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Contents 1 Introduction 2 Discussion Forums 2.1 Choose the right forum 2.2 Tips on using the forum 2.3 Search previous discussion threads 2.4 Searching for cities 3 Frequent Topics / Wiki 3.1 Pros and Cons of Canada 3.2 Canada versus Australia 3.3 Regions of Canada 3.4 Immigration Consultants 3.5 Canadian Immigration 3.6 Abbreviations and Acronyms 3.7 Job Hunting 3.8 Annual Leave 3.9 Scouting Trip 3.10 Cost of Living 3.11 Banking 3.12 Taxes 3.13 Children 3.14 Schooling 3.15 Medical and Dental Treatment 3.16 Renting 3.17 House Buying 3.18 Other Wiki articles 4 Where do you go from here?

[edit] Introduction

Welcome to the British Expats forum. Here are some tips for finding your way around the parts of the website that pertain to Canada.

[edit] Discussion Forums

[edit] Choose the right forum

• The BE website has different forums for different purposes.

• It would be helpful if you posted a question or comment on the appopriate forum.

• Please see the BE Wiki article called Choose the right forum

[edit] Tips on using the forum

• The contents of this section are contained in a separate Wiki article entitled Tips on using the forum.
• Please do take the time to read the article.
• It is intended to assist you in participating in the forum as effectively as possible.
• The more effective your participation, the better the quality of the responses you can expect to receive to your questions.

[edit] Search previous discussion threads

The forum's search feature is very useful for finding previous discussion threads about a given topic.

[edit] Searching for cities

To find tips on searching previous discussion threads for information about large cities like Toronto and Vancouver, please see the Wiki article called Searching for cities.

[edit] Frequent Topics / Wiki

• You are in the Wiki section of the British Expats website.
• The articles here are a collaborative effort on the part of forum members.
• The Wiki articles address many topics, including ones that new comers to the forum most frequently raise. They include:

[edit] Pros and Cons of Canada

The article entitled Canada versus Australia lists the main advantages and disadvantages of Canada from the point of view of a British expat.

[edit] Canada versus Australia

Some newcomers to this forum have not yet decided whether they would prefer Canada or Australia. This Wiki article provides you with a rough comparison of the two countries.

[edit] Regions of Canada

The BE Wiki article called Regions of Canada provides a broad brushstrokes description of this vast country's regions.

Since pre-arranged employment has become so critical to gaining entry to Canada and since an awareness of labour shortages has become more essential to the immigration process, you may find it useful to read the BE Wiki article called Where to live.

[edit] Immigration Consultants

New comers to the BE website often ask whether or not it is worthwhile hiring an immigration consultant. Opinions on this forum are divided. To help you decide for yourself, this Wiki tells you the pros and cons of using the sevices of an immigration consultant.

[edit] Canadian Immigration

For most newcomers to the forum, the most pertinent information about immigration is contained in the Wiki article called Quick Guide to Canadian Immigration.

When you feel ready to get into more detail, it is recommended that you read Citizenship and Immigration Canada's website.

The Canadian Immigration section of the British Expats Wiki also has more articles on immigration.

[edit] Abbreviations and Acronyms

When members of the forum discuss immigration matters, they frequently resort to acronyms. If you don't know what the initials stand for, you may feel as if you're drowning in alphabet soup. This Wiki is intended to be your lifeline.

[edit] Job Hunting

• The Canadian hiring culture is very different from its UK counterpart.
• Understanding the hiring culture in Canada is critical to your success.
• The job hunting articles cover the following topics:
  • Marketing Yourself
  • Hiring Culture
  • Equivalency of Qualifications
  • Finding Job Opportunities
  • Labour Shortages (occupations in demand)
  • Networking (accessing the hidden market)
  • Resume (Canadian version of CV)
  • Covering Letter
  • Job Interview
  • Job Hunting Closure
  • Saying Thank You
  • Recce Trip
  • Salaries
  • Problems on the Job
• But the most highly recommended job hunting article of all is the one called Job Hunting Success Stories.

[edit] Annual Leave

Although there are variations across the spectrum, annual leave in Canada tends to be shorter than in the UK or Australia. This article explains the situation and the question of whether or not it matters.

[edit] Scouting Trip

Many new comers to the forum ask if it's useful to go to Canada on a recce trip. Yes, it most certainly is. This article contains valuable suggestions for getting the most out of your recce.

[edit] Cost of Living

[edit] Banking

[edit] Taxes

[edit] Children

[edit] Schooling

[edit] Medical and Dental Treatment

[edit] Renting

The article addresses both short-term and long-term accommodation rentals.

[edit] House Buying

[edit] Other Wiki articles

The Wiki section of the British Expats has over 300 articles on Canada. If a topic that is of interest to you is not listed here, do check the Wiki, because the issue may very well have been addressed there.

[edit] Where do you go from here?

• Your research has only just begun. You have lots more to do.
• If you go ahead and emigrate, you may find it's the best thing you've ever done, but there are no guarantees.
• You should research your options as exhaustively as you can.
• Use the forums to find out the experiences of the people who have relocated to the country or countries you are considering.
• It is enormously helpful to do a recce trip to your chosen destination (or even more than one recce trip if that is possible).
• Remove the rose coloured spectacles. Long and arduous as the migration process may be, you almost certainly will run into obstacles once you reach Canada. For some expats, the initial glitches are relatively minor, they adjust to Canadian life, and they settle in quite happily. For other expats, the challenges are much greater, and the adjustment takes longer. For a few, the problems are so severe that they derail the Canadian sojourn, and the family ends up moving back to the UK.
• It is strongly recommended that you read the Wiki article called Risk-Canada. It addresses some important concepts and suggests ways of addressing them.
• Potential challenges as well as potential solutions have been addressed in the Wiki article entitled Relocation Strategies.
• It also is very instructive to read the Moving back to the UK forum. There you can find out the factors that have drawn people back to the UK.
• Then, after having done all that, just make the most informed decision that you can.