Decent salary
 

I got 2 job offers. They vary significantly. Both located in a bit rural Ontario : Peterborough and Sudbury.
my question is: what would be a decent family income for a couple with two dogs to live without watching every pence?
we are thinking about a small house (rent first then possibly buy), somewhere on the outskirts, two cars etc.
The lower offer sounds better but I don't know if we would be able to live a normal life on it.
Any ideas?
Thanks

Re: Decent salary
 

I think answers will be found by taking a look at this recent thread (the cost of living posts are further down and on the second page) - but really your question is a "piece of string" question - depending on how you spend your money and what your tastes and aspiratins are, and in your particular case whether your wife is going to be working what income she can expect to bring home in her occupation.

Re: Decent salary
 

You also need to really look at both places with your eyes open!

Sudbury was once the place where NASA astronauts trained for life on the moon, the landscape was sooooo bad after major mining for nickel mainly, but also other metals.

It literally was bare rock and mining slag when we first saw it back in the early 1970s, not much better when we stayed at the university there in the late 1980s.

It has improved tremendously since then, largely I have to say as a result of land reclamation experimental work begun by a close friend of ours back in the late 1960s, so the worst is now covered by plant life. I know of people who love it there, and others who hate it.

It is also on the Canadian Shield, which means there isn't much soil over the rock. Lots of lakes for fishing, many lovely bugs as well. That also means that it is further away from the southern part of Ontario ....... long winters, hot summers.

Google and read about both places to see how they would fit into your life style, as well as the work life.

Re: Decent salary
 

Are you Canadian? Or do both jobs come with an LMIA? What is the difference in salary?

Re: Decent salary
 

We are both British (ish)- dual nationality both. Both jobs require LMIA due to my age and my wife's problems with transfer of her qualifications ( long story involving RCVS and incompetent people on both sides)
we are not big spenders but will not lie - we do like certain standard of living. But we always live within our means. I guess buying replacement motorcycle can wait ;-)
I would like my wife to focus on settling us in with our animals and then go to work if she feels like it- I know it sounds bad but this girl has been through hell and back and deserves some break in beautiful Canada.
My offers are 90k- Sudbury and 120k- Peterborough
But the Peterborough place drags their feet with LMIA and with current waiting times for work visas that will take at least half a year.
Harsh winters and hot summers suit us- better than the same season all the year along here ;-)
Thank you for all your inputA

Re: Decent salary
 

Congratulations on obtaining TWO job offers while not being in Canada, impressive, well done!!

A quick question - is it your intention to move to Canada permanently, i.e. become Permanent Residents, or is this move going to be a temporary one for a couple of years or so? I'm a little confused by your 'Dual Nationality' comment - are you Canadian Citizens, by chance - if you are there is no need for an LMIA - that's only needed for temporary workers. Age has nothing to do with it!

If you hope to become PR's in the future, have you looked to check what points you might have after a year or so - will they be high enough to obtain an Invitation through Express Entry? (Follow the steps in Christmasoompa's post in our wiki > https://britishexpats.com/wiki/Quick..._by_step_guide then post to our immigration part of the Canadian forums with any questions about this :) )

What do you both like doing? - Sudbury and Peterborough are 2 very different towns / areas with different things available (or not available).
:)

Re: Decent salary
 

Ok so let me explainI am Polish/ British, my wife is Barbados/ British. I need LMIA since I'm too old to get to Canada on EE- don't have enough points. My wife is younger but her university accreditation via ICAS takes ages and in a impass with RCVS here in the UK.
our plan is to stay in Canada permanently. We will be applying for PR and then citizenship if allowed.
We are looking for quiet community close to the nature.
Schools are not that important since we don't have kids. I have a dream of a small house by the lake. Still within driving distance to doctors, shops etcHope its a bit more clear now.
Regards

Re: Decent salary
 

An LMIA is only for a Temporary Work Permit - the longest you would be able to remain on one (presumiing the company renewed it) would be 4 years, then you would have to leave. If you want to stay permanently then you will have to apply for Permanent Residency - you will need to apply through Express Entry for one route or another - unless the company (and you) are prepared to apply and pay for Ontario Provincial Nomination.. presuming your job and the company would qualify for one of the PNP streams. :) That's why I suggested you check what you points would be - pretend you have been working in Canada for 1-2 years, will your points be high enough then? What about if your wife applied as the lead applicant - would her points be high enough to get an invite?
:)

Congrats again on the job offers - what is it you do for a living? Have you checked that the salary offered is comensurate with the average for the job in those 2 areas? You can check using https://www.jobbank.gc.ca/career-pla...ch-job-profile - input the job title, then the City name - then click on the 'wages' tab, then on 'Ontario' and it will show you the low/median/high wages/ salary for that City / region. :)

Not all jobs qualify for the spouse of the TWP holder to obtain a spousal open work permit, do check that too. :)

Re: Decent salary
 

Re: Decent salary
 

I remember reading somewhere on here that you should approximately double your UK salary to get the equivalent of what you should earn in Canada to have the same lifestyle. So that would mean these salaries roughly equate to £45k and £60k. I think!

Re: Decent salary
 

Of the two, Peterborough hands down. I guess the key question is whether you have rainy day savings right now and can afford to make the move. I think you will be able to live quite comfortably but may not be able to put away vast sums while the Mrs isn't working. If you have a few months' salary saved plus m loving costs, I think you will be fine!

Re: Decent salary
 

yep, 120K would be just fine in Peterborough. Don't live downtown it sucks. Look at Lakefield.

Re: Decent salary
 

I'd certainly choose Peterborough over Sudbury .............. and I've only seen Sudbury!! :lol:

Long winter = 5-6 months.

In recent years, I have mostly seen Sudbury only in winter, when everything is covered in snow.

Summer = black flies, mosquitos, often larger than any you've seen before!! Plus horseflies, ticks, etc I wore lots of insect repellent when we were there in early summer.

You literally have to check pets after every time they go out for ticks, although this also applies to many other parts of Canada. My daughter has to check her little Havanese puppy even in Metro Halifax as the Lyme disease tick is known to occur there as well as several other species.

Do you also appreciate that most areas insist that dogs be on leash all the time, except in certain specified areas? This applies in parks, National Parks, etc. In other words you cannot just let your dog run wild, or run beside you as you walk, ranging around as it desires.


The ideal of course is to visit each place in person, for 1 or 2 weeks so that you can really see and appreciate everything there is to see and do.

I'm also not sure when you hope to move, but LMIAs do take some time to get. because the employer has to prove that there is no Canadian capable of doing that position, and the employer has to get it right or the application will be turned down.

There might be a reason for the Sudbury application moving faster!

Re: Decent salary
 

Both of my employers have been advertising for weeks now so inability to hire a Canadian veterinarian for this position can be proven easily but there might be ceratin rules to LMIA. In veterinary industry there is massive shortage of vets all over Canada so LMIA should not be a problem but I might be wrong of course.
to be honest I have not thought of leash walking since my mutts in the park are off the leash most of the time. Will have to direct that question to people on the ground there in Peterborough and Sudbury.
Thanks again for your help

Re: Decent salary
 

A friend of mine said the only good thing about Sudbury is the view in the rear view mirror- peterborough is nice