alcat2010

So do you by the sounds of it

el_richo

I love living in Canada, i have a great life. I loved living in the UK where we had a great life. I'm more than happy living in either country. Most things that impact everyday life are no better in either country, just different.

What i'm saying is that if i had to put my life on hold for 4 years and spend thousands of pounds to get little improvement, we'd have stayed in the UK. Espcially if we'd have had a family at that time. We were lucky enough to make the move with ease, no hassle, and just the two of us.

Anyhoo, good luck with whatever decision you make. Sometimes the journey is the most exciting part. Sometimes the hardship is worth every drop of sweat. Sometimes.......we don't know what we had until it's gone.

JamesM

Watching "Sons of Anarchy" last night oon DVD. They had an american actor playing some one in the IRA with a very poor irish accent.

I pretty much had to translate word for word for my cradle room mate.

Aviator

You'll find the same if you move. Same shit different bucket. You cannot reasonably contradict others opinions until you have experienced both sides.

Immigrate for the sake of immigrating and to try something different, adventure, you are unlikely to be disappointed.

Immigrate for 'a better life' or 'for the kids' many find it is not much, if any different and wonder why they bothered. I believe these are the majority who go back or want to go back.

Invariably for many, there is a step back for a few years of settling in and adjusting to a new environment. A few years of lower standard of living than they had before, even a perceived (or real) demotion in work or responsibility. Think that jumping off a aeroplane and hitting the ground running, few weeks and we're back to where we were, this is a pipe dream for most.

The ones who succeed are prepared to do whatever it takes, even flip burgers (I have friends who did this). Those coming accepting that possibility have more chance of success.

Even though my immigration took a few weeks not months to process, I had a job to come to (several offers), there was still an adjustment period and frustrations. It took 3 years to feel settled and 10 before we felt like a fixture. I had good jobs, great jobs, fun jobs and well paying jobs, regrettably the fun jobs were not the well paying ones and eventually mu capitalist urges got the better of me and ended up driving bus.

Tony-the-Tigger

Good argument. I suppose that if Canada is right for you, then it should be relatively straight forward to get in. The novelty of your "new life" wears off quick too. Unless you are very fortunate, your work/life balance will also be worse. I believe Nurses and Firefighters get around 8 weeks holiday a year and if your off duty is organised properly, it amounts to substantially more time off. The two of you probably shouldn't be a firefighter and a nurse. You should be an employee of a multi-national company, who wants to relocate your skills and experience along with your family and do all the processing for you, including a handsome salary and relocation package.
Or even have a job like mine. Be a boilermaker or a welder to trade. Canadians love us. They want to be in business or I.T. They don't want to be rolling about in a 40 ton pressure vessel, in 30 degree heat with a Scots guy, a Filipino and a Jamaican!

I also think what El Richo said is spot on about the journey, the preparation being the best part.

el_richo

It's kind of like the process of booking a holiday, in my experience. Lots of choice, new things to see and experience, lots of potential for adventure. Unfortunately both have to end at some point and we just hope the $000's spent on either have been worth it once the routiine of daily life returns.

If we weren't given the opportunities we had, and we didn't have close friends and family in Canada, we'd have made the most of life in the UK, found contentment with what we had, and enjoyed vacations around Canada for years to come (among other places of course).

The moral of the story (that is mentioned often, and above by Aviator) is come for the adventure, come for the change of scenery, but don't come for the better life of for the kids, etc (although specific situations may negate that). The latter sets unrealistic expectations in my opinion and can easily lead to disapointment. You only have to read many threads on here to see that.

As i said, OP, good luck with whatever you decide. Just make sure life doesn't pass you by while you're deciding and enjoy everything positive you have right now

MikeUK

This very true, coming for jobs that Canadians want too, you'll find yourselves at the back of the queue, so you need to stand out from the crowd..

And if you are that good then you should be able to get somebody to do the work and relocate you, if you’re not then stand in line and at the back…

It doesn’t mean you won’t get the job, just that it won’t be easy

Atlantic Xpat

The nurses that I'm related to, don't I believe get 8 weeks off. And when they can schedule that time off directly relates to seniority. I can't speak for firefighters but I think the thread has already touched on the difficulties likely in obtaining a full time firefighters position in the short term.

There have also been a myriad of threads on the paltry amount of vacation that most private and many public sectors workers get in Canada. If you are emigrating to Canada for the "lifestyle", recognise that many weeks of vacation is unlikely to be part of it.

ann m

You're all talking like this is only a Canada issue - small homes stuffed into tiny lots. Have you seen a new UK housing development recently?

http://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-...?premiumA=true

You need a 2000sq ft house in Canada for the kids and all their crap because they will be "in" it for months, and you might only want a tiny "garden" because it's covered in snow for 4-6 months of year and you don't use it. Most people here can barely wander off their deck, let alone walk onto the lawn - they rarely plant anything - pretty, edible or otherwise.

I agree that looking at my neighbours back bedroom from my back bedroom is awful. But for many people, the size of a new decent home with no likely renovations, and no time to garden is their idea of bliss. Your hell is their pay off for easy living. I wouldn't buy something like this, but I can see why people do. But then, my home would be another's idea of hell too!

Tony-the-Tigger

My wife is an RN. She gets 8 weeks holidays a year. On top of this, they are allowed to arrange their off duty in a team of 8. One team member per month takes on the job of arranging the shifts. They work 3 - 12hr shifts per week, so unbelievably, they can make one weeks holiday into two by working Mon to Wed the first week, take the second week off and then work Fri to Sun the following. My brother in law is a firefighter and it seems as though he's never at work! His station is a relatively quiet one and on most night shifts, he gets paid to sleep. He also sides as a taxi driver on a regular basis.

Novocastrian

Should you update your location? Because if it's accurate I assume you're talking about Scotland not Canada?

Atlantic Xpat

That's all very interesting if you are living in Cumbernauld. But if you are the OP and considering moving to Canada it's useful how?

mandymoochops

That is a very good point ann actually, the smaller lots = less upkeep. Most of the time kids will be out in the cul de sac or playing whatever sport or activity they are into.

If I had kids here there is no way on earth I'd have the time to manage this place - nor would I want to. The land would be too much and the house would be too small. To get a decent sized fully finished house on about an acre on the outskirts of somewhere that gives you easy access to work - is super pricey.

Tony-the-Tigger

Yes, we are still in Scotland. For now.

Tony-the-Tigger

The OP lives in Glasgow. He is a firefighter and his wife, a nurse. For some time, they've been trying to emigrate to Canada (4 years I think). Last week though, he posted that they had thrown in the towel (Canada's loss if you remember). They are now saying it's back on. There's been many people on here advising them to re-assess how good or bad they think life in Glasgow really is.

I'm just trying to add something to that.