Uk Falling Apart

[WelshPlumber]

Hi, my name is Steve. My family and I are looking at relocating to Canada. I a quailfied plumber with over 4 years of experiene, working along side a Corgi plumber who himself has over 25 years of experience. Due to the amount of polish worker coming over here, and the continuing regulations, courses we are being forced to take. This country is slowly killing off the trades men.

The trade has been flooded with low skill, low experienced people calling themselves plumbers and charging a fraction of the price a fully qualified plumber would charge, and doing the job poorly. The polish have been coming over here now for a few years, and everyone in the trade is sick of this. They have not been trained to our standards and are not getting the tickets required to install various plumbing products.

During my apprenticeship I work hard for long hours often seven days a week, for very little money. Now I am fully trained, I setup as self employed. Although I still do a lot of work for the guy who trained me. The money is not very good considering the days and hours I have been putting in, and the standard of life is shit. For example I have paid my National Insurance all my life and can not find a Denist (The NHS is falling apart(yet the illegal immirgrants would get them for free and the following day))

On the above basis my family and I have decided to jump ship while its still barly floating. Canada has been our country of choice. We have started getting the ball rolling and are awaiting the forms from the Visa centre (we have passed the inital assessment), I would like to ask anyone with some advice, information if they would be so kind as to share it with me I would be grateful appreicated.

Thankyou for anyone who has taken the time to read this, and if anyone is thinking of doing the same as me I would gladly share the information and research I have collected already.

Thankyou again

Steve

 

[Libra]

Hi Steve,

Don't take my response as being impolite, because I am not being impolite in responding to your posting. In fact, I am concerned for your own sake and that of your family with regard to your stated reason to "jump ship" and head for Canada. I have also provided you with suitable links at the end of this posting to get you familiarized with what is expected of migrant plumbers when you become succesful with your immigration application.

We all have different and various reasons as to why we would like to emmigrate to Canada, and each person's reason(s) for migrating must be respected; so, I sincerely respect your reason for moving to Canada. However, I would like to bring your attention to a possible disillusion that you might be faced with once you land in Canada hopefully, one fine day in the near future.

It appears that your primary reason for moving away from the U.K. is the influx of European workers, notably the Polish who seem to prefer the area where you live in the U.K.. Don't forget that most of those Polish immigrants might not even be illegal because of the EU agreement that the U.K. signed on to. And, yes, some of them would be illegal, I agree.

Now to the stringent qualification requirements that all plumbers now face because of the influx of Polish or migrant plumbers in the U.K. This is a pure socio-economic policy that is based on the principle of dynamism (Changes) - where there is a greater supply of a type of service, the municipality /government must create uniformity of this service by the so many providers, and this way the competition among the providers will be streamlined.

Now, have you ever thought that when you come into Canada, you will find yourself in the same shoes as the Polish migrants? Have you ever thought that in Canada, there will be Canadians who will think of you, in just the same way that you now think of the Polish? This is where the disillusion comes in because, in Canada, in most immigrant cases, qualified persons have to start all over again. And most definitely, in both the U.S. and Canada, you have to go through their own licensing and Certification programs all over again for plumbing before you can really start making the big "bucks." But who knows? You might just be one of the lucky few who will land a big paying job without recertifying and having a Canadian Plumber License - and this, I sincerely doubt - but all our fingers are not the same, and like I said you might be lucky.

So, with that in mind, you might want to repsyche yourself into having a wholely and totally different reason in your mind about why you would like to come to Canada; let's say maybe your reason would be to start your own business?? That way, you would have an opportunity not to be an apprentice anymore. And so, Steve, if you make that your reason, then you will not become disillusioned once you land in Canada. Otherwise, if the influx of the Polish is your primary reason, then be prepared that as a new immigrant to Canada, you will be competing with many people from diverse cultures, and from all over the world, surprisingly, including the very Polish that you are now "assertively" avoiding.

I am sorry Steve, but please, take my advice and rethink on your reason and motive to come to Canada, and you will surely prosper in Canada. Thank you for not taking this the wrong way, but to see my response as somebody reaching out to pull you out of a possible future abyss.

Now, I happen NOT to be a plumber; however, I know of a few website links that you might want to visit since they are related to your trade. And, since you didn't specify which province in Canada is of interest to you, I can only post the links for the province and/or city that I know of. So, here they are:

Here is a plumbing-related link for the City of Kingston, which is between Ontario and Montreal (I think this link is primarily for plumbers who would like to have their own businesses):
http://www.cityofkingston.ca/business/licences/plum-elec.asp

Here is a link to a forum that has a posting from Alex Ivanov, a Russian immigrant, with regard to passing the Ontario plumbing exam. Ivanov also has a link to his own website that he inserted in his forum posting, check it out as well; it wouldn't hurt:
http://www.areforum.org/forums/forum14/25321.html

Here is a link to the General Forum that Mr. Ivanov made his posting to (feel free to browse the ARE website also. The ARE website pertains to Ontario; you can find plumbing information for the other provinces based on your own research). I believe that this forum link will be helpful to you:
http://www.areforum.org/forums/forum14/

And, finally, here is how some Canadians think about current Canadian immigration policies that favor, you, me, the Polish, and all others at this forum: "Why is our government bringing hundreds of thousands of people here every year to fill jobs when large numbers of its own citizens sit on the labour sidelines?" See the full report from this website: http://www.immigrationwatchcanada.org/index.php?&MMN_position=1:1

And in case you may not realize it yet, Canada has lots of plumbers, both naturally born and immigrants, that are vying for plumbing jobs, and you are yet to join that number; so be prepared for the competition when you cross over. Hopefully, in Canada, you might not face the same animosity that you now have for immigrants in the U.K., notably, the Polish. And Steve, you have a right to feel the way you do; after all, each one of us in this forum has nationalistic tendencies.

Lastly, bear in mind that the concept of immigration and people crossing borders has been around since the world evolved, and has taken many shapes and forms begining form the ancient practice of divide and conquer.

Thank you for your understanding and Good Luck in all of your endeavors. I sincerely hope and pray that one day, you will find it in your heart to thank the Polish when you would have become successful and prosperous in self-actualizing your utmost ambitions.

There are many members in this forum who are willing to assist you in this process; and we are all appreciative of one another when there is a positive karma that emanates from each of us. We hope you will be a part of exuberating a positive karma. Thank you once again.

Oh! In case you were wondering - No, I'm not Polish. I am just another potential immigrant like you, like the Polish, and like everyone else in this Forum, Polish and non-Polish.

And to fellow forum members: If there is anybody out there who has already landed and is a plumber, or who is a plumber and is going through the application process right now, and who has some other tips, please post your ideas. Your time, your generosity, and your thoughtfulness to share information that will assist a fellow immigrant is greatly appreciated.

No matter what, let us continue to help one another out as always; PEACE . . .

Warm regards,
Libra.

 

[softncool]

Excellent

 

[Libra]

Softncool,

Thank you for the support.

And, to our fellow immigrant, let us just say "you're welcome." My intent was not to make him silent.

Despite the bad rap that immigrants get from the very small number of people in the Western nations, Canadians now have a change in attitude towards immigration.

Canadavisa.com posted the following most recently on June 18, 2007:

"'In contrast with a similar survey done in 1993, the Ipsos-Reid poll suggests that present-day Canadians are more comfortable with granting equal rights and opportunities to recent Canadian immigrants. Nearly two thirds of respondents believe that immigrants should have just as much say in Canada’s future as Canadian-born citizens.

Another recent study pegged Canada as the most positive nation toward new immigrants among a list of eight countries (including Germany, England, Italy, and the United States). Generally, the Canadian population recognizes the value of immigration and is not bogged down, as many of the other eight countries are, with “huge debates about cultures clashing, immigration amnesties, and whether [immigrants] are taking jobs from other people,” explains John Wright of Ipsos-Reid."

Keep the faith everybody. "Oh Canada!" to us all: http://www3.sympatico.ca/goweezer/canada/cananthem.htm

Viewer, feel free to click on Canadiana/Menu at the bottom of the above website's page, you will find many links including that to the official government of Canada website, Newcomers to Canada (then click on either English/French), Provinces and Territories (to help you decide where you want to land in Canada), and many other links - have fun!

Congratulations and "Oh Canada!" to those of you who have been approved recently and has either landed or will be landing soon.

Warm regards,
Libra.

 

[Libra]

How Canada Embraces Immigrants

140th Canada Day A Multicultural Celebration [shows how Canada Embraces Immigrants].

Tuesday, 03 July 2007

This weekend's Canada Day [July 1] was a time for Canadians to celebrate the country's ethno-cultural heritage. In the Montreal (Quebec) parade, there were proud contingents of dozens of cultural and ethnic community groups. The Filipino Association of Montreal, the Polish Canadian Congress, and the Irish Heritage Association, were joined by Chinese-Canadians with dragon puppets, Danish-Canadians in Viking hats, and German-Canadians in lederhosen. A Vancouver (British Columbia) park hosted a multicultural performance of Arabic, Indian, and Persian song and dance. St. John's (Newfoundland and Labrador) showcased its Irish community with a presentation of Irish music and dance. Parades, festivities, and ceremonies across the country celebrated Canada's distinct multicultural flavour.

Source: The Montreal Gazette, CBC

Cited from: http://www.canadavisa.com/140th-canada-day-a-multicultural-celebration-070703.html

 

[scottz]

Regarding details of the plumbing trade in Canada, I couldn't say much. As for Australia, where I am now, plumbing tradesmen are in high demand. As business rates, I was recently charged over $100 / hour for a call out.( daytime ) A trade plumber gets about $30/ hour minimum wage. ( pre tax ) I assume that getting your trade recognised would be a pain in the butt in both countries.( but not impossible by any means) The rules in both places would be quite strict against unqualified fly by night types.

Further, geographically, at least, both are isolated from sources of cheap labour as you mention.

Anyway, good luck to you

Scott.