Hello everyone.

I have this issue where I cannot make up my mind given the differences in both the UK and CANADA.

I went to study in the UK with the intention of coming back to Canada, but this might be tough due to recent changes in rules. As such, if I complete my studies in the UK I would have to stay there since the education would not convert over to Canada as I once originally thought. If all goes well I should get citizenship there.

I am from Vancouver BC where I have a pretty decent life, but no career projections as im in my 30s now. My plan is should I finish school in the UK and settle there with a job paying me 40-50k pounds or stay in Canada with i guess a better quality of life, but a poor career outlook.

In Vancouver I have no rent, the quality of life is great plus my family is with me, whereas it is opposite in the UK for me, but the future looks better.

Cheers!

You are too young to take the safe option. Go and see some of the world.

Don't put your life down to an online poll. You need to do what you feel is right for you, not go with the answer selections of some random people online.

Also, I'm not sure what career you are looking at but getting into a 40-50k job in the UK isn't easy these days. Many people from the UK have actually moved to Canada to increase their pay potential and some of those people are on here. The majority of jobs that pay that kind of salary are based in London but the living costs there are very high, possibly even higher than Vancouver. Also if you don't have UK citizenship then you would need to be sponsored for a UK visa to work after graduation and getting the visa is even harder than securing a high paying job. There are no graduate work permits for the UK anymore and getting a high paid job with visa sponsorship with only an undergrad degree would be extremely tricky. Do you qualify for an ancestry visa?

I'm not trying to put you off. People should always study abroad if the opportunity is there but it's important to keep your head on your shoulders and don't tether your life plan to the UK too much if all you have is a student visa.

I am studying optometry where I will already be sponsored, i will start at 35k but be upto 45k in 2 years. my significant other is british so i should not have a problem with a visa...i really appreciate the advice, im getting the opinion that people want to move out of the uk, whereas I am looking to move in, doesnt sound like a good idea but my career projections are etter in the uk

Right OK, you see you didn't say any of that in your OP.

In that case, I agree with DBD 100%. You're too young to take the safe and easy option and the safe option will always be there for you regardless. My advice would be to go to the UK, seize the opportunity and have a great time.

I assume you would be living with your spouse, right?

I wont be living with my spouse....the thing is in Canada I dont have any expenses whereas in UK i would have expenses for the foreseeable future. as well my family and close friends are all in canada.....have there been any stories where someone moved from canada to the uk based on school or working? i see the opposite happening where uk'ers are moving to canada for better salary etc, but here i am contemplating the opposite....

My daughter, born in Canada, emigrated to London. I don't think it's uncommon.

You might want to post that question in the moving to the UK forum on here. It's mostly used by returning expats but I'm sure they'd be pleased to offer you some advice. In my case, I'm actually planning to return to Canada after coming back to the UK a few years ago but everyone is different. Which part of the UK would you be going to?

Also, if you either haven't been or aren't going to be living with your spouse then you won't be able to get any kind of UK spousal visa unless you're married. The rules for unmarried/common law partner immigration are more strict in the UK than they are in Canada.

Definitely not. London is full of 20 and 30-somethings from the US and the commonwealth. Places like Manchester and Edinburgh have a fair few as well.

would love to get more replies, as suspected the poll suggests vancouver is the better option

Not a nice way to talk about your spouse, but each to their own!
If you are not living with your spouse, how will you qualify for a permit to live and work in the UK?

Unfortunately it's highly unlikely that you would. Even a fully and locally qualified optometrist could struggle to to secure employment-based UK visa sponsorship these days.

You will see the 'opposite happening' on this forum, because it's British Expats i.e. Brits moving abroad. So you won't find many Canadians moving to the UK on here! But as said above, the MBTTUK forum is a good place to find out info about moving to the UK, although most are Brits contemplating a return home, but it will still be helpful I'm sure.

Somewhere like uk-yankee might be able to offer some advice as well. I'm not sure if there's an equivalent website for Canadians in Britain.