Originally Posted by We made our bed

We came over with an 18 and 16 yr old. Although the 16 yr old had just left secondary school with 5 or more GCSE's A-C, the school here said it was only equivalent to their grade 10. He did challenge some subjects and they gave him grade 11 equivalent for those.
It was tough for him at first, but it is a way of meeting new friends, so he faired better than the 18 yr old who found it harder to meet new people.

Originally Posted by ann m

I would be blunt and say it all come down to $$$.

Bringing up three children anywhere is expensive. If your partner has been offered a well paid job, or you are both going to be earning, then that is half the battle. Are you selling up in the UK and bringing over some equity? Vancouver housing market is expensive.

Rent for a year and see how it goes.

What are your primary reasons for the move?

What ages are your children? How would they feel about the move? There are quite a few families in that area on this board so hopefully some will be along soon to give you some thoughts on schools, etc.

Emigrating - It's daunting, it's exciting, it's expensive. Sometimes it can be lonely and sometimes you meet just the most wonderful people.

Good luck with your decision

Originally Posted by Blue Fox

Thanks for the advice, the gross pay is in the region of $80k but not too sure how much of that we'll actually see. It would be good to have an idea of our actual likely take home income plus any other benefits that might be availalable such as Child benefit. In uk we get by with an actual net income + tax credits and child benefit of around £35k (I think that's about $50k). Any ideas how all that compares? I know I'd have the added cost due to having to increase my mortgage by about $200k to get something reasonable in the southern areas of BC (langley) . As you rightly say it does all come down to $$$

Originally Posted by nikki dreaming

There is another page on this site called moving back to the UK, have a look there as you will see various reasons as to why people return

Good luck

Originally Posted by We made our bed

We came over with an 18 and 16 yr old. Although the 16 yr old had just left secondary school with 5 or more GCSE's A-C, the school here said it was only equivalent to their grade 10. He did challenge some subjects and they gave him grade 11 equivalent for those.
It was tough for him at first, but it is a way of meeting new friends, so he faired better than the 18 yr old who found it harder to meet new people.

Originally Posted by Blue Fox

Thanks for the advice, the gross pay is in the region of $80k but not too sure how much of that we'll actually see. It would be good to have an idea of our actual likely take home income plus any other benefits that might be availalable such as Child benefit. In uk we get by with an actual net income + tax credits and child benefit of around £35k (I think that's about $50k). Any ideas how all that compares? I know I'd have the added cost due to having to increase my mortgage by about $200k to get something reasonable in the southern areas of BC (langley) . As you rightly say it does all come down to $$$

Originally Posted by Blue Fox

Thanks for the advice, the gross pay is in the region of $80k but not too sure how much of that we'll actually see. It would be good to have an idea of our actual likely take home income plus any other benefits that might be availalable such as Child benefit. In uk we get by with an actual net income + tax credits and child benefit of around £35k (I think that's about $50k). Any ideas how all that compares? I know I'd have the added cost due to having to increase my mortgage by about $200k to get something reasonable in the southern areas of BC (langley) . As you rightly say it does all come down to $$$

Originally Posted by dboy

Your considerations for cost of living are really no different than if you were moving to an area of the UK with higher housing costs, other than much higher relocation costs of course.

Originally Posted by dbd33

Not if them children want educatin'. University is likely to cost considerably more in Canada or the US than in Europe. Not if any of the family has, or will have, a condition required the continued purchase of medication. Not if continnued contact with family in the UK is desired.

Originally Posted by Steve_

If you're a resident of Canada, the college costs aren't that oppressive.

Originally Posted by Steve_

But would it have been appreciably cheaper in the UK is the question. My sister seems to live in a dreamworld that it still costs the same as when she was in university, but it's not.

Originally Posted by singingringingtree

From our investigations and conversations with school boards and colleges, if your son has left school with at least 5 GCSEs at grades A-C, including maths and English, he could probably go straight to college as he has already got the equivalent of a High School Dipolma. If he stays in UK and finishes AS levels he will be at the age they leave high school in Canada I believe and could go to college with his age group.