British REME Warrant Officer Class 1 hoping to enlist - any advice?

[British Army]

Keep in constant contact with everyone you have spoken to. CFRG is notorious for lollygagging on issues that are "abnormal".
The Canadian High Commission will be you're best bet is suspect. If you haven't been there yet have a look at www.canada.gc.ca. It is be no means extensive in detail, but might answer some questions you may not have thought of.
It can be frustrating at times but bear with it. I think the payoff for you will be worth it.
Best of luck to you.

Your advice has been duly noted and actioned  .

I managed to get hold of the contact details of the MWO conductiong my PLAR. My file was received last week by DAT and the PLAR began on Monday. Not sure how long it takes though?  For those who are interested, it's been just over 3-months since I emailed in my initial application.

The fingers are still firmly crossed. 

 

[combatbuddha]

I'll cross mine too. I hope this works out for you.

 

[British Army]

As the old saying goes.........'if in doubt, ask!'

I'd like to canvass your opinions on which of the following 3 units you would choose to be assigned at if given the choice - it would be from the perspective of a Sgt, Vehicle Technician (VT).  :-\

A preferred order, i.e 3-1-2 with some form of explanation (the good/bad etc) would be really appreciated.

The choices are:

1. Cold Lake
2. Wainwright
3. Borden

Many thanks 

P.S. Try to resist the temptation to stitch me up like a kipper....lol  ;D

 

[AmmoTech90]

2. Wainwright- Much larger now than when I was posted there, that's sortof a plus as you have more choice when shopping.  Of course housing prices have gone through the roof.  Maint was good place to work, but they were no where as busy as they should be now with CMTC there.  Good lifestyle in the town, if you get involved, lots of good people in the area.

3. Borden- Big base, but no field activity, very much focused around supporting schools.  If you go to CFSEME, you will be at a school, from my recent experience Brit schools and CF schools can come with the same mindset which is not always positive.  My experience was with Artisan Coy, and then Veh & Explosives Coy, but seeing as we were the red headed stepchildren we were pretty much ignored, but I did see some silly stuff at CFSEME.  The area surrounding is nice, lots of outdoors stuff, more variety than Wainwright in the land surrounding.  Toronto is only 45 minutes away on a good day.  Prices once again for houses aren't cheap, but not silly like Cold Lake.

1. Cold Lake- Haven't been posted there, but have visited and my wife was posted there for three years.  Nice place if you like woods, camping, fishing, hunting, and mosquitos.  3 hour drive to Edmonton, last time I check (a year ago) house prices were through the roof, don't know if the recession has quieted this down.  Due to isolation, and prices I would put this third, but I have never worked on the base proper.

 

[British Army]

I'll cross mine too. I hope this works out for you.

Sent you a couple of PMs - not sure if you got them?

 

[combatbuddha]

Sorry about that. Been busy getting my post move poop in a group. Go to work at CFSEME on Wednesday for 3 days, and then off for some summer leave. Will be in touch soon.

 

[British Army]

Time for an update as it's been a good couple of weeks for me. After nearly 3-months wait I've now heard back from CiC in Sydney, NS with reference to my initial application for Permanent Residency (PR). I've been given the thumbs up and I now have 120-days to send all my paperwork through to the Canadian High Commission in London for full processing.

Today I got my Offer of Employment and Waiver of Citizenship letters from the CF and also my Arranged Employment Opinion (AEO) letter from HRSDC.  These need to go off to London too and should help the immigration process run a little more smoothly.

So far so good 

 

[Old Sweat]

You have provided a text book example of how to approach a career goal. I sincerely hope we can welcome you to the Great White North soon.

We all love hearing somebody new whinging along with the rest of us the first time a snow plow fillls in the street end of your driveway.

 

[daftandbarmy]

You have provided a text book example of how to approach a career goal. I sincerely hope we can welcome you to the Great White North soon.

We all love hearing somebody new whinging along with the rest of us the first time a snow plow fillls in the street end of your driveway.

Yes, anyone who can successfully negotiate a red ink ocean like that is likely to go far in the CF!

 

[old fart]

If you need any further help....just ask.

Been there done that...I switched over in April 87 after 9 years with the RE.  I am still at it....Reg Force.

Well done...I echo what daftandbarmy has stated.

PM me for my e-mail if needed.

 

[Tiffy Tiny Tanks]

I would like to apply for enlistment into the Canadian Forces (CF) as a Vehicle Technician. I am
43 years old with 21 years military service in the British Army and I am approaching the end of a
full career in the field of Mechanical Engineering. I am about to finish my final appointment, at the highest non-commissioned rank of Warrant Officer Class 1 Artificer Sergeant Major (WO1 ASM). Upon completion of my service in the British Army, I wish to enlistment into the Electrical and Mechanical Engineering Branch of the Canadian Forces, either as a Vehicle Technician, or alternatively as a commissioned officer.
I have enjoyed a successful military career and would very much like to continue as a member of
the CF. I am pursuing the Federal Skilled Worker (Professional) route as a Heavy-Duty Equipment
Mechanic/Engineering Manager.
I have commanded an armoured fighting Vehicle (AFV) on operations in Bosnia and Kosovo. On promotion to a Senior Non Commissioned Officer,I was selected and completed Artificer Training - a fast-track system that I understand is similar to your Advanced MOC Training at the Supervisor and Manager level. The Artificer Course itself is a fulltime 18-month long academic course. I was awarded a BTEC Higher National Diploma (HND) in Mechanical Engineering and a City & Guilds Membership in Leadership & Management (MCGI) - equivalent to the completion of a three-year post-secondary diploma according to IQAS. I am also Incorporated Engineer (IEng) registered with the British Engineering Council (BEC). The BEC has a reciprocal agreement with the Canadian Council of Professional Engineers (CCPE – Washington Accord) and the Canadian Council of Technicians and Technologists (CCTT- Sydney Accord).
To the latter end of my career I have specialised in the field of Production and Operations Manager for the Household Cavalry Regiment based in Windsor England, where I have worked primarily in the area of providing Equipment Support (ES) to the regiment on operational and exercise deployments. - working on various projects related to both wheeled and armoured
tracked vehicles.
My military record is classified as 'exemplary' and I hold the Long Service & Good Conduct
(LS&GC) medal. My annual reports recommend me as an exceptional candidate for
commissioning and this is an option which I would also like to investigate further. I am medically
graded FE, which is the highest level in the British Army. I am fully deployable world-wide and
have served in peacetime in the UK, Germany, Canada, Belize and Kenya on operations in Bosnia, Kosovo and Iraq.
I hope the information I have provided will enable you to make an informed decision and that my
credentials will meet with your approval. I believe that I have valuable experience and skills to
offer and that employment within your forces would be mutually beneficial. I am aware that I would
need to be a Canadian Citizen or a Canadian Permanent Resident in order to enlist and I have
already taken steps towards this, and I am hoping to obtain my PR visa status within the next eight months. I
I need help as i do not know how to proceed with my application.
Can anyone help?


Tom

 

[British Army]

I would like to apply for enlistment into the Canadian Forces (CF) as a Vehicle Technician. I am
43 years old with 21 years military service in the British Army and I am approaching the end of a
full career in the field of Mechanical Engineering. I am about to finish my final appointment, at the highest non-commissioned rank of Warrant Officer Class 1 Artificer Sergeant Major (WO1 ASM). Upon completion of my service in the British Army, I wish to enlistment into the Electrical and Mechanical Engineering Branch of the Canadian Forces, either as a Vehicle Technician, or alternatively as a commissioned officer.
I have enjoyed a successful military career and would very much like to continue as a member of
the CF. I am pursuing the Federal Skilled Worker (Professional) route as a Heavy-Duty Equipment
Mechanic/Engineering Manager.
I have commanded an armoured fighting Vehicle (AFV) on operations in Bosnia and Kosovo. On promotion to a Senior Non Commissioned Officer,I was selected and completed Artificer Training - a fast-track system that I understand is similar to your Advanced MOC Training at the Supervisor and Manager level. The Artificer Course itself is a fulltime 18-month long academic course. I was awarded a BTEC Higher National Diploma (HND) in Mechanical Engineering and a City & Guilds Membership in Leadership & Management (MCGI) - equivalent to the completion of a three-year post-secondary diploma according to IQAS. I am also Incorporated Engineer (IEng) registered with the British Engineering Council (BEC). The BEC has a reciprocal agreement with the Canadian Council of Professional Engineers (CCPE – Washington Accord) and the Canadian Council of Technicians and Technologists (CCTT- Sydney Accord).
To the latter end of my career I have specialised in the field of Production and Operations Manager for the Household Cavalry Regiment based in Windsor England, where I have worked primarily in the area of providing Equipment Support (ES) to the regiment on operational and exercise deployments. - working on various projects related to both wheeled and armoured
tracked vehicles.
My military record is classified as 'exemplary' and I hold the Long Service & Good Conduct
(LS&GC) medal. My annual reports recommend me as an exceptional candidate for
commissioning and this is an option which I would also like to investigate further. I am medically
graded FE, which is the highest level in the British Army. I am fully deployable world-wide and
have served in peacetime in the UK, Germany, Canada, Belize and Kenya on operations in Bosnia, Kosovo and Iraq.
I hope the information I have provided will enable you to make an informed decision and that my
credentials will meet with your approval. I believe that I have valuable experience and skills to
offer and that employment within your forces would be mutually beneficial. I am aware that I would
need to be a Canadian Citizen or a Canadian Permanent Resident in order to enlist and I have
already taken steps towards this, and I am hoping to obtain my PR visa status within the next eight months. I
I need help as i do not know how to proceed with my application.
Can anyone help?


Tom

I'm sure I've read that before somewhere....lol - It would go well in a covering letter 

 

[British Army]

Greetings all

It's been a while and things have moved on so I thought I'd update this thread for anyone that's been following it, or who's hoping to do a similar move in the future.

The major prerequisite to my enrolment into the CF is being granted Permanent Residency (PR) status. To that end, our PR application's been an interesting journey, which was going smoothly until the medicals, following which Citizenship & Immigration Canada (CiC) decided to take 2-months to send me a letter saying I needed a TB test. With the TB tests out of the way (all clear) I then waited another 3-months before another letter turned up saying that my daughter was likely to be an 'excessive demand' on Canadian society because she has Asperger's Syndrome and may need some help at school. We then had 60-days to put together a mitigating plan on how we would offset (by basically covering the costs ourself) the demand. The plan went in to the Canadian High Commission (CHC) London 2-months ago.

It was a massive relief yesterday to get a phone call from CHC saying that our plan had been accepted and our PR has finally been approved. At least that's one huge obstacle out of the way; it's taken 469-days and roughly $4,000 but it's been worth it. 

Meanwhile, the CF application has been simmering away for the last year waiting for me to near the end of my service here. It's amazing how much the fortunes of the CF has turned around in the last 12-months. When I was given my offer of employment I was advised that the CF would fly me out to do my enrolment tests and later they would move my family too once I'd enrolled. Unfortunately, full manning and good retention means us foreigners are no longer a desirable option (we cost to much) and I'm actually lucky I've still got an open job offer. The message that recently came back from my recruiter is that I'll be one of the last of the foreigners coming through for the foreseeable future. The upshot is there's no longer an offer to pay my travel costs to Canada and if I want to proceed with my enrolment I need to fund the travel myself. To be honest I look on this as a 'what you never had you never lost' situation and I am more than prepared to pay if it means that my enrolment goes through. At the end of the day it's a small price to pay up front for what could be a long term career with good prospects for me and my family.

Anyway, my flights were booked a couple of weeks back and I arrive in Toronto next month to do my enrolment medical, eCFAT and short interview. Hopefully it will be $650 well spent and I'll come away with the necessary ticks in the box. Following that we're planning on making a family recce trip at the end of December to activate our PR visas and look around the Barrie area/property etc. So far so good as they say; it's been a bit of a bumpy ride but we're getting there slowly but surely. 

 

[ModlrMike]

Chin up, mate. Things will work out!

 

[57Chevy]

I couldn't help to notice that Wainwright as your second posting choice.
If it comes to that, you'll just love it there.........we all do......don't we ?  ;D

 

[British Army]

Completed the pre-enrolment tests at the CFRC Toronto today. Turned out to be a bit of a 'Goldilocks' event, i.e. eCFAT (harder than I anticipated), interview (easier than I anticipated) and medical (just as I anticipated) . No major issues apart from some high frequency hearing loss in one ear which I already knew about. I passed with H2 but have to take another hearing test when I get back to the UK to keep the med Capt in Ottawa happy. Hopefully all being rubber stamped, arranging an enrolment date will be the next step 

 

[daftandbarmy]

Completed the pre-enrolment tests at the CFRC Toronto today. Turned out to be a bit of a 'Goldilocks' event, i.e. eCFAT (harder than I anticipated), interview (easier than I anticipated) and medical (just as I anticipated) . No major issues apart from some high frequency hearing loss in one ear which I already knew about. I passed with H2 but have to take another hearing test when I get back to the UK to keep the med Capt in Ottawa happy. Hopefully all being rubber stamped, arranging an enrolment date will be the next step 

Well done. Something to look forward to: every day is Shrove Tuesday in a Canadian breakfast line up, and it's warmer inside than outside in the winter time!

 

[Pusser]

Unfortunately, full manning and good retention means us foreigners are no longer a desirable option (we cost to much) and I'm actually lucky I've still got an open job offer. The message that recently came back from my recruiter is that I'll be one of the last of the foreigners coming through for the foreseeable future. The upshot is there's no longer an offer to pay my travel costs to Canada and if I want to proceed with my enrolment I need to fund the travel myself.

I'm glad things are working out for you, but I should point out that the Recruiting system should never have told you or implied that your travel costs to Canada were going to be covered.  That has never been authorized and the Recruiting system has had its knuckles rapped for making such promises.

 

[brandon_]

Glad to hear things are going for you, keep us informed on your journey!
Cheers, and good luck mate.

 

[British Army]

I'm glad things are working out for you, but I should point out that the Recruiting system should never have told you or implied that your travel costs to Canada were going to be covered.  That has never been authorized and the Recruiting system has had its knuckles rapped for making such promises.

There was definitely a limited period when travel costs were covered and I have a number of ex-foreign military friends who benefitted and had their costs covered (whether that contravened the rules I couldn’t comment).  When I applied to the CF back in March 2010 the facility was still available, however, around 6-months later I received a phone call from my recruiting Captain explaining that the CF legislative department had deemed the practise unfair and the offer was withdrawn.