My initial preference was Oz, but after weeks of trying to understand the visa system I'm starting to look at Canada.

Is Canada just as complicated?

http://britishexpats.com/wiki/Canada_versus_Australia

this could be useful for you also there are many other good threads on the wiki

Welcome

You're seriously going to base a decision to live in another country on the complexity of the immigration process?? I wouldn't advise that.... take a good look at the pros & cons of both countries.

To answer your question - yes the system is just as complex. Plus wait times are likely longer depending on your circumstances...

I thought the Oz system was far simpler and faster?

x

Ok, it was badly worded

We had decided on Oz or Canada, our final decision will be based on whether we can get a visa & where the best job is.

I just wanted to know if the Canadian system is as complex as the Oz system.

Yes, it's at least as complicated and, as other posters have said, it often takes longer.
x

Yeah, just reading the wiki link.

Cheers

If you like warm weather , beaches and surf go to OZ, if you like cold weather , mountains and snow go to Canada.

Wish it was that simple.

Thanks for the responses.

Hi,
We were in the same dilema as yourself, both had their pro's and con's. In the end we started the visa application for oz last year BUT as Canada was still on our minds and a job was the best way to get in I started applying for jobs. I got offered a job here in Feb this year, moved out end of March and I still haven't got my oz visa!!! Just shows that Canada can be quicker!!

We moved from the UK to Western Australia in 2006, and 2 months ago we moved to Canada.
The length of the visa process depends on a couple of factors, your occupation (ie how likely you are to get a job offer which will help you to get a visa) and how patient you are with form filling.
For us, Australia was easier, but most of the visa process for our e457 visas was handled by the company who employed my partner. Our visas and relocation was all taken care of so it was a quick easy process.
To Canada, this time my partner applied for a study permit as he has started a Phd here, the forms were more complicated (especially when getting an open work permit as a student's spouse), and took about 7 weeks to be approved. Now we are here we're thinking about applying for permanent residency as its quicker to get it when you apply from within the country.
We chose Australia originally (always with the end aim of getting to Canada) as it was easier to get a job there (we needed the experience as graduates in the mining profession), and now we have that experience I have found it very easy to get a job here in Canada (thanks to my Oz experience and my open work permit).
This is how we've done it, I'm sure there are many other ways and our profession does make it a whole lot easier as mining professionals are like hen's teeth at the moment.
Good luck with your applications!