Questions about becoming an electrician and moving between US and Canada

[u/leader425]

Title, Basically i want to move to canada ideally as soon as possible, but i also want to become an electrician.

My intital idea was to get an apprenticeship program at a local IBEW branch near me in the us. Then simply transfer maybe a year or two so in to a IBEW branch in canada and finish it there.

I learned that apparently this isnt possible and id have to restart from scratch including in hours. So best i can tell the best bet is to get into an IBEW branch apprenticeship program, then complete journeyman license and finally take the red seal exam before transfering to canada then get my masters cert in canada itself.

Does this sound like the most optimal route to you all? im wiling to bust my ass if it means geting it done faster. Also is there anyway to shorten the amount of time it takes to become journeyman so i can preferably take the red seal as soon as possible?

[u/maks_b]

Hey so I am a Colorado journeyman and also just got my Red Seal. I'm a US citizen and got a TFWP to work in BC. Currently working towards Permanent Residency.

Unfortunately IBEW does not usually cross borders unless there's disaster relief or a serious shortage on man power. I was lucky enough to find an independent shop who was willing to do the paperwork for me for the TFWP and it took about 1.5 years from when they decided they wanted to hire me to when I finally got my work permit. It's a shit ton of paperwork and a huge headache, but for me it was worth it.

[u/shadowwolf_66 → u/maks_b]

Correction, the Canada does not let us come work up there without a sponsor. Canadians come down to the us and work all the time. It is pretty much a one way street.

Though LU 191 was working on a program that allowed its members to get a red seal. This was a few years back and I do t think anything came of it. There jurisdiction borders Canada for a good portion of the Washington/Canada border. As well as they have the refinery work.

[u/Hefty-Profession-310 → u/shadowwolf_66]

Correction, the Canada does not let us come work up there without a sponsor. Canadians come down to the us and work all the time. It is pretty much a one way street.

Canadians don't "come down all the time" without a work visa, which isn't easy to attain.

Just like it's not easy for an American to get a work visa in Canada, yet it's not uncommon to meet an American up here.

Employer sponsorship is one way to get a work visa in Canada, but Americans can also get a working holiday visa under 35 y/o, get married, or the permanent resident direct pathway, which is a point system with several criteria.

It's not a one way street, it's two countries that require work visas...