Hi, I have posted here many times asking random questions about the application process and whatnot, and I wanted to share my latest crisis...

My forms are complete and we were just about ready to get them ready to send off when we started having massive doubts about the whole thing.

Main concern is that we will be going out there with effectively nothing except the settlement funds, and we are worried about how we are going to get settled...here in the UK we have fairly settled jobs...I am at the start of my career and expect to get promoted within at least 2 years, same with OH, he has been in his field for 3 years and is expecting a promotion too in a year or 2. What worries both of us is if we do get accepted to go out there, we may end up back at the start of our careers again which is worrying in terms of salary etc.
I guess we are concerned about the reality of Canada. I know no where can it be a bed of roses, and I don't want to view things through romantic glasses, but our aims and reasons for wanting to go out there are to hopefully have some sort of better lifestyle for us and our future family, but is this a realistic aim? Especially if we both are at the bottom of our careers again and therefore end up working even harder to prove ourselves in the Canadian workplace, and trying to save money etc.

anyway, I am not asking advice on whether or not to apply as I know that is ultimately our decision, more about what people have experienced in terms of working out there, have you had to work extra harder to prove yourself against the Canadian workforce, in order to set yourselves apart from them and appear more 'employable'?

I am loving reading the stories about all the people who have gone out there and packed in the rubbish 9to5 routine, got themselves some gorgeous scenery and land etc which has seriously improved the quality of life, but to do that, do you have to have some serious savings? Although we have a mortgage and could consider selling if we decided to leave the UK, that would be a pointless endeveour right now as we will probably have no equity (in fact, would probably have to put more in to sell), so in reality we would have to bank on getting good jobs quickly when we get there. also, I work in the finance sector so we would probably have to move to a city where most of the jobs probably are but i must admit the thought of moving from toxic London to another equally 'rat-race-y' city doesn't really appeal either.

Apologies for the rambling, I am just having a bad time of it all at the moment, I am torn between wanting to leave here and start fresh in Canada, but then worrying and feeling scared about how we are going to survive all on our own once out there? I have also been toying with the idea of instead of going through FSW, instead trying to get a job out there first just to have that security, but perhaps I should save that for another thread...

Anyway wanted to get all this inner-turmoil off my chest, I swear this is all becoming such an emotional process!!
thanks for reading

Hi
How are you applying? PR or workng visa?
If via PR then it will probably take several years for it to come through, if PR (it took 3.5yrs from start to finish for us).

Both hubby and I were in good jobs and in a good position in our careers, he has entered his occupation in about the same position as he was in the UK.

We had planned the move since before we had married but waited a while.
We arrived in July 2008 with two children aged 4 and 7.
Our only regret - we didn't do it sooner!!!!! You are right, you have to make the decision, but if you don't do it will you regret not trying?

It isn't final, if you dont like it move back.
Although I worked in the UK, I don't work at the moment but only due to my youngest not in full time education here, then I will start to look for work and kick off my career again.

Good luck
Riddle89

Oh my, our last line says it all.....This immigration milarky is such a rollercoaster Having doubts and wobbles come with the package i'm afraid. My gut feeling is for you to send your forms in, you can always change your mind about going when the time comes.... life is full of choices, some you regret and others you don't

I can help with info regarding working in Canada, i'm still stuck in the UK for the time being

Irene..xx

hi riddle89 thanks for replying. we were intending to go through federal skilled worker which under the new list takes I believe takes less than the old process to get through, but yeh probably looking at about 3 years from date of sending in form and actually getting out there as you say...

you are right about the regret aspect, we initially talked about doing this in 2006 under the old procedure when my OH's work was on that list, but then for some reason or another just never went through with it, and now couple of years later, the idea has revisited our minds...

can I ask where in Canada you and your family have settled? and are you experiencing a much higher quality of life? life in the UK worries me, and I feel this is not a place (especially London) where I would want to raise my children when we have them, but I am sure that for work opportunities etc, a city like London would be where there are more jobs??

PR applications only take 6-12 months now, since the changes introduced in Feb 2008.

To the OP, the only thing I can suggest is that you read as much on this forum as possible (I'm sure you have already!) - there are lots of threads about the cost of living, careers having to go backwards a bit (although some people say theirs haven't), etc, etc. It might help a bit anyway.

Good luck making a decision.

Hi there dazedandconfused ,I used to live in london I know what you mean.Why don't you give it your best shot otherwise you will never know. Living here is not for everyone but compared to my life in england this beats it hands down.If you and your OH come out here and start work your employers will more than likely think you are the most reliable and intelligent people there 'its not difficult just turn up everyday and your 90% there.Where abouts in canada are you thinking of.Dave.

WHEN I MOVED BACK FROM LONDON TO TORONTO ('NEW YORK RUN BY THE SWISS' LOVELY CENTRAL NEIGHBOURHOOD - GREAT GREAT LIFESTYLE EVEN THO I HATE THE COLD) AFTER 4 YEARS I WAS ANNOYED BY HOW CALM / PREDICTABLE CANADIANS WERE. AFTER THE CRAZINESS OF 18+ YEARS IN LONDON I THOUGHT IT WAS BORING. AFTER A FURTHER 4 YRS IN LONDON THEN 3.5 IN NZ HAVE DECIDED BORING IS NO BAD THING. AM WORKING ON A DESIGN JOB WITH A CANADIAN AND EVERY TIME I HEAR HIS VOICE MY HEART RATE DROPS AND I FEEL ALL CALM. NO ADRENALINE RUSH AGGRO. CANADIANS ARE COMPETENT, EASY GOING FOR THE MOST PART. WELL EDUCATED. IF YOU WORK HARD YOU MOVE UP. NOT EXCITING BUT RELIABLE, AND RELIABILITY IS IMPORTANT.

Everyone is bound to have such worries so send it in and decided closer to the time. Even when you get PR you have 3 years to stay in UK before you have to use it.

I also do not wish to start again career wise. In fact I do not plan to, Canada looks like a great place to live but for me personally not so great to wipe out the last 8 years of work and start at the bottom. I am sure my lifestyle in UK on current salary would be better than Canadian lifestyle on minimum wage.

I also get freak out periods where I think that friends and family are more important in life and we would be mad to leave them all behind. It's a real rollercoaster

Wow!! Thank you for your post!! I am afraid that I cannot offer any advise as I am in the same situation as you. I am having a wobble at the moment and for the last few days have been thinking what the hell are we doing. Some days I can't wait to get out there and other days I am just filled with dread wondering how life will be when we move, what our jobs will be like, if we will get homesick etc etc....

Just wanted to say thanks as it's nice to see that I am not going mad and there are other people out there with the same concerns and worries.

Good luck with everything

All you need to do is revisit the reasons why you wanted to move and apply in the first place.

If you've never visited Canada before, maybe now is the time to do it to see if it's for you.

Also another way could be to look at the initial stages as an investment. What i mean by that is do you see a return on your investment (time, money, energy, stress etc etc). If sacrificing a step back in career puts you in a position to move onwards and upwards after a few years delay, will the rest of your life fit somewhere within your personal utopia. A 2 year sacrifice for a 50 year gain is worth it. But that's just me.

One mans pleasure is another mans poison.

I think the usual immigration wobbles, are currently exacerbated by the worries about the global recession..the question as to whether it is a good time to move when there is such economic uncertainty. If you have a good job right now in the UK then I would stick with it and try and ride out the recession. You could meanwhile apply for your visa (keep saving!) and if it takes a few years, see what the situation is once you get it. Keep a close eye on Canadian financial news at the same time so you have a clear picture of the economic situation. Recessions come and go, but better to emmigrate when things are on an upswing. If you have enough capital behind you to buy you time to live in Canada without money/job worries then I would give it a go.

Hi There

We came to N.S exactly a year ago and I personally have struggled as I had a very good job and position in the UK and I have had to go back to the bottom, or so I feel. Things and ways are different here and it was a bitter pill to swallow, but, our quality of life here is something we could never have thought existed, we feel totally blessed. Just to see our kids thriving and loving every minute of it is worth the disappointing work. I'm looking at it as an opportunity to start something new so the future is bright and exciting.
Our worst nightmare would have been if we stayed in the UK, i'm sure it will be the best decision you ever make. ::

Bev:

Ok without being the bringer of bad news!

Its NOT easy- it really isn't.

My advice to you is this:

1. Do not sell house in the UK
2. Give Canada at least a year to see if you can find work!

Jobs are hard to come by and job searching in Canada is by word of mouth primarily....

I agree - do not give up everything in the UK all at once. My biggest regret is giving up my job to move out here because my husband had secured a job. I should have taken a career break, gotten pregnant or something because he was made redundant six months later and we are now stuck between a rock and a hard place. I will have to start from scratch if i want the same career i had in the uk; whereas i had been nursing unrealistic notions of being a stay at home mum for at least three years but now if we want any chance of making a decent life for ourselves, we will both have to work...i don't want to sound completely negative but do not assume everything will work out fine - do the recces, be ruthless in your research, go to rentals, check out the cost of living, meet local people, see how they live and then envisage your life a year, two years down the line. I know now that i didn't have rose coloured spectacles, i was completely blind when it came to our recces...i regret that now not because i dislike Canada but because i came to it too unprepared for the massive change I personally would have to make to live here. But then again, to live is to learn and everything that has happened will hopefully make me a stronger and wiser person int he long run!

after this last change in future any situ we consider for transplant comes with one plan of attack - the recce is done at worst time of year. we look for all the crap first. we pretend to be in dire straights. only then do we ask ourselves if we can forsee the situ into eternity. if when the shit hits the fan its worth being there....