How does US experience translate?

[flblasted]

I'm not sure if this is the proper place to ask this question, so sorry if it's not.

I've been interested in relocating to Canada and working at a CANDU type reactor.  I'm curious as to how US nuclear operator experience translates over to CANDU reactors.  I did 6 years in the Navy as a Nuke ET and have my SRO license at a BWR/4.  I do not have a college degree.  I've talked with some people that have worked with Bruce Power in a training capacity and all I've been able to glean is that training for the equivalent position is quite a bit longer than a US operator licensing program, and that the pay seems to be a bit higher on average.  Other than that the information that I've been able to find has been sparse at best.

Any insight would be greatly appreciated.

[Fermi2]

Cost Of Living and Taxes are significantly higher.

[MacGyver]

Do you know or have you been told about the work visa issues?  The Can'Nuck's are very serious about "undocumented workers", errrr I mean, "illegal migrant workers", errrrr I mean, Americans working in Canada.

Just a heads up if you have not thought about that problem or issue yet.

Talk to StormGoalie about Bruce and working in Canada.  I believe he is an American that works in Canada.  He would be your best resource on this topic.

Direct link to StormGoalies PM box.

[hatrai07]

Been working in Canada for 4 years ( I'm an American).  If you can get past the high taxes and the initial culture shock, its a pretty nice place to live.  Pace of life is much slower and there is definitely less stress and pressure.  Pay is higher but it is offset by the cost of living so its close to a wash.  Getting a work permit is not a slam dunk, can be difficult. The nuclear operator side of life is very similiar to the US  but other work groups is far different

[flblasted]

Thanks for the input folks.  I'm alright with not getting paid as much as I do now so I don't think that will be a big issue but I'll definitely do a little more research on it.  I've been searching for job postings (old and new) for control room operator jobs in Canada to see what kind of experience they are looking for, it doesn't look like an NRC SRO license is going to count for much besides operations experience but I suppose that's to be expected.  Haven't been able to find hardly anything outlining their requirements for control room operator trainees, but I'm sure I'm looking in the wrong places.

It looks like my best bet is to continue working on a degree and give it a shot after that. 

Thanks for the help and the contacts, you've given me good stuff to think about.