seanyg

Well it's been so long since I've last been on here, but most of the same names keep popping up, so it's nice to see people still come on here even once their emigration plans have reached fruition :-)

I've posted a lonnnnnnnnnnnnnnnng thread in the Canada forum ("Revisiting the Idea of Emigrating" - or something like that anyway - it's Saturday night and I've had a glass of wine ) to explain what's going on with us at the moment.

For anyone who didn't know me from my MPNP-2008 days, I'm Anita, married (still), with 3 kids (yup, 2 more!) and am still living in Northants. Still a housewife, but Sean is working in a different sector of IT now (he was a Sys Admin, is now a Pen Tester / Security Consultant).

In some ways I wish there was more wrong with my life so that the decision or whether or not to emigrate would be easier; if we were struggling to make ends meet and lived in a less-than-savoury area with chavs galore, it would be so easy to say "things can't get any worse abroad - let's do it", but as it stands we have a beautiful, brand new house opposite a field of cows (although there will eventually be 700 houses on it! ), my mother-in-law lives down the road and helps out a lot with the kids, my mum helps with my shopping on a Monday and I have a nice network of friends (not many, but quality is more important than quantity...). Thankfully (and I'm touching wood as I say this ) the only way in which the recession has hit us is that our bills have gone up (groceries, petrol (mine - Sean's is paid for by his company), utilities, insurance policies, etc.). My husband's line of work is such that (again, touching wood...) it shouldn't be affected by any cutbacks, and he really enjoys his new job (been there since Feb), and they've just opened an office in New York....

The reasons I want to leave are that I don't feel this is the optimal place in which to raise my three children. I don't agree with a lot of the politics in this country (indeed, I can frequently be heard yelling at the radio, as my neighbours can surely attest ), I'm fed up with all the immigrants forcing us to build on our 'green and pleasant land' (sorry if that's politically incorrect, I couldn't really give a damn), I'm fed up with the way in which we bow to Europe and do anything they tell us (other countries stick their finger up and say no), I'm worried about how this whole Eurozone financial catastrophe waiting to happen will affect us (and our pensions, and my parents' pensions / investments, etc. which will eventually be my (and thus ultimately my children's) inheritance...), and if Sean gets his CREST certification (it's an important IT exam for security), he may well end up with a ridiculously large wage (well, in our eyes anyway - probably peanuts to some of the guys on here) I'm disgusted that half of it will go on tax (he'll pay more than he currently earns in tax), and no other country in the world (at least none of those to where we've considered emigrating) imposes such high tax penalties on its citizens. Yes I know, we should be lucky that we may end up in the highest tax bracket one day, and yes I suppose those on a paltry wage shouldn't really pay any tax, but when you have children you become selfish on their behalf and everything you do you do for them, and that includes wanting to work hard (and not be penalised for it) so that you can earn lots of money to put away for their inheritance (or to help out with their first home, etc.). And I'm sure I'm not the only one. My husband has worked damn hard to get all his qualifications, and in his line of work he will be studying for the rest of his working life (or at least, as long as people are still trying to hack into companies, commit fraud, etc. which will probably be the same thing). He may as well have gotten a factory job if he's going to be punished for doing well.

Ok, rant over. Must shut up now or my thread will be deleted for being too boring

Anyone with anything interesting to say on our situation, please go ahead (and yes, criticisms welcome - just be prepared for me to throw them back at you cos I'm very sensitive )

ExKiwilass

Are you seriously this obnoxious in person? Just asking.


I have kids (well, one) and I feel completely differently to you. Happy to pay tax. Whatever. I think it makes a better society. One of the things I've noticed is that if you pay tax there's all these amenties like pools, parks, decent public schools, hospitals etc which make my life so much better.

IMO, if you're sick of people building on your green and pleasant land, why don't you have less kids? Or not buy a new house which presumably had to be built on some of that green and pleasant land?

I still don't really understand why you want to leave the UK. Everything you said could be applied to here - well, some of it (immigration) and Canada has it's own unique issues. And I think it's pretty interesting, haha, that you don't like immigrants but you want to emigrate and be one yourself.

seanyg

Yeah I'm afraid so - obnoxiousness and honesty are my two overriding qualities

But don't get me wrong - I'm not against paying tax, I'm against paying MORE tax just because I (well, my husband actually - he's in America so I'm speaking on his behalf ) work hard and study hard to get a good job and earn a higher-than-average-wage. If you taxed someone earning £30k at 40% and someone earning £100k at 40%, the latter would still pay more tax than the £30k earner, so why penalise them more on top of that? Plus, if they're earning more then they generally tend to spend more in the shops, thus helping the economy

I'm well aware of Canada's issues (having been 'this' far from getting our visas for Winnipeg back in 2008) so I'm not a lady with rose-tinted spectacles, nor am I one to jump from the frying-pan (UK) into the fire (Canada / Australia or wherever). Hence why we haven't made a decision and why I wanted to come on here and pick everyone's brains.

Oh, and it's not so much that I'm anti-immigrant (maybe I should have clarified my opposition to them), more anti-immigrants-who-expect-benefits-and-whose-presence-incurs-mass-house-building (I still don't get why we have to build more houses - everywhere I look there are 'for sale' signs - why can't people buy the houses that are already for sale?! ).

And, if my obnoxious self might add one further point of antagonism: I don't care from whence the immigrants come, I don't care if they are contributing to our economy, they are still cluttering up the country. I wouldn't mind if an equal number of people were to leave the UK as well, but this is a small country with limited space, and all the financial contributions in the world (i.e. tax from hard-working immigrants) won't create more space or make it any bigger. Perhaps I should emigrate just to help ease the load a bit

Novocastrian

I'm not at all sure what you're talking about. A quick google reveals that in 2011 the UK tax bands are 0% for the first ~2700 (married couple), 20% on the rest up to 43k and the 40% from there up to 150k. What's your problem? What's this about penalizing them more on top of that?

Up to you. But I wouldn't suggest Canada.

Auld Yin

I hope you, again, decide not to emigrate to Canada. If you do emigrate please go somewhere else. I do not think we need more of your type here. You're a racist and a snob, IMO.

Oink

Maybe a few evening classes might help. Failing that Xanax?

val50

you should seriously consider Nova Scotia

The4BellsLondon

Indeedy Val.

To the OP - so its ok for you to buy a new house, but you don't want the immigrants to?

Novocastrian

But why doesn't anyone think of the cows?

The4BellsLondon

Cradle cows- not important!

Novocastrian

No, no. I meant the ones in the field across the road who are about to be evicted to make room for 700 houses full of immigrants.

The4BellsLondon

I know! But prob cradle brit cows with Cjd! Expendable .

Lemonfish

Tax in Canada is not much different to the UK in my personal experience. If you're expecting much lower taxes here you're in for a disappointment. And as Kiwilass says, taxes generally pay for stuff we need.

Should you move to Canada? No.

You have a good life in the UK by the sound of it. Its likely things will be harder for you here initially; not least, you will miss the mother-in-law's help with the children I suspect. We have a baby here and all our family are in the UK. That can be tough.

Also, those are pretty negative reasons for moving, and mostly media-driven (immigrants, EU etc). And if you want to see a lot of houses being built, try going to any Canadian suburb in a major city...

Aviator

This country is going to the dogs, whinging immigrants, moaning about immigrants!

trevorandjo york

On balance Anita, perhaps Australia is for you. Or stay where you are...I really don't think canada is for you.

For starters, what skills do you and your hubby bring, none that Canada are after for what I can see anyway. You won't see cows for 6months of the year, too bloody cold, also, you have upset most of the expat forum in one evening, who are you going to get to babysit, did you notice they all seem set on meeting up despite 4500km betweeen them, anyway, they are unlikely to warm to you now.

Despite neg equity in 2008, and you got out of that in 3 years in a falling market and moved house, you are clearly doing well. Stay where you are, unless you are absolutely determined to to throw it all on red or black. Oz or canada? What are you going to do? Perhaps stay sober and stay off the site I suggest. Your life is in Little England, mother in law included. Oh yes, you make no mention of your hubby's intention, perhaps you should ask him?