Hello,


My other half and me are flying to Nova Scotia early September and staying for two weeks.


We're hoping to spend some time in NS, NB and PEI and do a bit of a reccy and look for places to live and the job opportunities whilst we're there. We don't have children and we love going out for dinner, cinema, concerts etc.. plus we somewhere that has a gym nearby and stuff going on like markets and festivals.


We were thinking of staying in the cities mid-week and then getting to the coast for the weekend. Are there any places any of you would recommend we def visit or avoid? Have any of you done a similar trip and how did you find it helped, if at all?


Many thanks

Happiness is generally tied to employment & an acceptable income. (Assuming you need the former for the latter!) So I'd suggest you focus on where you might find jobs first and then where is nice to live near those jobs second. Particularly in the Maritimes where the economy is not as strong as elsewhere in Canada. Halifax would seem to be the obvious choice.

What do you do for a living?

Hi there,


I work in Finance though I think I'd be seen more as a Bookkeeper, my other is in I.T and he works for the local Water Co. We've had pretty good feedback from some agencies in Halifax but we don't want to put all our eggs in one basket. Need to get our feet on the ground and do some footwork!


Are you in the Maritimes?

Ignore me, just seen your in Newfoundland

Hi, I am in Nova scotia and in Finance. Welcome.
Halifax has the most source of employment in Nova Scotia. There are always finance roles around. Have you checked out Accountant Staffing? They are a recruitment agency in Halifax.
You will also need to north americanize your resume if you havent already.


What type of experience do you have?


September is a great time to visit as its still warm and the trees are starting to turn. Halifax has a good vibe, cruise ships will still be in, theres a large farmers market and always something good on down at the waterfront.


Gyms are a plenty.

Hi there and thanks for your reply.

I'm kind of all arounder really though I'm not sure if that's a good thing or not. I've been an office manager and now I do all the finances for a medium sized businesses including tax, payroll and debt collection. I'm qualified AAT which I don't think is widely recognised in Canada.

How easy / hard did you find getting a job?

Getting a job is often not the issue. The challenge is getting the Visa that allows you to do the job. Unless you are already Canadian, or have Permanent Residency status, you need what's called a LMIA, which has to be applied for by the employer (at a cost of $1000 I believe). This demonstrates that they were unable to find a suitable Canadian for the role and so were forced to look outside the country (i.e. you!). Another alternative though, is if you are under 30, you could apply for an IEC Visa, which would allow you 2 years unrestricted work in any part of Canada you fancied!

Hi, no AAT is not recognized here however you could explain to potential employers that it's similar to an accounting diploma. I believe they do that course at SMU (st Mary's university) so I would check it out to check that it is indeed the same.
I would absolutely check with recruiters that know the market, as in Accountant Staffing, how employable you are. I found them very helpful. Personally, as long as you can get the visa, I think you are absolutely employable. In Canada, designations (professional qualifications) are key to many employers so I would keep that in mind.
In the UK you can carve out a good career without them, here, not so much.

I found it pretty easy. I reached out to a company that was affiliated to my UK one that was happy to meet me when we arrived, mainly because I had worked for Fender in the past and the business owner was a Fender fan. They actually employed me as I had some reporting skills that they needed.
I then went onto grow my career over the 6 years we have been here. You first job is key as it then gives you some Canadian experience.
Happy to answer all your questions as they come up. Good luck in your research

Hello,


Apologies for the late response. My sister and I took our 3 nieces away for the weekend and had no internet. One of my concerns about moving abroad, how will I cope with not seeing my relatives whenever I want. How was that for you?


I'm hoping that when we come over in Sept I'll be able to sit down with a couple of agency's/employers and get some real feedback. I have already spoken to a couple who seem keen to meet me so that's good. Fingers crossed.


Whereabouts in Halifax are you? Is it an area you'd recommend for us possibly? Hope you don't mind. I'm not being nosey just trying to get my bearings he he

Hi. We're already in the system. Not 100% pure of our exact route as this is my other halves area. We've been saving for years and finally have what we think should be enough to settle in okay.
I'm 38 and he's 43 so we're a little bit over the IEC Visa option he he

I currently live in PEI, although moving province shortly. If you haves any questions I'm happy to help if I can.

Re visiting PEI I would say a hire car is essential. Charlottetown is absolutely beautiful and has all the facilities I think most would need. Victoria Park in Charlottetown is worth a visit, its a big (60 acres I think, or maybe 40) area with a native species arboretum, woods, playground, sports facilities, and a boardwalk along the seashore where you can see the old cannons and some of the historic buildings. The walk is lovely, the views are amazing and there's an ice cream parlour at one end
For staying somewhere more rural, French River on the North Shore is really stunning - Cousins Shore beach close to there and the lighthouse are really something. The Harbour Lights Housekeeping cottages have the best views of French River harbour (frequently used in PEI tourism photos and promos) and a beautiful setting, plus they were some of the most reasonably priced accommodation on the island. Neighbours of ours always direct their friends and guests to stay there.

Now need to get breakfast for a grumpy toddler but will try to think of more in a bit

Having no internet would be bliss.
For me leaving family wasnt so hard as we werent that close (long story, as always) and my mother lives in Germany, but I know for others it can be a real challenge and cause much heartbreak.
I live near Enfield. This is becuase we wanted a rural neighbourhood and half way between Truro and Halifax for work options. Its worked out well. However, if I had my time again I would settle closer to the water. I wish constantly for a water view... thats of course tied to budget too. But being nearer to water would be nicer. Porters Lake area is one I wish we had considered more.

Thank you

So perhaps we should add a drive between Halifax and Truro to our list. Porters Lake also looks like a place to have a look at too.


Thanks for your help guys and if anyone would like to meet for a coffee while we're over in Sept I'd love to meet you face to face x

If you are going to PEI you'll do the drive between Halifax & Truro anyway, it's not that interesting, lol. The best scenery in NS is along the costal routes. It's worth a trip along the south shore at least as far as lunenburg. The annapolis valley is also nice too for farmers markets & vineyards, not worth going past Annapolis Royal/Digby though. For a reccy though, you might want to concentrate more on areas you would like to move to & leave the sightseeing for when you move.