Re: Major life advice needed from wise people
 

Unsure about "wise", but surely "experienced"... that's me.

This is a bit down a side track, but have you considered Australia??

Much cheaper than Canada, bureaucracy isn't as complex, taxes are straightforward, the social system works (for the time being), and the climate is kind. Prices for eerything on the whole are lower, only GST of 10%, no provincial sales tax (or if there is, it's quietly hidden away in the item price). People are friendly, the beer is bearable, wines are superb. A beaut beach is usually close by to wherever you live as 80%-85% of Aussies live close to the coast.

Contrary to many opinions, the entire country is not being consumed by bush fires.

Several UK friends have made this move in the past few years. All say it was much much MUCH easier than the Canada option. Moving on to the USA (in the next say, five years if this is still your plan at that time) would also be quite easily achieved.

Just a thought. Feel free to ignore if it doesn't suit, but I migrated to Down Under (from North America) in the mid-'70s and have never, ever , not for one nanosecond regretted it (tho' I now live in Bali as a global wandering retiree).

ADDED LATER Note to me, my reading skills need work... I just read your latest post (#37), well done, good for you!! You have made the best of your life, congratulations.

However, I'll leave my post about Australia, it may inspire others to make the move...

Re: Major life advice needed from wise people
 

Eh?

Re: Major life advice needed from wise people
 

Australia is by no means a cheaper country to live in than Canada. It might have higher salary options in some professional areas however the higher pay is usually offset by a higher cost of living, especially in the likes of Sydney and Melbourne. It's also thousands of miles away from everywhere including New Zealand.

Education options might be slightly cheaper in Australia but that's only going to apply if you're a citizen or PR. At the end of the day both countries are massive and mostly empty former colonial territories. The only difference is that most of the major populated areas of Canada are reasonably close to the US and less than a 10 hour flight away from Europe.