turlough

hi guys
new on here and wondering on any tips you guys can give me in to renting and bank accounts got a job offer with jaguar land rover dealer and now waiting for my ielts test to start express entry would you guys recommend coming over again before visa comes through to sort out renting somewhere car etc or do it all online. also how do people deal with bank accounts in the uk when you go and do I need to tell hmrc. many thanks

turlough

also do I need to transfer my driving license straight away or do I leave it as a uk license

Simon Legree

If you are going to take the IELTS test maybe you should brush up on your written english. A little punctuation here and there would help !

Shirtback

Is the job offer accompanied by an LMIA, or through BCPNP?

Studying (take practice tests) for IELTS is always a good idea - it's harder than one might expect for a native speaker.

You say come over "again", so I'm assuming you've already visited BC, and aren't going in blind. Personally, I'd research accommodation and car purchasing AND INSURANCE like mad here & elsewhere on the interwebby while awaiting EE ITA & eventually (hopefully) COPR, but I wouldn't commit to anything in advance.

I kept a UK bank account when I left, & yes you need to tell HMRC. Look into paying voluntary NI contributions.

Once you land as a PR, and become resident, you'll need to exchange your UK DL for a BC one; there's a "grace" period (maybe 3/6 months, I could google, but so can you; easy enough to find out exactly). Keep a photocopy of the UK one in case you every want to go back.

turlough

Thanks guys. (full stop) ;-) always have terrible Grammer when using my phone when typing have been looking at practice tests and my wife is a teacher so going to get some homework. Will let hmrc know.
Employer is doing a lmia if I remember they have got a immigration expert to do the paperwork for me. I visited for two weeks in July for a scout around and had two interviews one in Kelowna and one in Vancouver but Vancouver won easily for me is car insurance expensive over there.

turlough

One of the other techs at the dealer is from uk, lives in Maple Ridge and loves it so looking to rent in that area. commute as will be the same distance that I do over here anyway so no big difference there.

rivingtonpike

I wouldn't commit to anything until you have the visa confirmed. Yes car insurance is expensive. So are housing costs in Vancouver.

bc2015

So is pretty much everything...

el_richo

I hope you visiting Maple Ridge before making that decision. I also hope you tested the commute in rush hour before making that decision.

I'm assuming the dealership is the downtown one?

My advice is to rent as close to downtown as possible so you can enjoy the city, beaches, mountains, slopes, etc before deciding where to live. Maple ridge is like a slightly hilly version of Hull, and with more trucks, fat people, drugs, and homelessness. You can get some nice mountain views if you can afford it though.

turlough

I did drive to maple ridge from Robson Street where we were staying and had a quick look before heading back and seemed long but no more so than my witney to Oxford commute but with fewer cars as for expensive Oxfordshire is not a cheap place to live. I pay 800 pound for a tiny 1bed apartment which is the norm around here.What out of town neighbourhoods would you guys recommended I don't like living in cities and like to have some green around me hence why maple ridge looked good.

nativenewyorker

If you don't like cities and like green around you then Maple Ridge is perfect for you. There are so many Brits live here for that very same reason - easy access to Vancouver but living next door to the lakes, mountains, trails and provincial parks, rather than a postage stamp of green which counts as a park nearer to Vancouver (Stanley Park being an exception of course!). The rush hour commute is about an hour, slightly quicker if you don't use Highway 1, or there is the Westcoast Express which makes for a very pleasant journey.

beckiwoo

Disagree. I think you get better value for money when eating out in the city compared to the UK. Gas is much cheaper here as well but then I agree insurance is not.

With the IELTS test, I have mine in two weeks and have done a few practice tests. You don't really need to spend more then a few days before on it if you have a good grasp of spelling and grammar. The listening is the one you need to watch out for as you only here the extracts once.

christmasoompa

Really? That surprises me, my experience is the opposite. As a family of four we can have a 2/3 course meal with wine for £40/50 in the UK (or less/free with discount codes etc), no chance of that in Canada anywhere I've found.

turlough

Dinner for four people in the UK for 40 at least in Oxfordshire is impossible me and my wife just main each and a drink Is easily £35 unless it's weathspoons I found bc alot more value for money.will look into car insuarance. What banks do people recommend from experience

beckiwoo

I just find that the quality is better out here, it probably works outs slightly more expensive with tax, liquor tax and 15-18% tip. I don't really go to classy restaurants though and rarely have drink out.

Groupons definitely help though and I agree that you don't get as many discount codes here