deise1980

Hi guys ,as some of you already know I'm planning to emigrate to Canada (Calgary area) early-mid next year with my family ,wife and 3 kids that are aged 2 , 8 , 12( will have completed primary school ) . I have looked online and am I right in saying school for the oldest 2 will be free (study permits required ) ? The main issue is will we have to pay for the small one 2 year old for nursery/pre school /kindergarden what ever its called over there as my wife hopes to get a P/T job in mornings while kids are at school ?Again any advice would be very grateful .Also if the older 2 kids school is free are there any other associated costs ie uniforms ,books etc ?
Rgds
Deise1980

Almost Canadian

If you have the appropriate visa/permit to enable you to work, schooling for your children will be "free". You will have to pay lunchtime supervision fees (if the children stay at school over the lunch hour) and bus fees (if they need to take the bus).

At the beginning of each year there are various fees that need to be paid for materials, trips, etc. Each school will be able to tell you what they are.

deise1980

I plan on going over on the IEC open work permit and after 6 months. going through the PNP process leading to PR hopefully fingers crossed . I suppose our main concern is the small age 2 ,what are the options open for us regarding him ie the most cost affective schooling as if we had to pay for daycare it would be pointless my wife finding work ?Here in Ireland it can cost around 30-40 euro pw for child to enter play school or nursery from 9am - 1 .
Rgds
Deise1980

Almost Canadian

Daycare/pre-school fees in Calgary are expensive. Be prepared to pay $$$$$

deise1980

We are prob going to be putting our 2 year old toddler into a day care ,child care ,nursery what ever its called in Canada for about 3 mornings a week 9 -1 or something any ideas of the cost roughly ?Why do a thread get moved from the main page and where does it go ? How you check where?
Rgds
Deise1980

carolyn_vdv

We pay $50/day for daycare (slightly less for a full time spot), you may find it cheaper, this was average for those that had free places. For a few hours a day, 3 days a week be prepared to pay by the hour...

Oink

No uniform costs unless they go to a private institution as the children seem to go to school dressed in only their pyjamas, as do their mothers. You will need to buy them their school supplies unless you're poor.

deise1980

50 dollars a day WOW that's expensive ! I was hoping to pay maybe 50-60 for 3 mornings a week is that achievable ??? Obviously I'm not going to be leaving my son into any place or with any person .
Rgds
Deise1980

carolyn_vdv

Tell me about it, and with two in daycare it is more. I am not sure that you will find 50-60 for 3 mornings a week. We have found that babysitting is in the $8-10/hr range - you are probably looking at closer to $100 a week, that is if you can find such a gig.

Flossie and Jim

Another option could be preschool. Generally at three they do two to three hours on a Tuesday and Thursday. You can pretty much go to any preschool you like and there are a few places linked to private schools with longer hours but they are $$$. A few preschools do extra days. Our preschool is only for two hours so not enough for you to go and work, but it's only $125 a month.

There are daycares(more formal like a nursery) and day homes (like a child minder in uk). You might find more flexibility with day homes but it's best to get a recommendation - we looked at loads and didn't fancy them so ended up with a daycare. Day homes tend to be a little cheaper too but it depends on demand in your local area. I have friends who pay $600 a month for a full time excellent day home but in my part of the city they are $800-$900! Daycares full time can be from around $900 upwards a month - some have quoted me $1600 and with two kids that's just ridiculous!

It's not impossible - you might be able to join up with another family and share a place in a daycare, or you could probably find a day home who you can drop your child off with and they take her to and from preschool, or can just look after them for the whole time.

Good luck!

deise1980

Thank you you have been very helpful . I really don't know what to do now because my wife will have to work pt as my wages won't be enough alone !
The main issue is my wife could work fulltime only for my other 2 kids would finish school mid afternoon and would need picking up and minding until 5 or 6 pm i assume ,then your talking huge money minding the small one all day and the other after school my wife would work for nothing .
How do ordinary Canadian families in ordinary jobsmanage on one wage its impossible unless there making above 50000 + ?
Rgds
Deise1980

ExKiwilass

they struggle, they make do, they leave the kids with relatives whre they can to cut down on daycare costs, etc etc.

Childcare is a huge issue here. I pay my babysitter (a stay at home mum) $12 an hour. Not cheap.

ann m

This will be a challenge. Trying to find childcare and trying to find a p/t (decent) job are both very difficult. Trying to coordinate the hours will be extremely difficult. I don't mean to sound the voice of doom, but I seriously wish you luck.

As Flossie and Jim suggests, I'd try to find a day home on recommendation first. That might give you marginally more flexibility on hours.

I didn't work for 5 months when we got here. Then I found a sympathetic Starbuck's boss who allowed me to work from 9 to 2.30pm, three days a week. I was good so she indulged me.

Inevitably, the money was poor and I was knackered, and I morphed to full time work as the kids got older, and were big and ugly enough to let themselves in the house after school.

Have a look at Ex-Kiwilass' thread on childcare - it's a universal problem.

From your visa point of view, does your wife have an open work permit anyway? I'm not up to speed on how the IEC works now.

And I haven't read any of your other input on BE, but will you have a slush fund when you arrive anyway? If your wife must work because your wages will not be enough to live on, I fear you may come a cropper early on. What if she doesn't find something quickly?

Honestly, you might just fall on your feet and everything will slot into place over a couple of weeks, and I truly hope it does, but take heed of comments given to you. Just be prepared.

christmasoompa

We move it when it's been put in the wrong place! The immigration section of the forum is only for queries relating to visas and legal stuff, any lifestyle type questions should be in the main part of the forum i.e. here.

If in doubt, there is a wiki article about which part of the forum is for what. Just follow the link in my signature.

Thx.

deise1980

Only realised that after posting the question thanks
Rgds
Deise1980