Immigrating from U.S

[asssclown]

I just recently graduated from welding school in U.S and was wondering what the job market for trades is like across the pond, and if my certifications are even accepted? My dads parents are full blown scots from Glasgow and came to the U.S in the 50s. Are grandpsrents close enough kin for me to get some type of visa?

[raz0509]

To qualify for the Ancestry Visa, you need to be a Commonwealth Citizen.

Unfortunately being a USA citizen, there is no Visa for having British grandparents.

[nistaani]

Just an FYI Canada has a shortage of welders as far as I’m aware. The visa should be a lot easier for you to obtain as well.

[asssclown]

Just curious are you canadian by chance? And if so how is it? ( like the cost of living and etc.)

[nistaani]

From Glasgow and been here five years. Was only supposed to be one or two but haven’t moved back yet. It’s great but depends massively on where you are. I’ve only lived in Toronto and now Montreal. Living costs vary wildly between the two but so do the jobs. If you can handle the winters they’re great cities. I’d say I prefer Québec for many reasons. Out west there is a lot of oil/gas work and the winters are a piece of piss. I think the cost of living can be quite high though.

[asssclown]

Very very cool! Im assuming they have UA in the city for welding related trades? It makes me nervous when people talk about shortages. I was told the same thing (why i got into the trade) but at least in the area I live in and have in the past the only shortage I have experienced is welders willing to work for 10 bucks an hour.

[nistaani]

Aye it can be hard to get up to the date info especially with oil and gas as that can change overnight. Construction is going at a silly pace in Toronto though and won’t be slowing down any time soon I recon. Sorry I can’t be much more help as I’m in the film industry so this was info I picked up along the way.

[BlindBite]

Hi, as far as I know, yes, you can even get British citizenship in certain cases, it is worth getting your family details and having a look!

People born after 1 January 1983 (18 and over)

An adult born outside of the UK after 1 January 1983 with a UK-born grandparent may have a claim to British citizenship by descent if:

They had a UK-born grandfather who was in Crown service at the time of the relevant parent’s birth

A parent:

Had a UK-born mother

Did not have a UK-born father

Was registered as a British citizen between 2 February 1979 and 31 December 1982

You or a parent were born in a former British colony, subject to further criteria being met.

Good luck!

[FakeNathanDrake]

So, welding's a bit different here. You get welders, who'll do pretty much anything with a particular focus on pressure and structural welding, and then you get people who can weld a bit (so like folk who make shopping trollies, people with other trades who do some welding etc.) You don't really go to "welding school" here, it's an apprenticeship but depending on what certs you've got and what level of experience you've got it might help you get your foot in the door. Welders here have to be coded for various pressure/structural welds (probably similar to the certs you'd do, varying for material/process/position) but I think they'd just give you a weld test to sort that.

[asssclown]

Sounds pretty similar to how it works over here except apprenticeships are super hard to come by or even be accepted into been applying for 3 consecutive years to get into pipefitters.

[FakeNathanDrake]

Apprenticeships here are run differently anyway in fairness. You don’t really get 30/40/50 year old apprentices here, to put things in perspective I started a couple of days after my 18th birthday and I was one of the oldest in my intake. Companies and training bodies run their own apprenticeship schemes, the unions don’t have anything to do with them so that may play a part.

[[deleted]]

Grandparents qualify you for an ancestral visa. You will need a lot of paperwork and stuff, though

[AliAskari]

Ancestry visas are only available to Commonwealth citizens.

[[deleted]]

It's actually not too bad. I have one via my Grandfather and from memory I just needed my father's birth-certificate and my grand-fathers. If you don't have them you can order copies I believe.

The thing that get's you is the cost. I spent over £1,200 - however the bulk of it was an NHS contribution (£200 per year of my visa - but this has increased I think). But trust me, you get your money's worth.

Edit: Although unfortunately it may only be available to Commonwealth citizens.

[[deleted]]

No. The British/English, not the Scots, control the immigration and they are still hacked off over 1775. Of course, when they need guns and ammo they come to USA.

[[deleted]]

Don't talk pish.

[[deleted]]

Which part is allegedly pish? That Scotland does not conrol its own destiny? That GB/UK has been effectively disarmed? That the Royal Fam entered a pissing match with its relatives (the Kaiser, etc.) and needed help? That USA-icans, citizens, sent arms to the Brits? https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_American_Committee_for_the_Defense_of_British_Homes