samb29

Siouxie

Do bear in mind that you can't get Child benefit here until you have submitted a tax return - it's based on the previous years earnings, in the main - so the year after starting work, basically.


If one of you is a Canadian Citizen then your children most likely are also Citizens and likely don't require a visa - but you will need to obtain proof of Citizenship for them and passports if they are, (before you come to Canada). Whichever of you isn't a Canadian Citizen can be sponsored by the one that is - and you could apply now - the total cost for that (sans medical) is $1040 total. https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration...igibility.html
Citizenship - https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration...tizenship.html

I would also strongly recommend getting your / the children's British or other Country Citizenship, if you qualify, before you leave... always good to have an option to return!

scilly

You also need to include the cost of medications ........... they are not free, and Canadian doctors for example do not write prescriptions for over-the-counter drugs such as aspirin, cough medicines, etc nor do they tend to hand out free samples. You need to check how much the provincial medical programme will be each month for a family of 4, plus what an Extended Health Plan may cost and whether it is part of your employer's benefit package or whether you take it out on your own from Blue Cross or another insurance company

There is no NHS dentistry, it is all private ............... the employer may offer a Dental Plan as part of the benefits package, you need to find out how much that will cost each month, or whether you will have to buy your own. Despite that, no dental plan will cover the full cost of treatment, whether that be a 6 monthly check-up, fillings or (heaven forbid) correctional treatments for a child.

Child care costs are now very high ................ after school care, vacation child care, camps, activities are all pretty expensive, depending on what your child wants to do. Child care can also be quite difficult to find, with waiting lists for many.

As an example (and I do know it is a different province), I think my daughter was paying about $1,000 a month for her 3 year old 5 years ago, and in Nova Scotia. After school care for him when he started kindergarten at age 5 was around $400 plus they had to pay something extra to help cover the costs of hiring an extra aide that he needed. Now, age 8, he is in a lovely home care situation where daughter can take him to the lady in the morning, she then takes the 3 children to school and picks them up in the evening. I haven't asked what she is paying ................

but these costs are something that you need to check out to see how they compare with your current ones.

BristolUK

I have a few different experiences to that for different reasons and different meds, including renewable quantities of two insulins for more than a year.

Sometimes the doc gave stuff directly, other times it was done via an arrangement through drug company and the pharmacy.

Quite often you can get the brand medication for the price of the generic. Not just for a short period either.

Piff Poff

Its threads like these that make me so pleased we didn't have a good internet before we moved (dodgy dial up). We never would have made the move. Any sort of benefit wasnt even considered.

scrubbedexpat091

When I have needed puffers for breathing issues, they always cost a fairly good chunk and the doctor many times had a sample one he would give me since he knew I could not afford to fill the rx.

I've gotten some other samples in the past as well, doctors may not offer them except to patients they know need them or those who ask, dunno but i've gotten samples more then once.

scilly

Maybe you are right here .......

....... all I know is that I have never been offered a free sample by any doc in the almost 50 years we have been, and neither have any of our friends. Even the struggling seniors who we see at coffee time don't seem to get free samples, they all talk about having to get them from the pharmacy and never boast they have a trial.

The only time I have got free medications is when I've been in the hospital and when I was prescribed tamoxifen through the Cancer Clinic ........ taking the elevator up to the CC clinic from the oncologist's office meant free medications as it is counted equivalent to hospital treatment. If I had started the treatment*, I would have got free tamoxifen for 5 years from there.

*Before anyone takes me up on this .............. it was the oncologist who later phoned and said, after discussion, they would be in agreement if I decided not to go ahead with tamoxifen as reducing a 5% risk to 2½% was insignificant in view of increased risks of 5% and up in side effects.

Siouxie

I've had antibiotic samples and a 'puffer' (never used it), also a amylnitrate spray from my GP when I was waiting for PR / OHIP and had no income.. but then she's lovely!

samb29

Hi

Just to reply to a few recent posts.

I am a citizen my kids are not, then will get PR and then once there can become citizens. They hold British citizenship.


I have accounted for the majority of costings mentioned, nothing mentioned comes as a shock. I currently pay childcare (£50 a day), dental care, I also do not use the NHS for any over the counter medicines (this adds to the cost of breaking the NHS IMO).


I didn't expect any benefits in the first year, but had read as a citizenship I would be able to claim form the start but again not 100% on that, anyway the original post was not to be reliant on benefits it was a general query to see what we would be entitled to, which I have now learnt, so thanks for that.

I have not set out to calculate the monthly outgoings and bills individually as this would be near impossible and everyone lives differently. I am really just saying that if we can live how we do in the UK and are ok, then comparable in Calgary we would hope would be $90-100k joint income.

We live in a fairly expensive city, we pay childcare, dental care, kids clubs, kids activities, we save, we go on holiday once a year, we pay all the usual bills, have a mortgage etc etc, so if we can live in the Uk, in an fairly expensive city and could move to other similar parts of the UK then I would hope Calgary would be comparable and manageable.

I know Vancouver and Toronto would be do big a push for us as the housing prices alone have stopped us looking these, as would moving nearer to London in the UK

From a post point of view I think the child benefit questions have been answered and I have been given a lot of info and website, so thanks for that. The only thing left that would be to ask any families who read this with a similar set up could confirm if the figures I quote of around $8k a year is accurate.

Siouxie

I think it's great you are doing due diligence before making the leap to move over - I wish more would!
You will still need to have submitted a tax return in order to get any Child or other family related tax credits or benefits - there is no difference whether you are a Citizen or not.

If you have a good job offer, you could perhaps check to see if the company will offer a 'benefits plan' (health care, medications, dental, glasses etc) as part of your contract. Prescription drug costs are paid for in full here, so getting a company 'benefits' plan goes a long way to help with unexpected expenses.

I would suggest having a look at the childcare links I gave in an earlier post as this will help you ascertain the costs here to have child care for after school etc. What you pay now equals around $80 a day (is that for one child?) - so you may be in for a bit of a shock.

Best of luck with the plan - hope it works out for you!

samb29

Thanks for the information and clearing up the child benefit i.e waiting to submit a tax return. I will make enquiries also on a package around employment benefits.

£50 ($80) yeah that is per child per day for nursery (under 5). After school club is around £15 ($25) per session, holiday day club £20-30 ($35 - 52)

scilly

I think you had better double check those links that Siouxie gave you ................ I would think that those costs might be close to twice as much over here.

All benefits over here are based on your previous year's tax return.

Plus, tax returns are filed individually, we do not have dual income tax returns ............ it is advisable for your spouse to file their own return even if they have no income. That can make them eligible for some benefits.

samb29

Regarding Childcare/Nursery fees, I searched 8 in NW Calgary and 4 of those I need to contact for fees, and 4 listed $100 as the most expensive for 1 day only, however if you book 2 days the average cost across these 4 was $72 per day 1 Child.

Looking at the links and comparing them to 1 of the ones i researched the FULL TIME rate is "Full-time preschool tuition at KidsU locations averages about $955" (taken form link) and one I researched $1159 these are monthly full time 5 Days fees that at the most expensive work out at $53 a day

Before/After School care I looked at 3 offerings in NW Calgary and they were $600-675 a month/5Days a week for 10 months of the year which averages $28 a day. I paid £15 ($25) a day for After care only in the UK

I have to still research holiday clubs to confirm costs, but the childcare from my research is actually on par/slightly cheaper that my UK costs.

Again I'd have to reach out to Calgary parents especially and ask what the childcare costs are that they pay for Nursery/Afterschool/Holiday Club

Siouxie

Do bear in mind that prices for child care are PER CHILD ... the younger they are the more expensive it tends to be.


Costs for childcare in Canada are not cheap - don't delude yourself thinking it's going to be cheaper here, please.


https://globalnews.ca/news/3121563/c...ensive-cities/


https://globalnews.ca/news/2974609/h...-than-tuition/

samb29

Have you actually read my post, these costs are PER CHILD I am quoting in Canada and the UK. I have one child in School, and 1 Child that is 3. Are all these day cares lying on their websites? I have never said that child care is cheap in Cnada or the UK.

I have said that after reading your link, looking at daycares in NW Calgary it is no dearer than I pay in the UK just now it is comparable. Certainly no where near double which was suggested.

The image you attached states Calgary child care a year is $12900 (if that figure is full time) then works out at $49 a day, if I paid full time for my 1 child in nursery at his current UK nursery it would cost me £13000 ($22000k) which is more like Toronto fees, I am looking at Calgary

I understand you are posting and trying to help but please read what I am writing, and do not state that I a deluded when I am clearly doing research.