Siouxie

https://www.quora.com/What-cultural-...adas-provinces
or this
https://www.quora.com/What-cultural-...r/James-Linn-2

abner

You haven't specified what type of work (and prior UK qualifications and experience, at a relatively young age) has led to a low-six-figure, full-ride relo package, plus assistance for the wife's employment as well, in Atlantic Canada. (I'm guessing medical, but I'm not asking). In any event, they clearly want you.

Even if you are not as certain about the prospect of permanently relocating to Canada as you once were, why not (a) scratch that itch, and (b) log it as an expat notch in your CV, even if it doesn't work out?

I don't mean that to sound glib. Moving to Canada, and giving it and your new career engagement a fair chance, is a considerable commitment.

But you will have other options if it doesn't ultimately work out.

OrangeMango

I'd say that is very much true, but more a Pre-Covid 19 experience.

With all the tests even for the vaccinated returning to the UK, it's not that attractive anymore for a cosmopolitan city escape to somewhere in Europe.

Halifax is pretty good as a city to live in. Yes, many things are slower than in the UK or in Europe, but that's not necessarily bad.

Regarding the job, and brutal honesty, take it, before somebody changes his / her mind. Also, I've never had an offer where the company paid for the move to Canada. You can consider yourself as lucky if you have that.

lost_in_thought

Hi everyone - thank you all so very much for your responses. We've had a lot to mull over so while it's taken a while for me to put together a response I did want to say you all helped immensely.

First off, I want to express that we both realise how deeply fortunate I am to have received this offer (especially when so many people work so bloody hard to get into Canada). Hence the not taking it lightly. Without doxxing myself too much it's to do with the shipbuilding programme and a lucky niche I've found myself in within that industry (office based, not hands on - i.e. I don't have to worry about union politics on the shop floor).

Also re: me calling Halifax 'cosmopolitan' yea don't worry I get that it's no Vancouver or Toronto! Probably a poor choice of words. I simply mean that in comparison to our current tiny and quite isolated UK town - and therefore just somewhere that has at least some element of decent restaurants, shopping, bars, etc. In fact we are actively against the idea of a major metropolis; sometimes we just want to escape people as well!

We're quite happy with the vastness of Canada and the culture differences across the nation. We realise it would be a move to Atlantic Canada and not just a monolithic 'Canada'.

The only other major consideration is that if we don't like it we would have to remain there for at least 3 years or else pay back the various relocation costs. That seems fair enough considering it'll be in the $10ks. Three years would probably pass by pretty fast as well.

Again, thanks everyone for the help

dbd33

I'm not starving here, in Ontario, but would jump at that; somewhere different, somewhere scenic, enough money to be reasonably well off and the option to give it three years and move on. Three years is how long it takes to decide it's not working and move on even if there's no contractual obligation.

seascape

This isnt directly answering your question in that I didn’t try to find these opportunities when I was around 30 and make a move, even just for a few years, now I’m late 50’s I’ve always regretted it. So I would take this opportunity. It’s just natural nerves you have with it being real, but that’s living! That’s my first point. As there’s no point in just regretting things I’ve finally got myself into a position where I can have some of these experiences and spend 1/2 the year in Canada, 1/2 in UK. I chose NS as I immediately felt a fit the first time I visited, maybe because I’m from the Scottish Highlands. Everyone different but it certainly appeals to me and if you’re into outdoors and especially the water then it’s got to be worth at least 3 years if not more! Go do it and have fun!

AJ_2021

That sounds like an amazing opportunity. I may have missed it but have you spent much time in Nova Scotia?

We travelled across Canada several years back and Nova Scotia was our highlight! It’s an amazing province and has a very different feel to the western provinces (where we worked prior to travelling). We felt right at home.

'Holidaying' and 'living' are two separate things and we looked for roles to facilitate the move to Nova Scotia for years but could never bag anything suitable. Pay along with min wage is low in Nova Scotia. From what I have read, I honestly don’t know how some people manage on the low wages and increasing cost of rent. House prices are still very reasonable (by UK standards). You won’t obviously have that problem when it comes to pay which is a major hurdle which has been overcome.

As other have said, only you can decide whether you will be happy in that role and whether you are willing to accept the new way of life which will mean a lot of personal sacrifice (especially on time with the lower annual leave) and commitment, but boy, that is one heck of a good package by the sounds of it.

HeyWatPod

I'm in my 40's with 3 kids!!??!! *GULP!!

HGerchikov

I was 40 with 2 kids when we moved - don’t worry, it is survivable.

JGK

Take it and see how it goes. If you don't, down the line you don't want to be wondering "what if....?"

Tangram

Six figures in NS, moving expenses, age, no kids.

Not quite sure how much better it could be.

Pulaski

Almost six months after the OP asked his original question (and made just one further post) I wonder if he made the move, or stayed put.

Tangram

Sorry didn't look at the date.

I don't come on here much these days.

lost_in_thought

So - OP here - I guess owe you folks a couple of things: a big thank you for all of your input, and a 'what happened next'.

First off - you all gave some wonderful advice and thoughts that we really took to heart and gave us a lot to think about. Thank you for taking the time and for sharing your experiences.

And... what did we do? Well, I appreciate this might be a disappointment - but we did actually opt to stay put here in Britain, at least for now. It wasn't an easy choice and we still have a sense of what-if - but at the same time it was the product of a few things that make us pretty sure it was the right call. One such turn of events was that our childless part of the scenario didn't actually last very long beyond my original post . On top of that a new home-grown job offer came through which solidified which side of the pond we'd be financially better off on.

The main question that kept coming back to us was - what was our motivation for relocating to another country right now? We couldn't really answer this. Yes, it would've been an exceptionally cool adventure and we still love the idea of Canada - but at the same time we wouldn't be gaining much more than we have here aside from 'Canada' itself. We wouldn't be moving for money, we wouldn't be moving for family, we wouldn't be moving for a better life for us necessarily (100% there are many things that make Canada amazing; but other aspects were either on par or in some ways worse off like the holidays); and we weren't moving to escape anything either. Yes, that's a very dull way to look at it - but with the world being all ... y'know, the way it is right now ... we're going to build up our little English castle a while longer before we see what the 2030s holds.

I also know that we can always try again since I'm not exactly losing career experience as time goes by. In any case there's nothing to say we can't be out there emulating HeyWatPod and HGerchikov in 10 years time .

Ultimately it's going to be more of a not-now than a not-never.

Thanks again!

Pulaski

Thank you for coming back to give us an update. I doubt more than one in about 250 new posters who almost immediately go AWOL ever come back to tell us what happened. Whether they made the move, or not, it is always very much appreciated when they take the time to give us an update!