Novocastrian

Wouldn't it be simpler just to stay in the Uk with a proper job?

Maybe it's for the kids, whatever that's supposed to mean.

magnumpi

Lol yeh i know what you mean "but" some people just wana live in Canada no mater what coz they think it will be better all round. Even if they have less cash.

Thing is, and i know this is what you are gettin at, after being poor for a while flippin burgaz, it dont matter were you live, poor is just bloomin poor but in $ not £. And it will be crap. No one will listen to you though, no one does. Well a few may do.

Edit....As for the doin it for the kids coz kids are kids longer in Canada ect blahh blahh blahh

Well kids are kids just as long in Uk now, they stay in school till they is 18 now.

Mad Jockette

Hi
if your wife was to work as a nurse she will need to have the relevant practice and theory requirements in order to have a license to practice.
Has your wife contacted the relevant nursing licensing body? Sorry if you have already started this process.

The salary for nurses, from Canadina Immigration site, can be found at this web address. Not sure how old this info is.

http://www.workingincanada.gc.ca/rep...1&action=final

Someone may come along and give you much more info

Good luck on you future plans

lmartin999

I think I agree with both Novo and Mag/Nump (which is rather odd). I know people who live in Barrie and don't mind it. However, I am pretty sure they would not consider it 'living the dream'.
I can't imagine why anyone would dream of living there, unless the pre-arranged job is a major career move and pays $$$$$.

Oink

Do hamburgers need to be flipped these days? Donuts on the other hand do. There's a donut van near me and the lady in it had an automatic donut flipping machine which was really nifty.

Boy d

As noted getting into teh fire service will take a lot of effort on your part. I should imagine that a firefighter and nurses income would provide a decent standard of living.

JamesM

Real Estate in Barrie is still relatively cheap compared to Toronto.

I have been out on the drink there several times but in both circumstances I was well liquored before leaving so can't remember the experience.

It does have a Hooters, so there is a nice sports bar to take the kids.

Novocastrian

Not Hooters, but that place on Main Street isn't bad. I was up there a couple or more winters ago to show my SIL and BIL ice fishing, we also walked out on the lake to chat with the fishermen. They offered us all sorts of liquor (which is how they keep warm, and semi-sane, I suppose).

Afterwards we needed to warm up and went to that pub on the Main St., (I can't remember the name). This was about 4 p.m. The pub was quite hospitable and we all ended up checking into a hotel rather than risking the drive back to civilization.

mandymoochops

Can I just reiterate how difficult it will be getting a paid job as a fireman.

You state that you "know" how positions are fought for and and how competitive the industry is. but you are comparing it to the UK. Where all firemen are paid.

In Canada the only firemen that are paid are the ones either a) in big cities or b) a ways up the ladder (pardon pun).

You get 'up the ladder' by being 'at the bottom of the ladder and working your way up. End of.

You get to the bottom of the ladder by volunteering for a couple or three years - then fighting all the other volunteer firemen for a the few paid positions that come up. They will have family / friends / contacts / secret masonic handshakes to help them with their progression.

You will have a funny accent.

Hard work and a good ethic means jack sh*t when trying to infiltrate a country who'se hiring practice in these sorts of positions is based on who you know.

I can point out one experience albeit in Alberta, where the fire cheif was hiring someone a step below him. He literally had hundreds of applicants and he ended up hiring one of the women firefighters that he was having an affair with.

(it didn't end too well but thats by the by).

Please take on board what people are saying.

el_richo

So in short

You can live comfortably in Barrie on $100k household income.

You'll probably not get a firefighting job for a very long time

You'll need another job of some sort to see you through

You'll need a large chunk of cash to see you through the jobless and/or low income years.

Barrie is a bit of a shithole.

I think this thread has given you your reality check somewhat

alcat2010

Sigh....
Ok. I think WE ALL agree that getting into the full-time fire service is tough... I KNOW this. It took me several years to 'get in' here. My persistence paid off.

Now, I could sit here and listen to all the replies on "how impossible" it is to get a foot on the ladder etc etc.... But I think I have to use a positive frame of mind, stay determined and not give up (bit too early for that eh??)

Without giving all my secrets away just yet, The Fire Service 'wage' was just an example, a benchmark if you like to roughly guage a required 'standard of life'.....

My thread question is partly theoretical. IF we ever do get our PR visas, then we will move onto the next stage = of trying to gain secure employment..
Employment worthwhile enough to move my family across the world.. to an area that is worth moving to..

I wont be friggin flipping burgers. (I would have taken that chance prior to having my kids though)

If I, or my wife do not gain decent enough jobs to give us "the life" we feel we can get, then we wont be going. Simple as that..

Again, Im looking for a guide, or some 'tool' (which someone has provided thanks) On a way to compare a cost of daily life with a rough annual wage(house prices, bills, car insurance, tax, food, etc etc )

Cheers

Tony-the-Tigger

Barrie is NOT a shithole. It is very much, a self contained city that should tick most of the boxes for a family relocating from Glasgow. What is particularly good for your missus is that the Royal Victoria hospital has recently doubled in size due to a newly built extension and the old part is scheduled for a total refit later this year.
There's a limited GO train service to Toronto which makes Barrie popular for downtown workers who can't afford, or want more for their buck than they would get in Toronto and it's surrounding areas.
You can get a new 4 bedroom 2000sqft detached house for $300,000 in Barrie which makes it very appealing for young families relocating from the UK. I will guess that you won't have much of a down payment for a new home so Barrie, I think, is a very realistic option. Try an MLS search over Toronto for a $300,000 home and you will get almost nothing.

Like other posters have said, Barrie does lack charm, it isn't quaint that's for sure. The majority of it's housing stock are on endless streets of similar looking, modern style housing but if charm is low on your list of priorities and you want to live where most facilities are easily accessible, I think it would be a great place to relocate to. It's actually quite nice there around the banks of lake Simcoe and the water is much cleaner than lake Ontario.
Once you've found your feet and have some money behind you, moving closer to Toronto may then be a more realistic option if that's what you want to ultimately achieve.

I can't help you much in relation to firefighting employment, but totally agree with other posters who mentioned how difficult it is to obtain fulltime employment. My friend's brother volunteered for years before finally getting in .

Tony-the-Tigger

Don't sigh mate. Folk on here are just trying to warn you. You've been through it already and they are just asking if you have the time and energy to do it all over again. Not to mention that it also isn't easy to get a steady nursing job initially either. Most have to work casual in the district, biding their time until an opportunity shows itself. My wife is a nurse btw and it took her over 2 years to get into a hospital.

alcat2010

Thought id add.. Barrie isn't exactly our 1 and only desired destination.

Basically my wife has distant family in wasaga beach, they and others have mentioned Barrie... and we have to start looking at somewhere eh?.. as was so obviously pointed out to me Ontario "is massive"... so we have to try narrow the search down somehow..

But as Iv said, us moving depends on jobs. So wherever they may be...

Tangram

Go for it. It will be wonderful.

Is it for the kids ?