Tell us a little about yourself and family.

My name is Suzie, I am 28 years old, and am living happily in Calgary, Alberta with my Canadian boyfriend Marc. I work in Human Resources for a large National Canadian Sports Retailer, and Marc works for a National Law Firm here in Calgary.

I have dual nationality, as I am British and a New Zealander. I grew up in Wembley (the home of British football!) in North West London, and have been a British expat in a few different countries around the world. Before moving to Calgary, I lived in Australia and then moved to Nova Scotia.

What were your reasons for moving to Canada?

My primary reason for moving to Canada was to live with my Canadian boyfriend. Funnily enough though since I was young I had always wanted to emigrate to either Australia or Canada, and I have now lived in both countries!

Years ago I remember watching a television programme in the UK about a family who moved to Calgary, Alberta. I remember how wonderful it looked with big spacious homes and so much room outside! It’s great that Calgary is so close to the Rocky Mountains. If you love the outdoors, then you will really like living in Calgary.

How long did the emigration process take?

I am still going through the Canadian emigration process. I won’t lie, it has been a long process. It seemed that to apply through the skilled visa route would take literally years, so I tried to apply to live and work in Canada on a working holiday visa. Unfortunately I couldn’t do this as a Brit, as apparently you have to have studied full time in the last 12 months. Luckily for me though I could get in on this programme as a New Zealander (as I have dual nationality), so that is what I did. Since then my employer has applied for a Labour Market Opinion (LMO) for my role, and I am now working here on a temporary work permit. Soon I will apply for permanent residency status here in Canada.

In which Province do you live?

I live in Alberta in the city of Calgary. Alberta has weathered the economic downturn relatively well, and there seem to be plenty of jobs here. I had no problem finding a job in my profession once we moved here.

Calgary is a wonderful city to live in as you are only an hour’s drive away from the incredible Rocky Mountains. It’s a great place to live for anyone who loves the outdoors. It lovely in the summers, but it can get very cold here in the winters getting into the minus thirties for a couple of weeks a year. We do have ‘Chinooks’ that happen here though, which are warm winds that bring a welcome relief to freezing cold temperatures.

In your opinion what are the biggest differences between Canada and the UK? (Perhaps things you were not prepared for or were surprised about)

The biggest different I have found between Canada and the UK is most definitely the weather! The summers are generally warm and sunny, and the winters can be extremely cold! One of the good things though is that the sky is usually blue and is rarely overcast for long periods of time.

One big difference is that everything seems to be relatively new here in Western Canada. In Britain I really took for granted our history. Calgary was only founded in 1875, so it certainly doesn’t have the history that we have in Britain.

I have noticed that there seem to be many big box type warehouse stores here in Canada rather than the high street set-up that we have in the UK. On the plus side there is more variety here, but arguably less character. 

What are the things you enjoy most about living in Canada?

I really enjoy the beautiful landscapes in Canada. I can’t describe how vast the country is, it’s the second largest country in the world after Russia! We have now done two incredible road trips from the East Coast to the West Coast, and the scenery is remarkable. Each province has its own unique landscape and cultural identity, and they almost operate like different countries in some ways.

It’s a great place to live if you like the outdoors. The skiing here is world class and I’m very lucky to live near some of the best ski hills in the world.

I have grown to love hockey which is HUGE here (just like football is in the UK).

I think the thing I like most though, are the Canadian people themselves. I have found them to be very warm and welcoming.

Is there anything that you dislike about living in Canada?

My experience in Canada is a very positive one, so there is not much that I can say I dislike.

Having lived in two different Provinces (Alberta and Nova Scotia), I have found it a bit frustrating that different provinces have different rules. For example in Alberta they will exchange your British driver’s licence, but in Nova Scotia they won’t exchange British licences, and you have to take a written and practical test to get your licence!

I have found that it can be tough to convert your professional qualifications as well. They didn’t recognise my professional qualification in Canada, so I have had to do the Canadian designation here from scratch! I’m sure it varies from profession to profession though.

What do you miss most now you are not living in the UK?

Wispa chocolate bars, fish and chips, Jaffa Cakes, Marks and Spencer, red telephone boxes, talking about the weather!

Seriously though, I really do miss my family and friends back home. It’s great living in a new country, but you will always miss loved ones back home.

How badly, if at all, has homesickness affected you?

Luckily I haven’t been homesick too much since I moved away from the UK. My parents and some friends have visited me since I left, and I have been back to the UK for a visit. Whenever I get homesick I just remember my reasons for moving, and all the great things about my new environment. With cheap long distance calls you are only a phone call away from speaking with loved ones back home.

How easy has it been to find employment?

We have both found it relatively easy to find work here in Alberta, although living in Nova Scotia was another story. Nova Scotia is a beautiful place, but the economy there is very different from Alberta. Alberta certainly isn’t experiencing the boom it was a couple of years ago, but depending on your profession it isn’t too hard to find employment. My boyfriend had a job lined up before we moved to Calgary, and I had a job offer within ten days of moving here!

Has your quality of life improved?

How does the cost of living compare to the UK?

Overall I would say that the cost of living in Canada is less than the UK, but not by a significant amount. Petrol (or gas as they say here) is certainly a lot cheaper over here than in the UK. House prices really vary depending on which city you live in, but generally I find are less than the UK.

In what way does Canada fit into your long term plans?

We have no plans to leave Canada, and I have never looked back since moving here, it was definitely the right decision for me.

In retrospect is there anything you would change?

There is nothing that comes to mind that I would change. I think that we have made the best decisions possible with each situation since moving here. I try to look forward and not back too much.

Are there any final thoughts you would like to share?

Emigrating to a new country is very exciting, but it’s certainly not for everyone. Make sure you do your research before you leave to ensure that you give yourself the best chance and opportunities when you move to your new country. It will certainly take time and a lot of effort on your part to establish a new life and social network in your new country, but it’s worth it in the end. You only live once though, so make the most of it and emigrate if that’s your dream! You can always move home if things don’t go as planned.

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