Some advice after 2 years in Canada
Oct 28th 2008, 6:24 pm
#31
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Jan 2008
Location: Now back in Edinburgh
Posts: 1,155
Re: Some advice after 2 years in Canada
Hi
Just read over this again and it is good to hear people saying that it worked for them. It gives good advice about credit and touches on the reality that if your close to your home town/life style then this is a complete lifestyle change and the normal things you are used to wont be there!
Just wondering how Hairy Snotter picked his name
and it being mostly a Scottish slang word if others understood its meaning
Just read over this again and it is good to hear people saying that it worked for them. It gives good advice about credit and touches on the reality that if your close to your home town/life style then this is a complete lifestyle change and the normal things you are used to wont be there!
Just wondering how Hairy Snotter picked his name
and it being mostly a Scottish slang word if others understood its meaning
Oct 28th 2008, 6:26 pm
#32
Account Closed
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 7,284
Re: Some advice after 2 years in Canada
So again, good for you, well done, but don't look down on those who haven't had your success. Those people aren't failures, they work hard and struggle and some have to cut their losses and go home.
Oct 28th 2008, 6:30 pm
#33
Happy in NB
Joined: Sep 2005
Location: Island View, New Brunswick
Posts: 2,020
Re: Some advice after 2 years in Canada
Hi Indi glad to here you stuck it out we decided that we would give it a year no matter how it went. But it only took us a month to get every thing in place (kids in school, jobs, house, car).We did not have loads of cash just loads of enthusiasm and drive after all it took two years to get here nothing was going to stop us once we landed 
I can hear them now "Oh you will be back within the year", "You must be crazy to give up a good job", etc....
I had already heard it in 1980's when I left the Army and those who didn't have the dangly bits to leave and face the world, were all declaring we would end up homeless, jobless and rejoining the Army... see a pattern here?
Oct 28th 2008, 6:32 pm
#34
Forum Regular
Joined: Sep 2007
Location: Wolverhampton, but not forever!!!
Posts: 196
Re: Some advice after 2 years in Canada
Hi all I have been one of those guys that has sat reading this forum from the day me and my family decided Canada was the place we wanted to call home ,that was over four years ago. I never posted or joined as I got most of my answers from previous posts and a few holidays we took to Canada. This forum is an absolute gold mine of information and peoples own experiences bad and good.
We (myself wife and two kids) have now lived just outside of Oshawa for a year now (we rented near Ajax for the first year) and Canada has become every thing and more that we all wanted it to be. I now feel that I can pass on some information to all you guys wanting to move from the UK to start a new life. Because it is a new life you are leaving that street you walk down every day, the neighbors you speak to every day, the family that is always there, the city village or town you lived most of your life all the familiar things that you take for granted every day . So do you still want to move to a new Country? If the answer is yes read on and I hope you do.
We are earning less than we earned in the UK but our quality of life is far superior to that in Glasgow. We could not afford to buy the house we wanted in a good area of Glasgow, we now have a detached house in a very quite subdivision. Our two kids are doing extremely well at school our oldest even has a well paid part time job. We did not bring a substantial amount of money with us (enough to rent for a couple of years if it was necessary) as we where the average lower middle class UK family. We both got full time jobs within the first week of posting our CVs, so that meant our savings could now go to a down payment for a house. So we decided to keep renting for the first year then buy a house the second year.
We used Abrams & Krochak yes I know you can do it yourself but we felt it would be better to let them have any headaches than us and the price was incredible (I had approached an English based specialist and she wanted three times the money and she gave us bad advice).You must come out on Holiday a few times as the place is so vast and you can get a feel for it. You have no credit history when you land in Canada no matter what any one tells you, I guess there will be some on this site that will beg to differ. That also goes for car insurance some insurance companies will ask for a letter from your old insurance company in the UK bring it anyway but it will make virtually no difference to your premium (you are effectively a new driver in the eyes of the insurance companies) .So get yourself store cards and even a preloaded credit card as soon as you open your bank account as this starts to work in your favor providing you pay it of monthly.
There is plenty of work out here as long as you are willing and able to take any thing on at first. Our telephone, internet and TV bill is the same amount we paid to telewest, electricity and gas are slightly cheaper and we have a much bigger house than in the UK. Our weekly grocery bill is cheaper as is our petrol bill. We pay for water in Canada and that works out around sixty five quid a quarter (and we have a swimming pool and three bathrooms) our property tax is the same as we paid in the UK for a two bedroom semi in Glasgow. So when every thing adds up we are not much better of financially but we never moved here to be better of financially we moved mainly for the kids, better weather, more opportunities, cleaner environment, spectacular county side, incredible wild life and a country that seems to know how to treat its tax paying workforce right (you get every opportunity to claim your tax back at the end of each year).Me and the wife still get what we call that Canada moment when you’re sitting in the car, store, work or watching the kids play street hockey and you suddenly think god I am in Canada its a great feeling. It was worth all the hassle and sleepless nights to get here and that’s after being here two years.
So quick recap decide you want to do it, do your home work and read this forum
It mite be for you it mite not, but you are the only one that can make that decision.
There is a huge expat community stretching from Ajax, whitby, Oshawa, Bowmanville and I better not forget Port Hope and the ones that are reading this (you guys know who you are) will help you out especially if you move to this area they all have there own stories to tell and have valuable advice for the new family on the block
We all get together now and again for a drink or a BBQ and new faces are always welcome. One thing I will say if you are coming to Canada and expect to get a huge house and a great job with a wallet busting salary and retire at 50 Canada is probably not the place for you .In our experience the ones that don’t make it are the ones who come over without doing adequate homework, or will not just take any job it has to be that very special $180,000 a year job that gives them 6 weeks paid vacation and the company Ferrari. There are loads of them just ask the next flying pig you see to point you in the direction of the $150,000+ job centre. (Canadian employers love this phrase you will here it a lot Canadian experience) So take that job it will get you the Canadian experience and you can move on from there. Canada does have its bad points but the good ones far out way them.
This is our experience and I don’t wish to get into any he said you said garbage that inevitably follows some ones opinion in forums. So be four you decide well I gave my letter to the insurance company and it made a huge impact to my premium, my grocery bill has tripled, my kids hate school, the weather was garbage this summer (ok I will give you that), Canadians cant drive, I never get my tax money back, they don’t recognize my qualifications, I cant get bisto, the washing powder is crap, I am getting withdrawals from eastenders. Like I said this is our experience not yours and yes like I also said we all have different stories to tell. Hope this helps some one, and if you want to know anything and I can help just ask. And for the argumentative ones out there think be four you start to rip people to shreds or shoot there post down in flames ok
We (myself wife and two kids) have now lived just outside of Oshawa for a year now (we rented near Ajax for the first year) and Canada has become every thing and more that we all wanted it to be. I now feel that I can pass on some information to all you guys wanting to move from the UK to start a new life. Because it is a new life you are leaving that street you walk down every day, the neighbors you speak to every day, the family that is always there, the city village or town you lived most of your life all the familiar things that you take for granted every day . So do you still want to move to a new Country? If the answer is yes read on and I hope you do.
We are earning less than we earned in the UK but our quality of life is far superior to that in Glasgow. We could not afford to buy the house we wanted in a good area of Glasgow, we now have a detached house in a very quite subdivision. Our two kids are doing extremely well at school our oldest even has a well paid part time job. We did not bring a substantial amount of money with us (enough to rent for a couple of years if it was necessary) as we where the average lower middle class UK family. We both got full time jobs within the first week of posting our CVs, so that meant our savings could now go to a down payment for a house. So we decided to keep renting for the first year then buy a house the second year.
We used Abrams & Krochak yes I know you can do it yourself but we felt it would be better to let them have any headaches than us and the price was incredible (I had approached an English based specialist and she wanted three times the money and she gave us bad advice).You must come out on Holiday a few times as the place is so vast and you can get a feel for it. You have no credit history when you land in Canada no matter what any one tells you, I guess there will be some on this site that will beg to differ. That also goes for car insurance some insurance companies will ask for a letter from your old insurance company in the UK bring it anyway but it will make virtually no difference to your premium (you are effectively a new driver in the eyes of the insurance companies) .So get yourself store cards and even a preloaded credit card as soon as you open your bank account as this starts to work in your favor providing you pay it of monthly.
There is plenty of work out here as long as you are willing and able to take any thing on at first. Our telephone, internet and TV bill is the same amount we paid to telewest, electricity and gas are slightly cheaper and we have a much bigger house than in the UK. Our weekly grocery bill is cheaper as is our petrol bill. We pay for water in Canada and that works out around sixty five quid a quarter (and we have a swimming pool and three bathrooms) our property tax is the same as we paid in the UK for a two bedroom semi in Glasgow. So when every thing adds up we are not much better of financially but we never moved here to be better of financially we moved mainly for the kids, better weather, more opportunities, cleaner environment, spectacular county side, incredible wild life and a country that seems to know how to treat its tax paying workforce right (you get every opportunity to claim your tax back at the end of each year).Me and the wife still get what we call that Canada moment when you’re sitting in the car, store, work or watching the kids play street hockey and you suddenly think god I am in Canada its a great feeling. It was worth all the hassle and sleepless nights to get here and that’s after being here two years.
So quick recap decide you want to do it, do your home work and read this forum
It mite be for you it mite not, but you are the only one that can make that decision.
There is a huge expat community stretching from Ajax, whitby, Oshawa, Bowmanville and I better not forget Port Hope and the ones that are reading this (you guys know who you are) will help you out especially if you move to this area they all have there own stories to tell and have valuable advice for the new family on the block
We all get together now and again for a drink or a BBQ and new faces are always welcome. One thing I will say if you are coming to Canada and expect to get a huge house and a great job with a wallet busting salary and retire at 50 Canada is probably not the place for you .In our experience the ones that don’t make it are the ones who come over without doing adequate homework, or will not just take any job it has to be that very special $180,000 a year job that gives them 6 weeks paid vacation and the company Ferrari. There are loads of them just ask the next flying pig you see to point you in the direction of the $150,000+ job centre. (Canadian employers love this phrase you will here it a lot Canadian experience) So take that job it will get you the Canadian experience and you can move on from there. Canada does have its bad points but the good ones far out way them.
This is our experience and I don’t wish to get into any he said you said garbage that inevitably follows some ones opinion in forums. So be four you decide well I gave my letter to the insurance company and it made a huge impact to my premium, my grocery bill has tripled, my kids hate school, the weather was garbage this summer (ok I will give you that), Canadians cant drive, I never get my tax money back, they don’t recognize my qualifications, I cant get bisto, the washing powder is crap, I am getting withdrawals from eastenders. Like I said this is our experience not yours and yes like I also said we all have different stories to tell. Hope this helps some one, and if you want to know anything and I can help just ask. And for the argumentative ones out there think be four you start to rip people to shreds or shoot there post down in flames ok
Think your post is excellent, glad your enjoying living in canada. Hope to be as well but have to wait a little while yet.
Oct 28th 2008, 6:34 pm
#35
Just Joined
Thread Starter
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 12
Re: Some advice after 2 years in Canada
Hi Dinger the name comes from when I played online pc games , a bunch of us nerdy types got together in cyber space and made up our names like RustyMcBumflap ect ect
So I took the name of Hairy Snotter
a play on Harry potter.
So I took the name of Hairy Snotter
a play on Harry potter.
Oct 28th 2008, 6:38 pm
#36
Banned
Joined: Oct 2005
Location: Calgary, South by Java Head
Posts: 504
Re: Some advice after 2 years in Canada
Hi all I have been one of those guys that has sat reading this forum from the day me and my family decided Canada was the place we wanted to call home ,that was over four years ago. I never posted or joined as I got most of my answers from previous posts and a few holidays we took to Canada. This forum is an absolute gold mine of information and peoples own experiences bad and good.
We (myself wife and two kids) have now lived just outside of Oshawa for a year now (we rented near Ajax for the first year) and Canada has become every thing and more that we all wanted it to be. I now feel that I can pass on some information to all you guys wanting to move from the UK to start a new life. Because it is a new life you are leaving that street you walk down every day, the neighbors you speak to every day, the family that is always there, the city village or town you lived most of your life all the familiar things that you take for granted every day . So do you still want to move to a new Country? If the answer is yes read on and I hope you do.
We are earning less than we earned in the UK but our quality of life is far superior to that in Glasgow. We could not afford to buy the house we wanted in a good area of Glasgow, we now have a detached house in a very quite subdivision. Our two kids are doing extremely well at school our oldest even has a well paid part time job. We did not bring a substantial amount of money with us (enough to rent for a couple of years if it was necessary) as we where the average lower middle class UK family. We both got full time jobs within the first week of posting our CVs, so that meant our savings could now go to a down payment for a house. So we decided to keep renting for the first year then buy a house the second year.
We used Abrams & Krochak yes I know you can do it yourself but we felt it would be better to let them have any headaches than us and the price was incredible (I had approached an English based specialist and she wanted three times the money and she gave us bad advice).You must come out on Holiday a few times as the place is so vast and you can get a feel for it. You have no credit history when you land in Canada no matter what any one tells you, I guess there will be some on this site that will beg to differ. That also goes for car insurance some insurance companies will ask for a letter from your old insurance company in the UK bring it anyway but it will make virtually no difference to your premium (you are effectively a new driver in the eyes of the insurance companies) .So get yourself store cards and even a preloaded credit card as soon as you open your bank account as this starts to work in your favor providing you pay it of monthly.
There is plenty of work out here as long as you are willing and able to take any thing on at first. Our telephone, internet and TV bill is the same amount we paid to telewest, electricity and gas are slightly cheaper and we have a much bigger house than in the UK. Our weekly grocery bill is cheaper as is our petrol bill. We pay for water in Canada and that works out around sixty five quid a quarter (and we have a swimming pool and three bathrooms) our property tax is the same as we paid in the UK for a two bedroom semi in Glasgow. So when every thing adds up we are not much better of financially but we never moved here to be better of financially we moved mainly for the kids, better weather, more opportunities, cleaner environment, spectacular county side, incredible wild life and a country that seems to know how to treat its tax paying workforce right (you get every opportunity to claim your tax back at the end of each year).Me and the wife still get what we call that Canada moment when you’re sitting in the car, store, work or watching the kids play street hockey and you suddenly think god I am in Canada its a great feeling. It was worth all the hassle and sleepless nights to get here and that’s after being here two years.
So quick recap decide you want to do it, do your home work and read this forum
It mite be for you it mite not, but you are the only one that can make that decision.
There is a huge expat community stretching from Ajax, whitby, Oshawa, Bowmanville and I better not forget Port Hope and the ones that are reading this (you guys know who you are) will help you out especially if you move to this area they all have there own stories to tell and have valuable advice for the new family on the block
We all get together now and again for a drink or a BBQ and new faces are always welcome. One thing I will say if you are coming to Canada and expect to get a huge house and a great job with a wallet busting salary and retire at 50 Canada is probably not the place for you .In our experience the ones that don’t make it are the ones who come over without doing adequate homework, or will not just take any job it has to be that very special $180,000 a year job that gives them 6 weeks paid vacation and the company Ferrari. There are loads of them just ask the next flying pig you see to point you in the direction of the $150,000+ job centre. (Canadian employers love this phrase you will here it a lot Canadian experience) So take that job it will get you the Canadian experience and you can move on from there. Canada does have its bad points but the good ones far out way them.
This is our experience and I don’t wish to get into any he said you said garbage that inevitably follows some ones opinion in forums. So be four you decide well I gave my letter to the insurance company and it made a huge impact to my premium, my grocery bill has tripled, my kids hate school, the weather was garbage this summer (ok I will give you that), Canadians cant drive, I never get my tax money back, they don’t recognize my qualifications, I cant get bisto, the washing powder is crap, I am getting withdrawals from eastenders. Like I said this is our experience not yours and yes like I also said we all have different stories to tell. Hope this helps some one, and if you want to know anything and I can help just ask. And for the argumentative ones out there think be four you start to rip people to shreds or shoot there post down in flames ok
We (myself wife and two kids) have now lived just outside of Oshawa for a year now (we rented near Ajax for the first year) and Canada has become every thing and more that we all wanted it to be. I now feel that I can pass on some information to all you guys wanting to move from the UK to start a new life. Because it is a new life you are leaving that street you walk down every day, the neighbors you speak to every day, the family that is always there, the city village or town you lived most of your life all the familiar things that you take for granted every day . So do you still want to move to a new Country? If the answer is yes read on and I hope you do.
We are earning less than we earned in the UK but our quality of life is far superior to that in Glasgow. We could not afford to buy the house we wanted in a good area of Glasgow, we now have a detached house in a very quite subdivision. Our two kids are doing extremely well at school our oldest even has a well paid part time job. We did not bring a substantial amount of money with us (enough to rent for a couple of years if it was necessary) as we where the average lower middle class UK family. We both got full time jobs within the first week of posting our CVs, so that meant our savings could now go to a down payment for a house. So we decided to keep renting for the first year then buy a house the second year.
We used Abrams & Krochak yes I know you can do it yourself but we felt it would be better to let them have any headaches than us and the price was incredible (I had approached an English based specialist and she wanted three times the money and she gave us bad advice).You must come out on Holiday a few times as the place is so vast and you can get a feel for it. You have no credit history when you land in Canada no matter what any one tells you, I guess there will be some on this site that will beg to differ. That also goes for car insurance some insurance companies will ask for a letter from your old insurance company in the UK bring it anyway but it will make virtually no difference to your premium (you are effectively a new driver in the eyes of the insurance companies) .So get yourself store cards and even a preloaded credit card as soon as you open your bank account as this starts to work in your favor providing you pay it of monthly.
There is plenty of work out here as long as you are willing and able to take any thing on at first. Our telephone, internet and TV bill is the same amount we paid to telewest, electricity and gas are slightly cheaper and we have a much bigger house than in the UK. Our weekly grocery bill is cheaper as is our petrol bill. We pay for water in Canada and that works out around sixty five quid a quarter (and we have a swimming pool and three bathrooms) our property tax is the same as we paid in the UK for a two bedroom semi in Glasgow. So when every thing adds up we are not much better of financially but we never moved here to be better of financially we moved mainly for the kids, better weather, more opportunities, cleaner environment, spectacular county side, incredible wild life and a country that seems to know how to treat its tax paying workforce right (you get every opportunity to claim your tax back at the end of each year).Me and the wife still get what we call that Canada moment when you’re sitting in the car, store, work or watching the kids play street hockey and you suddenly think god I am in Canada its a great feeling. It was worth all the hassle and sleepless nights to get here and that’s after being here two years.
So quick recap decide you want to do it, do your home work and read this forum
It mite be for you it mite not, but you are the only one that can make that decision.
There is a huge expat community stretching from Ajax, whitby, Oshawa, Bowmanville and I better not forget Port Hope and the ones that are reading this (you guys know who you are) will help you out especially if you move to this area they all have there own stories to tell and have valuable advice for the new family on the block
We all get together now and again for a drink or a BBQ and new faces are always welcome. One thing I will say if you are coming to Canada and expect to get a huge house and a great job with a wallet busting salary and retire at 50 Canada is probably not the place for you .In our experience the ones that don’t make it are the ones who come over without doing adequate homework, or will not just take any job it has to be that very special $180,000 a year job that gives them 6 weeks paid vacation and the company Ferrari. There are loads of them just ask the next flying pig you see to point you in the direction of the $150,000+ job centre. (Canadian employers love this phrase you will here it a lot Canadian experience) So take that job it will get you the Canadian experience and you can move on from there. Canada does have its bad points but the good ones far out way them.
This is our experience and I don’t wish to get into any he said you said garbage that inevitably follows some ones opinion in forums. So be four you decide well I gave my letter to the insurance company and it made a huge impact to my premium, my grocery bill has tripled, my kids hate school, the weather was garbage this summer (ok I will give you that), Canadians cant drive, I never get my tax money back, they don’t recognize my qualifications, I cant get bisto, the washing powder is crap, I am getting withdrawals from eastenders. Like I said this is our experience not yours and yes like I also said we all have different stories to tell. Hope this helps some one, and if you want to know anything and I can help just ask. And for the argumentative ones out there think be four you start to rip people to shreds or shoot there post down in flames ok
so are you a bona fide weegie then ?
Oct 28th 2008, 6:38 pm
#37
Just Joined
Thread Starter
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 12
Re: Some advice after 2 years in Canada
Hi MiM thanks, I know how you feel when you are sitting in the UK reading the posts and just a little bit of positive feedback from some one can really lift your spirits. I am glad to have put a smile on a few people’s faces today
Oct 28th 2008, 6:42 pm
#38
Just Joined
Thread Starter
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 12
Re: Some advice after 2 years in Canada
Hi Beaver born and bread %100 pure Glasgow boy (old fart) from that quaint picturesque little hive of activity possilpark 
Oct 28th 2008, 6:52 pm
#39
mclauchlan35
Joined: Dec 2006
Location: Was Prestwick Ayrshire, now Canmore AB.
Posts: 999
Re: Some advice after 2 years in Canada
Good post
I was in Glasgow today the sun was out, so if your coming back on holiday better make it next year you have missed this years quota of sunshine.
I was in Glasgow today the sun was out, so if your coming back on holiday better make it next year you have missed this years quota of sunshine.
Oct 28th 2008, 6:56 pm
#40
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 129
Re: Some advice after 2 years in Canada
Hi all I have been one of those guys that has sat reading this forum from the day me and my family decided Canada was the place we wanted to call home ,that was over four years ago. I never posted or joined as I got most of my answers from previous posts and a few holidays we took to Canada. This forum is an absolute gold mine of information and peoples own experiences bad and good.
We (myself wife and two kids) have now lived just outside of Oshawa for a year now (we rented near Ajax for the first year) and Canada has become every thing and more that we all wanted it to be. I now feel that I can pass on some information to all you guys wanting to move from the UK to start a new life. Because it is a new life you are leaving that street you walk down every day, the neighbors you speak to every day, the family that is always there, the city village or town you lived most of your life all the familiar things that you take for granted every day . So do you still want to move to a new Country? If the answer is yes read on and I hope you do.
We are earning less than we earned in the UK but our quality of life is far superior to that in Glasgow. We could not afford to buy the house we wanted in a good area of Glasgow, we now have a detached house in a very quite subdivision. Our two kids are doing extremely well at school our oldest even has a well paid part time job. We did not bring a substantial amount of money with us (enough to rent for a couple of years if it was necessary) as we where the average lower middle class UK family. We both got full time jobs within the first week of posting our CVs, so that meant our savings could now go to a down payment for a house. So we decided to keep renting for the first year then buy a house the second year.
We used Abrams & Krochak yes I know you can do it yourself but we felt it would be better to let them have any headaches than us and the price was incredible (I had approached an English based specialist and she wanted three times the money and she gave us bad advice).You must come out on Holiday a few times as the place is so vast and you can get a feel for it. You have no credit history when you land in Canada no matter what any one tells you, I guess there will be some on this site that will beg to differ. That also goes for car insurance some insurance companies will ask for a letter from your old insurance company in the UK bring it anyway but it will make virtually no difference to your premium (you are effectively a new driver in the eyes of the insurance companies) .So get yourself store cards and even a preloaded credit card as soon as you open your bank account as this starts to work in your favor providing you pay it of monthly.
There is plenty of work out here as long as you are willing and able to take any thing on at first. Our telephone, internet and TV bill is the same amount we paid to telewest, electricity and gas are slightly cheaper and we have a much bigger house than in the UK. Our weekly grocery bill is cheaper as is our petrol bill. We pay for water in Canada and that works out around sixty five quid a quarter (and we have a swimming pool and three bathrooms) our property tax is the same as we paid in the UK for a two bedroom semi in Glasgow. So when every thing adds up we are not much better of financially but we never moved here to be better of financially we moved mainly for the kids, better weather, more opportunities, cleaner environment, spectacular county side, incredible wild life and a country that seems to know how to treat its tax paying workforce right (you get every opportunity to claim your tax back at the end of each year).Me and the wife still get what we call that Canada moment when you’re sitting in the car, store, work or watching the kids play street hockey and you suddenly think god I am in Canada its a great feeling. It was worth all the hassle and sleepless nights to get here and that’s after being here two years.
So quick recap decide you want to do it, do your home work and read this forum
It mite be for you it mite not, but you are the only one that can make that decision.
There is a huge expat community stretching from Ajax, whitby, Oshawa, Bowmanville and I better not forget Port Hope and the ones that are reading this (you guys know who you are) will help you out especially if you move to this area they all have there own stories to tell and have valuable advice for the new family on the block
We all get together now and again for a drink or a BBQ and new faces are always welcome. One thing I will say if you are coming to Canada and expect to get a huge house and a great job with a wallet busting salary and retire at 50 Canada is probably not the place for you .In our experience the ones that don’t make it are the ones who come over without doing adequate homework, or will not just take any job it has to be that very special $180,000 a year job that gives them 6 weeks paid vacation and the company Ferrari. There are loads of them just ask the next flying pig you see to point you in the direction of the $150,000+ job centre. (Canadian employers love this phrase you will here it a lot Canadian experience) So take that job it will get you the Canadian experience and you can move on from there. Canada does have its bad points but the good ones far out way them.
This is our experience and I don’t wish to get into any he said you said garbage that inevitably follows some ones opinion in forums. So be four you decide well I gave my letter to the insurance company and it made a huge impact to my premium, my grocery bill has tripled, my kids hate school, the weather was garbage this summer (ok I will give you that), Canadians cant drive, I never get my tax money back, they don’t recognize my qualifications, I cant get bisto, the washing powder is crap, I am getting withdrawals from eastenders. Like I said this is our experience not yours and yes like I also said we all have different stories to tell. Hope this helps some one, and if you want to know anything and I can help just ask. And for the argumentative ones out there think be four you start to rip people to shreds or shoot there post down in flames ok
We (myself wife and two kids) have now lived just outside of Oshawa for a year now (we rented near Ajax for the first year) and Canada has become every thing and more that we all wanted it to be. I now feel that I can pass on some information to all you guys wanting to move from the UK to start a new life. Because it is a new life you are leaving that street you walk down every day, the neighbors you speak to every day, the family that is always there, the city village or town you lived most of your life all the familiar things that you take for granted every day . So do you still want to move to a new Country? If the answer is yes read on and I hope you do.
We are earning less than we earned in the UK but our quality of life is far superior to that in Glasgow. We could not afford to buy the house we wanted in a good area of Glasgow, we now have a detached house in a very quite subdivision. Our two kids are doing extremely well at school our oldest even has a well paid part time job. We did not bring a substantial amount of money with us (enough to rent for a couple of years if it was necessary) as we where the average lower middle class UK family. We both got full time jobs within the first week of posting our CVs, so that meant our savings could now go to a down payment for a house. So we decided to keep renting for the first year then buy a house the second year.
We used Abrams & Krochak yes I know you can do it yourself but we felt it would be better to let them have any headaches than us and the price was incredible (I had approached an English based specialist and she wanted three times the money and she gave us bad advice).You must come out on Holiday a few times as the place is so vast and you can get a feel for it. You have no credit history when you land in Canada no matter what any one tells you, I guess there will be some on this site that will beg to differ. That also goes for car insurance some insurance companies will ask for a letter from your old insurance company in the UK bring it anyway but it will make virtually no difference to your premium (you are effectively a new driver in the eyes of the insurance companies) .So get yourself store cards and even a preloaded credit card as soon as you open your bank account as this starts to work in your favor providing you pay it of monthly.
There is plenty of work out here as long as you are willing and able to take any thing on at first. Our telephone, internet and TV bill is the same amount we paid to telewest, electricity and gas are slightly cheaper and we have a much bigger house than in the UK. Our weekly grocery bill is cheaper as is our petrol bill. We pay for water in Canada and that works out around sixty five quid a quarter (and we have a swimming pool and three bathrooms) our property tax is the same as we paid in the UK for a two bedroom semi in Glasgow. So when every thing adds up we are not much better of financially but we never moved here to be better of financially we moved mainly for the kids, better weather, more opportunities, cleaner environment, spectacular county side, incredible wild life and a country that seems to know how to treat its tax paying workforce right (you get every opportunity to claim your tax back at the end of each year).Me and the wife still get what we call that Canada moment when you’re sitting in the car, store, work or watching the kids play street hockey and you suddenly think god I am in Canada its a great feeling. It was worth all the hassle and sleepless nights to get here and that’s after being here two years.
So quick recap decide you want to do it, do your home work and read this forum
It mite be for you it mite not, but you are the only one that can make that decision.
There is a huge expat community stretching from Ajax, whitby, Oshawa, Bowmanville and I better not forget Port Hope and the ones that are reading this (you guys know who you are) will help you out especially if you move to this area they all have there own stories to tell and have valuable advice for the new family on the block
We all get together now and again for a drink or a BBQ and new faces are always welcome. One thing I will say if you are coming to Canada and expect to get a huge house and a great job with a wallet busting salary and retire at 50 Canada is probably not the place for you .In our experience the ones that don’t make it are the ones who come over without doing adequate homework, or will not just take any job it has to be that very special $180,000 a year job that gives them 6 weeks paid vacation and the company Ferrari. There are loads of them just ask the next flying pig you see to point you in the direction of the $150,000+ job centre. (Canadian employers love this phrase you will here it a lot Canadian experience) So take that job it will get you the Canadian experience and you can move on from there. Canada does have its bad points but the good ones far out way them.
This is our experience and I don’t wish to get into any he said you said garbage that inevitably follows some ones opinion in forums. So be four you decide well I gave my letter to the insurance company and it made a huge impact to my premium, my grocery bill has tripled, my kids hate school, the weather was garbage this summer (ok I will give you that), Canadians cant drive, I never get my tax money back, they don’t recognize my qualifications, I cant get bisto, the washing powder is crap, I am getting withdrawals from eastenders. Like I said this is our experience not yours and yes like I also said we all have different stories to tell. Hope this helps some one, and if you want to know anything and I can help just ask. And for the argumentative ones out there think be four you start to rip people to shreds or shoot there post down in flames ok
Oct 28th 2008, 6:58 pm
#41
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Jan 2008
Location: Now back in Edinburgh
Posts: 1,155
Re: Some advice after 2 years in Canada
It is all about attitude and you have it in spades. We succeeded through dogged determination to prove to those nay sayers at home in UK that they were wrong.
I can hear them now "Oh you will be back within the year", "You must be crazy to give up a good job", etc....
I had already heard it in 1980's when I left the Army and those who didn't have the dangly bits to leave and face the world, were all declaring we would end up homeless, jobless and rejoining the Army... see a pattern here?
I can hear them now "Oh you will be back within the year", "You must be crazy to give up a good job", etc....
I had already heard it in 1980's when I left the Army and those who didn't have the dangly bits to leave and face the world, were all declaring we would end up homeless, jobless and rejoining the Army... see a pattern here?
Oct 28th 2008, 7:00 pm
#42
Banned
Joined: Oct 2005
Location: Calgary, South by Java Head
Posts: 504
Re: Some advice after 2 years in Canada
Am from Aberdeen, but the o/h is a Canuck so she had no real difficulty in adapting (she spent 6 yrs in blighty before the move)
as much as i've tried to get into the north american sports , it's just not going to happen
think the marketplace for jobs is a bit different in Calgary, throwing warm bodies at it, seems to be the way to handle the work shortage here
am sure there will be a 'where can i get bisto in the GTA' thread starting soon
Oct 28th 2008, 7:27 pm
#43
Just Joined
Thread Starter
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 12
Re: Some advice after 2 years in Canada
Hi Fled sorry to here that you have friends that are not working, yes you are right about the availability of jobs in the area you live in .But our attitude when we came over was work at anything to bring cash in to the house . In my opinion there is always work out there, its just if you are able and willing to do it (beggars cant be choosers) I was not narrow-minded enough to think that me or my wife would walk into high paying jobs.
And I feel this is were a lot of new comers especially British new comers fall down they expect to go back into there field at the salary level they left and in reality that very rarely happens .So after six months of very few job offers and a dwindling bank balance the call it a day and go back home.
I joined a technical agency at 7am one Saturday morning and two hours later I was an IT guy with CTV starting Monday morning on a six month contract on $20 per hour. I then got called for an interview on the Wednesday of the same week and was working full time the following Monday on a much better wage doing a completely unrelated job.
I am sorry to be so blunt and yes every one has a different story to tell but there are good paying jobs out there but you need to go look and be willing to look outside your field. We decided that the first few years would be the toughest and if I had to work two jobs so be it, as we wanted to live in Canada.
And I feel this is were a lot of new comers especially British new comers fall down they expect to go back into there field at the salary level they left and in reality that very rarely happens .So after six months of very few job offers and a dwindling bank balance the call it a day and go back home.
I joined a technical agency at 7am one Saturday morning and two hours later I was an IT guy with CTV starting Monday morning on a six month contract on $20 per hour. I then got called for an interview on the Wednesday of the same week and was working full time the following Monday on a much better wage doing a completely unrelated job.
I am sorry to be so blunt and yes every one has a different story to tell but there are good paying jobs out there but you need to go look and be willing to look outside your field. We decided that the first few years would be the toughest and if I had to work two jobs so be it, as we wanted to live in Canada.
Oct 28th 2008, 7:32 pm
#44
Senior member
Joined: Jul 2008
Location: Originally Leicestershire, England...Moved to Barrie, Ontario. Autumn 2010
Posts: 28
Re: Some advice after 2 years in Canada
Hi all I have been one of those guys that has sat reading this forum from the day me and my family decided Canada was the place we wanted to call home ,that was over four years ago. I never posted or joined as I got most of my answers from previous posts and a few holidays we took to Canada. This forum is an absolute gold mine of information and peoples own experiences bad and good.
We (myself wife and two kids) have now lived just outside of Oshawa for a year now (we rented near Ajax for the first year) and Canada has become every thing and more that we all wanted it to be. I now feel that I can pass on some information to all you guys wanting to move from the UK to start a new life. Because it is a new life you are leaving that street you walk down every day, the neighbors you speak to every day, the family that is always there, the city village or town you lived most of your life all the familiar things that you take for granted every day . So do you still want to move to a new Country? If the answer is yes read on and I hope you do.
We are earning less than we earned in the UK but our quality of life is far superior to that in Glasgow. We could not afford to buy the house we wanted in a good area of Glasgow, we now have a detached house in a very quite subdivision. Our two kids are doing extremely well at school our oldest even has a well paid part time job. We did not bring a substantial amount of money with us (enough to rent for a couple of years if it was necessary) as we where the average lower middle class UK family. We both got full time jobs within the first week of posting our CVs, so that meant our savings could now go to a down payment for a house. So we decided to keep renting for the first year then buy a house the second year.
We used Abrams & Krochak yes I know you can do it yourself but we felt it would be better to let them have any headaches than us and the price was incredible (I had approached an English based specialist and she wanted three times the money and she gave us bad advice).You must come out on Holiday a few times as the place is so vast and you can get a feel for it. You have no credit history when you land in Canada no matter what any one tells you, I guess there will be some on this site that will beg to differ. That also goes for car insurance some insurance companies will ask for a letter from your old insurance company in the UK bring it anyway but it will make virtually no difference to your premium (you are effectively a new driver in the eyes of the insurance companies) .So get yourself store cards and even a preloaded credit card as soon as you open your bank account as this starts to work in your favor providing you pay it of monthly.
There is plenty of work out here as long as you are willing and able to take any thing on at first. Our telephone, internet and TV bill is the same amount we paid to telewest, electricity and gas are slightly cheaper and we have a much bigger house than in the UK. Our weekly grocery bill is cheaper as is our petrol bill. We pay for water in Canada and that works out around sixty five quid a quarter (and we have a swimming pool and three bathrooms) our property tax is the same as we paid in the UK for a two bedroom semi in Glasgow. So when every thing adds up we are not much better of financially but we never moved here to be better of financially we moved mainly for the kids, better weather, more opportunities, cleaner environment, spectacular county side, incredible wild life and a country that seems to know how to treat its tax paying workforce right (you get every opportunity to claim your tax back at the end of each year).Me and the wife still get what we call that Canada moment when you’re sitting in the car, store, work or watching the kids play street hockey and you suddenly think god I am in Canada its a great feeling. It was worth all the hassle and sleepless nights to get here and that’s after being here two years.
So quick recap decide you want to do it, do your home work and read this forum
It mite be for you it mite not, but you are the only one that can make that decision.
There is a huge expat community stretching from Ajax, whitby, Oshawa, Bowmanville and I better not forget Port Hope and the ones that are reading this (you guys know who you are) will help you out especially if you move to this area they all have there own stories to tell and have valuable advice for the new family on the block
We all get together now and again for a drink or a BBQ and new faces are always welcome. One thing I will say if you are coming to Canada and expect to get a huge house and a great job with a wallet busting salary and retire at 50 Canada is probably not the place for you .In our experience the ones that don’t make it are the ones who come over without doing adequate homework, or will not just take any job it has to be that very special $180,000 a year job that gives them 6 weeks paid vacation and the company Ferrari. There are loads of them just ask the next flying pig you see to point you in the direction of the $150,000+ job centre. (Canadian employers love this phrase you will here it a lot Canadian experience) So take that job it will get you the Canadian experience and you can move on from there. Canada does have its bad points but the good ones far out way them.
This is our experience and I don’t wish to get into any he said you said garbage that inevitably follows some ones opinion in forums. So be four you decide well I gave my letter to the insurance company and it made a huge impact to my premium, my grocery bill has tripled, my kids hate school, the weather was garbage this summer (ok I will give you that), Canadians cant drive, I never get my tax money back, they don’t recognize my qualifications, I cant get bisto, the washing powder is crap, I am getting withdrawals from eastenders. Like I said this is our experience not yours and yes like I also said we all have different stories to tell. Hope this helps some one, and if you want to know anything and I can help just ask. And for the argumentative ones out there think be four you start to rip people to shreds or shoot there post down in flames ok
We (myself wife and two kids) have now lived just outside of Oshawa for a year now (we rented near Ajax for the first year) and Canada has become every thing and more that we all wanted it to be. I now feel that I can pass on some information to all you guys wanting to move from the UK to start a new life. Because it is a new life you are leaving that street you walk down every day, the neighbors you speak to every day, the family that is always there, the city village or town you lived most of your life all the familiar things that you take for granted every day . So do you still want to move to a new Country? If the answer is yes read on and I hope you do.
We are earning less than we earned in the UK but our quality of life is far superior to that in Glasgow. We could not afford to buy the house we wanted in a good area of Glasgow, we now have a detached house in a very quite subdivision. Our two kids are doing extremely well at school our oldest even has a well paid part time job. We did not bring a substantial amount of money with us (enough to rent for a couple of years if it was necessary) as we where the average lower middle class UK family. We both got full time jobs within the first week of posting our CVs, so that meant our savings could now go to a down payment for a house. So we decided to keep renting for the first year then buy a house the second year.
We used Abrams & Krochak yes I know you can do it yourself but we felt it would be better to let them have any headaches than us and the price was incredible (I had approached an English based specialist and she wanted three times the money and she gave us bad advice).You must come out on Holiday a few times as the place is so vast and you can get a feel for it. You have no credit history when you land in Canada no matter what any one tells you, I guess there will be some on this site that will beg to differ. That also goes for car insurance some insurance companies will ask for a letter from your old insurance company in the UK bring it anyway but it will make virtually no difference to your premium (you are effectively a new driver in the eyes of the insurance companies) .So get yourself store cards and even a preloaded credit card as soon as you open your bank account as this starts to work in your favor providing you pay it of monthly.
There is plenty of work out here as long as you are willing and able to take any thing on at first. Our telephone, internet and TV bill is the same amount we paid to telewest, electricity and gas are slightly cheaper and we have a much bigger house than in the UK. Our weekly grocery bill is cheaper as is our petrol bill. We pay for water in Canada and that works out around sixty five quid a quarter (and we have a swimming pool and three bathrooms) our property tax is the same as we paid in the UK for a two bedroom semi in Glasgow. So when every thing adds up we are not much better of financially but we never moved here to be better of financially we moved mainly for the kids, better weather, more opportunities, cleaner environment, spectacular county side, incredible wild life and a country that seems to know how to treat its tax paying workforce right (you get every opportunity to claim your tax back at the end of each year).Me and the wife still get what we call that Canada moment when you’re sitting in the car, store, work or watching the kids play street hockey and you suddenly think god I am in Canada its a great feeling. It was worth all the hassle and sleepless nights to get here and that’s after being here two years.
So quick recap decide you want to do it, do your home work and read this forum
It mite be for you it mite not, but you are the only one that can make that decision.
There is a huge expat community stretching from Ajax, whitby, Oshawa, Bowmanville and I better not forget Port Hope and the ones that are reading this (you guys know who you are) will help you out especially if you move to this area they all have there own stories to tell and have valuable advice for the new family on the block
We all get together now and again for a drink or a BBQ and new faces are always welcome. One thing I will say if you are coming to Canada and expect to get a huge house and a great job with a wallet busting salary and retire at 50 Canada is probably not the place for you .In our experience the ones that don’t make it are the ones who come over without doing adequate homework, or will not just take any job it has to be that very special $180,000 a year job that gives them 6 weeks paid vacation and the company Ferrari. There are loads of them just ask the next flying pig you see to point you in the direction of the $150,000+ job centre. (Canadian employers love this phrase you will here it a lot Canadian experience) So take that job it will get you the Canadian experience and you can move on from there. Canada does have its bad points but the good ones far out way them.
This is our experience and I don’t wish to get into any he said you said garbage that inevitably follows some ones opinion in forums. So be four you decide well I gave my letter to the insurance company and it made a huge impact to my premium, my grocery bill has tripled, my kids hate school, the weather was garbage this summer (ok I will give you that), Canadians cant drive, I never get my tax money back, they don’t recognize my qualifications, I cant get bisto, the washing powder is crap, I am getting withdrawals from eastenders. Like I said this is our experience not yours and yes like I also said we all have different stories to tell. Hope this helps some one, and if you want to know anything and I can help just ask. And for the argumentative ones out there think be four you start to rip people to shreds or shoot there post down in flames ok
We spent 2 wonderful weeks in the Niagara and GTA this August and were so impressed with the general lifestyle and good nature of canadians. we are looking to give our children a better quality of life and better oppurtunties for all of us..it was just a pity we didnt get around to some of the other areas ike Barrie or Peterborough! but we cetainly packed alot of fact finding into them 2 weeks!
we currently live on the outskirts of Leicester in the East Midlands and the current credit crunch is of great concern! on many levels
How are things fareing in Canada?
well once again it is good to see a positive honest opinion and in our opinion you are right if you neglect doing your research then Canada may not match up to your expectations! we will have to wait and see!
best regards
Last edited by willowfaery67; Oct 28th 2008 at 7:40 pm.
Oct 28th 2008, 8:16 pm
#45
Happy in NB
Joined: Sep 2005
Location: Island View, New Brunswick
Posts: 2,020
Re: Some advice after 2 years in Canada
I am English II thought everyone knew that Capt Scarlet was obviously English) .... although my sister was born in Inverness and I lived in Lossiemouth from the age of 2 - 7 (great memories) So I have some Scottishnesssssss in there somewhere