Emigration

[Aivilo]

Bear with me I may waffle on.

I'm a qualified driver in the UK but have hopes/aspirations of emigrating to the states/Canada.

I've done a lot of research and have seen my only avenues for driving work are to do the relevant courses in the states or to get a sponsor and do on the job training.

Is there anything in the UK I can do to better my chances of securing a move overseas?

Any constructive advice is very welcome

 

[boing_uk]

Your best bet would be talking to one of the many emigration companies in the UK - I'm using one for my move south of the equator.

Try these guys as a starting point.

http://www.canadianimmigrationgroup.com/who-choose-canadian-immigration-group.html

Using one of these companies rather than "doing it yourself" makes thinks a lot easier because they know all the hoops you have to go through and when you need to do certain things, such as medicals, CRB checks etc.

 

[Aivilo]

Thanks for the reply.

The main issue is work as skills here don't seem transferable

 

[boing_uk]

It's more often than not a conversion course or skills assessment that you need to do.

For myself, despite all my qualifications and experience here in the UK I will have to prove them all to Engineers Australia and they will have to accredit me themselves, despite my UK accreditations.

It's not really difficult and these emigration companies deal with much of that for you.

 

[Class 345]

If you get a new train drivers licence, I believe blue photo card type, they are valid throughout the EU. Not sure how much use that is for Canada though, but I suppose it's part way there.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[Aivilo]

Yeah I've got my European license for what it's worth.

making a move into freight as I hope this will bode well.

 

[White shadow]

Good luck aivlio, I don't know about transferring driver skills but when I wasted to head across the pond, even with a work sponsor it was so much hassle to go through proceedings for a green card.

In the end I decided it wasn't worth it and stayed in the uk, but I just though I'd mention the issue of visa as although I'm sure you have considered this some people do over look it when applying for jobs they know they could quite easily fill on current skill set alone

 

[Vicpaul]

Yeah it can be an issue. It appears things are easier if you have family in the area, especially if theyre an intergeral part of society

 

[jamess115]

First Group have an American division although i'm unclear if this is trains as well as buses. I'm not sure who you work for but if you were an employee of theirs, I would imagine a secondment to be pretty easy.

 

[White shadow]

James, it was first group I tried to go through. I worked for them as a driver and after a good few years of doing all the favours I could for them I approached them to see if I could transfer to the states.

After a lot of leg work on my part, the gaffers this end gave the ok, however, across the pond it just wasn't going to be allowed. I was quite disappointed as I'd love to live and work in the USA, but for now I will continue to enjoy good old England!

 

[tygar2]

James, it was first group I tried to go through. I worked for them as a driver and after a good few years of doing all the favours I could for them I approached them to see if I could transfer to the states.

After a lot of leg work on my part, the gaffers this end gave the ok, however, across the pond it just wasn't going to be allowed. I was quite disappointed as I'd love to live and work in the USA, but for now I will continue to enjoy good old England!

Interesting thread as it is something I am also wondering about. White shadow, what reason were you given for the refusal by the US side of First Group? I am also a qualified driver and am considering if emigrating to the USA is a possibility job-wise or would my skills be worthless and I'd have to start afresh in a new industry. I recently got married and the wife is an American citizen so am weighing up options. Ideal situation would be me moving but my job prospects seem rather bleak as it seems US railways is a rather closed shop (just like here I guess).

Hope you can provide some insight. Thanks

 

[jamess115]

James, it was first group I tried to go through. I worked for them as a driver and after a good few years of doing all the favours I could for them I approached them to see if I could transfer to the states.

After a lot of leg work on my part, the gaffers this end gave the ok, however, across the pond it just wasn't going to be allowed. I was quite disappointed as I'd love to live and work in the USA, but for now I will continue to enjoy good old England!

Its no secret that its difficult to move to the US. I lived there on temporary education visas and even that was jumping through hoops so I understand. However, if your UK & US employer (in this case, First) has sponsored your move to the US, I am surprised that your application was denied - (unless you previously overstayed on a visa for eg..) All USCIS want to see is that you comply with the regs.

 

[tygar2]

Its no secret that its difficult to move to the US. I lived there on temporary education visas and even that was jumping through hoops so I understand. However, if your UK & US employer (in this case, First) has sponsored your move to the US, I am surprised that your application was denied - (unless you previously overstayed on a visa for eg..) All USCIS want to see is that you comply with the regs.

True, though the way I read his post I took it as First USA were the ones who blocked the move which had been approved by First UK - the reason which I am curious about. I don't think US immigration had anything to do with it. I might be wrong though....

 

[185]

First Group have an American division although i'm unclear if this is trains as well as buses. I'm not sure who you work for but if you were an employee of theirs, I would imagine a secondment to be pretty easy.

FirstGroup America is a bus-only operation.

This is:
Greyhound Coach - and it's sub-brands (Boltbus etc).
First Transit - a school operator.

 

[nick40uk]

I was looking at Germany. Learning German at the moment and wouldn't mind going over there. Have a mate who works for MVG (the Munich transit system) and he's trying to get me to go over.

 

[Beveridges]

Learning another language hard. I could never get a good grasp of German even after 5 years.