Jobs abroad

Amex88 · 27 Dec 2018

Hi guys,

Hope you are all well. Aint posted on here in long. Hope everyone is having happy holidays.

Just want people's thoughts on jobs abroad.
Specifically train driver jobs? Any idea on what they are like? Job wise salary wise?

I saw an ad in saudi arabia, however it wanted 10 years experience.

Any idea on what or where is good?

Thanks in advanced.

RailUK Forums

Journeyman · 27 Dec 2018

Australia is meant to be good for driving jobs.

Although there's a lot of rail work in the Middle East, I'd avoid places like Saudi/Qatar/Dubai etc like the plague. They really are hellish places to live in, by all accounts. I know people who have done a year or two out there just for the money, but they they all hated it.

choochoochoo · 27 Dec 2018

If you move abroad, how long before your comptencies fully lapse and you need to start out as a trainee back in the uk ? Including going through the assessment process again ?

Amex88 · 27 Dec 2018

Thanks for the reply journeyman.

Yeah I aas looking at dubai. I heard they were paying a lot and tax free obviously.
Australia is aparently a lot of long distance freight. I only want to do it for like 2 to 3 years. What about canada or switzerland? I know in general the swiss pay big bucks! Dont know where to look tbh!

Amex88 · 27 Dec 2018

Choochoo,

I never thought of that. I thought as a driver youd always have that grade.. maybe im wrong i mean i was lead to believe you could go anywhere with this licence.

MostlyHarmless · 27 Dec 2018

Amex88 said:
Thanks for the reply journeyman.

Yeah I aas looking at dubai. I heard they were paying a lot and tax free obviously.
Australia is aparently a lot of long distance freight. I only want to do it for like 2 to 3 years. What about canada or switzerland? I know in general the swiss pay big bucks! Dont know where to look tbh!

I should imagine if you work in Switzerland then you'd need a good grasp of the language... French or German?

Amex88 · 27 Dec 2018

Yeah well I can speak german to an extent. Not french. Far from it. Maybe dubai then. I take it they only require english and not arabic. As that is quite a difficult language tbh.

gazthomas · 27 Dec 2018

Dubai metro is automatic

Amex88 · 27 Dec 2018

Yes the metro is but they recruited a couple years ago for drivers. It was long distance sort of. There has to be an option! Im just thinking of how to check! As ive searched but didnt find anything!

tiptoptaff · 27 Dec 2018

Australia is no longer as you won't get a visa or sponsorship, driving is no longer on their required occupation list.
Canada, your license counts for nothing other than it would help at your interview. Canada/US railroads carry on practices we banned 30years ago such as fly shunting and climbing on and off moving wagons. Everyone starts as a conductor (second man/shunter) and their crews all work 24/7 on call. There is no working pattern. They call, you have to be there within 2hours. Then you may be away for days. I've looked in to it. It won't suit everyone. Certainly not a driver used to fixed rest days.
There is also no sponsorship. You have to be legally able to work in Canada to even have your application progressed beyond the initial sift.

The UK license is not valid everywhere. Its valid in the UK. It's not like shipping or flying where the qualifications and rules are international. Anywhere you go, you will have to start as a trainee and learn their rule book from scratch.

saracen · 27 Dec 2018

Amex88 said:
Hi guys,

I saw an ad in saudi arabia, however it wanted 10 years experience.

Any idea on what or where is good?

Thanks in advanced.

Can I ask where you saw that? I have the relevant experience and looking for a move. Thanks

Heaps92 · 27 Dec 2018

I imagine its valid on Europe as it's a European driving license

tiptoptaff · 27 Dec 2018

Heaps92 said:
I imagine its valid on Europe as it's a European driving license

It isn't. You are not qualified in any other country's rule book. Eurostar drivers sign 3 separate rulebooks. Until they sign them, they're restricted to UK only.

Heaps92 · 28 Dec 2018

tiptoptaff said:
It isn't. You are not qualified in any other country's rule book. Eurostar drivers sign 3 separate rulebooks. Until they sign them, they're restricted to UK only.

Wow didn't know that! I hear some firms do a driver exchange programme though. Maybe that's how you get your foot in the door abroad

4F89 · 28 Dec 2018

If you don't gain any qualification to drive abroad, what's the point in the EU drivers licence??

choochoochoo · 28 Dec 2018

Does anyone know how long you can go without any driving in the UK before your licence lapses and you go back to square 1 and need to go through psychometrics again.

Gemz91 · 28 Dec 2018

choochoochoo said:
Does anyone know how long you can go without any driving in the UK before your licence lapses and you go back to square 1 and need to go through psychometrics again.

Think its a year. I did ask on here a while ago but not 100% sure on the answer. It was either 6 months or a year, pretty sure it was a year.

ComUtoR · 28 Dec 2018

I think its two years. I know two Drivers who left and came back in just under two years later and didn't do any psychometric testing. There wasn't even any discussion about psychometric testing and just competencies were re-taken and not even fully.

ComUtoR · 28 Dec 2018

If an OPC double failure effectively lasts forever or until they get refreshed and everyone's lives are reset. Does the logic then follow that a pass lasts forever too ? I know competency expires but I can't find anything about psychometric testing expiring. Gonna need to dig deeper into the standards catalogue

choochoochoo · 28 Dec 2018

On a side note, I've heard if your licence lapses and you need to start afresh, any SOL incidents on your record also lapse and you start again with a completely clean slate.

Any truth in this myth ?

choochoochoo · 28 Dec 2018

ComUtoR said:
If an OPC double failure effectively lasts forever or until they get refreshed and everyone's lives are reset. Does the logic then follow that a pass lasts forever too ? I know competency expires but I can't find anything about psychometric testing expiring. Gonna need to dig deeper into the standards catalogue

That would be logical. But when has logic ever been used on the railway.

Also i suspect if they change the tests, then your pass resets, just like the fails reset.

baz962 · 28 Dec 2018

ComUtoR said:
If an OPC double failure effectively lasts forever or until they get refreshed and everyone's lives are reset. Does the logic then follow that a pass lasts forever too ? I know competency expires but I can't find anything about psychometric testing expiring. Gonna need to dig deeper into the standards catalogue

I thought it was 5 year's , or less if a toc decides.

ComUtoR · 28 Dec 2018

choochoochoo said:
On a side note, I've heard if your licence lapses and you need to start afresh, any SOL incidents on your record also lapse and you start again with a completely clean slate.

Any truth in this myth ?

None whatsoever. (at least that i know of) I just checked mine and its got a 10yr lifespan. The old ones had 20yrs. As I mentioned, competencies are what is of the utmost importance.

baz962 said:
I thought it was 5 year's , or less if a toc decides.

What is the policy for previously passed candidates?
Previously passed candidates should not have to sit the assessment process again provided that their prospective employer judges that their results are still valid

Quote taken from the standards catalogue.

baz962 · 28 Dec 2018

ComUtoR said:
None whatsoever. (at least that i know of) I just checked mine and its got a 10yr lifespan. The old ones had 20yrs. As I mentioned, competencies are what is of the utmost importance.

Quote taken from the standards catalogue.

I thought the conversation was alluding to passed psychometric but not in employment , i.e if you pass but then don't get employed , you have five year's to get a job or re take them .

Greaseball3220 · 28 Dec 2018

I know it's a small network with only one major city by UK metrics but Irish Rail takes nepotism to unheard of levels, it wouldn't shock me they required DNA tests.

whoosh · 29 Dec 2018

Jimathy said:
If you don't gain any qualification to drive abroad, what's the point in the EU drivers licence??

Bureaucracy.

ComUtoR · 29 Dec 2018

Jimathy said:
If you don't gain any qualification to drive abroad, what's the point in the EU drivers licence??

whoosh said:
Bureaucracy.

Standardization.

Shaw S Hunter · 29 Dec 2018

Jimathy said:
If you don't gain any qualification to drive abroad, what's the point in the EU drivers licence??

While the other somewhat cynical replies to this query are understandable the real reason was to harmonise cross-border operational protocols across the EU, a working example of the single market in action. But since cross-border rail operations involving the UK are so limited, and also involve the specialised environment of Eurotunnel, the relevance of the EU licence was always going to be minimal here. Streamlining the bureaucracy was the benefit rather than trying to establish a universal qualification.

4F89 · 29 Dec 2018

Shaw S Hunter said:
While the other somewhat cynical replies to this query are understandable the real reason was to harmonise cross-border operational protocols across the EU, a working example of the single market in action. But since cross-border rail operations involving the UK are so limited, and also involve the specialised environment of Eurotunnel, the relevance of the EU licence was always going to be minimal here. Streamlining the bureaucracy was the benefit rather than trying to establish a universal qualification.

So no point then.... Typical EU

Simon11 · 29 Dec 2018

I work for National Express over in the US and there are so many hurdles with trying to find and get any type of job.

Places in the middle East arent great places to work in and it requires a lot of dedication.

Jobs abroad

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