looking for opportunity

[bc1357]

i was curios and wanted to know if it was possible for an american with only a high school diploma to relocate and find good work in canada. i have good work experience although i hear canada's market has taken a hit along with the rest of the world. even if your economy is good would jobs up there even hire an american? ive always been intrigued by canada and it seems like a welcoming, prosperous country. i have friends who have been there and lived there and they all rave about it. please understand that i dont know much about immigration so bare with me if the question sounds stupid. any responses would be appreciated, thanks. 

[jdwhite21]

I don't think it would be too terrible hard if you could a work permit. I live in Alberta and used to be a supervisor at Tim Horton's. The owner was looking for foreign workers and we actually ended up with an American working for us. He ended up meeting his wife while living here, they applied for permant residence and he is now living here in Canada as a PR. Right now it might be a little more difficult to find a contract because of the poor economy but it also depends on where you are looking..

[bc1357]

ok tru. thats basically what im looking for. im young and dont mind working hard. if i can find work i would love to come up and start a new life. should i wait a while, because i dont have education or training in any thing thats in too much demand right now. i have experience in shipping, recieving, forklift operating, material handling, and logistics. any responses appreciated thanks   

[bc1357]

i dont know if this will help your assessment of my situation but i would prefer to find work in british columbia, particularly around vancouver or victoria. thanks!

[jdwhite21]

Hmm I don't know too much about BC, I live in Alberta.. But I friend of mine actually just moved to Vancouver. She had a contract here in Alberta, quit, and got a new contract over in Vancouver so that she could be with her husband. It depends on what kind of work you are looking for on whether or not you should wait and get more education or not. If you wouldn't mind working in the service industry, you could easily find a job at a fast food place, or a hotel. It all depends on the community that you want to live in  and what businesses in that community have foreign worker programs. I'm sure it wouldn't be too hard to find somewhere in Vancouver or Victoria.

[bc1357]

thanks jd, you've been real helpful. i read that there are a lot of mining, forestry, and oil industries in alberta. if tru, do you know if any of them have programs for foreigners? would most jobs that you know of provide on the job training for me or would i need to have a certification in a mining or oil industry trade.