how it all works in canada

[jjslinkey]

heya lads

Unfortunately i lost my job today. So with things being the way they are here in the Emerald Isle looks like I'm gona have to pack up and move off in to the sunset. So I'm seriously looking at my options in Canada. spoken to a few lads over the past week or two and they have given me a list of qualifications i will need, one lad said if i get over he will organize testing and transfer of qualifications and all that.

So how do things work over the water? also any one got any info on ambutrans or any other companies in Toronto? I was hoping to be able to hold out until January, so I could do the E.M.T course , but bad luck has a funny way of biting you just when think you are getting something sorted. At least i have my Emergency First Responder certificate and years of experience.

P.S here is a list of qualifications they said i will need.

Emergency Medical Responder certificate

Class 4 or 5 driver's license (what vehicles can you drive with these licenses?)

H2S Alive

E.M.T (Handy)

Pretty much got a 12 month working visa, I can apply for a extension/permanency while I'm over.

Is it hard to get these qualifications? I would really appreciate any help at all. Basically I'm up a certain creek with out a paddle..... and there is a hole in the canoe!

[mobey]

You need to pick a province and we can give specifics.

Ontario is probably a dead horse for you. You would have to take thier 2 year PCP program, then good luck finding a job.... if you even get into school.

I think your friend is talking about Ab (based on the class 4 licence)

It will take you about a year and around $5000 to get educated and registered here.

[WolfmanHarris]

Ontario is probably a dead horse for you. You would have to take thier 2 year PCP program, then good luck finding a job.... if you even get into school.

Unfortunately Mobey's pretty bang on, which sucks for you. Ontario has the best Primary Care Paramedic (BLS) education in the country. It's incredibly competetive to get in: there were more than five hundred applications for 45 spots in my PCP class, of those 23 graduated two years later and maybe 50-75% are employed and of those almost everyone is working part-time until they have seniority to move into a full time spot. The flipside though, is that Ontario has a strong, entirely third service EMS system, with excellent education and very very good compensation.

You could always come to Ontario for the PCP schooling and move to Alberta where EMS jobs remain plentiful.

Now you mentioned Ambutrans and Toronto. I'm not sure if you're aware, but the IFT industry in Canada and Ontario in particular is a fucking joke. There are very few "good" IFT companies out there. Most take old retired ambulances and staff them with underpaid PCP students, grads who can't get hired, or first aid trained attendents. You have no medical interaction with the patients you are transporting as they must be stable, non-urgent patients or else they are transported by EMS or ORNGE (air ambulance service). Ambutrans, Ontario Patient Transfer, etc are not EMS, they are just horizontal taxi services. Not that the public can tell the difference half the time. Pay for these companies is usually low, around a third of what I make in EMS and there are usually no benefits.

There are tonnes of Canadians on the board who can help you out from all areas of the country. We've got Mobey and Squint representing Alberta, Happiness holding the fort on BC, ArcticKat on Saskatchewan, umm... I don't who's in Manitoba, I'm in Ontario, screw Quebec , OwleyMedic is out east. Just let us know what else you're looking for.

Cheers,

- Matt

[scott33]

Pretty much got a 12 month working visa, I can apply for a extension/permanency while I'm over.

Then you already must have a job.

As with most other developed countries, the temporary working visa is only issued on the grounds that the applicant already has a job to go to. It is also very restrictive, usually to just one particular job.

Taken from the Canadian Immigration website:

"You can apply for your work permit as soon as you receive written evidence of your job offer or contract of employment or as soon as you receive an HRSDC confirmation. In cases where a HRSDC confirmation is not required, you may apply when you have written evidence of your job offer from your employer."

http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/pdf/kits/guides/5487E.PDF

[jjslinkey]

Then you already must have a job.

I don't have a job secured yet, but I can get a 12 month working Visa (work visa for under 35's, apparently its unique to Ireland) but I've been advised that once I'm in a job I can apply for the PR Visa. The only other option would be to apply direct for the PR, but have a 2 year wait while it all gets sorted.

I'm open to where to go Province-wise, but I guess wherever I could get a job would be a safe bet. Hopefully you guys can help me out a bit.

Thanks for the replies so far.... every bit helps.

Edited September 10, 2009 by jjslinkey

[codeblue]

I would say go back and do an RN degree,or something science related...But that's my opinion/prefrence. Hope all works out for you

regards

[Mateo_1387]

heya lads

Unfortunately i lost my job today. So with things being the way they are here in the Emerald Isle looks like I'm gona have to pack up and move off in to the sunset. ....

Is this the same Emerald Isle off the NC coast? Why move to Canada?

If you are in NC, then why not find a job in one of the other 99 counties?

[jjslinkey]

Is this the same Emerald Isle off the NC coast?

By Emerald Isle I mean Ireland.....

[Mateo_1387]

By Emerald Isle I mean Ireland.....

Ha. Thanks for clearing that up.

[Freaknuggetz_chick]

getting your qualifications in alberta wont be too difficult.

I'd stay away from BC right now, they're striking and have many interesting labour issues going on right now.... hoping that some of the benefits will flow over the border to alberta since the province just took over the majority of services here... and if you are registered in alberta, i believe that can land you a job in saskatchewan....

anyways, there's still a tonne of jobs out here. decide where abouts you want to live/start... then start looking for schools in the area. edmonton and calgary are the 2 major cities, and both offer many schools in and around them. you will need to start with your EMR - emergency medical responder. if you have an equivalent experience/registration from ireland, check with the Alberta College of Paramedics to see if you are able to challenge the provincial registration. an EMR certificate can get you an industrial job. from there you can make the $$ (if you don't have it saved or it gets all used up in the move) to then go and do your EMT-A. with emt certification you can then get an ambulance job from some of the many places that are still hiring. http://www.collegeofparamedics.org/pages/home/default.aspx is the governing college website here, should be helpful for you. there's also a page just on job advertisement.