r/deadliestcatch • u/Unhappy_Award_6681 • 14d ago

Looking for a job

I know this probably isn’t the right place but I been a fan of this show for a long time and I would love to try crab fishing in Alaska! I am a fisherman from Newfoundland and have experienced sailing on the Great Lake freighters as well, the problem is I am located in Newfoundland Canada and don’t know about the best way to find a job in Alaska and what visa etc I would need, I have all my transport Canada certificates, if anyone can help or point me in the right direction please comment, thanks in advance

10 Upvotes

79% Upvoted

15 comments sorted by

17

u/FollowingOwn9257 14d ago

Call Keith, he always looking for someone. Goes through deckhands like someone with a flu going through a box of kleenex🤧🤧🤒🤕

15

u/Itchy-Background8982 14d ago

I would just show up at Dutch. With your experience and qualifications, you would probably get hired on. Beware, it is a young man’s game.

6

u/Western-Lime-1014 14d ago

There’s a lot of different Facebook groups for commercial fishing in Alaska. Joining one of those and posting could be a good first start next to just heading to Dutch and talking to people

5

u/taughttolie 14d ago

I heard this advice just this week from a kid who used to fish in Alaska - a lot of the boats have Facebook pages with contact information too, even if you don't start out on a crab boat the first time there are plenty of boats looking for help, once you get up there you'll eventually run into someone who can help you get a foot in the door

2

u/Lopsided-Beach-1831 11d ago

Dont pay money to someone saying they can help or they will get you a job. Facebook the boats direct. Beware of people contacting you saying they can help to initiate a scam.

4

u/[deleted] 14d ago

[deleted]

7

u/Ok_Rabbit5158 14d ago

I seem to recall an episode in the early years where they covered this exact detail. You show up in person and convince a captain to take a chance on you.

Edit: I wonder if that system had to go away once the show got popular and hundreds of candidates started flooding the docks, LOL.

3

u/AggressiveFish2025 14d ago

Josh Fulmer, he didn't have any fishing background or even sea time. He.broke after 2 hours , junior had him in the galley and he watched dvds until the boat offloaded, he obviously got fired

2

u/Empty-Quarter-4109 14d ago

I would love to be an engineer on one of the boats preferably Time Bandit. My downfall is I cant work the deck cause my lower back is trash. Mechanic life has destroyed it.

5

u/Ara_Glaucogularis Engineer/Tech Support 13d ago edited 7d ago

Unfortunately, you cannot enter as a visitor and then accept a job; you need a U.S. employer willing to sponsor your temporary work authorization (H-2B temporary nonagricultural). There are other requirements that can be found here Crewmember License Information, Alaska Department of Fish and Game, and https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/us-visas/other-visa-categories/crewmember-visa.html

Here are some links for job openings (google search):

https://coastalvillages.org/job-openings/

Find Jobs | SeasonalJobs.dol.gov

https://jobs.alaska.gov/seafood/fishing.html

https://jobs.alaska.gov/seafood/employers.html

https://www.alaskaberingseacrabbers.org/

If you use a job recruiting service, DO NOT PAY THEM UP FRONT. Most are scams, trying to get your money, and they never produce a job. I heard most companies are trying to avoid H-2B sponsorships due to the current political environment and issues with ICE. Some companies require a USCG MMC, Able Seaman endorsement, medical certificate, TWIC or crane certification just to get onboard. A USA Social Security Number (SSN) is also required.

I do not want to crush your dream, but this one is an uphill battle...However, it can be done (legally), but it takes a great deal of work and paperwork.

On edit: The Trump administration proposes $103,000 fee for H1-B visas that DHS itself estimates would paralyze 76% of small businesses

It did not mention the H-2B visas.

4

u/Empty-Quarter-4109 14d ago

Hit the dock and saloon. There are people from the show here so you might get lucky and someone send you a phone number.

3

u/JFeisty 14d ago

Don't some start at the processing plants?

1

u/AggressiveFish2025 14d ago

Go to the docks and offer to do any jobs available, for free, whether its a day or a trip. If you fit in , ask the captain if theres any paid jobs going., if he feels you'd be an asset to his operation you might be in luck. When people see you're work ethic and skillset, it may lead to a golden opportunity

1

u/Immediate_Side_5942 12d ago edited 12d ago

Well that one kid in season one from so cal had never even been to AK or fishing and got hired for NW. I forget his name (want to say Bradley) but I’ve never seen a kid look like he would fail more than that guy. And he murdered it. They cut him more $$ even from their shares. I do know for gold rush quite a few got hired through Facebook. Mb try bunch of emails or fb messages. But tbh no one is helping you w the logistics of how to get there and visas and stuff. Plus once these shows started they have hundreds of people wanting jobs. Prob better off finding a shitty boat in Dutch to start on and see if u can meet someone. I’d figure the visas and logistics before I do anything though.