Canada vs USA?
Aug 19th 2014, 2:31 am
#46
Dive Bar Drunk
Joined: Nov 2006
Location: Toronto
Posts: 8,649
Re: Canada vs USA?
So I don't want to be the voice of gloom...but what nursing qualification does your wife hold? Nurses might be on the federal skilled worker list but that doesn't indicate that it's easy to nurse here. It's not. I think it's ok to get a job when you have got through the nightmarish red tape and exams here but it's a long process (speaking for Ontario). There are various threads on nursing on this forum which you should read. The easiest province for your wife to get registered in might ultimately decide where you live tbh.
Nurses in no way have the benefits that the nhs offer it's employees. Think one week annual leave and research seniority too... Basically whoever is in line for the next fulltime position gets it, and it's not based on who's best for the job just who's been there the longest.
Sure the NHS is in need of reform but it is still a great healthcare system. I don't think the Canadian one is better than it though. There is a lot of things not available on OHIP here which is probably the way the nhs needs to go...
Edited to add...where do you live which is so aggressive and impolite?
Nurses in no way have the benefits that the nhs offer it's employees. Think one week annual leave and research seniority too... Basically whoever is in line for the next fulltime position gets it, and it's not based on who's best for the job just who's been there the longest.
Sure the NHS is in need of reform but it is still a great healthcare system. I don't think the Canadian one is better than it though. There is a lot of things not available on OHIP here which is probably the way the nhs needs to go...
Edited to add...where do you live which is so aggressive and impolite?
Two voices of gloom!
Aug 19th 2014, 2:59 am
#47
Account Closed
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 0
Re: Canada vs USA?
I miss being in a job with seniority based system. Sucks at first, but once you have some its pretty nice having choice over things. I didn't mind the system at all it was used at the airline. Nice knowing exactly when and how much a raise was, how much vacation you got and when, and so on.
Aug 19th 2014, 3:00 am
#48
Muskoka, Ontario
Joined: Aug 2013
Posts: 3,045
Re: Canada vs USA?
I'm allowed to be gloomy about nursing here
It's still a consideration though. I moaned about nursing back in the UK and didn't realise how protected nurses are, newly qualified and entitled to five weeks plus bank holidays, sick pay, standardised pay, career progression based on skills and relevant experience, a good pension. I worked in a specialised department back home and changed job three times. Each time I rang the employer of the new place I was moving to and got a job. Here 13 yrs of experience will just go down the drain, or I can start at the bottom of the food chain again with one or two weeks annual leave a year if I get the chance to work full time after I've worked as a temp for however long it takes. It's demoralising. Don't know why I'm worrying about that since the registration process takes a ridiculous amount of time anyway!
The nursing grass definitely ain't greener here that's all I'm saying. Lots of people find the trade off worth it for the rest of what Canada has to offer them but I'm not sure I'm one of them.
It's still a consideration though. I moaned about nursing back in the UK and didn't realise how protected nurses are, newly qualified and entitled to five weeks plus bank holidays, sick pay, standardised pay, career progression based on skills and relevant experience, a good pension. I worked in a specialised department back home and changed job three times. Each time I rang the employer of the new place I was moving to and got a job. Here 13 yrs of experience will just go down the drain, or I can start at the bottom of the food chain again with one or two weeks annual leave a year if I get the chance to work full time after I've worked as a temp for however long it takes. It's demoralising. Don't know why I'm worrying about that since the registration process takes a ridiculous amount of time anyway!
The nursing grass definitely ain't greener here that's all I'm saying. Lots of people find the trade off worth it for the rest of what Canada has to offer them but I'm not sure I'm one of them.
Aug 19th 2014, 3:02 am
#49
Muskoka, Ontario
Joined: Aug 2013
Posts: 3,045
Re: Canada vs USA?
I miss being in a job with seniority based system. Sucks at first, but once you have some its pretty nice having choice over things. I didn't mind the system at all it was used at the airline. Nice knowing exactly when and how much a raise was, how much vacation you got and when, and so on.
Aug 19th 2014, 3:04 am
#50
Account Closed
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 0
Re: Canada vs USA?
I'm allowed to be gloomy about nursing here
It's still a consideration though. I moaned about nursing back in the UK and didn't realise how protected nurses are, newly qualified and entitled to five weeks plus bank holidays, sick pay, standardised pay, career progression based on skills and relevant experience, a good pension. I worked in a specialised department back home and changed job three times. Each time I rang the employer of the new place I was moving to and got a job. Here 13 yrs of experience will just go down the drain, or I can start at the bottom of the food chain again with one or two weeks annual leave a year if I get the chance to work full time after I've worked as a temp for however long it takes. It's demoralising. Don't know why I'm worrying about that since the registration process takes a ridiculous amount of time anyway!
The nursing grass definitely ain't greener here that's all I'm saying. Lots of people find the trade off worth it for the rest of what Canada has to offer them but I'm not sure I'm one of them.
It's still a consideration though. I moaned about nursing back in the UK and didn't realise how protected nurses are, newly qualified and entitled to five weeks plus bank holidays, sick pay, standardised pay, career progression based on skills and relevant experience, a good pension. I worked in a specialised department back home and changed job three times. Each time I rang the employer of the new place I was moving to and got a job. Here 13 yrs of experience will just go down the drain, or I can start at the bottom of the food chain again with one or two weeks annual leave a year if I get the chance to work full time after I've worked as a temp for however long it takes. It's demoralising. Don't know why I'm worrying about that since the registration process takes a ridiculous amount of time anyway!
The nursing grass definitely ain't greener here that's all I'm saying. Lots of people find the trade off worth it for the rest of what Canada has to offer them but I'm not sure I'm one of them.
Aug 19th 2014, 3:11 am
#51
Account Closed
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 0
Re: Canada vs USA?
For example when I moved up to operations at the airline, I was not the most senior employee to apply, but I was the most senior qualified employee to apply, but there were several people with a significant amount of seniority compared to me, but they had never spent the time to become qualified in weight and balance on their own time, so even though they had 10 years on me, I got the position since nobody more senior and qualified has applied.
All boils down to what the contract says, and union contracts are negotiated and approved by the employer, so if they disagree with it, they are free to negotiate something more to their liking.
Aug 19th 2014, 3:14 am
#52
Muskoka, Ontario
Joined: Aug 2013
Posts: 3,045
Re: Canada vs USA?
I really don't understand the trade off in vacation time. It was priceless to me....time spent with friends and family/visiting Europe etc etc. My husband fortunately is self employed and can take however much he chooses. I genuinely don't think we would have come if we were limited to a couple of weeks a year.
A Canadian friends husband- in a very high up engineering job who was headhunted was absolutely delighted that they had negotiated a weeks holiday from April through December. The original offer was nothing! I was aghast
Aug 19th 2014, 4:14 am
#53
Forum Regular
Thread Starter
Joined: Nov 2012
Posts: 32
Re: Canada vs USA?
So I don't want to be the voice of gloom...but what nursing qualification does your wife hold? Nurses might be on the federal skilled worker list but that doesn't indicate that it's easy to nurse here. It's not. I think it's ok to get a job when you have got through the nightmarish red tape and exams here but it's a long process (speaking for Ontario). There are various threads on nursing on this forum which you should read. The easiest province for your wife to get registered in might ultimately decide where you live tbh.
Nurses in no way have the benefits that the nhs offer it's employees. Think one week annual leave and research seniority too... Basically whoever is in line for the next fulltime position gets it, and it's not based on who's best for the job just who's been there the longest.
Sure the NHS is in need of reform but it is still a great healthcare system. I don't think the Canadian one is better than it though. There is a lot of things not available on OHIP here which is probably the way the nhs needs to go...
Edited to add...where do you live which is so aggressive and impolite?
Nurses in no way have the benefits that the nhs offer it's employees. Think one week annual leave and research seniority too... Basically whoever is in line for the next fulltime position gets it, and it's not based on who's best for the job just who's been there the longest.
Sure the NHS is in need of reform but it is still a great healthcare system. I don't think the Canadian one is better than it though. There is a lot of things not available on OHIP here which is probably the way the nhs needs to go...
Edited to add...where do you live which is so aggressive and impolite?
Don't want to say where we live as no doubt I will get some abuse from those people that live here.
Aug 19th 2014, 6:00 am
#54
Account Closed
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 0
Re: Canada vs USA?
Oh I know, I suppose I'm just comparing what I was entitled to (6 1/2 weeks) to the future....
I really don't understand the trade off in vacation time. It was priceless to me....time spent with friends and family/visiting Europe etc etc. My husband fortunately is self employed and can take however much he chooses. I genuinely don't think we would have come if we were limited to a couple of weeks a year.
A Canadian friends husband- in a very high up engineering job who was headhunted was absolutely delighted that they had negotiated a weeks holiday from April through December. The original offer was nothing! I was aghast
I really don't understand the trade off in vacation time. It was priceless to me....time spent with friends and family/visiting Europe etc etc. My husband fortunately is self employed and can take however much he chooses. I genuinely don't think we would have come if we were limited to a couple of weeks a year.
A Canadian friends husband- in a very high up engineering job who was headhunted was absolutely delighted that they had negotiated a weeks holiday from April through December. The original offer was nothing! I was aghast
Aug 19th 2014, 11:18 am
#55
SUPER MODERATOR
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 88,021
Re: Canada vs USA?
Given a choice between the UK/US/Canada...the UK would win hands down.
Aug 19th 2014, 12:20 pm
#56
Muskoka, Ontario
Joined: Aug 2013
Posts: 3,045
Re: Canada vs USA?
. How about doing the job you used to love in the UK?I love home, I was never escaping anything to come here. I'm glad I've compared lifestyles- sort of- and I quess if having a boat and a big house were important to me we would stay here, but they're not. Ironically we lived by the sea, and a lot of the things we do here, we could do back home. Tubing/waterskiing/sailing ...I think we'll go home now with a different mindset (the only downside as far as I can see is we will have to go on holiday to Europe for skiing though, not really a downside
)
Aug 19th 2014, 1:58 pm
#57
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Sep 2013
Location: SW Ontario, Canada
Posts: 6,960
Re: Canada vs USA?
Jsmth, since I know your GF has some sort of disability, maybe you could qualify for a sort of carers visa to come to the UK? Or maybe you have UK born grandparents and once you become Canadian you can use your commonwealth (Canadian) passport to apply for ancestry visa... It might work if you wanted to give it a try
You could always check with the folk in the MBTTUK forum, they're very knowledgeable on the visas you can get.
Aug 19th 2014, 2:03 pm
#58
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Sep 2013
Location: SW Ontario, Canada
Posts: 6,960
Re: Canada vs USA?
Oh I know, I suppose I'm just comparing what I was entitled to (6 1/2 weeks) to the future....
I really don't understand the trade off in vacation time. It was priceless to me....time spent with friends and family/visiting Europe etc etc. My husband fortunately is self employed and can take however much he chooses. I genuinely don't think we would have come if we were limited to a couple of weeks a year.
A Canadian friends husband- in a very high up engineering job who was headhunted was absolutely delighted that they had negotiated a weeks holiday from April through December. The original offer was nothing! I was aghast
I really don't understand the trade off in vacation time. It was priceless to me....time spent with friends and family/visiting Europe etc etc. My husband fortunately is self employed and can take however much he chooses. I genuinely don't think we would have come if we were limited to a couple of weeks a year.
A Canadian friends husband- in a very high up engineering job who was headhunted was absolutely delighted that they had negotiated a weeks holiday from April through December. The original offer was nothing! I was aghast
My parents have told me, why can't you just work in Canada and go on vacation to Malta when you can - because 1 weeks hols (if im lucky) isn't enough to do that !! Even if I live in the UK (I've come to grips with the fact that due to the economy I might not exactly be able to live in Malta) I am a lot closer to Malta and with that kind of holidays I could go 3 times a year if I want.
Aug 19th 2014, 2:09 pm
#59
SUPER MODERATOR
Joined: Oct 2007
Location: In a darkened room somewhere.............
Posts: 34,030
Re: Canada vs USA?
Although it might sound silly vacation time is one of my reasons for wanting to move to Europe. 6 and a half weeks!! I now know what to look forward to
My parents have told me, why can't you just work in Canada and go on vacation to Malta when you can - because 1 weeks hols (if im lucky) isn't enough to do that !! Even if I live in the UK (I've come to grips with the fact that due to the economy I might not exactly be able to live in Malta) I am a lot closer to Malta and with that kind of holidays I could go 3 times a year if I want.
My parents have told me, why can't you just work in Canada and go on vacation to Malta when you can - because 1 weeks hols (if im lucky) isn't enough to do that !! Even if I live in the UK (I've come to grips with the fact that due to the economy I might not exactly be able to live in Malta) I am a lot closer to Malta and with that kind of holidays I could go 3 times a year if I want.
But 6.5 weeks as a basic holiday allowance is very generous even for the UK, 5 weeks is about the norm (so 6.5 with public hols). Quite often you'll get more holiday the longer you work somewhere too, my husband gets 6 weeks now because he's earnt an extra week over the years, so approx 7.5 weeks with bank hols.
I'm self-employed, so don't get any paid holiday, but that does have the advantage of being able to take time off whenever I want.
Aug 19th 2014, 2:13 pm
#60
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Aug 2005
Location: South of Calgary
Posts: 13,374
Re: Canada vs USA?
Plus public holidays, so actually around 8 weeks with those included.
But 6.5 weeks as a basic holiday allowance is very generous even for the UK, 5 weeks is about the norm (so 6.5 with public hols). Quite often you'll get more holiday the longer you work somewhere too, my husband gets 6 weeks now because he's earnt an extra week over the years, so approx 7.5 weeks with bank hols.
I'm self-employed, so don't get any paid holiday, but that does have the advantage of being able to take time off whenever I want.
But 6.5 weeks as a basic holiday allowance is very generous even for the UK, 5 weeks is about the norm (so 6.5 with public hols). Quite often you'll get more holiday the longer you work somewhere too, my husband gets 6 weeks now because he's earnt an extra week over the years, so approx 7.5 weeks with bank hols.
I'm self-employed, so don't get any paid holiday, but that does have the advantage of being able to take time off whenever I want.
These sites suggest something different: Top 20 countries for paid vacation
Average vacation days by country
Last edited by Almost Canadian; Aug 19th 2014 at 2:17 pm.