Advise on moving to Canada
 

My wife has recently discovered she might actually be a canadian citizen by descent. We are applying for proof of citizenship.

Can anyone who has recently made the move or been there a while now pass on any advise. I have been reading the forum "things you hate about living in Canada" a long with all the positive forums of course.

The main things that seem to be popping up are cost of car insurance, cost of TV, mobile and internet (I have checked a few site and cant believe the prices I am reading) I thought the UK was expensive for that s*it! Oh each and the fact that most employers only give 10 days annual leave (WTF is that all about). What else is expensive and what else is cheap?

Can anyone comment of the bad and good points on a move to canada. We are thinking of the move as we have always fancied living somewhere abroad and new to us. We spent a year in australia and loved it however we can not get a visa to stay there.

The work in scotland is not the greatest for opportunities and we could move down south (manchester or near south east) but we both want to give canada ago but only if it really is going to be a better life.

I understand a lot of posts will come back "you wont know until you go" kind of thing, but any info from people who have done the move and loved or hated it please get in touch.

Many thanks in advance :D

Re: Advise on moving to Canada
 

Most people move for the bigger house and more toys, they will tell you that it was for other reasons but I don't believe them. If you are not able to cash in on a rise in property value in the UK, I see little reason to move to Canada. You will likely have to take a step back on the career ladder and may have to take a significant amout of time to obtain Canadian designation.

Some are able to earn more money in Canada than in the UK. Most will state that they like the space in Canada, but then move to suburbs that are, really, no more spacious than those in the UK.

If you want to be able to go skiing, hiking etc, there are very few places in Canada that could compete with the facilities you have to do those things in Scotland, or a short flight to Europe.

Each to their own and all that.

Re: Advise on moving to Canada
 

My advice is take Canada for what it is. Its not the UK, its not the States, its Canada. Endless comparisons usually end up with people focussing on the negatives.

There are areas of life where its better, there are areas where its not. Dont have too many preconceptions, but do your homework and be very clear as to the motivation you have for coming to Canada.

Other advice, go where you can get a decent job. Happy immigrants tend to be the ones fully employed. Everything else tends to stem from that. Cost of living and all that surely has been covered numerous times elsewhere.

Re: Advise on moving to Canada
 

This is, possibly, the best advice you will receive.:thumbsup:

Re: Advise on moving to Canada
 

I totally agree with that advice. All other views do depend on employment and money.

We got by in the UK, we are in our 20's and earned around the average salary. We moved to Nova Scotia in August and now both earn circa $85,000 each.

So the move was worth it for us, and our employment situation makes everything else rosy.

Re: Advise on moving to Canada
 

It is hard to generalise about canada as it varies from province to province, city to city and even job to job.

In my present job, I am entitled to 7 weeks off per year. In my first job I was entitled to no time at all for the first year and then got two weeks. In the city I live in, I am also entiltled to relatively cheap car insurance.

Many people often ask about moving to a specific province or city, so if you do a search you will find many different posts that can help.

Some things are more expensive, others are much less. It generally balances out.

If you move to an isolated part, you will feel isolated. If you move to an unfriendly part, you will feel that people are unfriendly, if you cannot get a job you will feel stressed and wonder why you moved in the first place.

Re: Advise on moving to Canada
 

This is a couple of years out of date but probably still reasonably useful:

http://www.livingin-canada.com/cost-...in-canada.html

Re: Advise on moving to Canada
 

I think the poor exchange rate has made it easier to appear that you are earning more. My gut feeling is that there are more $50-60k jobs here than there are £35-40k jobs in the UK.

Also scottish skiing is generally a bit crap, but other than that your post is spot on.

Re: Advise on moving to Canada
 

Ontario skiing is a bit crap too (compared to real mountains), but its still great to get outside and have some fun in the winter, rather than stay cooped up inside muttering about how terrible the winter is here.

Re: Advise on moving to Canada
 

Thanks for all the posts........ok so my reason for moving to Canada.....well like I said we have both always fancied living abroad, giving something else a go. After all the UK really aint all that!

I have spent nearly 30 years in Scotland, apart from 14 months travelling where we spent 12 months in Australia and we both loved it there, would go back in a second if we could (wouldn't even ask advice on here would just go haha).

I feel after spending all this time here we have came to a dead end almost and am after a better way of living. We are both in good jobs average pay, the wife's job is on the skills shortage in canada and she is really at the best she can get too, in Scotland anyway. I work in telecoms and work in comms companies here (scotland) is so dry....a move to manchester or south east would have to be the next step for me to progress any further.

When we found out she might be a citizen then it seemed to good a chance not too take it, but I want to ensure that it will be a better quality of life. My dream is Australia but need to advance in telecoms further with more experience to make it for a skilled migration visa.......so its a move to England or Canada to try and get that experience!

We had thought about Toronto mainly as there seems to loads of jobs for the missus and it seems to be the main place for comms! If she is a citizen then it will also be there once she has it and its something we could do later on down the line.......but it needs to be a move somewhere.

P.s and one of the other reasons is weather (hence why I want to move to oz I could bask in that sunshine all day...I love it) I realise Canada is cold in the winter but hey I am from Scotland, and I have read Toronto summers are a hell of a lot better that Scotland!

Re: Advise on moving to Canada
 

Yes, you are right.

Re: Advise on moving to Canada
 

Well, you got that half right...

Hot and humid only begins to describe the unpleasantness.

Re: Advise on moving to Canada
 

iaink......I love the heat though...I love it and even if I start to feel like saying the word "I am too hot" I think to myself how s&it the weather is in Scotland!!!

Hot and humid sound like my kind of place

Re: Advise on moving to Canada
 

How about mosquitoes...if you love them, you will be the first. I even get bitten when I wear reppellant.

Re: Advise on moving to Canada
 

Canadian mosquitoes v Scottish midges.....bring them all LOL