I have no idea. But judging by the context that it was used in towards me, you're probably pretty close.

I'm not sure of the exact figures but I suspect overall I probably pay more tax (as a percentage of my income) in Canada. One of the key differences though is that in the UK the government is a lot more sneaky about taxes. Here in Canada you pretty much know what you pay and you know its tax and you just get on with it. For example sales tax - it gets added on to your purchase. You know its tax. You dont just think that the goods you are buying are really expensive. In the UK on the other hand sales tax (VAT) is disguised into the price. I remember the govt passing laws many years ago that forced retailers to display prices inclusive of tax as places like PC World used to show the pre-tax price. They dressed it up as making life easier for consumers but really it was to avoid constantly reminding people they were giving yet more money to the government.

Another classic is the way the UK govt keeps reducing income tax and at the same time increasing the amount of national insurance you pay! Like we dont realise its tax because they call it something else (oh, its not tax its "insurance" - wait... what is it that we are insuring?). So even though income tax is only 22% (or whatever it is now) you then pay about another 10% NI. And then - and this is the bit most people dont even know about - the employer also pays the Employer NI Contribution which is about another 13%. You might not paying but if the employer wasnt paying it you would be getting another 13% salary so you are paying it really. So actually the basic rate of income tax in the UK - even for a very modest income - is about 45%!!! But its disguised. So when you hear about tax rates in Canada being 40 or 50% it seems high but its really the same in the UK.

And don't get me started on TV licenses (but thats not a tax surely? Its just a "license". No wait... why does your TV need a license? Can it drive?)

Hang on, you actually prefer having to mentally add 13% (or whatever) to everything you buy? Are you mad?

Sure.

Not particularly but the point is that at least there is a clear distinction between what is tax and what is the cost of the product.

Who gives a shit? It's not exactly optional either way.

Okay, so if tomorrow the UK Govt abandoned Employers NI contributions would all employers give their staff a 13% pay rise? No. But if it was never there to begin with employers wouldnt need to factor in the cost of employers NI to their payroll budgets. The point is that employers have a finite budget available and if 13% of the payroll bill goes to the government then only 87% of the payroll budget actually goes to the employee.

And how do you expect the government would make up for this drop in revenue? Tax on marmite?

I know.

Having said that, my employer in the UK offered me more than they were advertising the job for in the UK. I think that's because they don't have to pay NI on me.

Nooooooooooooooooooooo!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I'm not arguing about whether there should or shouldnt be sales tax though - its just an example of a sneaky stealth-like method of taxation. One of the reasons that HST/GST has come down in Canada is because people know how much they're paying. When you spend $1000 and you see that $130 goes to the government you resent it slightly. In the UK attention isnt drawn to it in the same way so people just carry on paying 17% without complaining.

Canada (Ontario anyway) has employer contributions to EI / CPP and WSIB.

So not so different really, which is the overall tax picture on Canada compared to the UK.

Anyway, all the OP wanted was an idea what his take home pay was likely to be wasnt it?

And the answer to all that was in the wiki. The Taxtips website is probably the best place to look for a quick ballpark calulator. Just remember that EI and CPP are not spread evenly over the year.

Why should people resent paying tax? Funding for schools, hospitals, water, sewerage etc has to come from somewhere.

Rubbish. What's wrong with home education, homeopathy, a well in the garden and pooing in the bushes?

Thats how you grew up isnt it? Explains a lot