Originally Posted by poll72000

You'll probably find that things have changed a lot since you were last here. Yes they are a bit behind the UK but who cares. If you do decide Canada is the place for you, you will find other more exciting things to do in life. You will meet more people if you start putting yourself out there and joining in groups that you normally wouldn't have in the UK and you would be welcomed with kindness and generosity.

The majority of people who are on this site seem happy with their decision to move here. There are pro's and con's to everything in life. Its said a lot on here " its what is right for you".

Good luck with your trip.

Originally Posted by logic500

I chose Toronto because of the "relatively" short flight time, so I could go see the folks and family

Originally Posted by AdamF

I am kinda of the same position, but I am 25 (I guess you are a lot older)

Originally Posted by logic500

I first thought about moving to Canada way back in 1997. Times were seemingly harder back then in the UK, well paid jobs seemed harder to find, my house was in negative equity worth less than half of what I had paid just four years earlier, the economy stagnant and it seemed like an ideal time to make a big change in life.

Having had some great holidays in the US, my then partner and I talked about moving to the States. After writing to the US Embassy in London, and buying a couple of books on the subject (pre-internet days… how did we live without the net!) , America was not really going to be a possibility.

We got further information on the immigration policies of Australia, New Zealand and Canada. After a bit of reading we decided that Canada was our preferred place to live and work. Forms were obtained, and a “fact finding” trip to Ontario was booked.

We spent a couple of weeks in early May 1997 travelling around Ontario. I was not surprised by the similarities to the US, but was a little shocked by the low temperatures (snow on the ground at Algonquin!!) and lack of greenery on the trees, seemed like England in February, perhaps it was a late spring, who knows.

Well to cut a long story my ten year relationship ended in December ’97, and my plans for emigrating were binned.

I figured that I had to work harder at my career here in the UK, and that’s what I did. I live in Hull, which is well known for low pay owing to its somewhat isolated location. That said today I’m earning around £30,000, which I know some of you are probably thinking that I’ve hardly set the world on fire, but for this region it’s not bad going.

Lack of any real relationships, and feeling like I’ve done all I can here, I’ve been getting more and more bored with my life, so the thoughts of moving to Canada were re-born, and I started looking into it again early this year (so much easier with the internet!!!).

So getting to the point… at last ;o) I have now completed all the forms for Permanent Residency, have my Police Checks, wrote to all former employers to verify dates of employment etc etc… and I was all set for sending off my application when I stumbled across this site. I’m so glad I did, because it’s opened my eyes to potential problems.

I want to list my concerns, and I would really be glad to hear from all of you guys who are going through the application or are even settled now in Canada for your input or advice. I know ultimately that I have to make the decision myself, but I think as time passes I’m beginning to realise that perhaps I’m making a big mistake.

I’m still in the same house that was in negative equity almost ten years ago, today it’s worth three times what I paid. Having borrowed against it over the years, at current market prices, and after paying off debts I’d have say just $40,000 as my “new life” fund. I was reading that house prices fell for the first time in years just last quarter.. so this little chunk of cash could easily be eroded by the time I get my PR card.

I’ve looked at living in the Greater Toronto Area where the rent is not exactly cheap. I’ve looked at high rise apartments priced around $1300 incl utilities & parking, and basement apartments in houses for around the same sort of cost. I currently live in a semi-detached house, and the neighbours I have are great, but I have had “problem” neighbours too with noise etc. I’m thinking in a high rise, I could have “neighbours from hell” above, below, and either side of me (and be stuck there for a year tied in). Basement apartments could have similar noise problems, and most have very little natural light, would be like living in a rabbit hole ;O)
Here at home I like probably most people have a washing machine, dishwasher in my kitchen, but these apartments for some reason in general have shared “laundry” facilities in the building and not in the apartment kitchens, and at most they have an oven, a fridge, no dishwasher.

Paying over a $1000 a month and living like a student, sitting watching my smalls spin round in a dryer doesn’t seem like an attractive idea. Then there’s food or grocery shopping. I know they have WalMart just like we have Asda here in the UK, but there seems to be no internet delivery service (seem years behind). I’ve had my groceries delivered for the last couple of years, which you could say is an unnecessary expense, but I can’t imagine how you would get bags of shopping from you car up to a high rise apartment, you know back and forth, up and down. In Hull there are some council owned high rise building built in the sixties like a lot of British cities (being in the construction industry I‘m well versed with the types of problems these dwellings have, both physically and the social aspects too). It just seems like a backwards step. Some of the photos of the bathrooms look like very basic. I have a lovely home, beautiful bathroom, great kitchen with a plumbed in American style fridge, think it would kill me to live in very basic accommodation. And not being able to sit in the privacy of a garden in the summer… a balcony only.. Think I would lose the plot. Any comments from anyone who lives in a GTA highrise would be a great help, you know tell how nice it is, how quiet it is, how it’s not a hassle getting your bags of shopping up, or washing you clothes with the other tenants, grasping at straws really. The places which look half decent, have central air/heating are crazy money.

I would obviously need a car, and once again I’ve used the net to check out car prices. Seems second cars cost a lot more than in the UK. I have a two year old Nissan Primera with DVD SatNav, A/C, Reversing Camera etc etc. If I sold it tomorrow I’d be lucky to get £7000 for it. I can just see myself in some crappy little compact, it breaking down in the winter, and it costing a fortune. Why are Canadian second hand cars so expensive. Then the one thing I couldn’t find out was insurance costs. My car costs £35 a month, and I’ve read on here insurance costing hundreds of dollars a month. Is there anyone who can settle my nerves on this one :O) Gas prices are half that in the UK so that might offset a little of my massively increased car costs.

I would have to start a new life with new everything, furniture, air con, decorations, kitchen utensils, bedding, the works. I’ve looked on Sears website, and The Brick for an idea of what I’d need to spend to get basic furniture. Seems you can’t just buy a complete bed, you have to build one ;o) I was blown away by the cost. That would have to be some mighty fine sleeping for the sorts of dollars they are looking for. You could have a very good bed here in the UK for a couple of hundred pounds, seems I’d have to double that. God Bless Argos and DFS. Can anyone tell me if there are other cheaper places to buy furniture.

Onto holidays. Now I know that Canadian’s and Americans seem to get just two weeks vacation leave, but looking at the cost of getting around I probably wouldn’t be able to afford to go anywhere. Having no life, I go to the South of France on average six times a year to chill out from my stressful job Once upon a time this was probably only something films stars could do, but owing to our Greek Mate Stelios and EasyJet, we can pop down to the med sunshine for £80 or less. I love the sun, and I was hoping that I could perhaps nip down to Florida for a weekend or two, but Canadian “budget” airlines are mad prices. The distance is the same as say Manchester to Nice, but WestJet are wanting $400 + for a return trip. I love travelling, love seeing other countries, but I don’t think I’d have the same freedoms in Canada. I found cheap flights to Orlando, and Vegas from Buffalo, NY, so maybe this is an option. Once again any advice please.

Now if the UK housing market doesn’t go into meltdown by 2008 (hoping I’d have my PR card by then) my $40,000 (fingers crossed) isn’t going to go too far, car, apartment costs, furniture etc, so a reasonably well paid job would be vital to my plans not falling apart.

I started out my career as a Quantity Surveyor in the building industry. Today working for a small company, I still do quantity surveying tasks, along with purchasing and estimating. I do the jobs of three people. With my experience I am without sounding cocky a valuable commodity to an employer. If I can’t persuade a Canadian employer to give me a chance, then I’d have to take perhaps an admin type of job to pay the bills. Looking on the net I’d be lucky to get $16.00 max an hour doing this type of thing, and that’s barely going to cover the cost of an apartment, car costs, food, TV, internet (for finding a better job) etc. My savings would soon dwindle, and I’d have to return to the UK to start again broke, and get back on the property ladder.

Reading this posting it does sound very negative, which isn’t a good reflection upon who I am. I strive to be the best I can be, to achieve all I can. But reading some of the posts on the site, has made me hit reality with a hard bump. I would expect to perhaps earn less than I do today as I would need to prove myself, but surely you would need at least $50,000 (less than I earn in a crappy Northern UK city) to get by, and keep going.

I’m sure if you’re going across there with a sizeable chunk of money from the sale of a house, that things would be easier, but that’s not an option for me. I’m guess if you’re coming from Russia, Pakistan, India (or any other developing country) then living in a “tower block” might seem less of a backwards step (and no I’m not been disrespectful to people who come from other nations). I was so up for the move, but now real practical issues, and potential problems lay in front of me. I’d love some help/advice from any Brits that have already taken that massive step and made the move.

I’ve got a “fact finding” trip booked for May 2007, ten years after my first, guess I’ve got to decide now whether this stays as an opportunity to check out things first hand, or whether I’m simply there to be a tourist.

Yours looking for inspiration

Rich

Originally Posted by lizwil98

I don't know why grocery delivering is not popular over here. Senior citizens often get their groceries delivered in Regina. I am not sure if its not popular because nobody wants it - or if nobody uses it because it's not widely available.

Originally Posted by dbd33

Beer delivery is another thing. That's forgivable.

Originally Posted by Rich_007

[Snorts out loud ]

Pizza delivery too. Preferably after the beer delivery and before the RCMP arrive with their delivery of rough hewn men with short hair and stout short ladies with stern looks, all tailored specifically to bust your crazy happening thang.

Rich.

Originally Posted by Rich_007

You have a weed man...most excellent.

How very Canadian....that oughta be a question on the citizenship test.... "Q.23 Do you have a weed man?"
Rich.

Originally Posted by logic500

I first thought about moving to Canada way back in 1997. Times were seemingly harder back then in the UK, well paid jobs seemed harder to find, my house was in negative equity worth less than half of what I had paid just four years earlier, the economy stagnant and it seemed like an ideal time to make a big change in life.
..........
Snip!