kasiadoran

Now then...last nursing...ish question... we are family unit of 5...me and my husband and three boys age 13, 11 and 6. The plan was too sell our house in UK and be mortgage free...initially in Nova Scotia...we have been there few times now but due to a very lengthy registration process (nursing) i kind of lost the interest...after very careful consideration Nova Scotia is beautifully but does not provide enough opportunity for us...work wise. ..i mean I could get an LPN registration fairly quickly but the jobs for LPN's over there are very limited...so I was told to look for bigger province ie Ontario...perhaps to start with work as a RPN while getting RN registration sorted etc...house prices...we still could be mortgage free but can we manage on one wage: pay the bills put food on the table and just get by...in case it will take sean longer to find something (he is a joiner)...rates for RPN are around $23 per hour...any thoughts? I am afraid of wasting more money for re doing the application (my NS LPN was reviewed with old system just weeks before the change over) if it will not lead to a job that can provide the basic spending money...any comments welcome

Hemi Dave

In my opinion, what you will lose in natural beauty living in NS, you will gain in opportunity living in Ontario.

We had the same thoughts when we started this process many years ago, and decided on Hamilton, with a view to possibly moving in the future.

I don't thing your man will have any trouble finding work. Hamilton and surrounding areas are booming with new house builds. Even I was offered a job framing new houses and I had no experience. Good money too.

Don't take that to mean I expect you to move next door, just giving a for instance, lol.

caleo

Here is a pretty accurate calculator for what your take home would be.

Tax Take Home Pay Calculator for 2015.xls

Problem with nursing is getting a full time position - most are part time or even casual. Without a mortgage, it could be doable - but would depend on how many hours you would get. House prices vary greatly from town to town -- so to be mortgage free would depend on where and what you were buying.
Car insurance is high - there have been many threads on this alone - and working as a nurse you would probably need to drive because of the hours you would need to work ie 6am starts etc - or if you work in the community you would need to drive too.

The calculator above is probably the best start - so you can see what your take home pay might be and take it from there.......

kasiadoran

Funny that...i was actually looking at Hamilton the other night

kasiadoran

Great tool thank you! It calculated bi-weekly income of just over $1200... so again to start with...It might be a push a little bit...any big expenses ie house tax electricity etc will probably easily reach $1000 per month...decisions decisions to go or to stay put and just forget the idea

KerryCullen1987

Have you decided on what you will do?
I too have been going round in circles with whether or not to pursue it but the idea always comes back around for me!

I think I will always regret it if I don't give it a go

kasiadoran

Yes and no...i was very sure that the dream is over far too many obstacles regarding nursing registration but...just recently we had some friends visiting from US they moved couple of years ago and it was their story that made me re - think...i belive the life in Canada would be for us it seems to me that there is more possibilities out there more fun stuff to do ...everything apo ears bigger and more exciting...its just affordability of it that scares me...you see with three kids I can't quiet afford not to work at the similar level...but saying that Ontario definetly appears more doable rather than Nova Scotia as if we really stretch the budget I can perhaps afford to work as a LPN equivalent for a little bit and perhaps Sean would have better chance finding work himself....i did look at some houses in and around Hamilton and I really like what I see...but definetly if it is not gonna happen I know that in years to come I will be bitter about it...

KerryCullen1987

Yes that's true. We have two children and my step son who will stay in the UK but we will fly him over for school holidays. It's very difficult to know what to do before wasting a bucket load of money. I've heard so many good and bad stories! But keep hanging onto the good ones.
We originally was looking into Alberta but now have become more interested in Nova Scotia. The house prices are insane you get a lot more for your money don't you?
I haven't really looked into Ontario at all, I completely understand what you mean about being able to work as myself and my husband will have to. We don't have a UK mortgage so much would be pretty much starting out there. I'm going to an expo on Sunday in London. If you have any questions I don't mind asking a couple for you

kasiadoran

Oh tell me a little bit more about the expo in London...? Nova Scotia is beautiful and the housing is so much more affordable however it is very different to what you are used to in UK...and nd I always thought it was a good thing but after being there twice now I am not sure...It is different to the rest of Canada as well so I will definetly advocacy ate that you go over there for a little bit just to have a look around...and work front is not that good...It is very friendly community but very...let's say closed...ie not much room for any innovations...it guess it's the way of thinking: we have done it for years and it's working (ish) why change it....and nd on facebook I subscribed to Halifax Metro news and goodness me every day there were posts about drugs related fights...i know it is every city but it did put me off...

KerryCullen1987

Oh really, I will have to look into that some more. Yes it's the housing that's attracted me there but I'm sure there are other areas where you can get that too.

Ok so this weekend Saturday and Sunday is the working international expo it's for Australia New Zealand and Canada. We paid £12 for our ticket some time ago but the tickets are now £18 and this can be used for the whole weekend. They have visa specialists there, moving companies etc. They have seminars about EE and life in Canada and they also have companies coming with job vacancies and potential interviews on the spot! It's definitely worth a look. It's held in the ILEC conference centre near West Brompton station

kasiadoran

So I see...looks worth going...Nova Scotia will need trades in as they got this big contract for making navy ships or something rather it's a huge deal for the province...

KerryCullen1987

Oh really, my husband is a plumber and also a floor layer. It's this whole red seal exam thing I struggle to get my head around! It would seem we need to fly out there to do the red seal for him. If we can co-ordinate a trip with it and look for jobs while there it may well be worth it

kasiadoran

I just hope that with trades it is a little less complicated...my husband is a joiner but he can also plaster etc...mojority of work was the sane but he spend some time with a Canadian trade person and he realised few minor issues it is just about getting use to the way certain things are done I guess...

KerryCullen1987

Yes and terminology too can be different. I suppose it's like anything really, even nursing. My husband loves his job as a plumber but would be prepared to even do bar work over there to start off!
I think we will just go from my qualifications and he can do as he pleases for work when we move as long as he works il be happy. One thing I can't find out much about is community nursing, I would like to find out how community nursing compares from the UK to Canada.

kasiadoran

For Nova Scotia it is...Victoria order of nursing for the community (VON) separate website for the jobs etc...last time I looked quite few months ago there were couple advertised but none in Halifax or around...but Google it up as it was a while back...