not2old

on a positive note from the other thread

http://britishexpats.com/forum/showthread.php?t=809722

its expensive & two wages is key

christmasoompa

If your son isn't starting school until 2015 then you've got plenty of time to get this sorted, but do look in to what you need to do to work as a barber in Canada - I vaguely recall that hairdressers/barbers need to get licensed so that'll be a hoop to jump through before you can start.

HTH.

Siouxie

Yes, they are regulated.

http://britishexpats.com/forum/showp...4&postcount=33

not2old

on the hairstylist (Barber/Hairdresser) trade in Saskatchewan

background info

http://www.saskapprenticeship.ca/cli...ained-workers/

International trained assessment form

http://www.saskapprenticeship.ca/wp-...sment-Form.pdf

Application to sit exam form

http://www.saskapprenticeship.ca/wp-.../05/Form-2.pdf

Exam outline

http://www.saskapprenticeship.ca/wp-...ormation34.pdf

dbd33

However, I haven't had my hair cut in Canada by anyone who was born in Canada and commonly have had it cut by people who spoke very little English (though they do know numbers up to number 2). Thus I don't think it can be very difficult to get a license.

not2old

now come on be serious for the OP

Its a licensed trade which the OP will have to qualify for in Canada.

bats

But you can have someone with you at the test to translate.

dbd33

Eh?

I used to go to Sam's on McCaul. Sam wasn't born in Canada. Lately I've been going to an Iranian around the corner here, if he knows any English at all, I don't know the same phrase. He raises clippers, I show him two fingers and off we go.

Aviator

[QUOTE=foreigngirl;10908904]Canada is expensive. Very expensive. /QUOTE]

That is subjective, our cost of living has not jumped a huge amount since we arrived in Canada. When comparing to another country and factoring FX the cost of living depends on the exchange rate, which is misleading.

The only true measure is how much you earn, what you spend and how much is left in your pocket in local currency. Forget the currency of our country of origin.

Saying that I am able to buy a lot more stuff in the UK for a lot less now than I did 20 years ago, it is like a 30% off sale My purchases in the US have gone up and down over the years and right now are 5% over par, they have been as much as 30% over and a couple of percent below. My AUS purchases however have gone up and it costs me more, which is not so good.

I know of people who came here with nothing, save the shirt on their back and have done well, but with no dependants. When you have kids, your responsibilities change.

I doubt the OP would find Canada a 'better life' than they have now, likely harder, especially with such a small amount of money behind them and 2 kids. Perhaps the wage earner should come, get established on a shoe string, if it works out send for the family, then the kids are not disrupted and they have a fall back plan. Unless they are very lucky, $15000 won't set them up and allow much of a lifestyle with a wage earner on $25 an hour.

cxx

According to the CIC site, if you move to Canada using FSW you need to prove you have $20,654 to support a family of 4.

Siouxie

The OP is coming on a TWP, not FSW - however, it's probably still a realistic figure to aim for.

not2old

I think that was the original question from the OP - 'how much money'. Given they'd have TWP, a job, two children in haul. The settlement costs of at least $10k (car is an extra cost), then having to wait two weeks for the wages.

Maybe $20K (13,000GBP) is a reasonable amount (CIC got it right), but more the better I say.

haggis88

I came on my own (to AB certainly, but still) and brought £12000, which converted to about $19000 after fees and exchanges iirc

i bought cheap furniture from Ikea, cheap TV and cheap pots and pans from Crappy Tire...to buy and insure my truck was around $12000

before my first full wage came in (nearly a month later) I was down to $3000 in the account

luckily i was able to expense a bunch of stuff to my company (3 weeks car rental, hotel room for 28 days, rent deposit, work permit cost, cost of driving license change over things like that) so that definitely helped me a lot

I dare say if i'd come over with a wife and kids that £12000 wouldn't have been enough because we'd have needed two cars and i wouldn't have been able to rent a 1 bedroom apartment like i did to start with!

I could have bought a cheaper car certainly, but horses for courses!

Just my experience if that's any insight for you OP

lindamchugh

hey haggis in a fellow jock here 6 weeks and struggling !! I was reading your wee ditties way back about settling in etc and unsure if would stay for PR etc, how you finding it now ??

lindamchugh

sorry that should be im not in