bexjade

Hi guys, i am completely new to all this and a little nervous if i must say so let me thank you in advance for any help and guidance given.. x

My partner and i are based in the West Midlands, Uk and seeing as my Partner is a senior roofer of 8 years, he as just been offered a 2 year work permit and guarenteed perm residency after that in Vancouver, BC which is great, and after attending a seminar in York next weekend we will know more: V serious about doing this however, big life style cange, means selling the house and leaving a very close knit of family and friends which i am sure that most people in this situation are in leaving loved ones behind etc...

So i have been putting my feelers out there, looking at these forums, researching life styles and cost of liiving etc.. and wondered if anyone had any advice??
His job is based in burnaby but apparently we can live anywhere close by, really would like some advice on nice areas/suburbs, after being put up in a hotel for a month we would look at renting a fully furnished place does anyone have any refrences for good property estate agents??

Also utilities??? What do you have to pay on top of rent is it like the uk? (maybe a dumb question but need to ask?!?)
So water, gas & electric, council tax, tv licence etc????? x
Cars: is it right that all brits have to re take their driving test?? If so im scared, been driving for nearly 8 years now and dont know how the bloody hell i have managed not to crash, so driving on the other side of the road is a little daunting?? How much are lessons etc and the maintence of a car, gas/petrol & insurance???

Guess my last one really is: (makes me sound sad at 24!!) are the people nice?? Been to the US no end of times and love the people, and i have family in Ontario, however like everyone else making such a big move, its nice to know that you have good mates around you, people to bounce off etc, so for a young couple what things are there to do???

Thank you again..

Bex

agr

I would be instinctively nervous of any guarantee of permanent residency - only the federal govt could possibly issue such a guarantee, and they don't AFAIK.
Your questions are mostly fine detail stuff. Ask yourself whether, upon returning to the UK in 2 years time (assuming you had to), you would look back and say that 2 years in Vancouver were a worthwhile experience despite the ups and downs. If yes, then go for it and work through the details as you encounter them.
Regarding the people, there are all sorts - particularly in Vancouver - but few are much like Americans.
Bottom line: look at the fine detail of what you're being offered before you worry about the fine detail of life in BC!

bexjade

thank you- basically the offer is that the company will sponsor you for PR and you can apply as son as 3 months after getting there and working for the employer.. Will know more after the seminar i guess, just thinking ahead as we must do, lot to loose if you know what i mean if we make the wrong move- have very over protective parents who making me get answers to questions before committing so any in sightful advice to the fluffy stuff is grateful thanks!!!!

mjwalker007

Hi Bex,

We were in the same situation, had lots of friends and family in the u.k , had a good lifestyle, loved my footy ! but felt that something was missing ! The only way to explain it is ,although I was born and bred in the U.K and i love the fact i am english, I did not want my 5 year old daughter to grow up there !! I felt she would have a much better lifestyle if we moved from the u.k.

We looked at the U.S.A first , but eventually moved to Kelowna in British Columbia, Canada . Thank god we came here because this has all the best bits of the american lifestyle without the worst bits ! (gun crime,health care etc etc)

We feel so lucky to have moved to a place like this ! the people are great (so friendly !) in fact coming from the U.K its a little un-nerving when a complete stranger says Hi ! to you, when your waiting for a bus , etc !

The children seem to have so much more respect here ! We have been here for nearly a year and I have not seen one gang of kids hanging around the streets after dark ! hoodies up and so on !

Vancouver is a lovely city and we had the chance to live there but we decided against it as we moved from Birmingham so we felt we did not want to move from one big city to another , therefore we chose Kelowna. Again we feel we have the best of both worlds as we are about 3 1/2 hours from vancouver (which when your in canada is like just being around the corner !!)

To finish , I think you only get one crack at life , so take the opportunities when they arise ! the world is such a small place these days, if it doesnt work out so what , you gave it a try ! but if you feel anything like us , you'll be so glad you made the move !

jericho

Property prices in Vancouver are ridiculous.

High numbers

Good luck I hope you make the move!

We too are heading to Vancouver (hopefully) and understand what you are feeling, it will be hard for your parents but at least they known where they are going for their next holiday!!

Have a look at this web site I think that it will answer some of your questions
http://www.relocation2bc.com/ he posts on this site as Frank n Sense.

If you have not been to Canada or Vancouver it might worth going over for a look around we did and loved it!! Hence the move.

If you have any other questions post them away or do a search on this site I am sure the answer is out there!!

bexjade

Thank you so much for getting back to me, really appreciate the support, i know it sounds sad and cheesy but its nice to know that there are other people out there who have done it and will talk you through it xxx

Keep in touch xxxxx

High numbers

I am slightly older than you (ok 42) but we feel the same way as you. I have been driving for years and drove last year in the USA on the 'wrong' side of the road and found it strange at first but just take it easy and you get used to it.

PM me if you feel you have a question that does not fit anywhere on this forum but do check out that web site it is very good!

Alberta_Rose

... compared to eg Nova Scotia, Manitoba and rural Saskatchewan. Outside of Vancouver itself, BC prices appear to become more manageable.

Check out www.mls.ca for examples of what you get for your $ in different areas.

JonboyE

Hi Bex and welcome.

I assume the employer is talking about the Provincial Nominee Program. No, they cannot guarantee acceptance, but if they sponsor you, and you and your OH fit CIC's requirements (good health, no criminal record etc) it is very likely that you will gain permanent residence by this route.

Within Burnaby itself the better areas tend to be close to Burnaby Mountain and Simon Fraser University. I would probably avoid the Kingsway corridor, and some parts of Edmonds, otherwise you can find decent neighborhoods in most areas. Outside of Burnaby there is lots of choice. There is a wiki here. It is more complete for some areas than others, but is worth a read.

There are very few furnished rentals, and the few that are available are very expensive. They tend to be priced more to suit visiting executives than ordinary people. The vast majority are unfurnished. Of course, you can buy everything you need to furnish a home here, but I would seriously suggest that you look at the cost of renting a 20' container and shipping all your worldly goods (apart from electrics) out here.

Craig's list is the place to look for rentals. Expect to pay $2,000 plus for a modest house. Apartments rent for $1,000 and up.

If you are renting an apartment all you usually have to pay on top of the rent is electricity, 'phone and cable TV. Electricity depends on how much you use but $75-100 a month should cover it. You can get a package from Shaw that covers 'phone, broadband internet and 60-70 TV channels for around $130 per month.

If you are renting a home you will need to add water and natural gas for heating. Assume another $100 or so per month.

Yes, you have to take your driving test again. It is much easier than the UK. Do a search as there are a few recent threads about this. Maintenance is a bit cheaper than the UK, petrol is half the price, but insurance is at least double. If you have 8 years NCB in the UK you would still pay upward of $1,500 a year for decent insurance on a small car.

Well, of course there are jerks everywhere, but in my experience, people are generally much friendlier and easier to talk to than in the UK. What you need to bring is the attitude that you are going to make the effort to become a part of the neighborhood and fit in. If you do you will find most people respond very positively to you.

No one can say if this move will work out for you and your OH. There are many of us on this site who love our new lives in Vancouver and other parts of Canada. It is also true there are those that don't. Some decide it is not for them and return to the UK. But, it is often said that in life you only regret the things you don't do. If you have a sense of adventure in you this is an opportunity that, to me, would be too good to miss.

Rich_007

And in other news intrepid explorers announce news that the earth is round.

Surrey Expat

Actually it's not, it's an Oblate Spheroid.

bexjade

thanks guys for all your advice so far and if any of you wish to send me some helpful tips- pro's con's, advantages and perks then keep them a fllowing as its understanding and getting a good feel for this move which will keep us motivated plus making new friends xxx

maddhobs

Hi, we live across the water on Vancouver Island but just wanted to say good luck and best wishes and hope you enjoy living in BC.

bexjade

hey maybe you can help- do you actually live on Vancouver island?? if so do house prices differ much to main land and how long does it take on a water taxi to downtown and is it cheap to commute this way_ thank you for your support xx