Dotty P

Hello all!

Here's the thing. We've landed our visa's after a three and a half year wait. Thing is, when we applied my hubby's job was REALLY getting him down, we didn't really like where we lived and generally we were really keen to get to Canada. We are still very keen but I've noticed a difference in my hubby, in that he's now got a job which he quite likes (emphasis on 'quite'), we've sold pretty much everything (with a view to moving to Canada in June) and live in a village in a rented flat that's really quite nice. Okay, so rent is much more expensive than mortgage but generally we are okay with life. Hubby has applied for loads of jobs in Canada but as yet has not had a response from anyone. We had a little heart to heart a few weeks ago and it transpired that he had lost his enthusiasm for going over, mostly because of the job situation. After a good long talk (and a son who was horrified that hubs could feel that way - 'we have to go!') he seems to have got back into the swing of applying for more jobs, with a view to going out on his own in early(ish) 2011 to have a good look face to face.

Can I just ask, has this happened to many people, where it has taken quite a long time to get the visa and by the time you do your circumstances have changed, making the move a bit more daunting to do? He says he still wants to go but how can we without a secure job? Understandable that he should feel this way but I'm fretting that the dream could be shattered. We were hoping to go in June after our son has completed his GCSE's so our UK rental ends then and everything (in my mind anyway) was rounding off for that time....

It's difficult....I've read many success stories and equal amounts of failures but most share a common theme....if you've got a job (and you like it, of course) you generally have a good time of it out there (stands to reason really).

Thanks for listening...

Bali2010

Hello

You are further along than I am but this has happened to me too abit..
..I still want to leave my job & relocate, but am also watching out for other jobs in the UK that might be worthwhile - of course at the moment nothing much around.

Partly for me this is due to the fact that am not sure I will get a visa - they may be picker with the applications now I am no longer on the new list.

I was more 'meh' before my visit to BC this year, which reinspired me but am still hedging my bets, especially if work is v hard to get over there.

Would recommend another visit or two, to see if the Canada coloured specs have come off.

Bali

Dotty P

That's what re-inspired us too....we visited BC in August to land our visas and to look at areas to base ourselves. Finished up looking at Vancouver Island and fell in love with the place but jobs on the island seem to be pretty much non-existent in my hubby's line of work. Trouble is, we've got our hearts set on Vancouver outskirts/V Island but know in our hearts that we'll have to go where the jobs are. Son is so keen to move to Vancouver (keen to ski/snowboard) that he's almost there already so that puts the pressure on my husband too. Hubs would move anywhere really (bloke) as long as he's got a job and a place to rest his head (read 'sensible'). I'm in the middle really....

Snarf hard!

Lorry1

Hi Dotty P,

It sounds like you are really settled and happy in the UK.

During our last year in England, we became very settled too. We were renting a house, after selling ours, in a nice area we had not lived in before. We had 2cars and lots of European holidays. Kids were doing well in school. Hubby was settled in a great job and I was happy.
I was doubting whether to continue with our plans to move to Canada but hubby was still very keen and we had already put so much time, effort and money into the move that it was hard to back out. So, I convinced myself I hated England and didn't want to bring my kids up there anymore, and we moved.

We have had a difficult 3 years here in Canada. Hubby started a job within the first week but it was with a lower wage than we expected him to be earning and the company wasn't great. We plummeted in to debt, depression and uncertainty.
A year later he moved to a new company with a higher salary and we started straightening ourselves out.
He is now with another new company starting 3 months ago and is earning the salary he did back in England. We have remortgaged and cleared most of our debts. We even had a holiday this year.
It has taken 3 years to get back to where we were, and it has been extremley tough going.

Too be honest, I wish we had stayed in England where we were very comfortable and happy. We have brought our children accross here and they were happy with their lives in England.

It has been an adventure, for sure, but the kids have missed out on family and I miss friends deeply. All the stress has taken alot out of us and we're worn out.

Sorry for the essay. Good luck in whatever you decide to do, but in my opinion if you're happy and financially sound, I would stay where you are

Dotty P

Cripes.....

I have to admit I knew I would get some replies like yours. I do feel for you....we are happy enough in the UK but have had this desire to move for such a long time (at least 8 years for me but for hubs a LOT longer).

I feel deeply that we'd be mad not to at least exercise our visa's and if we like it, try for citizenship. At least that way we could come and go as we please later on and our son would never have to go through what we've been through!

I know that there are very few people that go through this process who don't find some uncertainty, problems and worries along the way. It must be a rare person that ups sticks, move across and finds it goes so smoothly all the time.

We're doing this because we have loved being in Canada when we're there (I know it's different when you actually live in a place), have felt sad to leave when we return to the UK (that's normal of any vacation too), long for a 'life less frantic' and would really like to experience 'how the UK used to be thirty years ago'. Naive we may be but we've done so much research, spent so much money and feel it would be a shame to stay put in the UK (especially in it's current state). I like some aspects of the UK (history, countryside (what's left of it!), olde English type pubs (not that I'm a great drinker but anyway) and unique little oddities that the Brits do so well. However, there is a lot about the UK that I don't like (traffic (oh...the car park that calls itself the M25), busy people with busy lives that don't want to talk because their busy lives are too busy, litter (I HATE litter) and houses being built in every little nook that builders can utilise.

We know Canada will have it's fair share of problems too, no place in the world is utopia after all but we really want to give it a shot. It's just a shame that my OH can't seem to find a job (hopefully showing his face will help )....

I hope things start to work out for you.....they say it takes a good five years to settle in.....maybe you're just embarking on that period of your life? Lots of people on here say that when then make the decision to come back to the UK, they regret it almost instantly. Hang in there, I bet you'd be shocked if you came back to the UK now!

ExKiwilass

But it's not the UK thirty years ago. It's Canada.

Dotty P

I get you.....

I think what I meant to say but failed was many people on here seem to feel that Canada can be like the UK used to be....in a nice way.

I'm waffling. What do I know....I've not lived there....

Lorry1

I totally agree, you have an itch that must be scratched
Both hubby and I wanted to move to Canada for years as we had both been here on holidays and totally loved it. We applied and waited 2 and a half years for our visa's.
I researched, researched, and researched some more for the whole 2 and a half years we waited. We knew whare we wanted to live, everything.

I have been on holidays where I wished I could stay. I totally love Italy and always hate leaving. But in reality I probably couldn't live there.

So, we moved to Canada, we live, we work, we shop, we pay bills, we drive our kids everywhere, our kids drive us nuts lol

Hubby looked at jobs online and researched the market from England and he had 1 interview lined up for a couple of days after we arrived. Ultimately he got that job and took it.
It is difficult to apply from abroad, employers are just not really interested in long distance interviews, they want you to be living here.

Don't get me wrong, Canada is beautiful and there are alot of opportunities here, but it certainly isn't Utopia and there is alot of bad crap happening here too.

Come on over, take a chance. If you don't like it, you can always go back.

hrt2fnd

Yes, it's normal...

When I applied for my PR visa around 4 years back, I was in a similar situation. Didnt like my job, was looking for a change, fell in love with canada, and so on. then after 3 years waiting time I got my PR visa but the whole situation had changed and I had no reason to leave, but knew I'd regret it if I wouldnt give it a try. so in 11/2009 I booked a flight to toronto (and return flight for about 6 months later - just in case). I landed in Toronto with two suit cases and was quite lucky to find a job in my profession after some weeks.

After one year, I'd say: even though I was more than lucky from a career/financial point of view and I dont regret the move but I certainly wouldnt do it again (I dont mean moving to canada but the whole application process, etc.). Vancouver might have been different but as some fellows already stated, it's tough to get a job over there.

What I'd recommend: lower your expectations and always see moving back to europe as a valid option...

Dotty P

Come on over, take a chance. If you don't like it, you can always go back.[/QUOTE]

I thinks that's the best advice really....like you say, nothing is written in stone.

I often lurk on this site, picking through the threads that may be of interest. I worry sometimes that amongst the 'is there a way of getting British TV?' type questions, there seem to be so many 'can't wait to get back to the UK' threads too! From this side of the pond it makes you wonder what the hell you are doing this for. Mind you, hubby did say that when people are happy and having a great time, they tend to just get on with their lives and don't tend to feel the need to post anything on this type of forum. It's only when things aren't working out that we feel the need to gain support from like minded souls. I guess he has a point there.

If we suddenly said that we were staying in the UK and not going to give it a try, I think we'd have one VERY unhappy son! I'd like to think that we're giving him the chance to have dual citizenship....he'd then have so many more choices. If all this does is give him that chance then I'd go to heaven happy. Would still be nice though if it all works out for the whole family.

Dotty P

Thanks for that....I think your last sentence is really good advice. We have (as a family) spoken many times about not expecting too much from Canada, when my son moans that it rains in the UK all the time, I always remind him that Vancouver is a very wet region too. We always try to look at the good any bad in everything, otherwise you end up disappointed. One thing's for definite, if we don't go we will always wonder.....and kick ourselves when our visa runs out.

dboy

Sensible advice is that. If one is happy and settled...think very long and hard about up-rooting.

Dotty P

I'd agree to a point but we're only 'happy' in that we're in limbo. We all know that we're on our way out of the UK, son is starting mock GCSE's tomorrow (God help us!), hubby is working until he can hand in his notice and we're all living in a nice by very small flat in a lovely village in Hampshire until we end our tenancy. It feels very much like being on holiday really, no reals stresses (insofar as if anything goes wrong with the flat, the landlord deals with it), we eat out quite a bit because we are in a village with lovely shops/restaurants and we live with very little belongings (all sold) so there's norra lorra housework to do. Fab! If we had to live like this for any length of time mind you, we'd all get pretty fed up!

Our only (biggest, main, most frightening) concern is that illusive job.

dboy

I really admire those that have the courage to pack up their lives and move away from what they know and family etc. It was a much, much bigger decision than I had (21, ruc sac full of wordly possessions, sold me motor bike and quit a crap job, cashed in life savings of about a 1000 k, and moved out of me mam's house....).

I've pondered a number of times on here if i moved from BC back to the UK...leaving a well paid job, selling up all my possessions, saying bye to adopted family and great friends...and the tv (just joking).... i couldn't do it now and my stage in life, after being here 18 years, and out of the uk for 22 years.

Good luck!

dboy

Sounds like you have given serious thought to the move. Be under no illusion though, that Vancouver is expensive, and jobs don't pay what they ought to. Traffic is also bad..that being said, many move here and make decent lives for themselves. Kids seem to settle in here and school seems to have a good reputation and it is one of the most beautiful spots on the planet.

Life is more about finding the right fit for you and your family. Jobs, friends, good schools, all impact how you settle in a place. Nothing makes one more miserable than no friends, crap jobs and unhappy kids and spouses.

At least you don't sound like you are running away from a certain life, as many seem to be, and just fancy giving somewhere a go that you rather like. As noted, give it a go, life is short. But keep a firm grip on rational choices and don't fall into ....England has gone to the dogs...I'm off to Canada where it's all lollipops and rainbows.