Originally Posted by auron (Post 7862973)

Apologies for the long post, but put as much detail as I can in - thanks for anyone who helps me out on this

I'm looking to emigrate to Australia or Canada, and would like some advice on which would be better for me and which has better standard of living for my line of work.

I'm a 29 year old Java programmer - with 5 years experience, two and a half of those in banking IT (where I'm working now).

Want to live in a country where I can actually afford to buy a house - and not a shoebox that is 50+ years old and in need of repair.

I'd say my main aims in emigrating are to move somewhere where I can get a large modern house for an affordable price (200 square meters or bigger).

I'm also attracted to the seeminginlgy better working environments - I've heard working hours are less and there is less pressure in general in both Aus and Canada.

Crime, living costs, police inefficency and British youth are also a major downer.

Basically I'm looking for a better quality of life than I can get in England. Cost of living wise and assuming local salaries how does England compare with Australia - ie how much money will I have left at the end of the day, and how do things like cost of living stakcc up coompared to England when assuming local wages and taxes.

Any ideas on the salaries for a good java programmer, and where are the IT jobs located (banking and non banking?)

Which parts are better for IT. Ideally I'd like somewhere that doesnt get too cold in Winter - and I understand Vancouver is the only big city in Canada that fits the bill.
How is vancouver, and how does it weigh up for employment opportunities and property prices?

I'm currently earning 50,000 pounds basic salary with a few perks, and saved 100,000 to buy a house (sadly it wont get me anywhere in England).

Is tax similar with England or less for my kind of salary, and how about healthcare and education costs (havent goot kids yet, but want them to go to University).

Any help appreciated, looking for detail and standard of living between England and Canada, and if possible Aus and Canada to help me make the decision of where to go.

Many thanks

Originally Posted by mohogony (Post 7866317)

If OZ was unbareably hot and crawling with lethal animals/insects everywhere why do 1.3 million British citizens live there, would'nt they go back to the Uk , your friends might hate OZ but 1.3 million brits must like it if they choose to live there. They'd rather be bored in Australia than come back to the UK :)
Most people who say OZ is boring made the mistake of immigrating to Perth which is a boring isolated city, when they should have moved to the eastern side of OZ where most of the population lives.. The state of Victoria where l live in OZ it can get bleow zero in winter and it snows and theres only a few days in summers where it gets really hot . l have lived there 30 years and never been bitten or attacked by any dangerous creature even though l go swimming at the beach and camping in the outdoors all the time. Don't you have grizzly and polar bears in Canada that kill people , l only come across koala bears when l'm in the outdoors in OZ,

Originally Posted by mags1972 (Post 7866724)

I'm only going on what I've been told about Grizzlies but you have to go way off the beaten track to encounter them MOST of the time and as for Polar Bears :ohmy: I'm thinking Alaska, maybe :)
I was just stating my opinion on the nasties in OZ, I'll find out myself as I've just been told my work may be sending me to Perth for a couple of weeks if things take off. :thumbup:

Originally Posted by mohogony (Post 7866317)

If OZ was unbareably hot and crawling with lethal animals/insects everywhere why do 1.3 million British citizens live there, would'nt they go back to the Uk , your friends might hate OZ but 1.3 million brits must like it if they choose to live there. Most people who say OZ is boring made the mistake of immigrating to Perth which is a boring isolated city, when they should have moved to the eastern side of OZ where most of the population lives.. The state of Victoria where l live in OZ it can get bleow zero in winter and it snows and theres only a few days in summers where it gets really hot . l have lived there 30 years and never been bitten or attacked by any dangerous creature even though l go swimming at the beach and camping in the outdoors all the time. Don't you have grizzly and polar bears in Canada that kill people , l only come across koala bears when l'm in the outdoors in OZ,

Originally Posted by dboy (Post 7867020)

Every time anyone says something against OZ you launch into the same tiresome rant about killer polar bears.

Originally Posted by Butch Cassidy (Post 7867034)

Oh come on its hardly a rant, and to be honest I'm pig sick of people over exaggerating about the 'dangerous wildlife' in OZ

Originally Posted by dboy (Post 7867135)

My comment is based on previous posts on similar threads - very tiresome. I do agree that suggesting one should avoid oz due to killer Kangaroos etc is really rather silly.

Originally Posted by Kiwilass (Post 7867168)

mohogony doth protest too much :p

Originally Posted by Butch Cassidy (Post 7867138)

Fair comment :thumbup:, hows kits today?

Originally Posted by Butch Cassidy (Post 7867034)

Oh come on its hardly a rant, and to be honest I'm pig sick of people over exaggerating about the 'dangerous wildlife' in OZ

Originally Posted by mags1972 (Post 7866724)

I'm only going on what I've been told about Grizzlies but you have to go way off the beaten track to encounter them MOST of the time and as for Polar Bears :ohmy: I'm thinking Alaska, maybe :)
I was just stating my opinion on the nasties in OZ, I'll find out myself as I've just been told my work may be sending me to Perth for a couple of weeks if things take off. :thumbup:

Originally Posted by mohogony (Post 7867574)

Don't go to Perth then if your affraid of the Nasties.