Alberta Jobs

[Chuck U. Farlie]

I have seen a few people mention on this site, likely exaggerated, that wages are excellent in Alberta these days.... that even fast food workers are getting $15/hour, for example.

What is the true picture for employment out there?

Looking on the Canada Job Bank I noticed that truck driving jobs, for example, are paying roughly the same as here - about $20 per hour for local Class 1 (AZ drivers).

Also, tell me about housing. I am hearing rumours here that people are going out there for work, but can't even find a place to sleep - they end up sleeping in their cars. Is this so?

I was briefly considering looking for work in Alberta as it's booming and I should be going to where the money is at this stage in my life. I have a MSc in GIS/Remote Sensing, and failing work in that field I have an AZ (Class 1) license to fall back on. I would also be willing to learn aspects of oil-rigging as that would open up lucrative work in other parts of the world, and I love to travel.

Any suggestions or ideas from you Alberta nationals? Hopefully you don't say 'just stay in Ontario and leave us alone' . Oh yeah, and if any one has a good job to offer me, PM me with the offer!

[kimmy]

I have seen a few people mention on this site, likely exaggerated, that wages are excellent in Alberta these days.... that even fast food workers are getting $15/hour, for example.

Somewhat true. When people with no education or experience can earn lots of money at construction sites and oil rigs, the service industry has had to raise wages to attract workers. It's not much of an exaggeration to say that every restaurant in Edmonton has a "Now hiring!" sign out front. Same with retail. The kinds of places that used to expect lots of young people to come looking for their first jobs have been having a hard time. A number of places are offering benefits for the kind of positions that never used to come with benefits. Some places even offer incentives (like, earn a $1000 bonus if you work 1000 hours there.)

What is the true picture for employment out there?

Looking on the Canada Job Bank I noticed that truck driving jobs, for example, are paying roughly the same as here - about $20 per hour for local Class 1 (AZ drivers).

Also, tell me about housing. I am hearing rumours here that people are going out there for work, but can't even find a place to sleep - they end up sleeping in their cars. Is this so?

unfortunately, yes. Rents have gone up, and housing is scarce right now. A couple of months ago, while out walking, I stumbled upon a little campsite, hidden in the shrubs alongside a busy intersection. And this wasn't like downtown or river valley or the usual places you might expect to find homeless people, this was on Edmonton's southside, close by expensive homes and near to a large retail and industrial area.

I was briefly considering looking for work in Alberta as it's booming and I should be going to where the money is at this stage in my life. I have a MSc in GIS/Remote Sensing, and failing work in that field I have an AZ (Class 1) license to fall back on. I would also be willing to learn aspects of oil-rigging as that would open up lucrative work in other parts of the world, and I love to travel.

With your qualifications, you should be able to make a lot of money in either of those fields, I would think. I don't know what Geographical Information Systems is, but it sounds like something oil companies would pay lots of money for. And I believe Class 1 drivers are in high demand right now. I expect you'd be able to find a job that pays good money, but be aware that there's a bit of a housing crunch right now and that it's not easy to find or cheap to afford.

-k

[theloniusfleabag]

Dear Chuck U. Farlie,

As kimmy states,

Some places even offer incentives (like, earn a $1000 bonus if you work 1000 hours there.)

I saw this very sign on a Burger King drive-thru window in Calgary about 3 weeks ago. There is also a Fried chicken place (Chicken-On-The-Way, been here since the 50's) that has a sign "Hiring $14/hr cook/cashier"

Construction is booming and projects are behind for lack of labour. There is even an ugly rumour that some liquor stores in Calgary are short of stock because they can't find workers for the Edmonton distribution warehouse !!!

My own business is doing record numbers, we have been established just over 10 yrs (wife and I owned it for the last 3) and we can hardly keep up, we are seriously looking to open a second location, but vacant space is rare as hen's teeth. Good luck with whatever you decide to do. Perhaps bring a motorhome with you.

[guyser]

Thelonious , will you PLEASE drill into our resident agitators head that there is in fact a labour shortage in Canada?

No names are necessary as I am sure you know who I mean.

[FTA Lawyer]

I confirm what others have said already. Almost every service employer in the Province is hiring. You really can't drive down a street in Calgary for more than 2 blocks without seeing a sign soliciting employees.

The local Tim Hortons I go to is open 24hrs. and now has an "Employee Transport Unit" which is just a fancy name painted on their Dodge Caravan which the owner drives around to pick up and drop off employees...just another creative way to keep good help from going elsewhere.

Many fast-food chains are sporadically closing their drive-thru windows (and sometimes even the whole restaurant) because they don't have enough employees.

Even Canada Post recently made the news up in the Edmonton area because they cannot deliver mail regularly on all of their routes. Some people are having to drive to the depot to pick up their own mail or wait for it to come once every week...simply because there aren't enough letter carriers.

On the housing side of things, rental properties are outrageously expensive and virtually impossible to come by. Last number I heard was a 0.6% vacancy rate for Calgary. Purchase prices are insane, although they did level off here for the winter months. The 1800 sqft. house I bought in June for $434,000.00 will now fetch me $460,000.00...but unless I plan to move away from the city, the increase is almost useless as I would have to sink it into another over-priced abode.

If you plan to come out here, my advice is get housing arrangements written into your contract. If you have skills that a company needs badly enough, let them find you a place to live (and they will).

FTA

[jdobbin]

but vacant space is rare as hen's teeth. Good luck with whatever you decide to do. Perhaps bring a motorhome with you.

You just have to peel those chicken lips back to get to those hen's teeth. <heh>

As for the motorhome idea, campgrounds have shut down for the season and there are limits to parking at Wal-Mart.

[fellowtraveller]

I haven't seen any ads for $14/hour at fast food joints in Edmonton, $10-$11 is common. Same for cashiers in stores.

Warehouse work is $13-$19/hour. A tenant is a truck driver, he is making about $22 hour and works about as much as he wants, any time.

Edmonton is a bit different in real estate from Calgary, the average home price is $70k less than Calgary and rents are cheaper too. A very nice, renovated, two bedroom two bath apartment downtown - $1300. Two bed basement suite- $750, utilites included. Four bedroom house in the suburbs, single garage - $1300 plus utilities. Three bed townhouse- $1000 plus utilities.

[geoffrey]

A very nice, renovated, two bedroom two bath apartment downtown - $1300. Two bed basement suite- $750, utilites included. Four bedroom house in the suburbs, single garage - $1300 plus utilities. Three bed townhouse- $1000 plus utilities.

I dream of those kind of prices. My out of downtown (wayyy out of downtown) small little one bedroom runs me a K a month.

Buying a condo once the market bubble is reduced a bit, don't want to be too ripped off. I expect to be looking around $250-300k for one. Pretty ridiculous... When my family first moved here way back, my parents bought a 5 bedroom house in nice neighbourhood for $250k... now I can't even buy my first place, a little condo for that price. Boooo to housing.

[fellowtraveller]

A very nice, renovated, two bedroom two bath apartment downtown - $1300. Two bed basement suite- $750, utilites included. Four bedroom house in the suburbs, single garage - $1300 plus utilities. Three bed townhouse- $1000 plus utilities.

I dream of those kind of prices. My out of downtown (wayyy out of downtown) small little one bedroom runs me a K a month.

Buying a condo once the market bubble is reduced a bit, don't want to be too ripped off. I expect to be looking around $250-300k for one. Pretty ridiculous... When my family first moved here way back, my parents bought a 5 bedroom house in nice neighbourhood for $250k... now I can't even buy my first place, a little condo for that price. Boooo to housing.

Rents have yet to catch up to much higher purchase costs for real estate inEdmonton.

Inevitably they will, and soon.

Which is one reason that Calgary real estate investors are very interested in Edmonton just now.

[Hydraboss]

As for jobs....

Our corporation has transportation services (highway, rig moving, specialty hauling) and we are always looking for clean class 1's. Average rig mover (driver) makes around 85-110k/year, his swampers (the ones that actually want to work) make around 80k.

In the more labour-intensive, oilfield services division we have 18 year old labourers that average about $16/hr, 70 hours a week. It is not uncommon for a labourer in our corp. to make 80-95k. For that money, they are on call 24-7 and work out of town on rig sites. Could be gone three weeks at a time. Any wonder why the majority are single?

The in-town labourers are making the same wage, but only put in 50-70 hours per week (1 1/2 OT after 40hrs). They still make a decent living at 45-65k.

Someone with technical qualifications can make 60k and work banker's hours, or you might be in short supply and nail down 80k for the same work. Check the websites of the major oilfield service companies, and even the oil and gas producers. Everyone is looking for just about every type of employee there is.

Our corp. is looking to hire 3000 people this year alone (2007). That includes everything from branch managers to labourers. The work is there if you want it.

[B. Max]

Looking on the Canada Job Bank I noticed that truck driving jobs, for example, are paying roughly the same as here - about $20 per hour for local Class 1 (AZ drivers).

Any suggestions or ideas from you Alberta nationals? Hopefully you don't say 'just stay in Ontario and leave us alone' . Oh yeah, and if any one has a good job to offer me, PM me with the offer!

You should be able to do better than 20.00 bucks an hour depending on what experience you have in what area. For instance, heavy haul or off road. ect.

[Hydraboss]

Our starting wage for class 1 rig movers (tractor drivers) is $29.00/hr. Picker operators start about $34.00/hr (with a ticket).

[B. Max]

Our starting wage for class 1 rig movers (tractor drivers) is $29.00/hr.

Is that winch truck.

[Hydraboss]

Not 100% sure (I'm not in HR). Those were the only starting wages that I could pull on my computer. The rest of the wages I quoted were from WCB earnings info that I have on my desk. Are you a trucker looking for work? We could use the people.

[B. Max]

Not 100% sure (I'm not in HR). Those were the only starting wages that I could pull on my computer. The rest of the wages I quoted were from WCB earnings info that I have on my desk. Are you a trucker looking for work?

No

We could use the people.

So could we.

[crazymf]

We're starting to think about looking for labor elsewhere in the country as well. Newfoundland perhaps? Or are they all in Fort Mac already?

[geoffrey]

We're starting to think about looking for labor elsewhere in the country as well. Newfoundland perhaps? Or are they all in Fort Mac already?

Yup, pretty much. Alberta is recruiting police from England because we have no one here. If you ever wanted to be a cop, the Calgary Police will pretty much hire you essientially without too much hassle... maybe 2 months turn around until your in training. It's ridiculous.

[jdobbin]

Yup, pretty much. Alberta is recruiting police from England because we have no one here. If you ever wanted to be a cop, the Calgary Police will pretty much hire you essientially without too much hassle... maybe 2 months turn around until your in training. It's ridiculous.

And not just the cops themselves but their families. I think it is great that at least they are getting experienced British bobbies.

It is good opportunity for British to come to Canada and have a job ready for them right away.

[Chuck U. Farlie]

$29/h is not bad at all to start, do you arrange housing too?

I have an AZ and my record is spotless, but I don't have much experience on tractor trailers... almost all of my experience (9 years worth of heavy vehicle experience) has been on straight trucks.

[Jerry J. Fortin]

My personal reccommendation is to start a small business in a small town in Alberta. Forget the big cities, expenses are too high. There are a lot of 2nd floor apartments over retail square footage that can be had for reasonable prices. For instance, in Onoway there is about 800 sq ft of floor space in addition to a one bedroom apartment upstairs for 1750 a month, at least it was there last week. Coffee shops have low overhead and can be profitable with the right management. There is lots of opportunity in Alberta! How about a mobile oil change bsiness that shows up at your residence or place of business for a quick oil and filter change???

Alberta has a great business tax structure and welcomes any and all entrepenuer types, come on down because the price is right.

[geoffrey]

How about a mobile oil change bsiness that shows up at your residence or place of business for a quick oil and filter change???

Do such things exist? That'd be nearly the best thing in the world. Could they do it while I sleep, just leave the car out for them? Wow. Brilliant.

[Hydraboss]

$29/h is not bad at all to start, do you arrange housing too?

I have an AZ and my record is spotless, but I don't have much experience on tractor trailers... almost all of my experience (9 years worth of heavy vehicle experience) has been on straight trucks.

Again, I'm not in HR. That being said I know that the divisions that are looking include specialty (moving those huge modules up to Ft. Mac) with combination units (40+ wheels?), rig moving (tractor-trailer, bed truck (oil lease off road), and oilfield light haul (drillpipe and other small stuff on tractor-trailer). We don't really have any straight truck, but if I had to make a suggestion it would be to check with DHL (ex-Loomis) and Purolater. The guys that do our route say they are desparate for route drivers and they make a damn good living. And they're all body-jobs.

[Figleaf]

The in-town labourers are making the same wage, but only put in 50-70 hours per week (1 1/2 OT after 40hrs). They still make a decent living at 45-65k.

No wonder there's a labor shortage in Alberta. 45K for 50h weeks!? $10-11/hr in restaurants and retail!?

Advisory for businesses in Alberta ... instead of complaining about shortages, you could try competitively effective remuneration.

[geoffrey]

The in-town labourers are making the same wage, but only put in 50-70 hours per week (1 1/2 OT after 40hrs). They still make a decent living at 45-65k.

No wonder there's a labor shortage in Alberta. 45K for 50h weeks!? $10-11/hr in restaurants and retail!?

Advisory for businesses in Alberta ... instead of complaining about shortages, you could try competitively effective remuneration.

Ya, it's called unskilled labour. Get some skills and you'll make a killing in Alberta right now. It's inconceivable for someone to be making under $50k with an in demand skill set. Friends of mine who have been working the rigs for a few years with no schooling or trades are making $100k. I have little sympathy for those that aren't... these people aren't the brightest lights around.

There isn't anyone left here to work, over 80% of our population participates in the workforce (vs. <50% in Newfoundland) and only 3% of them are unemployed... generally signalling just between jobs people. There are no unemployed Albertans.

Where do you suppose we get these people from? Our central government prevents us from hiring out of province workers by providing them with generous compensation to sit on their ass while we suffer.

If Canada was truly a country, there would be a mandatory program where if one area is suffering a labour shortage, those on welfare would be forced to move out and work for a decent wage. We are obviously not a country... as we see it as a Newfie's right to stay in their 'country' while a 'foreign' government struggles with a crisis.

Unemployment in Canada should be criminal right now, it's impacts on others are astounding. Normally I'm all about staying out of others choices, but when it comes to the 4 times the national rate inflation Alberta is facing.... these bums are hurting all of us.

[Figleaf]

Where do you suppose we get these people from? Our central government prevents us from hiring out of province workers by providing them with generous compensation to sit on their ass while we suffer.

"Suffer"???

If Canada was truly a country, there would be a mandatory program where if one area is suffering a labour shortage, those on welfare would be forced to move out and work for a decent wage.

If they could get a decent wage, rather than 45K for 50/hour weeks, maybe they'd come on their own, instead of your suggestion of shipping them like cattle to your labor camps.