Bricklaying in Canada

mickob16

I'm hoping to get to Canada in the new year if I can get the visa. I'm a bricklayer with 14 years experience.Can anyone offer any advice about which location I would be likely to get work? I've been looking at Alberta because of the lower cost of living than going to one of the bigger cities. There seems to be work there according to the job sites.

Do my qualifications here count or are there exams that need to be done like electricians have to do?

Is there a better chance of getting work when I get there or should I concentrate on getting work before I go?

Any help is appreciated

kiwijbob

hi, not sure of your age but if you're able to apply for the IEC you should head to 1. alberta 2. saskatchewan 3. newfoundland and in that order. We've a big labour shortage here in alberta and no signs of that slowing up yet, saskatchewan is on the up and up construction wise and lastly I have heard of companies taking every bricklayer they can get for projects in St John's NL as that city is starting to grow rapidly. Basically loads of construction work going, you'll not be left looking for a job for long but your challenge is a visa... can't help you there !! and as far as i know there is no Red Seal for bricklayers, i do stand to be corrected on that one.

mickob16

Thanks Kiwi.Heading to Calgary if I get the visa.Have a job lined up already...actually have a choice of two and they were the first two numbers I rang,which shows how much work there is. You were right,there's no Red Seal for brickies which is handy.

rionn

mickob16 is there a chance you would mail me a number for bricklaying job, I am hoping to move out in Feb and it would be bril if I had a job or contact before I left.. Thanks

mickob16

I literally just looked up job sites and rang any phone numbers listed. I'll find the numbers I rang and send it on to ya.Could be tmw lad

paddyk36

hello, im a bricky goin to canada at the end of january, have 9years experience and trade cert, no work lined up yet but goin to start lookin, jus wonderin what the wages are like or what to expect, goin to vancouver first but maybe on to alberta if its easier to find work, any help much appreciated thanks...

JustRoss23

Hey mate i came across this for bricklayer hourly wages.

Low Wage Average Wage High Wage
Toronto $17 $25 $33
Calgary $18 $35 $39
Winnipeg $18 $25 $33

Was chatting to my brother hes a bricklayer too his friends were in van and the wage can vary really depending on company but 27 dollars per hour up to 40 was what he told me. hope this helps:D

ganger

Merry xmas firstly,,,are there many bricklaying jobs in Alberta..Having just finished up doing some work before xmas which kept the wolf from the door,i havent heard of much stirring after xmas.I have 20 years experience but i never finished apprenticeship as such.Any tips?//

mickob16

ganger wrote: »

Merry xmas firstly,,,are there many bricklaying jobs in Alberta..Having just finished up doing some work before xmas which kept the wolf from the door,i havent heard of much stirring after xmas.I have 20 years experience but i never finished apprenticeship as such.Any tips?//

Happy xmas to yourself. I'm heading to Calgary in two weeks time to see if I can get work. I'm 33 so I'm under the age for the IEC visa. I'd imagine if you've 20 years experience your over the age limit of 35/36 so you'd need to get a LMO from an employer over there. If you don't know what any of that means,google IEC Canada.
Change your CV to a Canadian resume (still not sure myself what the diff is) and send it to BFI constructors. They are a massive company who will be hiring 25 Brickies in the New Year on LMO's. Google "Kijiji" and search for jobs there.
There's loads of work out there for our trade and I've been told the Canadian brickies are not great so they look to employ Irish lads. It's expensive enough out there but the wages are good..and better than earning feck all here.

If your on Facebook,there's a group called Irish in Calgary that is brilliant for asking advice from people already out there.

I'll post back on here and let you know how I get on out there.

ganger

Thanks for that...yep im over 35 nearer to 40

crockholm

Out of curiousity,do they build there all year long or is it more seasonal,tough winters and all that. 33 myself,got my fetac cert 2005, in work and reasonably secure,but I'm casting a jealous eye at Canada.
Herself is a general nurse so I guess she wouldn't have too much trouble getting a start.
Hope they dont lay bricks overhand like they do in chicago,fierce awkward

KEVIN68

Hi all i,m a brickie also , not getting much work and thinking of looking abroad . Does anyone have any info on working in nz ? I believe there is going to be quite a bit of rebuilding in christchurch for the next 10 years . I,ve been a brickie for 25 yrs, served my time but did,nt do final exams as i was working in london at the time and did,nt bother coming back to do exams . Wondering if there is any way around this if going to nz or Canada ?

JustRoss23

Hey kev from what i can see they will be more interested with your experience rather then a cert. like at the end of the day who are they gonna want a lad with a cert who might no feck all. or a lad with many years experience who can work in all conditions .. there is an awful lot of work in Christchurch.. a quick search on the fas website found this job also it is possible to get your experience counted in Canada or NZ and become qualified that way:D



Link to Job in NZ..http://jobseeker.fas.ie/Default.aspx?q=+FdqGoZ/QHGk2vFI6CPDAuO3L4FVNfWa2M3f0JDoy4nGxG2Y2ggzL0mfG2fpqyun9Y7nMQou7tOv9FrK6rffNNkCrCZpz8ToXfeif1ng29SjTo2d6Copz4cL220J2vVqV1IubRrK7a0tKcmuZkR61/aTWN+Vrt92+1vQ358NV106aadFR9muTnlB9XkQ6aI3xulmRSwYE36bebYa+s3aCKJETCaNwQIv++AfLg2/QFGr5RVLCf8ttFPYiEgQlj+GydoAczrZ4CD9P3qMvn8lsNljvcWRd7Ke8SxWxU1FEksmpvudKh4wqGc2DFenS54a1IrjwmLSey/gLEsB67T3ez2V2oBNeZg42JXIhlnZmJBwkiSQoEFlLUHGjLhaYpdANINS3ARkU+Hj3305lkFa9vLD6b9or0z9D6CxOA9cZg4R7bffu6TnYzz+lxXa1WH0q/7ic8tCt7yxznqCHQMJRA==

KEVIN68

Hey , thanks a million for reply , looked that up and sent my cv in so fingers crossed . Worked with a good few kiwis and and found them to be all good lads and sounds like a good country to live in .

JustRoss23

no bods mate my bros a bricklayer too (iam a sparky lol) he done a bit of bricklaying in Auckland when he ran out of money lol. he said it was amazing he went with a few mates and said the south island is very like Ireland where as the north island can get very hot in summer:D pay would be less then Ireland but so is the cost of living so it kinda balances out.:D iam thrown between Christchurch and Canada i got offered a job in Christchurch but the pay was too low 20 dollars an hour :rolleyes: i would want round 30 plus like it costs a lot more to get there .Calgary in Canada is 350 one way where as new zealand one way could be anything from 700-1000 euro:(


Link to new zealand forum on boards..http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/forumdisplay.php?f=916

Lots of constructions workers on there in Christchurch now so they no what the craic is and can help you more then i can sure hop up an owl tread and you will surely get more answers:D

tonyharps23

did you get sorted out over in canada with building work? i am a brickie and i am moving to canada but i have not yet decided on wer excatly wer to go in the country, i have the visa and everything sorted now i want to see if you boys can help me?? wat is the money like etc, i have 14 years experience, the money over in ireland is brutal i cant stick it any longer, thanks

king size mars bar

tonyharps23 wrote: »

did you get sorted out over in canada with building work? i am a brickie and i am moving to canada but i have not yet decided on wer excatly wer to go in the country, i have the visa and everything sorted now i want to see if you boys can help me?? wat is the money like etc, i have 14 years experience, the money over in ireland is brutal i cant stick it any longer, thanks

where did you go about the visa?

tonyharps23

got the visa thru CIC and IEC experiecne canada, they went right and quick when they came out in feb, mine was only processed last week, alot of paper work and police cert and bull**** bu its all sorted now just need to know about wer the best place to go is??

mickob16

I went to Calgary for 2 months. Had a job lined up before i left. The guy I worked for turned out to be a bit of a cowboy, was left waiting for wages into the following weeks so you need to be careful. The Irish in Calgary group on Facebook is brilliant for getting contacts but we found that just going to the pub and talking to people was a great way to find out about work. We were offered jobs every week we were there. If you could get onto a union job you could earn $30+ ph plus benefits but the ave pay seems to be $18-25 ph.

tonyharps23

wer are you now, and wer is the best place in Canada to make money? $18 doesnt sound to good atall. i havnt left home yet so im tryin to find direction if any on were to go?

Hootanany

Its better than nothing?

crockholm

If you gave in your FETAC/FAS bricklaying cert,would that be enough to join the local bricklaying union? Or would there be other papers or anything else required?

mickob16

I'm back home cos I got a job away from construction here. Yeah $18 ph is not great money plus Calgary can be an expensive place but if you're prepared to live outside the city it gets cheaper. Not sure about what's required to join the union over there. I don't think most employers look for papers,it's whether or not you can do the job .I heard St.John's in Newfoundland is booming. Just prepare yourselves for the winter over there cos it's cold like nothing we've ever had here.

Mason55

Masons experienced in block and brick laying. Competitive wages based on initial performance. Must have own transportation. Apprenticeships also considered.
Help drive us into the future. There is lots of work for the right candidates. MUST ALREADY POSSESS VALID WORK PERMIT

Please call: 647-778-2134 for a short telephone interview.
The most capable candidates will be contacted.

depure

hello please i want to apply for bricklayer job any body with any useful site that i can apply for a job thank you