Hi there I am born and raised in UK but I am in process of applying to canada. One thing that concerns me is all the stuff I have read on here. Alot of people have moved there and then moved back to UK within a few years. I want to know from people that have gone out there and the life style and canada has been what they had hoped for. Lets get some positives hey. Or are most of you regreting moving out there having lived in UK all your life.

Scroll onto the next page - and there is a 'poll' titled "Let's be honest" - have a look on there - your question may be answered !!

Few things to bear in mind:

1) Of all the people who immigrate to Canada from UK every year what percentage post on here? 10%? So the vast majority of experiences will go unremarked upon on British Expats.

2) Typically the most vocal people on a forum are those with a strong experience be it positive or negative. Don't neccessarily believe that their experiences are the norm.

3) I don't think the majority of people are negative about the Canadian experience. There is however some very realistic advice and experience you can learn from. But take it all with a pinch of salt. Especially dbd33!

4) Research, Research, Research cannot be overstated enough. BE is a valuable tool. BUT would you base a huge life decision such as emmigrating to Canada on the postings on an internet forum?!

AX

4) Research, Research, Research cannot be overstated enough. BE is a valuable tool. BUT would you base a huge life decision such as emmigrating to Canada on the postings on an internet forum?!

AX[/QUOTE]


Thanks for advice. Yes its true I think at end of day its my choice and I would not make this decision based on negive post in a forum. I will take the positive ones and the advice with my own experiances which make me excited about moving out there.

I agree I am in the process of the emigration process AOR Nov 2004 but this forum though useful has almost talked me out of going at all, as you say you cannot base your decision on this forum but I am feeling that from this the reality is that after the dream, we still have to work, pay mortgages, worry about kids, bills etc. etc. no matter where you are. I'm with you on this one tough decision but one ultimately that my husband & I are going to have to make which is hard when there is nobody else going to tell you to go! i.e. family & friends will not encourage on the whole. I live in a lovely area in England, great house, friends, good schools & yet still I want to go to Canada! Think counselling will be the next option!!

But keep the threads coming positive or negative - knowledge is power.

All the best to all.

I agree heland....if you are the sort of person who is that easily influenced then perhaps you shouldn't be allowed to leave the house never mind the country. Everyone is different. Whilst our app is speeding through LOL, I am quite ambivalent regarding the decision. Whilst I continue to contact companies with my Resume, if the decision at the end of the day is no I will be unhappy ( always unhappy when someone says no aren't you ) but it won't be the end of the world, especially as we have just moved house to a more rural locale.

Life goes on ....live it !

I dont regret coming here, but raising a young family without having family nearby to help out, or just to enjoy watching your kids grow up, is not to be underestimated. Thats my main regret to our decision to live in Canada.

I wouldnt say I regret it, But I would say its been harder than i ever imagined, but what doesnt kill you makes you stronger right.

I think like a lot of people I thought it would be easy to find work and get my papers but its been the hardest struggle ever, However im a much better person for my struggles and I appreciate everything i have a little more now. I no longer have the British mentality of waiting for things to land on my lap and feeling like im owed something.

As long as you are prepared to struggle in the first few yearswith getting started, and you can get through the homesickness and culture shock. you wont regret it. Research is very important however you wont ever be ready for the actual move and its not going to be all lovely all the time you will hit hurdles but you have to have determination to make it work.

Surely you would want the 'truth', warts 'n' all: not just the "positives"?

As has been said many times on this forum - everyones experience with emigrating is THEIR own reality. No matter how prepared you are, or how much research you do - you can never really 'know' how you're going to feel about it until after the fact, and you've experienced it for yourself. There are just too many variables. How you feel about it can change over the years, too. Just as how we feel about any other part of our life changes.

Don't forget, the same is true for every member of the family; some may love it - others may hate it! It's something which didn't even occur to me when we did it! God knows how families cope with a division in opinion after the move - whatever happens, someone could end up very unhappy.....

No matter what, or how it goes, I definitely believe it's an excellent mind broadening experience, that will teach you a lot about yourself!

I'm very much with iaink on the family thing, though - and it keeps coming back to punch me in the stomach every now and then Still, everything comes at a price, I suppose; and again, it's a very individual thing.

I don't want to give you a negative impression, but rather an honest one. Our experience has, on the whole been really great (on some levels we've acheived more than I ever dreamed possible); though we've been through the mill a few times, too. In the beginning when we arrived thirteen years ago, and a few times since in various ways; which is when you REALLY do miss the family element! I do believe that it's the best thing we could have done for our kids and their future prospects, though. (Family excepted ).

Lots of good advice on this thread - Good luck to you in your decision

Perhaps someone can remember that other thread on this topic? I'll see if I can find it......

Recommended reading:http://britishexpats.com/forum/showthread.php?t=388216

I have a number of friends we have made the move to Canada. Each of their experiences are different ranging from ecstatically happy to totally miserable. The experience of their children varies to the same degree.

There is one family whose children say that as soon as they reach 18, they are going back to England (Grandma says she'll pay). This of course worries their parents and causes tension in the family.

Many people have problems and issues in their life that they don't deal with and think that Canada will be the miracle cure to all their problems it isn't.

We want a huge house, a nice neighbourhood, fresh air, a slower pace and a good base to see North America. My wife also loves Kool-Aid, shopping at Wal-Mart and All-You-Can-Eat restaurants.

We could get some of that by staying in England, but hate driving on those ridiculously narrow country lanes we have here.

As for the rest, I've never been one for regrets.

Generally the unhappy ones misjudged the employment situation. The only one I can think of who had a good job and choose to go back to the UK was Julius Smith....and last I saw he was trying to figure out if/how/when to return to Canada.


250000 people come to Canada every year. Its unreasonable to expect all of them to be happy.

I still stand by my signature statement.

How old are the kids now, and how old were they when they made the move?

True!

Maybe I'm mis-understanding you, but that seems like dangerously superficial motivation - there's so much more to it than a big house and Kool-aid!

LOL I'd LOVE to swap these huge, boring, wide open, straight, flat roads, for some narrow ones with curves and inclines where I can really 'drive'!

Then you should fare just fine - so long as the rest of your family is of the same ilk Good luck in your journey! (Assuming you haven't moved yet, that is).

I have a friend with a great job he is happy, his partner is not, as he works long hours and she feel that she had to deal with all the adjustment problems on her own. The move has put a lot of stress on their relationship as she has mostly lost the old support network she had in the UK. The long summer while the children are off school seems an especially difficult time.

There is more motivation to the move than just Kool-Aid and a big house, I was being a bit light hearted.

I've lived in the same area all my life and seen it going slowly down the pan. My part of East London is becoming more dangerous every day. I fear for the safety of my children as some have started coming home with broken bones and other injuries.

I have 3 children with Asthma which I feel is aggravated by the amount of pollution they have to breath in. We do have a big house, and currently get Kool-Aid shipped in to us when we or our friends visit.

I did try and persuade my wife to move out of London but failed.

We really like Canada, I enjoy playing hockey with the guys on a Thursday night, I love the education system which seems more focused on helping children succeed than on league tables and I love the people; as they haven't lost their innocence.

Children are still children not little adults and even their criminals are more considerate. The person who stole my wife's purse only took the cash and credit cards and also left the purse in a safe place so she could find it later.