Job Offer in Nova Scotia - Looking for Brutal Honesty
#1
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Joined: Aug 2021
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Hullo - I was hoping for input from folks who have been there, done that with regards to Canada.
In short: my wife and I started looking towards Canada circa 2015/16 when we were in our mid-20s. Our primary goal was the adventure and experience of living somewhere other than Britain, with the benefits of the kind of lifestyle we enjoy (outdoors, mixed with cosmopolitan city life - we currently live quite rural so only get 50% of that). We did a load of research and eventually (because of my line of work) landed on Nova Scotia as our primary goal.
Now, after nearly six years of trying (and various failed interviews) - having just about giving up - I chanced one final round of interviews earlier this year. Mostly this was a 'sod it why not' moment with very little hope placed behind it. Lo and behold I have just landed myself a very good job offer at that company - this is in Halifax, NS. They are offering (with PR status) a permanent role with:
Thing is we can see that the cost of living in Nova Scotia is going up as well - especially the cost of housing. The cost of things like car insurance is a bit scary, likewise a few of the taxes and bills strip away the income boost quite quickly. Cost of food and other things we're used to getting cheap in the UK (which I never imaged was the case) is also a consideration. Back in Britain we're doing fairly well so we're asking ourselves is has the dream ended? Are we actually better off staying put?
I guess it just feels like we have more to lose in Britain now, and the same amount to gain in Canada. I.e. - there's the same amount pulling us to Canada but less pushing us away from Britain.
I get the feeling that if I turn this down now I probably wont get another sniff at it.
So, good expat folks of Canada - is this a mistake? I get a feeling we'll spend the rest of our lives thinking 'what if' regardless of which option we choose.
Did anyone else just kind of 'do it' and to hell with the risks? (I guess I'm not really going to find people on this forum who turned down opportunities, am I...)
Thanks,
In short: my wife and I started looking towards Canada circa 2015/16 when we were in our mid-20s. Our primary goal was the adventure and experience of living somewhere other than Britain, with the benefits of the kind of lifestyle we enjoy (outdoors, mixed with cosmopolitan city life - we currently live quite rural so only get 50% of that). We did a load of research and eventually (because of my line of work) landed on Nova Scotia as our primary goal.
Now, after nearly six years of trying (and various failed interviews) - having just about giving up - I chanced one final round of interviews earlier this year. Mostly this was a 'sod it why not' moment with very little hope placed behind it. Lo and behold I have just landed myself a very good job offer at that company - this is in Halifax, NS. They are offering (with PR status) a permanent role with:
- Low six figures
- 15 Days Holiday + 11 Paid Bank Holidays
- A full moving support package (including fees for selling/buying houses), all cargo, all pets, a stipend of a few thousand dollars to help us out, 3 months free accommodation, etc.
- Assistance for my wife to get a job.
Thing is we can see that the cost of living in Nova Scotia is going up as well - especially the cost of housing. The cost of things like car insurance is a bit scary, likewise a few of the taxes and bills strip away the income boost quite quickly. Cost of food and other things we're used to getting cheap in the UK (which I never imaged was the case) is also a consideration. Back in Britain we're doing fairly well so we're asking ourselves is has the dream ended? Are we actually better off staying put?
I guess it just feels like we have more to lose in Britain now, and the same amount to gain in Canada. I.e. - there's the same amount pulling us to Canada but less pushing us away from Britain.
I get the feeling that if I turn this down now I probably wont get another sniff at it.
So, good expat folks of Canada - is this a mistake? I get a feeling we'll spend the rest of our lives thinking 'what if' regardless of which option we choose.
Did anyone else just kind of 'do it' and to hell with the risks? (I guess I'm not really going to find people on this forum who turned down opportunities, am I...)
Thanks,
#3

Although 'cosmopolitan city life' and Halifax aren't two things I'd put together personally…………!
#4
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Not in Canada myself now but you will find various opinions and the usual would be you are young, take the chance or you will regret it for the rest of your lives. I absolutely don't see it that way and what's so great about the job? It means you still have to work, you still have to pay taxes and you are right that you could still end up paying more for housing and all other things. They don't give you any job guarantee for life either and how the real work environment might be is unknown, so only you can decide. It might be a great opportunity for your career but on the other hand nobody knows how you both live now. Some people would give anything to fly to the moon and others like myself would rather spend time with the cats. All you can do is list the pros and cons and decide for yourselves.
#5
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Joined: Nov 2020
Posts: 66












Nobody can really help you make a decision. What is your risk threshold? Nothing in life is certain, these days not even that is certain. In the same circumstances, I would be gone in a flash. There is only one way to figure out if we make the right decisions, that is to make decisions. Fortune favours the bold.
When we moved it was a 'lets give it a go, worst case, we can go back'. I did get a job offer at the 11th hour, but was going anyway, job offer or not. That was nearly 30 years ago, could not imagine living anywhere else now.
Cost of living has gone up, how it compares to elsewhere is irrelevant. The litmus test is can I afford to do the things I want to do, how much is left over after the bills are paid. The price of everything is going up more each year, in 10 years it will likely be even more expensive. When we bought our farm the price seemed outrageous, now a tractor costs more than we paid for the farm.
Opportunity is there for us all, it is how we respond that makes the difference.
When we moved it was a 'lets give it a go, worst case, we can go back'. I did get a job offer at the 11th hour, but was going anyway, job offer or not. That was nearly 30 years ago, could not imagine living anywhere else now.
Cost of living has gone up, how it compares to elsewhere is irrelevant. The litmus test is can I afford to do the things I want to do, how much is left over after the bills are paid. The price of everything is going up more each year, in 10 years it will likely be even more expensive. When we bought our farm the price seemed outrageous, now a tractor costs more than we paid for the farm.
Opportunity is there for us all, it is how we respond that makes the difference.
#6

Hullo - I was hoping for input from folks who have been there, done that with regards to Canada.
In short: my wife and I started looking towards Canada circa 2015/16 when we were in our mid-20s. Our primary goal was the adventure and experience of living somewhere other than Britain, with the benefits of the kind of lifestyle we enjoy (outdoors, mixed with cosmopolitan city life - we currently live quite rural so only get 50% of that). We did a load of research and eventually (because of my line of work) landed on Nova Scotia as our primary goal.
Now, after nearly six years of trying (and various failed interviews) - having just about giving up - I chanced one final round of interviews earlier this year. Mostly this was a 'sod it why not' moment with very little hope placed behind it. Lo and behold I have just landed myself a very good job offer at that company - this is in Halifax, NS. They are offering (with PR status) a permanent role with:
Thing is we can see that the cost of living in Nova Scotia is going up as well - especially the cost of housing. The cost of things like car insurance is a bit scary, likewise a few of the taxes and bills strip away the income boost quite quickly. Cost of food and other things we're used to getting cheap in the UK (which I never imaged was the case) is also a consideration. Back in Britain we're doing fairly well so we're asking ourselves is has the dream ended? Are we actually better off staying put?
I guess it just feels like we have more to lose in Britain now, and the same amount to gain in Canada. I.e. - there's the same amount pulling us to Canada but less pushing us away from Britain.
I get the feeling that if I turn this down now I probably wont get another sniff at it.
So, good expat folks of Canada - is this a mistake? I get a feeling we'll spend the rest of our lives thinking 'what if' regardless of which option we choose.
Did anyone else just kind of 'do it' and to hell with the risks? (I guess I'm not really going to find people on this forum who turned down opportunities, am I...)
Thanks,
In short: my wife and I started looking towards Canada circa 2015/16 when we were in our mid-20s. Our primary goal was the adventure and experience of living somewhere other than Britain, with the benefits of the kind of lifestyle we enjoy (outdoors, mixed with cosmopolitan city life - we currently live quite rural so only get 50% of that). We did a load of research and eventually (because of my line of work) landed on Nova Scotia as our primary goal.
Now, after nearly six years of trying (and various failed interviews) - having just about giving up - I chanced one final round of interviews earlier this year. Mostly this was a 'sod it why not' moment with very little hope placed behind it. Lo and behold I have just landed myself a very good job offer at that company - this is in Halifax, NS. They are offering (with PR status) a permanent role with:
- Low six figures
- 15 Days Holiday + 11 Paid Bank Holidays
- A full moving support package (including fees for selling/buying houses), all cargo, all pets, a stipend of a few thousand dollars to help us out, 3 months free accommodation, etc.
- Assistance for my wife to get a job.
Thing is we can see that the cost of living in Nova Scotia is going up as well - especially the cost of housing. The cost of things like car insurance is a bit scary, likewise a few of the taxes and bills strip away the income boost quite quickly. Cost of food and other things we're used to getting cheap in the UK (which I never imaged was the case) is also a consideration. Back in Britain we're doing fairly well so we're asking ourselves is has the dream ended? Are we actually better off staying put?
I guess it just feels like we have more to lose in Britain now, and the same amount to gain in Canada. I.e. - there's the same amount pulling us to Canada but less pushing us away from Britain.
I get the feeling that if I turn this down now I probably wont get another sniff at it.
So, good expat folks of Canada - is this a mistake? I get a feeling we'll spend the rest of our lives thinking 'what if' regardless of which option we choose.
Did anyone else just kind of 'do it' and to hell with the risks? (I guess I'm not really going to find people on this forum who turned down opportunities, am I...)
Thanks,
I think it really depends on what you want from Canada....how strong is the pull?, ok there is less pushing you from Britain, but to be honest the pull needs to be stronger than the push, You said you enjoy the outdoor lifestyle...I do too... and thats what pulled me to Canada, (I had a fair bit of push from Britain too)
A friend once said to me when I got the colly wobbles about my move to Canada "regret what you have done, not what you haven't" I have never forgotten that... and I had a rough start in Canada trying to get a job... you already have one.... a good one! I was also 38 when I moved, so age wasn't on my side.... and I did it on my own (still cant believe I did it.... I am not that kind of person to make huge leaps of faith like that) but I am still here and enjoying it 12 years later with lots of outdoor adventures I still enjoy!.
Not sure about you, but I hate "what ifs"
Paul
#8
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Joined: Oct 2016
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I'd go for that job offer without any hesitation.
I should think the only real shock you might get is your first car insurance quote, but with a low 6 figure salary that's also manageable.
May I ask which industry and line of business you're in?
I should think the only real shock you might get is your first car insurance quote, but with a low 6 figure salary that's also manageable.
May I ask which industry and line of business you're in?
Last edited by OrangeMango; Aug 5th 2021 at 9:43 pm.
#9
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Joined: Jul 2017
Location: Ontario
Posts: 189












Do it we had the opportunity 3 years ago and said if it doesn’t work out it’s an experience for us as a family and we’ll just go back to the UK we now have PR and have no plans on returning any time soon. I’d say if you own a house in the UK don’t sell just rent it out just in case you don’t settle here at least you have a home to go back to. Life’s to short for regrets and what ifs.
#10
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Go for a change of lifestyle. Go with an open mind. Go understanding they may speak English but it is a different culture with different values, ways of socializing, of relating (or not relating) to one another, of behaving with one another in public, different pop cultural references, different foods and styles of shopping, different brands, different types of music, etc. It’s not better or worse but different. Be prepared to embrace differences in every aspect of your life!
It cannot be overemphasized that Canada is a vast country with a sparse population density compared to tiny densely populated UK. What this means is the infrastructure and systems and conveniences that you take for granted in the UK do not necessarily exist in Canada to the same extent, or at all.
I do worry some haphazardly choose a home in Canada without thinking of the local values, whether they’re aware of whether they’re planting themselves in an open-minded community who embrace different backgrounds or small-minded backwater fearful of change. I can’t speak of Halifax.
I also worry some dream of moving to Canada to see it all, like one dreams of exploring Europe - countless cities and destinations easily and cheaply available. It doesn’t matter if you live in the UK or France or Amsterdam or Spain - the other countries are merely a cheap flight ir train away. Except Canada is a whole other scale without the cheap or quick flights and trains. Move to Halifax for Atlantic Canada’s charms and quirks and slow pace of life, but don’t move there for seeing the rest of Canada, otherwise it would be like moving to the UK as a home base for exploring all of Russia from St Petersburg and Moscow to Siberia and Russia’s Pacific coast. Canada is at that scale. You will only begin to explore the rest of Canada with significant time off and significant money. So choose your Canadian home base wisely. They all offer different climates, terrain, values, demographics, lifestyles, etc. and once you move to one, it is also quite the upheaval to move elsewhere.
It cannot be overemphasized that Canada is a vast country with a sparse population density compared to tiny densely populated UK. What this means is the infrastructure and systems and conveniences that you take for granted in the UK do not necessarily exist in Canada to the same extent, or at all.
I do worry some haphazardly choose a home in Canada without thinking of the local values, whether they’re aware of whether they’re planting themselves in an open-minded community who embrace different backgrounds or small-minded backwater fearful of change. I can’t speak of Halifax.
I also worry some dream of moving to Canada to see it all, like one dreams of exploring Europe - countless cities and destinations easily and cheaply available. It doesn’t matter if you live in the UK or France or Amsterdam or Spain - the other countries are merely a cheap flight ir train away. Except Canada is a whole other scale without the cheap or quick flights and trains. Move to Halifax for Atlantic Canada’s charms and quirks and slow pace of life, but don’t move there for seeing the rest of Canada, otherwise it would be like moving to the UK as a home base for exploring all of Russia from St Petersburg and Moscow to Siberia and Russia’s Pacific coast. Canada is at that scale. You will only begin to explore the rest of Canada with significant time off and significant money. So choose your Canadian home base wisely. They all offer different climates, terrain, values, demographics, lifestyles, etc. and once you move to one, it is also quite the upheaval to move elsewhere.
Last edited by Lychee; Aug 6th 2021 at 5:17 am.
#11

I'd say to give it a go. I was fortunate enough to be asked if I wanted to relocate from our UK office to our newly opened office based in the Toronto area. I thought about it for a few days, then decided to say yes. I think it's one of my better decisions
I will admit there was a safety net provided, as I was told I could return to the UK for any reason and simply carry on working in the UK office, though there may be the odd trip needed to North America now and then, which I was fine with. That was in 2003, and I'm still here. There have of course been bumps along the way, but I'm happy here. I do on occasion pop back to the UK, or my parents will come over here, plus there's email, phone, video calls, so we do keep in touch.

#12
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Ensure that your resettlement costs are paid directly by the company i.e. they are invoiced by the vendors. If they give you cash to pay them yourself, the money becomes a taxable benefit.
When negotiating your package, get them to pay the healthcare insurance (Manulife / Green Shield etc., for any medications / glasses / dental / physio coverage) for both of you from day 1.

When negotiating your package, get them to pay the healthcare insurance (Manulife / Green Shield etc., for any medications / glasses / dental / physio coverage) for both of you from day 1.

#13
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Go for a change of lifestyle. Go with an open mind. Go understanding they may speak English but it is a different culture with different values, ways of socializing, of relating (or not relating) to one another, of behaving with one another in public, different pop cultural references, different foods and styles of shopping, different brands, different types of music, etc. It’s not better or worse but different. Be prepared to embrace differences in every aspect of your life!
It cannot be overemphasized that Canada is a vast country with a sparse population density compared to tiny densely populated UK. What this means is the infrastructure and systems and conveniences that you take for granted in the UK do not necessarily exist in Canada to the same extent, or at all.
I do worry some haphazardly choose a home in Canada without thinking of the local values, whether they’re aware of whether they’re planting themselves in an open-minded community who embrace different backgrounds or small-minded backwater fearful of change. I can’t speak of Halifax.
I also worry some dream of moving to Canada to see it all, like one dreams of exploring Europe - countless cities and destinations easily and cheaply available. It doesn’t matter if you live in the UK or France or Amsterdam or Spain - the other countries are merely a cheap flight ir train away. Except Canada is a whole other scale without the cheap or quick flights and trains. Move to Halifax for Atlantic Canada’s charms and quirks and slow pace of life, but don’t move there for seeing the rest of Canada, otherwise it would be like moving to the UK as a home base for exploring all of Russia from St Petersburg and Moscow to Siberia and Russia’s Pacific coast. Canada is at that scale. You will only begin to explore the rest of Canada with significant time off and significant money. So choose your Canadian home base wisely. They all offer different climates, terrain, values, demographics, lifestyles, etc. and once you move to one, it is also quite the upheaval to move elsewhere.
It cannot be overemphasized that Canada is a vast country with a sparse population density compared to tiny densely populated UK. What this means is the infrastructure and systems and conveniences that you take for granted in the UK do not necessarily exist in Canada to the same extent, or at all.
I do worry some haphazardly choose a home in Canada without thinking of the local values, whether they’re aware of whether they’re planting themselves in an open-minded community who embrace different backgrounds or small-minded backwater fearful of change. I can’t speak of Halifax.
I also worry some dream of moving to Canada to see it all, like one dreams of exploring Europe - countless cities and destinations easily and cheaply available. It doesn’t matter if you live in the UK or France or Amsterdam or Spain - the other countries are merely a cheap flight ir train away. Except Canada is a whole other scale without the cheap or quick flights and trains. Move to Halifax for Atlantic Canada’s charms and quirks and slow pace of life, but don’t move there for seeing the rest of Canada, otherwise it would be like moving to the UK as a home base for exploring all of Russia from St Petersburg and Moscow to Siberia and Russia’s Pacific coast. Canada is at that scale. You will only begin to explore the rest of Canada with significant time off and significant money. So choose your Canadian home base wisely. They all offer different climates, terrain, values, demographics, lifestyles, etc. and once you move to one, it is also quite the upheaval to move elsewhere.

You have expressed this very well. I've often tried to say similar, but this is much better.
Yes, Canada is definitely not England in another country!
It isn't really a "country" as it is a Federation of Provinces, with the provinces holding more power that the Feeds over many things in daily life.
#14
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You have expressed this very well. I've often tried to say similar, but this is much better.
Yes, Canada is definitely not England in another country!
It isn't really a "country" as it is a Federation of Provinces, with the provinces holding more power that the Feeds over many things in daily life.
On another note, back to the OP's mention of looking for the right balance of rural and cosmopolitan, I do wonder if they're thinking of that through a UK lens. I'm not convinced they'll find that same balance in Halifax or anywhere remotely near Halifax, so I do worry the vast distances of Canada are somewhat lost, and they'll learn the hard way once they arrive. Not that I doubt life in Halifax won't be a fun change of pace and a totally different lifestyle than life in the UK. I have no doubt that Halifax is a wonderful place to live. But it is a small, slower paced city, though a big city in the context of the rural vicinity, but a small hub in an extremely rural part of the continent.
Compared to Toronto, Montreal, Vancouver, the city is quite homogenous culturally/demographically and that would be reflected in the local culture, the restaurants, the food, etc. And not to go dark, but I know Nova Scotia as a province is having a hard time accepting its systemic racism. That's a current situation the province is grappling with, and to be honest, it's long overdue.
I always stress the vast distances and the lack of cheap, fast travel options because you take for granted that if you need a cosmopolitan city escape, you can do that in the UK without even thinking about it. In Canada, especially in the more rural areas like Atlantic Canada, there is often a 12-hour drive involved before you get anywhere remotely near a UK definition of a cosmopolitan city. As long as you embrace that slower, more rural lifestyle and you try not to expect it to be anything else, why not try living there if you have a six-figure salary offer? I've heard Halifax is a warm and welcoming city with a lot going on despite its small size. But understand, you are not moving to another place in the UK - you are moving to a somewhat isolated (from a UK perspective), somewhat traditional, rural part of Canada, far from cosmopolitan cities.
Last edited by Lychee; Aug 6th 2021 at 8:10 pm.
#15
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Lychee has made some very valid and valuable points!
The OP might also want to check out the various articles in the Wiki when weighing things up
https://britishexpats.com/wiki/Categ...ada_Challenges
The OP might also want to check out the various articles in the Wiki when weighing things up
