thingstodo123

Hi all,

Firstly, if I am asking any idiotic questions please do tell me where to go! Hopefully, that isn't the case though.

To give you a bit of background I am 27, have just left a fairly good job in marketing (with no interest in going back to it), alongside a number of years running my own web based company previous to that.

As it stands though I'd rather like one more adventure. Or at least I'd like to see a little more of the world and potentially settle abroad for a while. Specifically I like the idea of working somewhere where there is an outdoors lifestyle. (Aka skiing etc)

I have lived and worked in Australia for a year and briefly in East Africa whilst also studying in the states for a year. So i'm not overly concerned about adjusting.

Unsurprisingly though, I'm a little worried about the practicalities as previous moves have never really included a lot of responsibility! I'm not exactly swimming in funds for this so I still haven't committed completely.

As such I would greatly appreciate some advice:

Where would you suggest as a place to move to for the outdoors/active lifestyle? (At the moment I am looking at Toronto/Vancouver.)

Would you regard this as an insane venture with few funds and no job lined up?

Any specific advice that I should consider?

What would you recommend doing upon arrival to ensure funds keep coming in? (I would like to find a proper job pretty quickly - for some reason learning how to brew is up there.)

Hopefully those are sensible questions and I look forward to any replies.

They will all be greatly appreciated.

Best,

Michael

P.S.

The exchange rate really is misbehaving!

Tangram

PR, Visa, Citizen ?

thingstodo123

Sorry, unsure what PR means, I'd go for a working holiday visa as it gives me two years then look to upgrade it if things went well and a citizen of the UK.

No idea if that answered your question adequately!

Engineer_abroad

You should look at the International Experience Canada visa then. Can apply if you are under 30 (assuming UK Citizen) and you get a 2 year open work permit. Be aware both Toronto and Vancouver have very hot property markets right now and rents and cost of living can be high.

beckiwoo

So I would say NOT Toronto if you want to ski and be outdoors.


Vancouver would be good for that (although bare in mind the crazy cost of living out here) or you could look into Calgary (Banff is around a 2 hour drive with ski hills)

thingstodo123

Thanks all, that's rather useful.

Calgary is one I hadn't considered that much.

Have to say though, the number of horror stories on this forum about Vancouver is pretty shocking!

Any general advice on what to do upon arrival?

dbd33

I think "horror stories" is a bit strong. I don't much care for Vancouver, it seems ugly and expensive to me and, unlike other expensive places such as San Francisco, it doesn't offer the opportunity to earn a salary commensurate with the property prices. However, if you're rich, it offers the chance to ski and keep and a yacht which isn't a combination available in many cities. If you're not rich I think you'd be more likely to die of boredom there than be the victim of violence.

thingstodo123

Haha well that is reassuring and I'm sure you are right.

Most of the stories revolve around no chance of a job and as you say, boredom.

My next question was going to be about salaries. Obviously living costs in London (where I am at the moment) are pretty obscene but, the salaries are good. Still, they say you need a salary of £50,000 minimum to be able to relax. If salaries don't match up to the property/rental prices then I'm going to have to question the idea of a higher living standard - one of the things I was looking forward to.

Engineer_abroad

Vancouver and BC in general still has one of the strongest economies in Canada and is jobs are generally ok. Vancouver has an issue in that a lot of overseas money has come into the city to buy real estate and that has creating a complete discontent between property/rental prices and wages. The stat I heard on the news last night was that rents have gone up about 6% and rents by 12% (cant remember over what period). House prices are going up 20% a year.

That being said it never freezes, has a beautiful setting between the sea and mountains, is very out door and family orientated. Now just to get our liberal provincial government to admit there is a problem and do something about.

dbd33

Vancouver doesn't offer a higher material living standard than London. What it offers is the west coast vibe; yoga, sushi, dope, zen. If what you want is a house with more bogs than there are bums and a couple of trucks outside then Calgary is a better bet.

thingstodo123

That's rather unhelpful of then. Could do with the pound going up and the rent in Vancouver going down though.

On another note, I've been hearing rumours of very little if any holiday being the norm in most jobs (at least for the first year). Although apparently every state is different.

What is BC like?

And whilst i remember, is there much of a start-up culture?

Apologies for the never ending questions.

thingstodo123

Ha.. so Calgary not so much.

Nancy in Canada

Have you been to Canada before? If not, a quick vacation here prior to moving never hurts.

Engineer_abroad

Legal minimum in BC 10 days a year plus stat holidays (another 10 I think). Depending on the job you may have to earn it as you go or will be given it up front to use. For instance my wife works at Starbucks and has to earn it as so many hours holiday for each day worked where as I work in a consulting firm and get mine up front to use.

The general consensus is that most professional jobs get around 15 days plus stats. so 25 days a year. In my UK firm I got 22 plus 8 stats so all in all im 5 days down. One thing I like here in BC is that the stats are more spread through the year.

Engineer_abroad

so cynical of our West Coast vibe. We also like our micro breweries and vineyards.

Ok your right we are yuppie hipsters #lumbersexual