froggynewf

Hello everyone at BE!

I am from Newfoundland, moving back home finally and will be bringing back a French husband and a toddler. Would love to hear from other Nfld'ers and those who brought their new families with them.

Atlantic Xpat

I'm a Brit brought back by my wife who is a Newfoundlander, is that close enough?

Welcome to BE. When are you moving back to the Rock?

froggynewf

Well hello there!

Of course that counts! We hope to be moving back (depends on pnp and pr) in about 2-3 months.

How did your wife drag you back to the rock? lol Through family or pnp? How do you like it? I am curious since this is only the 3rd time visiting the rock for him, and since it will be permanent, I am wondering how he will fare.......thank God he loves snow.......

froggy

Atlantic Xpat

I was sponsored by the Mrs under family class. Took 6 months in total back in 2004. Do I like it here? Yes I do, a lot. There are some frustrations - cost and difficulty of travel, limits on career opportunities but these are more than compensated for by the place, the people. Also, I still find the snow a bit of a novelty!

I'm curious, why wouldn't you sponsor your Frog through family class as opposed to PNP. It would be much quicker I'm sure?

Howard1944

Newfs, you gotta love 'em, who else could defend living on that windswept outcropping and call it a Paradise, convince CFA's that kissing a dead fish is a tradition, and drink the most stomache punishing Rum known to man.

Come By Chance, Concepcion Bay, the list goes on.

A French Man , not sue how well he'll take it, not exactly Provence.

Atlantic Xpat

I've never met a Newfoundlander who actually drinks Screech. I think it's just produced for tourists and CFA's!

froggynewf

Ha Ha! You are totally so right! I have never touched the stuff, but my husband has since he was screeched in on his first visit to the rock!

To get back to your last post, we are going through the pnp route and not the family route, since I thought that he could have gotten a work permit immediately? Could you work immediately? Since we are poor here in France (they don't accept my degrees therefore couldn't work), it would be better that one of us has a job before moving back home. Sooo, hubby checked out the jobs, got one, filled in the paperwork and we are just waiting now for the news...... I will of course be looking for a job asap as well, but it won't be hard (famous last words) since I am a teacher......(dime a dozen) lol

Tell me, how did you move all your stuff? We have decided to sell our worldly possesions lol and ship our clothes and toddlers toys through the post. We checked in on the shipping container, and it was sooooooooooo expensive( our stuff is not worth much) ,and we would have had to send it via UK! More feasible to sell everything and stay with the parents until we find a place. Did you find it hard/expensive finding accomodations?

Yes, the rock rocks but it can be very frustrating to find work in your field. What is your field by the way? We are lucky that my hubby has a much needed skill. I hear that the economy (in St.John's) at least is booming so perhaps there is light at the end of the snowbank! They just need to bring in some competitive international airlines!!! It is sooooooo expensive to fly!

We chose to move back to Canada because there are so many more opportunities for us, and our child(ren), and I want her to grow up on the rock. Plus, housing is relatively cheaper than Europe. Everything is possible now! Yeah!

froggynewf

Howard1944,

Oh gotta love the names here on the rock..........You didn't mention all the good ones.......

pinkmcfarquhar

Hello and good luck with the move back to Newfoundland.

Me and OH came over from Scotland end of last year via PNP program and have application in progress for PR.

Loving it here - and it's a good job your OH likes snow, on the news last night we have had about 7ft so far this winter!!

froggynewf

Howard1944,

Ah yes, a French man. He is a pretty cool relaxed dude, or I wouldn't have married him. He is not too inflexible, or he wouldn't have married me.... lol

pinkmcfarquhar,

Thank you for words of encouragement!

Congratulations to you as well! How very exciting! I visited northern Scotland a while ago and it was just lovely! My uncle lives on one of the Orkney Islands, but he is going to move to France. Go figure. Just as we are leaving.

What was the process of pnp like? We put in our pnp, we were told that it would take about 2-3 weeks( we are on week two waiting), but after that, I haven't got a clue what to expect. Do they send the file to the embassy, and then they contact us? Is it possible to go back home without the PR and have them send it to NL? OH work wants him immediately.

Atlantic Xpat

FroggNewf,

I believe a Family class sponsorship will be MUCH quicker than PNP. There also may be some way to get a work permit whilst its being processed. I suggest you post the question in the immigration section where persons knowledgeable in all this hang out!

Dunno what your frog does but if its anything related to Oil and Gas then he stands a good chance of finding work. I work in the (rather small) manufacturing sector here in Purchasing. Don't want to bring you down but getting a full time, permanent teaching position here is very hard work. Particularly in the St John's/CBS/Paradise/Mt Pearl area. Lots of teachers with way more seniority than you chasing a finite number of jobs. How do I know? Mrs AX is a teacher. She's been home for 3 years and is still working contract to contract.

On the upside property is relatively cheap here compared to elsewhere in Canada although house price inflation in St John's is forecast anywhere from 10-20% this year. Rental accomodation is becoming tighter but not that difficult to find. Rent prices are on the up though - say $1000 for a mainfloor and $400-600 for a basement appartment.

Air travel is a challenge but there is a rumour that something might be done in conjunction with St Pierre et Miguelon to get Air France to fly to St John's from Paris. I'm a sceptic but if that comes off it could be useful for you!

pinkmcfarquhar

Process of PNP great, but does take time, some provinces seem to be very quick, others not soquick. From what I am aware, only a small department in Newfoundland and lots of work - one time we spoke to Maria (contact at PNP - very nice, friendly and helpful) she was working on 297 files! Which shocked me, no idea so many people were moving here.

Anway, quick summary of how we did it. Applied to PNP program Oct 06, approved i think April 07, PNP certificate arrived June 2007. Applied for PR August 2007 - no word yet on medicals. However, when we got our PNP certificate, Maria advised us that we could get TWP on the basis of that either by applying through London or by getting at point of entry if we came over to Newfoundland. Since it was time for another recce, we came over Sept 07 and got TWP for hubby (tied to job) and me (open) at point of entry, valid until December 08 and according to immigration, no problem to extend if necessary. Relatively pain free process and no hanging about waiting for london to process TWP - had them in our hands after short meeting with immigration - really nice friendly guy, we had been in a total panic about this immigration meeting! Now just a case of waiting for london to process PR!!

Hope that helps.

froggynewf

Yes, I heard that West Jet and Air France is in talks........it would certainly be fantastic to have more competition.

It seems we have a lot in common! Yes, the teaching jobs are few and far between I hear. Especially with all the graduates coming from the atlantic provinces as well! I heard the same, I am going to put my name on the sublist, and hopefully now that I am bilingual, I will find work with the French immersion sublist....We will see, but at least OH has a job waiting for him. We have already put in all the paperwork and paid the fees, we can't really afford to reapply again for the Family sponsor. I am not even sure if it is allowed.

Yes, I hear with the oil/nickle boom housing is going way up!!! We were looking at houses this last October on our visit and boy there are soo many new housing devlopements going up! Who is buying? I thought the population was going down? Did you buy or rent at first? We are trying to figure out which would be better.

by the way if anyone brought their animals with them, how did they fare on the trip? We have a little cat.

pinkmcfarquhar

Our two dogs (8 years old) made the journey no problem - including an unscheduled overnight stay at Heathrow.

I'm a teacher as well (definitely no shortage!), but can't work as a teacher until through medicals, just in case I pass the lurgy on to any little angels.

We rented a house for the first 3 months (do a search for alcove suites and chalets) which has worked out great for us as it gave us time to look at houses and decide which areas we liked and so on - moving into our new house in outer cove in a couple of weeks.

Atlantic Xpat

We rented for 3 months and then bought. Who's buying all the house in the Northeast Avalon? People moving in from around the bay generally. It's where the work is.

So are you a townie or a bayman?