Hi all,

My hubby and i are looking to move to Nova Scotia in 2014. After spending several months of 2010/2011 on a working holiday visa checking out Vancouver and The Atlantic Provinces we feel NS is definitely for us. Neither of our occupations meet any categories on skilled worker list and we are wondering if anyone else had this problem? It would be so much easier if we were on there. We're both in our late 20's and are anxious to get there to start our 'New life'. We figure the best option is to look at a years working holiday visa and hope to get job offers to allow us to stay. We are doing a fact finding trip in April this year, visiting Halifax and Sydney NS so if anyone has any advice of places to visit we'd appreciate it. Thanks

We came in on the Community Identified Stream with Provincial Nomination. Have you considered do it that way?

Sydney ! The unemployment rate there is high and there is a distinct lack of jobs. May I ask why Sydney ? Maybe it would be better to look at places where there is a chance of finding work. The greater Halifax area would maybe seem to be a better place to look.

No particular reason for Sydney- read it was nice so wanted to go have a look, already visited Halifax and are also going there for a closer look. The main reason i joined the forum was to get helpful advice so thanks for letting me know about the lack of work. Obviously we would be wanting to go somewhere we could find work- how nice it would be to have the money to retire in our 20's but not likely!

Thanks for this suggestion, we're still trying to find options so this is something else to look into That was the plan for after the years working visas. Prob is we have two homes worth of furniture and pets, hence wishing we could get the go ahead for a permanent move as opposed to risking taking everything over only to have to bring it back to UK a year later. Decisions decisions. How long have you been there? Is it everything you'd hoped for?

I've been in Canada since March 1969 ! It has been very good to me. Everything I'd hoped for and more. Not that it's perfect. It isn't. It has its warts and all. It isn't for everyone. There are lots of folks who came and returned to their country of origin for a myriad of reasons. Some just seem to want to whinge and whine because "we don't do it like that in the U.K." It seems to work out better for most if they adopt, adapt and assimilate. It certainly worked for me.
Good luck !

We have only been here since last summer.

Although Yarmouth is probably as far from Sydney as you can get, the two towns are very similar, unemployment is high, morale is low!!!

I can't comment on Sydney but the main thing I have problems with is the distance from Halifax or any major town for that matter!!! The Yarmouthians say that it is mellow down here and it sure is!!! Any more laid back and they'd be dead!!!

I think there is more to consider if you live in a town, or outskirts of, and are planning to live in the sticks, it can get a little lonely at times! Also if you need a job then it's a risk being so far away from where the jobs are. We are quite aware that if my OH looses his job or wants to change jobs we have to pack up and move somewhere else!!!

Just some thoughts...

Oh, do you actually like Yarmouth though? Have you not been able to get work there yet? We actually moved to england from ireland last easter and i would probably describe where we live at the moment exactly the same as you've described where you are.

This is great advice so thanks very much, we are definitely open to suggestions from people who have 'been there done that' sort of thing. We really want to end up in the sticks in the future but only when we have secured decent jobs and are sure we are staying but we are aware that could be years from now and that we will probably end up closer to Halifax for the first while.

Its actually hard to get good information on other locations in NS, i'm a bit worried if we go anywhere else i will miss having options with shops, meeting people and places to eat out etc..

We both work here. But due to my husbands role if he wants to change or they get bored of him we would have to move for him to find another job!!
I work as an Admin Assistant (PA) so there are other jobs here and there would be other jobs if we moved.

Yarmouth is OK in many ways. You mention shopping. Well to have a day of shopping, going round the malls, having lunch and so on we would have to go to Halifax and that's 3 1/2 hours away.

But for you, you could have both. You only need to live on the outskirts of Halifax to live in the countryside!! Perfect compromise I'd say

As this is more of a general NS discussion rather than related to visas/immigration, I shall move it to the main Canada section of the forum.

I love where I live, about 2 1/2 hours from Halifax but within easy reach of New Brunswick and PEI so still plenty to do and places to shop

I live about 45 mins from sydney. nice place and people but not much going on. Lots of people move west those that come back seem to do so to retire. There is an Island mentality here you will be down the list for a job thats for sure and never become a caper but you can become more than a mainlander

I would like advice if anyone has any but dont know if im putting things in the right place to get it.

What type of work do you and your husband do?

I like Nova Scotia, but if you want booming economy in Atlantic Canada then St. John's Nfld is the place to be. Arguably more a fun town as well