Piff Poff

One reason we want to move from our present location to Ontario is so we have cheaper means of travel to the rest of the world from a larger airport with more flight options and closer to Europe. Semi retirement is also on the cards if we play them right.

dbd33

That being the case, you want to be west of Toronto. That gives the option of flying from Toronto, Hamilton, K-W, Buffalo or Detroit. I understand that, atm, there are no flights from Hamilton to Europe but there once were and there may be again. I further understand that it's usually too expensive to fly from K-W. Also that Buffalo is good for flights within the US or for holiday destinations, not usually for long haul. Neither has it escaped my attention that Detroit is a fair distance away.

Nonetheless, exchange rates and airport taxes change, parking is always cheaper in the US. More choice is better.

Piff Poff

And that is why we are researching around those areas. It's very easy to be tempted by lower house prices further out of our desired area and it's something we really have to consider and focus on when we finally make the move. We are slightly dismayed in the rise of house prices in our desired area in the last couple of years so our expectation may have to be lower, i.e. house, big barn not waterfront lol. But who knows the houses may sky rocket where we are. I'm coming out for May long, OH doesn't want to come to Ont until we can house hunt again, feels like we are marking time

dbd33

<wonders if the snow will have melted>

Piff Poff

It'll feel like Alberta if it's not, been snowing again today. I said to OH we should move back to the UK - just for this weekend for the weather

rsbhj

The annual leave for me is a major concern, and as you said a potential deal breaker.

At the moment I have 6 weeks leave plus 8 public Hols, option to but 5 days hols, and can carry over 5 days, I get dependency days, emergency days on top of all that.

I would find it extremely difficult to cope especially without family to fall back on with out a min of 3 weeks leave, plus the option to take min 5 days unpaid leave.

This is something that is purely dependent on the employer, position in the company and negotiating this during any job offer....unfortunately very hard to know until you are there, not impossible but for myself it would be extremely difficult to secure a job from the UK in Canada.

I understand the view that well its a different country and that's the way we roll, but it has to be said it is hard to imagine how 2-3 weeks is even workable.

In my honest opinion for a country that can offer so much this is really stuck in the dark ages.

scrubbedexpat091

Could be worse, the country next door to Canada has no vacation requirement at all. So at least Canada does have a legislated minimum, at least we do in BC.

dbd33

Note that when people retire, they typically have months of unused holiday to take, someone I know left in March and will be paid until September. People feel that they have no need of all the vacation allowance they have, after all they don't use it. In such a climate it's a hard sell to ask for a lot of time off though some people do do it, it's not uncommon to go home to India or China for three weeks (unpaid).

BlueScottyGirl

I could have written this post!


I totally "get" the mindset of "this is how we roll", I consider myself to be a global citizen having lived and worked in numerous countries. I believe when you choose to live in a country you are required to live by the rules and ways of that country. That is why I enjoy the right to chose NOT to apply to live in a country if something I consider important is not workable for me.

I too am taken aback that such a forward thinking country offers it's citizens only 2-3 of paid holiday leave.

There is so much about Canada that is good though, I need to stop and really think if this is do-able for us. My husband could probably negotiate a better deal as he's at the top end of his career ladder. I on the other hand would definately be stuck on the 2 weeks a year deal.

dbd33

It's typically a choice, work with holidays or work with higher income. At the extreme, my daughter has a government job; she actually took maternity leave, she spends a couple of weeks or more in Europe each year. Her husband gets two weeks but it would be a career limiting move to take them. A pain for him now, no doubt, but in the long term he has a career, she has a government job.

People who want lots of holidays should aim to work for large organisations, if not government then a quango; Ontario Hydro, VIA Rail or a hospital. In the latter case shift juggling can provide long periods off work.

scilly

I actually went from having about 2½ months of holiday in the UK to NONE in the US, and then 2 weeks vacation when I began working up here.

I was a teacher in the UK for a couple of years .............. 6-7 weeks in the summer, 2 weeks at Christmas, and 2 weeks in the spring. Not bad.

In the US, I was eligible for 2 weeks after working 1 year, needed to take 5 days off after 5 months, and had to work extra time. I left before the 12 months was up, so didn't even get vacation pay, in lieu.

Up here, I was a technician in a university department, 2 weeks vacation after 1 year, 3 weeks after 5 years, worked up to 6 weeks after 10 years. In fact, how much holiday I took was very much up to my immediate boss ............ if I wanted to work extra time, I could take more days. He even offered to let me take some days off over the first summer although I had only started work in April.


It never even crossed my mind to think how bad it was over here ......... we were just too glad to get jobs and get here.

After all, my Dad never had more than 2 weeks holiday in all his working life, and that was when we took our family holidays ............ thankful that we could afford to go away!

rsbhj

Careful what you say though on BE, if you have too much of an opinion, some on here, mainly the ones assigned to help to site will shoot you down. Then their little clique group will eventually shoot you down altogether.

I hope you get some further good posts and I'll be interested to keep watching

dbd33

If you think that posters here are cliquey and align themselves with persons, such as moderators, who have minor authority, you will have a blast with cradle Canadians. Ottawa? Oh dear.

Atlantic Xpat

This was the case with my first employer - which was a privatised, formerly government owned entity. A team member retired two years early on his accumulated vacation and sick leave. It's also fairly common (here at least) in public sector roles. Nursing for example. My employer addressed this last year however by limiting carryover vacation to 5 days in any year. So use it or lose it. That incentivises one to use it.

I think even those of us who have lived here for some years would agree. It's very different from the UK and Europe and frankly sucks. The fundamental point though is that's the way it is and, for the new or potential emigrant, it's something you accept and live with, or decide that it's a good reason not to move here. Being aware of it in the first place is the smart thing. Bitching about it once here (and I'm not suggesting you are doing this) is not.

Howefamily

wow! People on here have a laugh at times but for the most try to help new people to understand what they have experienced so that they can have as much info as possible. Its a big move. We get that, we did it! Then we learnt, sometimes the hard way. Some of that learning is to change your mindset and until you do much misery may come your way. So why try to warn you... thats all.