Emigrating to Canada
Mar 8th 2008 | 9:13 am
#1
Thread Starter
Wish i was there!!!
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 18
From: Ballyclare N Ireland
Emigrating to Canada
Myself, my hubby and 3 young kids want to move to Canada from Belfast, NI.
We are looking at Ottawa or Alberta but are really not sure where would be best for us. In Ottawa house prices are lower but salaires are higher in Alberta. What would be a good salary for him?? We want to have a more comfortable life than in NI as everything is getting so expensive here. What do you recommend we do first to start the process of emigrating? Who should we contact. I would be grateful for any replies.
We are looking at Ottawa or Alberta but are really not sure where would be best for us. In Ottawa house prices are lower but salaires are higher in Alberta. What would be a good salary for him?? We want to have a more comfortable life than in NI as everything is getting so expensive here. What do you recommend we do first to start the process of emigrating? Who should we contact. I would be grateful for any replies.
Mar 8th 2008 | 9:19 am
#2
Forum Regular
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 103
Re: Emigrating to Canada
Myself, my hubby and 3 young kids want to move to Canada from Belfast, NI.
We are looking at Ottawa or Alberta but are really not sure where would be best for us. In Ottawa house prices are lower but salaires are higher in Alberta. What would be a good salary for him?? We want to have a more comfortable life than in NI as everything is getting so expensive here. What do you recommend we do first to start the process of emigrating? Who should we contact. I would be grateful for any replies.
We are looking at Ottawa or Alberta but are really not sure where would be best for us. In Ottawa house prices are lower but salaires are higher in Alberta. What would be a good salary for him?? We want to have a more comfortable life than in NI as everything is getting so expensive here. What do you recommend we do first to start the process of emigrating? Who should we contact. I would be grateful for any replies.http://britishexpats.com/wiki/Category:Canada
Mar 8th 2008 | 9:42 am
#3
Now on Vancouver Island
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 6,935
From: Nanaimo, British Columbia, Canada
Re: Emigrating to Canada
Hello, Angie, and welcome to the BE forum.
Neil has pointed you in the right direction.
I'll fine tune his recommendation a bit. I suggest you read the following Wiki articles:
Here's a generic response that I (a non-Brit) provided to another new poster in another thread:
Hope that helps.
x
Neil has pointed you in the right direction.
I'll fine tune his recommendation a bit. I suggest you read the following Wiki articles:
Beginner's Guide to Canadian Immigration
Calgary Pros and Cons - Although this article is about Calgary, the information in it is true of the whole of Alberta, to a certain extent.
You asked what would be a good salary for your husband. Well, it depends if he's a butcher, a baker or a candlestick maker. Calgary Pros and Cons - Although this article is about Calgary, the information in it is true of the whole of Alberta, to a certain extent.
Here's a generic response that I (a non-Brit) provided to another new poster in another thread:
What I've gathered, from my participation on this forum is that:
Things cost less in Canada, but you also earn less in Canada. Once you're earning in Canadian dollars, the cost of living in Canada is no better than the cost of living in the UK.
Housing in Canada still is cheaper than it is in the UK. The biggest uplift for a British expat comes from bringing a wodge of equity from the UK and sinking it into a much bigger house than he or she would have been able to afford in the UK. However, if you arrive without equity, you're in more or less the same position as Canadians who are starting from the beginning.
You have more access to the outdoors in Canada. If that means a lot to you, you can enjoy yourself.
On the other hand, Canadians put less store in hair cuts, clothes, manicures, etc. Also, there are fewer conveniences, like those tasty M&S meals that only need to be heated. These deprivations bother some British expats.
Canada doesn't have what British people think of as history. It doesn't have old buildings.
You can't take children to pubs in Canada. People don't meet at the neighbourhood pub. They entertain each other in their homes.
I don't know your circumstances but, if you're an average Briton, you won't have family here if you migrate to Canada. It's hard to tell in advance how you'll feel about that.
Part of your research should be the occasional visit to the Moving back to the UK forum. It's very instructive to find out people's reasons for moving back after migrating to another country.
Edited to add that I highly recommend Solarfish's Email to a friend. I consider it a MUST READ for anyone who is thinking of moving to Alberta. Things cost less in Canada, but you also earn less in Canada. Once you're earning in Canadian dollars, the cost of living in Canada is no better than the cost of living in the UK.
Housing in Canada still is cheaper than it is in the UK. The biggest uplift for a British expat comes from bringing a wodge of equity from the UK and sinking it into a much bigger house than he or she would have been able to afford in the UK. However, if you arrive without equity, you're in more or less the same position as Canadians who are starting from the beginning.
You have more access to the outdoors in Canada. If that means a lot to you, you can enjoy yourself.
On the other hand, Canadians put less store in hair cuts, clothes, manicures, etc. Also, there are fewer conveniences, like those tasty M&S meals that only need to be heated. These deprivations bother some British expats.
Canada doesn't have what British people think of as history. It doesn't have old buildings.
You can't take children to pubs in Canada. People don't meet at the neighbourhood pub. They entertain each other in their homes.
I don't know your circumstances but, if you're an average Briton, you won't have family here if you migrate to Canada. It's hard to tell in advance how you'll feel about that.
Part of your research should be the occasional visit to the Moving back to the UK forum. It's very instructive to find out people's reasons for moving back after migrating to another country.
Hope that helps.
x
Last edited by Judy in Calgary; Mar 8th 2008 at 9:45 am.
Mar 8th 2008 | 9:46 am
#4
Thread Starter
Wish i was there!!!
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 18
From: Ballyclare N Ireland
Re: Emigrating to Canada
My husband is a Mig Welder (sorry I deleted this by mistake)
Mar 8th 2008 | 9:58 am
#5
Forum Regular
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 86
From: Waterlooville
Re: Emigrating to Canada
I am sure there is an exibition in Belfast this weekend would be worth you going if you can and speaking to the people at the show. I know Julie and Ed Parry will be there and they are from Alberta and could give you more info on this area.
Mar 8th 2008 | 10:27 am
#6
Now on Vancouver Island
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 6,935
From: Nanaimo, British Columbia, Canada
Re: Emigrating to Canada
According to the Workopolis website, a typical wage for a welder in Edmonton is $24/hour. That works out to $48,000/year. That's enough for a family of 5 to live on at a basic level. It is not enough for what I would call the "good life."
That information is just a starting point. Read the Wiki article on Salaries to find out how you can do more research on salaries.
In theory you could work too but, if your kids are young, watch out for childcare costs, as they could virtually wipe out your earnings (but that would depend, to some extent, on what kind of work you did and how much you earned).
I would proceed with caution if I were you.
An important factor, as I stated in my previous post, is how much equity you can bring from the UK to use as a downpayment on a house.
x
That information is just a starting point. Read the Wiki article on Salaries to find out how you can do more research on salaries.
In theory you could work too but, if your kids are young, watch out for childcare costs, as they could virtually wipe out your earnings (but that would depend, to some extent, on what kind of work you did and how much you earned).
I would proceed with caution if I were you.
An important factor, as I stated in my previous post, is how much equity you can bring from the UK to use as a downpayment on a house.
x
Mar 9th 2008 | 4:39 am
#7
BE Enthusiast
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 623
From: North Shore Nova Scotia
Re: Emigrating to Canada
You can buy a good size family home in Northe Shore Nova Scotia for £50,000-£100,000 and yes, there are jobs.
