Can someone please offer me some hope please?
I am planning to emigrate to Toronto with my Canadian partner later this year, however reading this forum has filled me with utter despair!! I really wish I'd never even stumbled upon it as
I've gone from being excited/optimistic to totally dreading the prospect.
I have visited Canada on holiday and loved it. However most of the messages on here seem to paint it as about the worst country in the world to live in! Is it REALLY so bad?

My main reason for moving is to stay with my partner of course. However I am also looking for a better life. Unlike most people here I do not have a wonderful job, money or live in London. At the moment I have a fairly unfulfilling, low paid job in a rather depressing town in Nth Est England. I can't even afford to buy a house, (or even a flat), and I hate the crime/dismal weather/rude people/overcrowding/generally dire quality of life. I have a degree for what it's worth and work as a Computer Technician. My degree has done me no good anyway, so couldn't care less if Canadian employers don't recognise it!!

I wonder if I my relocation might be more successful than other peoples? I am not seeking a fantastic job, just a technical occupation fixing computers etc. and my partner already has lots of friends in Toronto. Presumably that would help regarding finding work/accom? Surely there must be something positive someone can offer?

well I happen to think canada is a great country. I like you, am looking to relocate to be with my partner.. and immigration is taking forever.. I am not leaving because I dont really like it here. I am looking for a new adventure.. and we will return someday..

people have posted all the positives and negatives.. but lets face it, we dont really know these people.. (no offense members, but I lump myself in there as well...) what one person finds annoying might not bother you at all.. only you can decide what would be good for you..

some people say give it a yr to adjust.. its a huge step.. a lot of things are going to be different.. some things for the better, and some probably not..

you may miss parts of your "old life" or maybe you will embrace this new world with open arms..

I wouldnt let a bunch of negative posts persuade you to reassess.. look at why you are coming.. is is still worth it? are you okay with change? you have a whole life here already waiting for you.. your partner is providing that. its a good start

IT jobs are all over the place, last I checked.. quite an industry here for that.. you may not land that dream job, but sounds like you dont have that anyway.. who knows, you could get into something else and like it even more..

in short.. check it out.. if you dont like it, then at least you'll know.

good luck

Is it really so bad? No, absolutely not. It sounds to me like you will do fine. I love it here, remember most folks who love canada dont stop to come back to report the good news.

If you come as a graduate expecting to be treated as the greatest thing since sliced bread, you are in for a nasty shock. If you expect the hippness and excitement of a big city like London, you will not find it. If you come with modest expectations, usually you will be surprised.

There are a bunch of positive posts in the archive, but you have to look for them. Having a canadian partner with friends here already is an advantage over most, if only from a social point of view, and if it helps get a job, even better. the field you are looking at is not regulated, so you have as much chance as the next guy at getting a job.

Quality of life for the "middle classes" is streets ahead of the UK, and they are clean and tidy streets, free of most petty crime too. Weather obviously has greater extremes of temp and snowfall, but mostly it a lot more cheerfull and sunny than the UK, as are the people. House prices outside the metropolitan areas are very affordable for middle/ low income folks. My mortgage payment including property tax is ~$800 per month, and this is for my first home, a 3 bed detached in 3/4 acre of countryside. Unimaginable to me as a first home in the UK.

Dont let the negative posts disuade you from trying it, worst case you go back to the UK in a couple of years wiser for the experience, at least you wont be wondering "what if". I came 6 years ago on a work permit, and did my citizenship exam yesterday. Wild horses wouldnt drag me back to the Uk now.

All the best

Iain

There is a group of folk in Toronto - check out the job market wit them? They are at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/brits2toronto/ Some are definitely in IT.

I live in Vancouver, been here two years, totally love it We did find it difficult at first (give yourself at least a year to 18 months to totally find your feet).

Good luck

Clare

Hear hear. Don't forget that Brits have a reputation for whining and negativism which is reflected in many of these posts. It's like they look for the most trivial things to complain about while ignoring the "Big Picture".

Thanks you lot! That's cheered me up quite a bit! I suspected some of it might be typical British negativism. I loved Nova Scotia to bits when I visited and that was in winter! I liked the laid back lifestyle and warm, friendly people. Also the trees, wide open spaces, lakes and wildlife. There's none of that in the UK.
Totally different to the unbelievable rudeness and yobbishness I'm used to.

Hi Seamonsta
I think you have been given a lot of good advice. Myself, husband and chidren have just completed our PR application and it is ready to be postered, and like you we are also from the NE of England, and in reality can you honestly think of anywhere that could be as bad as the NE. We feel we have nothing to loose and everything to gain, you can always return back to the NE. We have the attitude that there is no such thing as " The grasses greener", it is what you put into something that makes it better or something like that. What Im trying to say is go out with a positive attitude, relise there may be sacrifices, and there will be good as well as bad no matter where you live, but to look across a beautiful lake, have proper snow in the winter, to live amonst people who respect their country and enviroment, iceskate on a lake etc has got to count for something, it is the small things in life that really count. Canada is a big place if you dont settle in one area you can always move. There are thousands of people leave this country to find a new life, but not many actually return
Goodluck

Not too much of that in the GTA either OK, there are trees, but lakes and wildlife you may need to move out of town a bit. I love that I get wild turkeys, racoons and deer in my yard, not to mention the odd bear :scared:

Iain

Wait till you have a family of skunks living under your garage floor. Then it really gets interesting.

Even in the GTA you can always visit Toronto Island for some greenery.

Yes, I suppose Toronto is a bit devoid of lakes etc! It has Racoons though doesn't it?

Do you think some people are looking back at Britain with rose tinted glasses? Life here isn't about warm cosy country pubs, easy well paid jobs, long holidays, pretty towns and trendy cities. The weather here is always grey and miserable, the streets are full of druggies & yobs, everything is expensive, crime is absolutely rampant, people work long hours and unemployment is only low if you happen to live in the South East. Everywhere else it's a nightmare trying to find a job. They even expect toilet cleaners to have degrees nowadays. I can't even afford to buy a 1 bed flat were I live and am doomed to renting off greedy landlords for the rest of my life. I can't believe Canada can be worse than this! In Canada I could walk around in safety at 2am, I can never do that in Leeds or Manchester, not without looking over my shoulder ever 2 minutes.

Moving to Toronto might not help your cause, you might want to try somewhere in the GTA. You don't have to listen to me though, just come over and see for yourself if you haven't already been. You might be in for a shock in terms of house prices/rent.

Again...its your choice. From where i am, i can be in Toronto in 2 hours, and i like it that way. My work is along the 401 corridor, which is 1hr drive from home. It sure beats trying to drive into central london everyday when i was there.

oh...and if you guys plan to buy a house, from next month, they are scrapping the 5% down payment, good news for some. I love it here, just like i did living in my flat in canary wharf (docklands), but life here is more pleasureable for me anyway.

My wife is from here, and that is one of the reasons why i came over.

Go with your heart, i left high school at 18 and went travelling round Africa for a year before going to uni, if i didn't do it then, i might never get the chance again, now that i have a kid. Still only in my early 30s here

toronto does have a lake

LAKE ONTARIO

lots of green spaces..

it might not be the nice, friendly , laid back atmosphere you got when you visited nova scotia though..

just sayin'

.... and a wee drive away (about an hour?) are the Kawartha Lakes...

Wendy