Want to work in Canada? Read this first, please!

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Want to work in Canada? Read this first, please!

Post by North Shore »

Cross-posted from another forum, but applicable notwithstanding...

I am tired of reading the same question being asked over and over again! Here is a list of items that must be met in order to work as a pilot in Canada. It is not exhaustive so even if you meet these minimums, YOU MIGHT STILL NOT BE ABLE TO WORK IN CANADA!!!

1) Have the legal right to work in Canada. This is an absolute show stopper. If you don't have this prior to seeking a job, you will not get a job, end of story!

2) Have a CANADIAN COMMERCIAL pilots license. Again, this is a showstopper if you want to be a pilot in Canada. This includes necessary Canadian ratings for the type of flying you wish to do (ie: floats, multi, IFR etc)

3) HAVE THE LEGAL RIGHT TO WORK IN CANADA! This clearly needs to be stated more than once.

4) Understand the climate, size and remoteness of Canada and whether it's suitable to your needs/desires. Generally time building jobs will be far far away from the amenities and lifestyle you may be accustomed too.

5) HAVE THE LEGAL RIGHT TO WORK IN CANADA! Yup, said it again, just to be crystal clear!

6) Know the hiring cycles in Canada. Ie: float operators will not generally need pilots in December

7) HAVE THE LEGAL RIGHT TO WORK IN CANADA! If you haven't already got the point, there is no helping you. I am not here to tell you how to get that, figure it out yourself and do the legwork.

8) understand that aviation is a small industry in Canada, everyone knows someone who knows someone. If you screw over one person to get ahead, you will pay for it severly in the future of your career.

9) HAVE THE LEGAL RIGHT TO WORK IN CANADA! Got it yet?

10) There is a very minute chance you will ever get hired by emailing resumes. In Canada, employers value Face to face time and a handshake.

11) HAVE THE LEGAL RIGHT TO WORK IN CANADA! Still don see what I'm getting at?

12) IF YOU OFFER TO PAY FOR YOUR TRAINING YOU WILL BE BLACKLISTED, see point 8

13) HAVE THE LEGAL RIGHT TO WORK IN CANADA! Self explanatory? I thought so too, but reading so many previous posts, I am clearly wrong!

14) IF YOU OFFER TO WORK FOR FREE FOR THE EXPERIENCE, this is not only illegal but immoral, see point 8 and 12

15) HAVE THE LEGAL RIGHT TO WORK IN CANADA!!!

16) Employers value experience in Canada. There are literally hundreds of Canadian 200-500hr wonders who all think they deserve the job ahead of you, rightfully so, with significantly fewer openings available than applicants for entry level positions especially. You face an uphill battle in convincing an employer that they should hire a foreign applicant over a Canadian, but if you are thinking you can offer to work for less or save the company some training money, see points 8, 12, and 14

17). HAVE THE LEGAL RIGHT TO WORK IN CANADA!!!

If anyone else has input or additions, please feel free to add
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Re: Want to work in Canada? Read this first, please!

Post by photofly »

Being unable to spell is clearly not a disqualifier.
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DId you hear the one about the jurisprudence fetishist? He got off on a technicality.
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Re: Want to work in Canada? Read this first, please!

Post by Indanao »

"HAVE THE LEGAL RIGHT TO WORK IN CANADA"...B.S. It is not only obvious, but impossible to work in Canada if your not. Who will cover for you to your employer when C.P.P. contributions, and Tax are deducted and sent to the government?

Seems some have nothing better to do than try and stir stuff up. ( Makes them look good to try and wave their interests groups flag - but, there should be some kind of intelligent thought put into it or it is a waste of everyone's time to read it at all. )
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iflyforpie
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Re: Want to work in Canada? Read this first, please!

Post by iflyforpie »

I got a chuckle when I read that on Pprune.... :lol:
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Re: Want to work in Canada? Read this first, please!

Post by Big Pistons Forever »

This should be a sticky in the Training and Employment Forums.
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Colonel Sanders
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Re: Want to work in Canada? Read this first, please!

Post by Colonel Sanders »

Speaking of having the legal right to work
in the country, I would love to repost the
video of the guy who drives by Home Depot
and picks up all the illegal aliens and drops
them off at Immigration ...

But that last time I did that, I was banned
from here for two weeks for political incorrectness,
so I will not do that. I have learned my lesson.

Back to your regularly scheduled Friday night
drinking.
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B52
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Re: Want to work in Canada? Read this first, please!

Post by B52 »

Colonel Sanders wrote:Speaking of having the legal right to work
in the country, I would love to repost the
video of the guy who drives by Home Depot
and picks up all the illegal aliens and drops
them off at Immigration ...

But that last time I did that, I was banned
from here for two weeks for political incorrectness,
so I will not do that. I have learned my lesson.

Back to your regularly scheduled Friday night
drinking.

OK, I'll bite. First, I really enjoy the Colonel's posts, and his links, and don't appreciate
AvCanada's endless "banning" / "suspensions" etc, by the moderators for what is a symptom of
their own problems that are equally self evident, even when I agree that the post is "off".

Now, I happen to agree with the moderator's view that the link was "not funny" but,
I would not have removed it or banned him as the Colonel is entitled to his opinion no matter
how much the "moderators" or myself , don't like it.

The YouTube Video, is about a "gringo" red neck, personality who thinks is very funny to pick up Spanish Speaking workers at Home Depot after which he goes to the entrance to the local immigration office where they all jump out like rabbits
and the non-spanish speaking red-neck driver with a sick sense of humour rolls around on the ground
thinking its funny.

That, particular YouTube, was offensive to many, and the Colonel with some hindsight, might have removed it if asked,
it was not appropriate to "ban him"..

As they say, opinions are like rear ends, every one has one, including the Colonel and myself...

En Espaniol, hay una cosa gringo
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photofly
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Re: Want to work in Canada? Read this first, please!

Post by photofly »

Watching CS get banned and reinstated is the entertainment.

Keep it up, everyone.
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DId you hear the one about the jurisprudence fetishist? He got off on a technicality.
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Lost Lake
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Re: Want to work in Canada? Read this first, please!

Post by Lost Lake »

If somon will s[pnsor me do yu tink I mite have a change, I have 2000 hr on flight sim on a 737. I am prospered to gert a polits lisens if it will hope. I am export anglish and asshole spoke spinach.
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Re: Want to work in Canada? Read this first, please!

Post by HiLo »

Lost Lake wrote:If somon will s[pnsor me do yu tink I mite have a change, I have 2000 hr on flight sim on a 737. I am prospered to gert a polits lisens if it will hope. I am export anglish and asshole spoke spinach.
Only if you're the CP's nephew :lol:
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Gilles Hudicourt
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Re: Want to work in Canada? Read this first, please!

Post by Gilles Hudicourt »

North Shore wrote: 17). HAVE THE LEGAL RIGHT TO WORK IN CANADA!!!

If anyone else has input or additions, please feel free to add
I used to think you were correct. But that was when I was naive. You are wrong,

Any foreign pilot and their pilot mother can work in Canada. Here is how.

First, you find one of the 75 (or so) Canadian companies that in 2013 alone, hired non-Canadian, non-resident Temporary Foreign Workers in Canada:

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/105 ... 2May14.pdf

A partial list of these companies can be found here:

http://www.avcanada.ca/forums2/viewtopi ... ra#p877781

It doesn't matter what kind of flying you do, there is an employer on this list for you. Flight Instructor, Fire Patrol, Pipeline patrol, Survey, Photography, Crop Dusting, Helicopter pilot of any kind, Executive pilot, Commuter pilots, Military Pilots, Airline pilots, Simulator Instructors, Test pilots, whatever you fly, there is a Canadian employer looking to hire you rather than hire a Canadian pilot.

You just send them an email, stating you are a foreign pilot willing to work for them. Please state whatever asset you may have that a Canadian may not have.

One of those assets may be an unverifiable logbook. Yes that is something certain Canadian employer look for to satisfy un-reasonable customers or insurance requirements. Others may want to hear that you will fly for free. Or sleep in the hangar. Sometimes your type rating may do the job. Even if its just a paper type rating with zero experience. Just tell them what they need to hear and you may get a free ticket to Canada. You may have fighter pilot time in your country ? Maybe you just bought yourself a 737NG type rating ? Those are hot in Canada. Perhaps you are a helicopter pilot with 1500 hours in his logbook and a certain endorsement ?

Once you have convinced the Canadian employer that you are the pilot they need, they will apply for a Labor Market Opinion (LMO) on your behalf from Employment and Social Development Canada (EDSC). This is just a formality. The employer will know how to fill one out in order to get it approved. If he doesn't, there are law firms that specialize in filling those out. I can provide the names of the law firms on request.

Once your LMO is approved, the employer should send it to you, along with an employment letter. If you come from a country that requires a visa to enter Canada, you then go to your local Canadian embassy who will deliver the visa. The work permit will be delivered by Canada Customs upon your arrival. It's Immigration Canada (CIC) that really delivers the permit but delegates Canada Customs to do it on their behalf. If you do not require a visa to enter Canada, just hop on the first flight and collect your work permit upon arrival (upon presentation of your approved LMO and a matching employment letter).

You have a foreign pilot's licence ? No problem. We have a very compliant Minister of Transport which defers to the will of ESDC and CIC (those that deliver the LMOs and work Permits) and will issue a document called a Foreign Licence Validation Certificate (FLVC) which will allow you to do any commercial flying in Canada with a foreign licence. However, the employer must apply for the FLVC on your behalf. But that is just a formality. They are never refused.

So welcome to Canada! You guys can all come and fly in Canada, while Canadian pilots who need a job can just go find a job ....... elsewhere. Globalization right ?
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Gilles Hudicourt
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Re: Want to work in Canada? Read this first, please!

Post by Gilles Hudicourt »

Indanao wrote:"HAVE THE LEGAL RIGHT TO WORK IN CANADA"...B.S. It is not only obvious, but impossible to work in Canada if your not. Who will cover for you to your employer when C.P.P. contributions, and Tax are deducted and sent to the government?
There are ways around this problem. Canjet and Sunwing TFW pilots who work in Canada do not pay one red cent in C.P.P., E.I or Taxes. REvenue Canada does not even know they are in Canada.

It's because Sunwing and Canjet never actually put them on payroll. These pilots are employed overseas by an offshore company who pays their salaries overseas. Canjet and Sunwing in turn pay that offshore company for contracting the pilots over to them. These TFW pilots never apply for a Social Insurance Number as the law requires them to withing 3 days of being employed in Canada and are never declared as emloyese to the Canada Revenue Agency. There are undercover employees.

See its easy.

Any other problem you see to allow TFW pilot to work in Canada, just post it here and I will tell you how these companies "get around" the problem.......
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YYCDavid
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Re: Want to work in Canada? Read this first, please!

Post by YYCDavid »

Well what we need is the Americans to open the doors to go there to work. Sad to say but I'd go work and live there in a heartbeat over the majority of the carriers in Canada. The sense of entitlement among the recruiters and Chief Pilits is pathetic and far too many pilots kiss their bums to get some crappy flying job. Now come the patriots to start their comments but I'd live to see the day when these airlines here in Canada wake up to see there is no massive "ocean of pilots" looking for work and they are left with pretty much flight school candidates. Oh yeah btw that's drying up too due to the cost of training....so if a pilot cannot find their voice and raise hell over airlines like Sunwing or Canjet hiring foreign pilots while they are looking for a job, SPEAK UP and quit worrying about ruffling some feathers. Maybe the bad PR will oust some of these miserable old dinosaurs and penny pinching bean counters out of their management roles and give the lower time guys a chance to prove themselves, or the guys with time but no type rating.
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Re: Want to work in Canada? Read this first, please!

Post by Just Duckie »

Removed by me...
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timel
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Re: Want to work in Canada? Read this first, please!

Post by timel »

It would be amazing to put this sticky topic in the French forum too!!
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Re: Want to work in Canada? Read this first, please!

Post by TeePeeCreeper »

timel wrote:It would be amazing to put this sticky topic in the French forum too!!
Your point being? :roll:
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Re: Want to work in Canada? Read this first, please!

Post by timel »

Quebec has also the a few rotten tomatoes willing to work for free/ offer to pay for training. :smt014
:smt040 :smt040 :rolleyes:
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Re: Want to work in Canada? Read this first, please!

Post by B52 »

Once "hired" the pilot becomes "slave labour", any failure to do as told a told
or refuse to fly a clapped out machine can mean even more abuse in one form or another.
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Re: Want to work in Canada? Read this first, please!

Post by Abel.DPL »

Haha haters gonna hate...
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Re: Want to work in Canada? Read this first, please!

Post by Ikaros »

Dear all, hello!!!

I am a new member to this forum and I woud like to ask you a few questions on this topic.

I have recently started my CPL licence (ATPL theory) in Europe, and I am considering of moving to Canada (I have a European passport) for girlfriend reasons (I found myself in a serious relationship for a few years now :) ). My two main questions are:

1) I have read in many topics here that you need the citizenship/legal right to work in Canada in order to apply for a job. How hard is it to do/get this? (I know this might be a tricky question that will probably require a long answer, but if somebody could give me the general idea please, I would really appreciate it)

2) Once you get the papers, how hard is it to find a job as an airline pilot in Canada? I have also read in this forum that once you finish with your license, you will need approximately minimum 1500 hours of build up, in order to be able to apply for a bigger airline.

I know for example that here in Europe, there are airlines that can hire you right away after you finish your ATPL license. I have heard it is very difficult (considering the assesments, entrance exams etc) but it is possible. And somebody can start right away i.e on an airbus 320, or boeing 737 or a dash q400.

If I will take the big decision to move to Canada, I would like to ask for your advice (considering the pilot profession):

What is better: to move right away after getting my license, try to get the papers and start looking for a job to build up flight hours OR stay in Europe, study hard, try to get in an airline, get some flight hours there and then move to Canada?

Thank you all in advance!

PS- please forgive me if I made some silly questions, or have some misconceptions about the profession. I just have nobody in the aviation industry to give me some advice, so the only things I know, is from what I read in forums here and there. Any feedback, answers or corrections if I said something wrong, would be much much appreciated!!! Thank you again! :)
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