Hello Everybody,

I am after some help in relation to moving to Canada in 12-18 months time.
I am John aged 47 and I am currently a Police Officer based in Hampshire, I have 7 years experience. Before that I was in the Royal Navy for 23 years, in the logistic branch.

My wife Debra, who will be the main visa application, is 43. She is a social worker. She works for Child Services for Hampshire County Council. She has been qualified for 1 year and has an Honours Degree in Social Work after being at Portsmouth University for 3 years.
We very much want to move to Canada and start a new adventure in our lives. However time is ticking on as you see for both of us

I have completed visa application assessment on line for Debra and she would qualify for a Skilled Worker Visa but only with a confirmation of a job offer.
I have also looked at transferring to the Canadian Police but it seems that they are not taking international recruits at the moment, could also be too old for them, unless anyone on here knows anything different?

I am just wondering what the next step should be for us and our dream to move to Canada?

I have done a bit of research in where to live. I do like the sound of the Greater Toronto Area but are more than willing to listen to other people’s advice in where to settle.
I would also like advice on how is the best way for Debra to apply for a job in Canada in the role of a social worker. Is best to apply direct or go through an agency.

Any advice in anything in relation to living and working in Canada would be a great help for us both.

To everyone who is in the same boat as us the best of luck in achieving your dreams and keep in touch!

John

Hi,

Welcome to the forum.

Can't give you any advice on your application I'm afraid, but regarding on picking a place to live... well I'd say get yourself on a plane and go and have a look. We went to Alberta earlier this year and fell in love with the place (the rocky mountains are something else!).

We always had Alberta in mind and the trip confirmed it for us.

Good luck.

Chris

Thanks for the reply Chris, I will bear it in mind your advice.
John

I would second Chris's post. We have been to Calgary 3 times now and love it.

A visit is key i would think in your situation (assuming you've not been before). I also visited Calgary and thought it was a bit shit, hence living in Vancouver.

Different strokes for different folks! Admittedly I didn't like downtown Calgary. Went once and it did nothing for me at all but the outskirts are nice.

Well, no point falling in love with a location that has no jobs.

As has been said many times before, a happily employed immigrant is a happy immigrant, especially when you need the job offer to get here!

Finding the necessary job should be your primary focus, then when you have an idea where has the best prospects of success is on that front go for a visit.

Why Canada anyway? In order to stick through the hard times its usually best to be motivated by what a place has to offer (you see it every day), not by the fact that is isnt somewhere else (when you will forget about the bad stuff over time).

For job seeking advice.... check out the wiki area (blue bar at top of page)

True enough, but my opinion is that if you're going to go to the time, trouble and expense of uprooting yourself and moving half way across the world, it should be to somewhere you really want to be, with as little compromise as possible. If the choice was to be somewhere forced on me by job constraints rather than somewhere I chose because of the lifestyle opportunities, I wouldn't bother emigrating.

Thanks again for the advice, there is certainly alot to think about! As we both know that there will be alot of ups and downs in our quest!

Just a word about the Police .... there is the RCMP (The Mounties), and then there are local police forces per city, eg Calgary Police Service etc .... you cannot apply to RCMP, I believe, unless you have citizenship. It's worth looking at city police forces on a case by case basis. With your background I daresay security firms might snap you up as well

I guess your job search will focus on your wife's occupation initially anyway, if you need an offer to apply as Skilled Worker.

try sending a private message to jimmydean, her has a very similar background to yourself and im sure can offer you some great advice

Hi John, just sent you a private message hope i can be of some help

Hi John, try sending a PM to cathynPaul, they came from the midlands 3 yrs ago, cathy and I are both nurses and Paul is a police officer, he could give you some advice im sure. if you cant find her on here you can send the info to my inbox and i can forward it to her at work. i will contact her and ask her to look out for it

good luck

kae

Hey guys
I used to live just down the road from you in Fareham!
Have sent you a private msg, good luck!

Unless you're planning to retire, don't you think you might be bit too old for such a move?