Decision time
Aug 23rd 2007, 9:46 am
#1
Forum Regular
Thread Starter
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 35
Decision time
Hi all,
I am new to this forum, but not new to Canada. My Fiance (Canadian) and I (British) are seeking advice.
Here's the story! We met in OZ 6 years ago on WHV'S and then moved to London for 18 months. Her visa was close to expiring and so I took the WHV for Canada and we moved there. I had a really rough time of it in Toronto for the first six months. No luck with jobs although I have a university degree, and kept getting knocked back due to no Canadian experience etc. I hated it at first. Couldn't adjust to the lifestyle etc. My Fiance fell back in no problem with a good job straight away. I then had a lucky break after 6 months. I was temping for a large firm and they gave me a shot in a corporate sales role. The money was more then I had ever made and we rented a nice apartment, Big TV and all that crap, but still I wasn't happy and missed the UK. Couldn't get used to the 2 week holiday system and lack of travel opportunities. We decided that we would go back to London after being in Canada for 2.5 years. My fiance was very keen as she loves London. We took 7 months out to travel and got to London 3 weeks ago! I have landed a job and meant to start in a week, but my fiance has not had any luck so far.
The main thing now is that we are having a bit of reverse culture shock. London is extortionate and we have been looking at places and can't believe the prices to rent. After travelling through some extremely poor countries I have really started to appreciate our life in Canada/ cost of living and what we had, and really how lucky we were. Nice place to live, good jobs, a family cottage to go to whenever we want. We are very close to my fiance's family which we miss, and now were here in London (my family are in the north) and its miserable, expensive, and all people (my friends) want to do here is get pissed.
The twist. I spoke to my old boss in Canada, and he is pretty much offering me a job back. We don't know whether to stay here or go back now before we put down any roots. We would eventually go back to Canada as its a much more affordable and better place to raise a family, but the plan was to go back in 3-4 years. We wanted to move back to London because its more vibrant, more holidays and travel, but it seems like its been a case of the grass being greener when it isn;t.
Help! I am meant to start a job in 10 days, and I have my old boss in Canada pulling strings to try and get me back in. My fiance is unlikely to get her old job back but we are just stuck with what to do.
Sorry for the rant. Any advice or have any of you been in this situation.
I am new to this forum, but not new to Canada. My Fiance (Canadian) and I (British) are seeking advice.
Here's the story! We met in OZ 6 years ago on WHV'S and then moved to London for 18 months. Her visa was close to expiring and so I took the WHV for Canada and we moved there. I had a really rough time of it in Toronto for the first six months. No luck with jobs although I have a university degree, and kept getting knocked back due to no Canadian experience etc. I hated it at first. Couldn't adjust to the lifestyle etc. My Fiance fell back in no problem with a good job straight away. I then had a lucky break after 6 months. I was temping for a large firm and they gave me a shot in a corporate sales role. The money was more then I had ever made and we rented a nice apartment, Big TV and all that crap, but still I wasn't happy and missed the UK. Couldn't get used to the 2 week holiday system and lack of travel opportunities. We decided that we would go back to London after being in Canada for 2.5 years. My fiance was very keen as she loves London. We took 7 months out to travel and got to London 3 weeks ago! I have landed a job and meant to start in a week, but my fiance has not had any luck so far.
The main thing now is that we are having a bit of reverse culture shock. London is extortionate and we have been looking at places and can't believe the prices to rent. After travelling through some extremely poor countries I have really started to appreciate our life in Canada/ cost of living and what we had, and really how lucky we were. Nice place to live, good jobs, a family cottage to go to whenever we want. We are very close to my fiance's family which we miss, and now were here in London (my family are in the north) and its miserable, expensive, and all people (my friends) want to do here is get pissed.
The twist. I spoke to my old boss in Canada, and he is pretty much offering me a job back. We don't know whether to stay here or go back now before we put down any roots. We would eventually go back to Canada as its a much more affordable and better place to raise a family, but the plan was to go back in 3-4 years. We wanted to move back to London because its more vibrant, more holidays and travel, but it seems like its been a case of the grass being greener when it isn;t.
Help! I am meant to start a job in 10 days, and I have my old boss in Canada pulling strings to try and get me back in. My fiance is unlikely to get her old job back but we are just stuck with what to do.
Sorry for the rant. Any advice or have any of you been in this situation.
Aug 23rd 2007, 9:50 am
#2
Account Closed
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 494
Re: Decision time
Hi all,
I am new to this forum, but not new to Canada. My Fiance (Canadian) and I (British) are seeking advice.
Here's the story! We met in OZ 6 years ago on WHV'S and then moved to London for 18 months. Her visa was close to expiring and so I took the WHV for Canada and we moved there. I had a really rough time of it in Toronto for the first six months. No luck with jobs although I have a university degree, and kept getting knocked back due to no Canadian experience etc. I hated it at first. Couldn't adjust to the lifestyle etc. My Fiance fell back in no problem with a good job straight away. I then had a lucky break after 6 months. I was temping for a large firm and they gave me a shot in a corporate sales role. The money was more then I had ever made and we rented a nice apartment, Big TV and all that crap, but still I wasn't happy and missed the UK. Couldn't get used to the 2 week holiday system and lack of travel opportunities. We decided that we would go back to London after being in Canada for 2.5 years. My fiance was very keen as she loves London. We took 7 months out to travel and got to London 3 weeks ago! I have landed a job and meant to start in a week, but my fiance has not had any luck so far.
The main thing now is that we are having a bit of reverse culture shock. London is extortionate and we have been looking at places and can't believe the prices to rent. After travelling through some extremely poor countries I have really started to appreciate our life in Canada/ cost of living and what we had, and really how lucky we were. Nice place to live, good jobs, a family cottage to go to whenever we want. We are very close to my fiance's family which we miss, and now were here in London (my family are in the north) and its miserable, expensive, and all people (my friends) want to do here is get pissed.
The twist. I spoke to my old boss in Canada, and he is pretty much offering me a job back. We don't know whether to stay here or go back now before we put down any roots. We would eventually go back to Canada as its a much more affordable and better place to raise a family, but the plan was to go back in 3-4 years. We wanted to move back to London because its more vibrant, more holidays and travel, but it seems like its been a case of the grass being greener when it isn;t.
Help! I am meant to start a job in 10 days, and I have my old boss in Canada pulling strings to try and get me back in. My fiance is unlikely to get her old job back but we are just stuck with what to do.
Sorry for the rant. Any advice or have any of you been in this situation.
I am new to this forum, but not new to Canada. My Fiance (Canadian) and I (British) are seeking advice.
Here's the story! We met in OZ 6 years ago on WHV'S and then moved to London for 18 months. Her visa was close to expiring and so I took the WHV for Canada and we moved there. I had a really rough time of it in Toronto for the first six months. No luck with jobs although I have a university degree, and kept getting knocked back due to no Canadian experience etc. I hated it at first. Couldn't adjust to the lifestyle etc. My Fiance fell back in no problem with a good job straight away. I then had a lucky break after 6 months. I was temping for a large firm and they gave me a shot in a corporate sales role. The money was more then I had ever made and we rented a nice apartment, Big TV and all that crap, but still I wasn't happy and missed the UK. Couldn't get used to the 2 week holiday system and lack of travel opportunities. We decided that we would go back to London after being in Canada for 2.5 years. My fiance was very keen as she loves London. We took 7 months out to travel and got to London 3 weeks ago! I have landed a job and meant to start in a week, but my fiance has not had any luck so far.
The main thing now is that we are having a bit of reverse culture shock. London is extortionate and we have been looking at places and can't believe the prices to rent. After travelling through some extremely poor countries I have really started to appreciate our life in Canada/ cost of living and what we had, and really how lucky we were. Nice place to live, good jobs, a family cottage to go to whenever we want. We are very close to my fiance's family which we miss, and now were here in London (my family are in the north) and its miserable, expensive, and all people (my friends) want to do here is get pissed.
The twist. I spoke to my old boss in Canada, and he is pretty much offering me a job back. We don't know whether to stay here or go back now before we put down any roots. We would eventually go back to Canada as its a much more affordable and better place to raise a family, but the plan was to go back in 3-4 years. We wanted to move back to London because its more vibrant, more holidays and travel, but it seems like its been a case of the grass being greener when it isn;t.
Help! I am meant to start a job in 10 days, and I have my old boss in Canada pulling strings to try and get me back in. My fiance is unlikely to get her old job back but we are just stuck with what to do.
Sorry for the rant. Any advice or have any of you been in this situation.
If you mean to in the future anyway, and all that you will achieve in London is running hard to stay solvent (thus restricting your travel opportunities) then I would assume that what your gut instinct is telling you is right.
Aug 23rd 2007, 2:33 pm
#3
BE Forum Addict
Joined: May 2006
Location: Lethbridge AB
Posts: 4,250
Re: Decision time
CANADA
Get out of the UK and enjoy the delights of a country that has a tonne of stuff to offer people.
Gaynor
Get out of the UK and enjoy the delights of a country that has a tonne of stuff to offer people.
Gaynor
Aug 23rd 2007, 2:40 pm
#5
Moderαtor Emeritus
Joined: Sep 2003
Location: Upstate South Carolina
Posts: 30,768
Re: Decision time
What are the practicalities? Surely it will take time to arrange paperwork to return to canada if thats what you want, so you had better at least start the new job.
Second, if your ex boss in Canada wants you back, then leverage his enthusiasm into 3 or even 4 weeks vacation while you are in a strong bargaining position. Also get their corporate lawyers to handle all the paperwork aspect of this, or have them hire a consultant to sort it out. If he doesnt go for that, then stay in the UK.
But first you need to decide how you are approaching this potential return to Canada;
Work permit ;Limits mortgage and other credit possibilities in Canada, and corporate sales people are not in short supply in Canada, so might be tough to get approval anyway. Hence my recomendation to have them take professional advice.
Spousal sponsorship ; You are not married yet is seems, and it will take a while until you are allowed to work in canada that way anyway.
Skilled Worker ;probably not..takes way too long.
PNP; not an option for a job in Toronto, Ontario has no real provincial nomination program yet.
Its extremely unlikely you will get another working holiday visa.
Second, if your ex boss in Canada wants you back, then leverage his enthusiasm into 3 or even 4 weeks vacation while you are in a strong bargaining position. Also get their corporate lawyers to handle all the paperwork aspect of this, or have them hire a consultant to sort it out. If he doesnt go for that, then stay in the UK.
But first you need to decide how you are approaching this potential return to Canada;
Work permit ;Limits mortgage and other credit possibilities in Canada, and corporate sales people are not in short supply in Canada, so might be tough to get approval anyway. Hence my recomendation to have them take professional advice.
Spousal sponsorship ; You are not married yet is seems, and it will take a while until you are allowed to work in canada that way anyway.
Skilled Worker ;probably not..takes way too long.
PNP; not an option for a job in Toronto, Ontario has no real provincial nomination program yet.
Its extremely unlikely you will get another working holiday visa.
Last edited by iaink; Aug 23rd 2007 at 2:48 pm.
Aug 23rd 2007, 2:46 pm
#6
Forum Regular
Thread Starter
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 35
Re: Decision time
Sorry guys.
Forgot to mention I have PR. Got it 3 months before I left. Applied under spouse which took 18 months.
That is another thing that sways our thinking to going back. Don't want to run the risk of losing my PR.
Forgot to mention I have PR. Got it 3 months before I left. Applied under spouse which took 18 months.
That is another thing that sways our thinking to going back. Don't want to run the risk of losing my PR.
Aug 23rd 2007, 2:49 pm
#7
Moderαtor Emeritus
Joined: Sep 2003
Location: Upstate South Carolina
Posts: 30,768
Re: Decision time
I that case leverage your bosses enthusiasm into a better holiday allowance and get on the plane back!
Aug 23rd 2007, 2:53 pm
#8
Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah
Joined: Jun 2007
Location: Regina Beach, Saskatchewan
Posts: 3,885
Re: Decision time
Go west young man before you get stuck in Britain 
Seriously, your first post sounded to me you were only "sounding out" what you had already decided to do.
Best wishes in whatever you chose.
Seriously, your first post sounded to me you were only "sounding out" what you had already decided to do.
Best wishes in whatever you chose.
Aug 23rd 2007, 2:58 pm
#9
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Sep 2004
Location: vancouver island! BC Canada~ Lovin it!
Posts: 1,883
Re: Decision time
if you have PR then all the more sweeter and easier the decision. London and other places will always be there..same as Canada in that case.....follow your gut instinct!..it has been talking to you already hasn't it..?
otherwise you wouldn't have posted your query!
good luck with whatever you decide to do!
otherwise you wouldn't have posted your query! good luck with whatever you decide to do!
Aug 23rd 2007, 3:05 pm
#10
Now on Vancouver Island
Joined: Feb 2005
Location: Nanaimo, British Columbia, Canada
Posts: 6,935
Re: Decision time
If I were in your shoes, I would return to Canada.
But I just want to correct your understanding of a PR's residency obligations.
Ordinarily a PR has to spend two years out of every five years in Canada in order to maintain their PR status. However, if a PR accompanies their Canadian citizen spouse or common-law partner abroad, every day that that PR spends outside of Canada with their spouse or partner counts as if it was a day spent in Canada.
Although the time that you spend outside of Canada with your partner counts towards the fulfillment of your PR residency obligations, it does not count towards your eligibility for Canadian citizenship.
See this page of CIC's website.
But I just want to correct your understanding of a PR's residency obligations.
Originally Posted by vagabonding
That is another thing that sways our thinking to going back. Don't want to run the risk of losing my PR.
Although the time that you spend outside of Canada with your partner counts towards the fulfillment of your PR residency obligations, it does not count towards your eligibility for Canadian citizenship.
See this page of CIC's website.
Aug 23rd 2007, 3:09 pm
#11
Part Time Poster
Joined: Jan 2004
Location: Worcestershire
Posts: 4,219
Re: Decision time
really really think it through
I met my wife in Canada, and then went back to the UK after 2 yrs, stayed for 1.5yrs and then followed another job to Canada and have been here for almost 4yrs
But to be honest if I was to change job I'm not sure if I'd stay in Canada (I'm still here because I really like my job not much else)
I see the drawbacks to both countries and the plus sides too
Really add up you pro's and con's and make sure that the choice is well thought through
I met my wife in Canada, and then went back to the UK after 2 yrs, stayed for 1.5yrs and then followed another job to Canada and have been here for almost 4yrs
But to be honest if I was to change job I'm not sure if I'd stay in Canada (I'm still here because I really like my job not much else)
I see the drawbacks to both countries and the plus sides too
Really add up you pro's and con's and make sure that the choice is well thought through
