Galway recruitment drive offers hundreds of families chance of new life in Canada

By Denise McNamara

A major recruitment drive takes place in Galway next week, seeling at least 200 workers from a wide range of professionals willing to move lock, stock and barrel to Canada.

Jobs in sectors such as healthcare, IT, engineering as well as workers such as long distance truck drivers, panel beaters, vehicle sprayers, welders and plumbers are all on offer at the seminar.Christopher Willis, director of Canadian Visa Specialists, is organising the event after a wave of emigrants moved to Canada in the last two years due to the dramatic downturn in the economy.

Canada has largely escaped the world recession due to its stringent banking regulations. As it is just five hours by plane from home, many Irish are considering it over Australia.

However with recent changes to the criteria for work permits, the easiest and fastest way of getting a visa is by securing a job first, insists Mr Willis.

“There are plenty of opportunities in Canada and we are coming to Ireland armed with plenty of jobs we are eager to fill,” he stated.“Specifically, we are looking for a broad range of health care professionals including nurses and dentists to speech therapists. We are recruiting long haul truck drivers, panel beaters, vehicle sprayers as well as all essential trades including carpenters, welders, plumbers, and electricians. There are also vacancies for chefs and cooks across the hospitality sector.”

Due to a change in the regulations at the end of June, 2010, only applicants with experience in one of 29 listed occupations can apply under the category of ‘Skilled Worker’. That is down from 38 occupations up till then.

For those occupations not on the list, there may be other options, such as securing employment, nomination by a province, family relationships, or under a business programme.

According to Mr Willis, who moved to Canada with his family from Derry in the 70s, Irish people are attracted to the short flight time to Canada - five hours to Canada’s East Coast and nine hours to the West Coast.

The country has low crime levels, excellent health and education services and an overall high quality of life. The cost of living is lower than in Ireland.

A typical salary for a nurse with three years experience is CAN$60,000 (€40,000) and for a truck driver working for a company for two years it is on average CAN$75,000 (€57,000).

For more, read this week's Connacht Tribune.