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Moving to Toronto

Moving to Toronto

Old Nov 23rd 2008, 8:36 pm
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Default Moving to Toronto

Hi Everyone,

I came across your thread. I started my immigration process to Toronto 2 years ago and now I am just awaiting for my Medicals examination. My lawyer said I should get my PRC by February at the latest.

I would like to know what medical tests they do. I am aware of a blood test. I am abit concerned as I had very low haemoglobin levels recently but I am combating that with iron tablets. Will it show in my blood test ?

Also, those of you have lived in London and moved to Canada. How did you find the change ? I have been to Canada for holidays and I liked it very much and I have a lot family living out there. The reason for moving initially was to be close to the family after my father died. However, living there is different than being on holiday there.
The problem is I love London and the transport system is really good.
I wonder how it compares with Toronto ? Also, I have never been to Toronto in the winter. Is it a big problem travelling to work ? The winter factor puts me off a bit.

Do you ever get home sick ?
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Old Nov 23rd 2008, 8:47 pm
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Default Re: Moving to Toronto

Originally Posted by Maria_747
Hi Everyone,

I came across your thread. I started my immigration process to Toronto 2 years ago and now I am just awaiting for my Medicals examination. My lawyer said I should get my PRC by February at the latest.

I would like to know what medical tests they do. I am aware of a blood test. I am abit concerned as I had very low haemoglobin levels recently but I am combating that with iron tablets. Will it show in my blood test ?

Also, those of you have lived in London and moved to Canada. How did you find the change ? I have been to Canada for holidays and I liked it very much and I have a lot family living out there. The reason for moving initially was to be close to the family after my father died. However, living there is different than being on holiday there.
The problem is I love London and the transport system is really good.
I wonder how it compares with Toronto ? Also, I have never been to Toronto in the winter. Is it a big problem travelling to work ? The winter factor puts me off a bit.

Do you ever get home sick ?
I lived and worked in Toronto for a year. The winter there is very different but I do not want to overwhelm you.

My advice if you get your PR in February is to head out in the spring and find a good job and then as winter nears pick your work colleagues brains as to what you need to do to prepare. I seldom used public transport in Toronto and drove everywhere. In the winter this required an underground fanned carpark to stop the engine freezing and having to scrape my car. Good quality all weather tyres (that were very expensive) to grip in the snow. Lots of screen wash in the car trunk because you constantly have to clear your windscreen of grit and run out fast. You will also need to develop a good canadian winter wardrobe and understand that all the people in downtown seem to move underground. There is a subway (tube system) and there are buses but I do not think they are as good as in London.

Anyway as I say I do not want to overwhelm you. It is different but I really enjoyed the winter there as it was a phenominal learning curve.

I cannot help with your medical question.

Last edited by JamesM; Nov 23rd 2008 at 8:50 pm.
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Old Nov 23rd 2008, 9:39 pm
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Default Re: Moving to Toronto

Hi James,

Many thanks for the information. I heard there are alot of science jobs in Torornto particularly in the Mississagua area (pharmaceutical industry) also, I got contacts at the Mount Sinai Hospital.

My main concern is with the winter adaptability and transport. When you hear stories that its only -20 degrees, its abit off putting.

Thanks again
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Old Nov 23rd 2008, 10:44 pm
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Default Re: Moving to Toronto

Originally Posted by Maria_747
Hi James,

Many thanks for the information. I heard there are alot of science jobs in Torornto particularly in the Mississagua area (pharmaceutical industry) also, I got contacts at the Mount Sinai Hospital.

My main concern is with the winter adaptability and transport. When you hear stories that its only -20 degrees, its abit off putting.

Thanks again
Im just entering my 4th winter here - the minus 20 sounds worse than it is, ON is a lot less damp than the UK and doesnt feel near as cold, doesnt get in your bones like in UK, TO itself is very sheltered from a proper Canadian winter 1 because of lake but mainly cus of urban heat from the city. Unfortunately city folk dont know how to deal with it - although they are 100 times better at dealing with it than the UK as are the snow plowers and salters. Fri it was -18 at home (1hr north of TO), I was more than comfortable walking to my garage and from parking lot to shops in a T shirt and decent colombia winter jacket. It sounds way worse than it is!! All the snowmobilers are already razzing past my front window - winter here is amazing if you embrace it! If you stay in the house all the time watching TV it sucks!

Obv driving during a snowstorm you allow to take more time - mostly due to other peoples inabillity to drive in such conditions than anything else. Never used public transport in winter so cant comment on that part. We had a decent storm here thurs (alberta clipper came down) and it took me 20 mins extra to get home on an hr journey. ON rarely comes to a standstill like the UK does in my exp dues to snow.
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Old Nov 24th 2008, 9:23 am
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Default Re: Moving to Toronto

Many thanks, its giving me abit more courage to face it.
A couple of more question

Were you ever homesick for the UK ?

Also, how is the TV programmes there, is there to much American influence
and do they show British shows out there ?
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Old Nov 24th 2008, 9:54 am
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Default Re: Moving to Toronto

Sorry a few more questiona

Can I keep dual nationality if I stay permanently in Canada ?

Also, If I became canadian citizen after 3 years and I wanted to work in the US, is it easier to get a work permit in the US with a Canadian passport ?

I heard many canadians work in the US but reside in Canada
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Old Nov 24th 2008, 1:26 pm
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Default Re: Moving to Toronto

To my mind, snow+cold feels much easier than just cold. Kind of emotional help that snow gives.

I find the public transit system quite usable here. Very bad for me is that Mississauga and Toronto have separate systems. So, if you don't have one of "global" passes, you pay twice if you go from one city to the other and it takes long time of course. I think that living in the border areas, where both systems are available, is very good. Go to work anywhere and if you want some civilization, go to Toronto on weekend.
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Old Nov 24th 2008, 1:39 pm
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Default Re: Moving to Toronto

Originally Posted by Maria_747
Many thanks, its giving me abit more courage to face it.
A couple of more question

Were you ever homesick for the UK ?

Also, how is the TV programmes there, is there to much American influence
and do they show British shows out there ?
You can keep Dual Nationality.

I do not know about work permit's in the US.

Most of the TV in Canada is American with a small amount of local Canadian stuff. If you want to watch British TV- you can get cable and subscribe to some BBC channels that they offer.

There are always things that you will miss from the UK but when I came back to the UK there were things I missed from Canada. SO you will have some home sickness.
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Old Nov 24th 2008, 4:26 pm
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Default Re: Moving to Toronto

Originally Posted by Maria_747
Many thanks, its giving me abit more courage to face it.
A couple of more question

Were you ever homesick for the UK ?

Also, how is the TV programmes there, is there to much American influence
and do they show British shows out there ?
Have never got Home sick for the UK once, to me Canada offers everything the UK does and a hundred times more, only things I miss is friends and family but you still see them and stay in touch with them. After all you have to live your life not theirs!! Plus you make friends out here - Iv'e made some amazing ones - Canadians are a freinds bunch!

I always was very American influenced anyway by what little TV I watched, Friends, Stargate, Battlestar Galactica, Smallville so no difference to me. There are also some good shows here that Id never seen before like Suvivorman and Dragons Den. I find I watch way less TV here than in the UK though because there is so much more to do!

Last edited by Mikey B; Nov 24th 2008 at 5:13 pm.
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Old Nov 24th 2008, 5:01 pm
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Default Re: Moving to Toronto

Originally Posted by Mikey B
Have never got sick of the UK once, to me Canada offeres everything the UK does and a hundred times more, only thing I miss is friends and family but you still see them and stay in touch with them. After all you have to live your life not theirs!!

I always was very American influenced anyway by what little TV I watched, Friends, Stargate, Battlestar Galactica, Smallville so no difference to me. There are also some good shows here that Id never seen before like Suvivorman and dragons den. I find I watch way less TV here than in the UK though because there is so much more to do!
Just so you know Mikey B Dragon's Den was invented in the UK by the BBC and they then sold the concept on.
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Old Nov 24th 2008, 5:11 pm
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Default Re: Moving to Toronto

Originally Posted by James Martindale
Just so you know Mikey B Dragon's Den was invented in the UK by the BBC and they then sold the concept on.
You learn something new every day!! Thanks for that!
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Old Nov 24th 2008, 8:27 pm
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Default Re: Moving to Toronto

Many thanks guys for your views

It has helped me alot. I sort of got to mentally prepare myself and decide what I really want in life !!
I have heard some people say that they found Toronto boring to live compared with London!

Does downtown Toronto have the same vibrancy as central London ?(aka Leicester square or Piccadilly).
In 2 hours you can be in Paris or Brussels ? from St Pancras ! Plus the corner shop I will miss !
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Old Nov 24th 2008, 8:55 pm
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Default Re: Moving to Toronto

Originally Posted by Maria_747
Many thanks guys for your views

It has helped me alot. I sort of got to mentally prepare myself and decide what I really want in life !!
I have heard some people say that they found Toronto boring to live compared with London!

Does downtown Toronto have the same vibrancy as central London ?(aka Leicester square or Piccadilly).
In 2 hours you can be in Paris or Brussels ? from St Pancras ! Plus the corner shop I will miss !
Hi Maria

I lived in Toronto until recently and it's not a bad place but don't expect it to be too much like London. I was bored in Toronto a lot of the time but that was really my own fault One of the things I do enjoy about being back in the UK is the cheap travel to Europe, traveling within North American can be expensive.
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Old Nov 24th 2008, 10:42 pm
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Default Re: Moving to Toronto

Many Thanks Elaine

That is my problem ! :
I am comparing every little thing of London to Toronto.
I live in West London, walking distance to the tube, so can get to the Westend within 25 mins, heathrow airport, The M4 etc.
So basically, I am trying to find a locality that fits the bill.Some say mississauga does !

May I ask, do you miss Toronto now ? Would you go back in the near future ?
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Old Nov 24th 2008, 11:58 pm
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Default Re: Moving to Toronto

Originally Posted by Maria_747
Many Thanks Elaine

That is my problem ! :
I am comparing every little thing of London to Toronto.
I live in West London, walking distance to the tube, so can get to the Westend within 25 mins, heathrow airport, The M4 etc.
So basically, I am trying to find a locality that fits the bill.Some say mississauga does !
YES! What I can say for sure is that after spending every day in Mississauga, if I ever go to Toronto, its real downtown, it IS vibrant and full of fancy people in fancy clothes etc and it smells with big money at some spots. Tried and true. There are even streetcars. There are suburban trains here (cost more than the bus though) that can get you there from distant areas of Mississauga in less than half an hour.
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