Job Offer, moving to Edmonton from US ? (to rent, insurance)

[Cynnie01]

My husband, has been laid off 23 out of the last 26 months ( a brief 3 month stint in India last year ) here in the good ole US of A. He recieved a call from a US comapny that also has offices in Canada ( Vancouver, Edmonton, Calgary ). He flies to Edmonton Monday.

He will be working as a Project Manager on a large heavy civil project.

I am wondering how hard it is going to be to get through the approval process, so he can start work ASAP. The company wants him there the end of June... is this possible ? Do the laws differ for a person who is moving there FOR work ? Is this something he/we can do once we arrive in Canada ? I would hate to find out that the process is complicated and takes months instead of a few weeks.... we REALLY need this job !

Since neither of us has any experience relocating the whole family to another country, we have no ckue what to do, or where to start. We are hoping the company can fill him in while he is there, and point our noses in the right direction.
Will it be difficult for us to rent a house in the Edmonton area ? Can anyone give me a few ideas where to look ?
We are family oriented and have a 12 year old son, we like smaller-type cities ( population 35,000 or under ) Any advice on the school system ? And lastly... is the national Health plan fairly decent, or are all the horror stories you hear, true .. like wating in ER for over 24 hours before being seen ? Our son has asthma, and sees his doctor on a regular basis..

As you can tell.. I am already stressing !!

I appreciate ANY advice you can give me, thanks !

[Fred Derf]

A U.S. company with offices in Vancouver, Edmonton and Calgary should have H.R. people that know what steps to take. They will hopefully guide you through the process. The national health care system is very decent. If it isn't a true emergency then go to a walk-in clinic or find a family doctor. If you should up in the E.R. with a nosebleed then, yes, it may take several hours. If you have something more serious then they'll take you quickly.

[Cornerguy1]

The process for work-related immigration matters is fully explained at the Citizenship and Immigration Canada web site: Welcome Page | Page d'accueil

[dougie86]

Since his company is sponsoring him to work and live in Edmonton, HR department will take care of the paper work. There is nothing to worry.

Here is a link to Alberta Health Care Insurance Plan (AHCIP)
www.health.alberta.ca/

Good luck, Cynnie01

[Cynnie01]

UPDATE: We have finally settled in, found a very nice home to rent the first year ( hopefully purchase after that ). But... I have to tell you, the company did NOTHING to help us find our way through the endless forms, fees, and red tape. How me managed is still a mystery. We simply flew by the seat of our pants and did lots of praying that things would work out. We find out AFTER the fact, that the person who usually does immigration paperwork was on maternity leave during our VERY stressful move ( It took the movers almost 4 weeks to deliver our household goods and another 3 weeks after that to get ONE of our cars. The other one was being repaired and should ship out shortly ). A move that is still ongoing even after arriving 2 months ago !! The company did not tell us about all of the different fees involved, like a study visa for our 12 year old son as one example. There are many more. I am amazed that we managed to muddle through on our own. However... we are having a great deal of difficulty finding a Doctor for my husband and myself. NONE of the Doctors recommended to us by co- workers are accepting new patients, and then we find out it could take UP TO 2 years to find one !!!We both have medical issues that need ongoing care by one doctor, not many. Is there ANY way to bypass this roadblock and get a dr sooner as opposed to later ? Thanks !!

[darkwurm]

You can search on the College of Physicians & Surgeons web page and find all the doctors that are supposedly accepting new patients in your area.

[dude66]

Cynnie01 - I'm interested in hearing how your doctor situation has gone. My wife and I are moving from America to Edmonton next month and will face the same situation.