Alberta

[King of Clones]

I am seriously looking at moving to Alberta after the holidays. Plan on heading to Grande Prairie as I heard there are good jobs there and the housing costs are lower than places like Fort McMurray.

Anybody on here with stories of what it is like out there? I found a Grande Prairie 1 bedroom apartment on Kijijij, which is close to a Walmart. For around $625 a month, most utilities included. Is this a good deal? I went close to a Walmart as I will have no car when I first get there and figure the cost of living should be lowest at Walmart.

I have a few bucks saved up for move, along with EI until March to start me off until I find a job. Around $1,600 a month clear coming in on EI. That should keep me alive until I find a job

[Kaz]

Fort St John and Dawson Creek in northern BC are also good.
Lot's of work right now.

A couple of guys from where I work quit and went up to Fort Mac a couple months ago and got jobs right away. They had to do some training, but they didn't have any special skills. I think they stayed with relatives or friends at first. Newfies, so they had a few options.
I've heard they quit their first jobs and have camp jobs now so no rental worries. I was told they're making 11k a month right now, but ....

Also Saskatchewan is humming along.

I'm probably heading up there come spring.

Any special types of work you're looking for?

[Thalo]

Work on your panhandling techniques, as you'll have a lot of competition from other easterners who come over without securing a job ahead of time.

[TrevorK]

Alberta is currently having a very rough time, our unemployment is very high and some companies are pulling back their investment in the oil/gas field. You may want to look at job prospects before coming out here, because they may not be as plentiful as you think.

[Kaz]

Alberta is currently having a very rough time, our unemployment is very high and some companies are pulling back their investment in the oil/gas field. You may want to look at job prospects before coming out here, because they may not be as plentiful as you think.

Some of the big names have pushed there projects back up.
If you're willing to make the rounds in places like Grande Prairie or Fort Mac, you will find work.
Don't be too picky at first.
Get on at A, work until you find something better at B, etc.

Northern BC is very hot, as is Saskatchewan.

Be willing to take your H2S, WHIMIS, TDG and anything else that will help you get on. If the op is on EI, there are also training possibilities there.

[pitz]

Saskatchewan's a disaster apparently.

Potash mines shutting down. Only jobs that exist are relatively low-paid 'service' industry stuff, ie: waiting tables in restaurants, fast food, working in nursing homes.

Saskatchewan is a place where people go to retire and die. Not a place where there's jobs, or a vibrant economy.

[Donomight25]

Jobs?

Southern Ontario.

[blainehamilton]

Yeah, it's service industry jobs that are open right now. Every business has been short staffed over the last 3 years and just now we are starting to see more applicants than jobs.

Bear in mind retail and service industries are hiring right now for the holidays. Unless things make a major turnaround next spring, expect high unemployment numbers thru the end of next year...

My advice is to not hit the road until you have something lined up and confirmed with an employer. Camp jobs are easy to come by - IF you have the certs, tickets, and skills. There are thousands of uncertified and unskilled laborers who are on EI right now, with no employment in sight, save for Wal Mart or McDonalds!

(Ironic you are looking for a place by Wal Mart)

It's going to get worse before it gets better...

[evoviii]

A friend of mine used to do employment placement in Alberta, he's being inundated with unskilled labour applicants. Are you living rent free now? If so better off staying until confirming employment.

Jobs are the last thing to recover in the economy.

[ghostryder]

Saskatchewan's a disaster apparently.

Not a place where there's jobs, or a vibrant economy.

Really? That's news to me.

[BadDrafter]

Work on your panhandling techniques, as you'll have a lot of competition from other easterners who come over without securing a job ahead of time.

[King of Clones]

Jobs like this is what I would be trying for...

http://www.jobbank.gc.ca/dispjb_eng....=50&Student=No

Is this realistic or will they be flooded with applicants?

[speedyforme]

Sounds like Alberta is very sensitive to the economy. Moreso than other provinces?

[BobW]

Jobs like this is what I would be trying for...

http://www.jobbank.gc.ca/dispjb_eng....=50&Student=No

Is this realistic or will they be flooded with applicants?

They will receive hundreds of applications.


Every year I post an ad for some seasonal help for my business. Every other year, I've received 1 or 2 applications. This year I had 120 before I pulled the ad down 2 days after posting. I didn't realize how tight the job market had become.

[TrevorK]

Sounds like Alberta is very sensitive to the economy. Moreso than other provinces?

Alberta is sensitive in the fact that their economy relies solely on natural resources. When demand/prices go down, their economy crumbles. Until Alberta builds up alternative forms of income generation they will forever be stuck in a boom/bust cycle (until the resources go away that is).

I'm sure people in Ontario that work in the manufacturing centres would disagree about Alberta being more sensitive than them; I think the people it affects most are those that come to Alberta for jobs (overseas, the maritimes, etc..). Those are the first to leave.