration policy but in Canada actions speak louder than words. Our immigration policy seems to be geared towards bringing in "sandwich artists" from overseas with boatloads of cash (of dubious origin) who can open up their own franchise and bring over the whole family.

Heaven forbid we bring in electricians, heavy equipment operators, or even desperately needed elevator mechanics (elevators in Alberta are some of the worst maintained I have ever seen, 3rd world included). Nope, instead of bringing in the hard working, average joe middle class folks who just happen to be American, Canada brings in the sketchy small businessmen of Asia and Eastern Europe to our doorstep.

They generally do not like to import people for jobs that a citizen can be trained to do. I am sure Otis Elevator would love to bring in elevator mechanics from the third world to the USA or Canada but if they do that will displace Americans and Canadians. After all, who is going to hire a citizen for $25 an hour when they can bring over somebody from another country who will do it for $7 an hour?

[ajau]

Originally Posted by KevK

They generally do not like to import people for jobs that a citizen can be trained to do. I am sure Otis Elevator would love to bring in elevator mechanics from the third world to the USA or Canada but if they do that will displace Americans and Canadians. After all, who is going to hire a citizen for $25 an hour when they can bring over somebody from another country who will do it for $7 an hour?

$25/hr for an elevator mechanic? Try $200/hr for service time and the elevator mechanic making about $60/hr of that.

They are currently bringing in elevator mechanics from Germany and Eastern Europe to Alberta who work here for a month or two.