Ontheroadoflife

Hi,

well 8 weeks ago if i knew what i know now.....

My wife and I are coach drivers in the UK and 8 weeks or so ago we saw an advert in an internal british mag for british coach drivers to come work for a canadian firm.
Long story short, we got the job, and land in Calgary in 2 weeks, and I'm trying to do some leg work prior to even getting on the plane. The employer is supplying us with cheap accommodation to enable us to get established for at least 6 months to a year so thats covered, we need at least one but possibly two really cheap cars (even if we only get a few months out of them thats fine)...best place to look? what insurance do we need for these and tax? Mobile phone networks, we are looking for a pay as you go sim only deal, can anyone suggest a good cheap network?...internet in the house...etc etc......arghhhh arghhh okay I don't have a clue, honest, 8 weeks ago I was happy in my job in the UK, coming over to work based on my skills handling a coach was not on the cards...it never happens...truckers yes...coach drivers..no. We have made no plans for something like this and now we are kind of being over-whelmed, I'm trying to sell off everything in the UK at the same time as enquiring about stuff over there, so if you can think of things...even the obvious things...PLEASE post them we will be grateful, our over-riding concern at the moment is obviously a car and mobile phones, but if you can think of anything else......

thanks
Kate and dave
(land 26th August)

lf1

Try Kijiji (like Gumtree) and Auto Trader for cars.

Internet - Shaw and Telus

PAYG Cell - Rogers, Wind, Bell, Virgin

we have just moved back to UK so I was on Rogers PAYG. $10 per month, but you don't get much time and the phone cuts out, without warning, when you run out of money.

the experts will be along after breakfast.

Best of luck with your move.

gryphea

I havea PAYG from 7-11. I like it because the credits don't really run out

Stu_g2004

What visa are you coming over on?

Ontheroadoflife

LMO for me, wife coming as spouse, 2 year visa

Stu_g2004

You'll get a cheap car on auto trader as said before, car insurance is expensive. Try get a letter from your current insurer stating your no claims etc ( look on the wiki for more info) though not all insurers will accept this.
You need insurance before you get registration ( plates). No road tax here.
You'll need to exchange your licence for an Alberta one, but youll only get your car licence, all others will be a retest.
I'm with shaw, the cheapest package with no contact, tv is ok, Internet it great and phone is cheap.
You'll get a pay as you go mobile for around 15 bucks a month. I'm with rogers.

jimf

Car Insurance - try Canadian Direct they accepted UK driving history.

I don't spend much on mobile phones - Rogers allows you to set up auto top up on PAYG so you dont suddenly run out of airtime.

Ontheroadoflife

resit my coach test.....no-one has mentioned this yet at my employers...what "fun" (passed mine 12 years ago!!....bad habits...etc etc). I've done some reading on the forum and from what I can see we are looking at $1500 dollars a car plus insurance. We need the cars to get to work so we need approx $6000 canadian just to get on the road......ouch!! Plus get through to first wage which is odds on monthly (do you guys work a month in hand?). I'm seriously considering declining the job!! Looks like we will need possibily up to $10K just to survive until wages start!

Tony_Tiger

Hi Dave + kate, Welcome to the forum.

As for the mobile phone. I took my unlocked mobile phone with me and got a sim card from the 'FIDO' network. It was handy as at the time I was on a two year visa like yourself in Calgary and I payed monthly so no contracts. But mobile phone costs are expensive.

As said above take your no claims history it will come in handy BIG TIME.

Google 'Kijji Calgary' for cars. No road tax, you just go to a registry. They have all the info there. You can swap your British licence for a Canadian one.

If you have time in the medium term. Go to Meetup.com There is a meetup group called Brits in Calgary. You can post there and maybe meet others at a the regular meetup. I say this because meeting others helped me settle big time when I was on a work permit.

I land in Calgary around October.

JB0591

Generally it is fortnightly which is great.

Stu_g2004

I've lost my hgv licence, so need to re sit if I want it back, not cheap either. With the reciprocal agreement you only get class 5 (car).
That would be my biggest concern if I were you, is finding out who pays/sorts out your bus licence. And how soon it can be done after landing.
$1500 will get you a banger, Like you say, $10k won't last long here.

el_richo

$10k?

Flights x2
Visa payment
Shipping
Car x2
Car insurance x2
Mobile phone x2
Home rental
Food
Etc

$10k can soon be eaten up in the first week very easily.

Geordie Lass

I think you might be pushed to do it all for 10k to be honest.

We spend just under £20k when you count all the flights up (2 adults and a child), getting the dog over (£1500) and deposit on house and month's rent up front, shipping our stuff over etc etc.... (this is including a big deposit on a car too)

Best £20k we ever spent tho...

Ontheroadoflife

yes i see....but employer is covering accommodation and furnishing it and deducting a less than market rent direct from pay-check, our flights we booked 2 weeks ago and by a fluke got a deal £362 each all in so they are paid, and at present as it is just me and my wife we are down-sizing everything and selling up...and by that i mean EVERYTHNG...we plan to arrive with 2 carry-on bags and 2 mega suitcases so we don't need freight or storage. we have no pets, so I suppose we will need 1 banger car to start off, 2 payg mobile sims, insurance and to survive to first pay-check (start at work the day after I arrive, and someone said it was normally fortnightly paid). you still say i need more than $10k?? <<<<<<<<getting worried, as at the min $5K is at hand

el_richo

Then no. Unless your job disappears or you hate it, of course. Going over to the unknown with $5k on hand and nothing to return to is VERY ballsy

$5k might cover your car insurance for 2 cars