graham the eggman

Trying to help you, you MUST watch exchange rates. When in Canada 2013 we only got $1.52 to UK £, today $1.80 BUT if your husband has to send money back to the UK it will hurt big time. Credit cards, it will take 12 months to obtain, UK references mean nothing. Use any other ATM except your own bank they charge unlike UK. Canada may glitter but is not gold I can assure you.
Graham

graham the eggman

Another thing to keep in mind, travel costs for you to visit family UK and vice verse, it mounts big time.

rivingtonpike

Our experience was rather different (just for perspective). We had Canadian bank accounts, credit cards and a line of credit about 3 months before we moved here. We were also able to get partial credit on a new car (we put down 50% of the cost). We weren't coming here with jobs either (we established our own business over the next 2 years).

BristolUK

Yep. Plenty of threads here with people getting them instantly.

rivingtonpike

I'm not sure the Eggman has a very high opinion of Canada in general (ironic when he applied to stay but was refused). Our experience has been a positive one. We find costs are cheaper (for us). We haven't been back to the UK. Everyone of any importance has wanted to visit us here. The cost of milk isn't a deal breaker for us. We pay $4.87 for 4 litres (2%).

Tirytory

I get the feeling he is trying to think of topics to argue over...his post just doesn't ring true. No Canada isn't perfect...where is really?

Btw we did get a five figure credit card within 6 months of being here on a twp.....just saying Gman

Lychee

Life and regulations and climate and prices and laws and geography, etc. in Nova Scotia differ from life and such in Alberta, or BC, or Ontario, etc. It's entirely inaccurate to take a regional phenomena (rural Nova Scotia) and extrapolate it to a national one (Canada). It's like trying to paint all of Europe with the same brush after a miserable experience in the Orkney Isles.

rivingtonpike

I think there's perhaps $4500 worth (at least) of resentment that Canada apparently didn't want him.

graham the eggman

I'd be very interested to know how you did this based on my son's and our experience both in the US and Canada.
First Canadian and US banks will not pass credit info' between themselves nor are they interested in your UK info'/credit score.

rivingtonpike

Nothing special. We were HSBC Premier customers with good UK credit ratings which everyone that mattered, or needed them, were happy to take into account. Using their global banking facility we could set up Canadian, US and offshore accounts well in advance of arriving. They also gave us a substantial line of credit - should we have needed it. Credit cards were also provided with a reasonable 5 figure limit. In my naivety I sort of assumed this was the norm! Maybe we were just lucky. I suppose, having been in business for so many years I expect that the bank is there to work for - or at the very least with - me as a minimum level of service. If they don't, I guess I'd look for another bank. They appear to want to keep us on board!

izzi81

My partner and I moved to Nova Scotia in 2013 and both got credit cards within a month of landing. The bank didn't accept our UK credit history, and neither of us had jobs lined up. We went to RBC, I think they had some kind of newcomers package... all I know is it took a couple of weeks but that was it!

graham the eggman

Wrong, I like Nova Scotia but on reflection I would not want to live there and our lawyer would charge us nothing if we reapplied, we won't. Why, a Canadians words not mine repeat not mine. The Provincial Government has to much control of too much and were 50 years behind the US/EU in so many ways, we complain yes but get no where.

Howefamily

Rbc Gave us credit cards straight away too, they were very interested in our UK credit history which we provided to them.
GTE - I think many have different experiences to you, maybe the personal circumstances are different.

BristolUK

It was providing my credit records that persuaded the Canadian bank to give me a credit card after they had originally turned me down for lack of a credit record.

graham the eggman

HSBC Premier Account interesting you had money ! I have but banked with Lloyds for 40 years but knew it meant nothing in Canada so open an HSBC account just before we left as HSBC are world wide, it meant sod all in Canada new account, but they've given me a big overdraft/credit card etc I said just walking in off the street moving no money !!