Hi,

We are a family of four living in Co Durham, North east England and we are thinking of moving to Canada, we are sick of the Uk and what it has to offer and are looking for simpler, relaxed and better life for us and our children. What is the cost of living like, average weekly shopping bill, house prices, education, etc. Would anyone recommend using a lawyer/ agencie to fast track application and help make arrangements for immigration. We would like to know more about Nova Scotia and why people choose to move there, whats it like ? Any help advice appreciated.

Many Thanks

Andrea

Is this a wind up?

Just in case it is not, hello, Andrea, and welcome to the BE forum.

And for the love of Pete, please read the thread entitled Tips on getting the most out of the forums.

All the best with your plans.

No it`s not a wind up, thought this would be a good place to get some advice. I will just keep doing my research. Thanks Anyway

Andrea

Welcome to the forum

Judy is saying is most of your answers can be found on the wiki articles above, as reg posters on here we are asked this and that all the time

If there is an area that yo are looking at like NS then it would be ideal to advise what your career is, what jobs are you looking for etc etc
Canada has its down points just like the uk, have you taken a recci trip to NS and why NS compared to the other area

OK just want to know your life story first

Gill
(yet we are all MAD here or crackers )

There have been a lot of newbies posting cliched questions recently havent there.

I wonder if all the IP addresses are the same?

when i first discovered this forum i really did not know how it works it took me a while to get used to it and even now there are lots of things i still can't find/do (being hopeless with computer does not help)

some person have been on this forum for a long time ,and know everything about how it works ,when you just sign in though you don't always think or know where to start so the easiest way is to just send a message!
everyone should be patient and understanding when a question is asked yet another time ,if we really can not stand it then we should just ignore it
some comment could just put anyone off using this forum
we were all knew once...
vee

On the other hand as a frequent observer you notice a sort or rhythm and pattern to the posts here...almost sort of like a pulse. Then you notice half a dozen new posters all asking the same sort of thing in a short space of time,and it seems out of the ordinary.

A few trolls have in the past disrupted things here, and its only natural that people can be a bit skeptical...

Ive made the point that the best advice any newcommer here can be given is to learn how this place works and to use the search function, as that way they will find far more comprehensive answers than a random one off reply to a question, and they more often than not wont have to wait for someone to come along and reply, they can find the answers right away....we arent being nasty, honest!

Okay, I'm typing this here so I can bookmark this thread and come back and copy and paste this information when I feel the need for it.

Hello, [fill in the blank], and welcome to the BE forum.

Here are some features that will help you to find your way around the forum.

First of all, it would be a good idea to read the discussion thread entitled Tips on getting the most out of the forums.

Next, you'll want to know about the forum's search feature. This is very useful for finding previous discussion threads about a given topic.

After that, you'll probably find some of the BE Wiki articles helpful. Members of this forum have written those articles to answer frequently answered questions. Some of them are:

• Regions of Canada - a broad brushstrokes description
  
  
• Canadian Immigration - There are several articles in this Wiki series. I recommend that you read them all. Where relevant, those articles refer you to Citizenship and Immigration Canada's website, which is another good one for you to read.
  
  
• Getting into Canada quickly
  
  
• Immigration Consultants - New comers to the BE website often ask whether or not it is worthwhile hiring an immigration consultant. Opinions on this forum are divided. To help you decide for yourself, this Wiki tells you the pros and cons of using the sevices of an immigration consultant.
  
  
• Abbreviations and Acronyms - When members of the forum discuss immigration matters, they frequently resort to acronyms. If you don't know what the acronyms stand for, you may feel as if you're drowning in alphabet soup. This Wiki is intended to be your lifeline.
  
  
• Careers in Canada - These Wiki articles cover a large spectrum of information on equivalency of qualifications, pay scales, converting your British CV into a Canadian resume, how to find job opportunities, networking, the Canadian employment culture, and any number of other job-related issues.
  
  
• Scouting Trip - Many new comers to the forum ask if it's useful to go to Canada on a recce trip. Yes, it most certainly is. This article contains valuable suggestions for getting the most out of your recce.
  
  
• Schooling
  
  
• Medical and Dental Treatment
  
  
• Housing

Those are the topics that brand new members of the forum most often ask about, so I hope the above links will help you to get up to speed.

Hi Andrea

Welcome to BE We moved to NS earlier this year so I have a little experience of living here.

Where we live there is definitely a more relaxed attitude (although MR Y-C-D is very busy at work). People are the friendliest I have ever come across. The kids seems to have more respect for each other and adults alike. Our kids love their new schools.

Our town has a strong community spirit and there is always some event planned. In the summer you could probably get by without ever cooking there are that many BBQ and pot luck supper fundraisers

I do not think that the cost of living is really cheaper than back in the UK. It's kinda hard for me to tell though as I am working a lot less hours than I would like. Once my hours are increased and my wages rise, I am sure I will have a different outlook on cost of living.

House prices in NS are lower compared to the UK so any equity you have would go a long way. For us, utility bills are higher, but car running costs are not. Cars are also cheaper to buy. Food prices are a bit mixed - some the same, some cheaper (steak) some more expensive (chicken).

Nova Scotia is a beautiful province with good, inexpensive flights to the UK, so its not out of bounds for return trips back to the UK or for visitors to come over.

You can find out lots of info either here in BE or by internet research. Judy has given you lots of great links for finding your way around the emigration maze.

A great website to subscribe to is Muchmore Magazine. You can download back issues. It's fab!

A bit off topic with respect to Andrea's original enquiry, but I have just added a Wiki for New comers to the forum.

It involved, along the way, writing new Wikis on:

• Canada versus Australia
• regions of Canada
• getting into Canada quickly
• cost of living
• annual leave

When I mentioned the "Regions of Canada" and "Getting into Canada quickly" articles in my post below, the articles had not yet been written.

The "Newcomers to the forum" article contains a reference to an article on "Netiquette" that is in progress.

The creation of that article was a great investment from my point of view. Now I won't feel tempted to be abrupt with new comers. I'll just point them to the Wiki article for new comers.

Hi Andrea, Like you i am new here, i am not very good on the comp and didn't know my way around, I was so pleased to find a forum where i could talk to people doing the same as we are,
I agree with Vee we are all new once, i very nearly didn't bother again but don't be put off it is worth it, i have found out loads,
Immigration is such a massive step we all need all the help and support we can get, persevere and you will learn loads,
A big welcome, let us know if we can help
cheers sue

That's a really good idea Judy, thank you.

I've been reading the forums for a while, although I've only recently joined in. I'm sure I'll post a query that's been asked a zillion times at some point, but found that reading through all the intro bits first has helped me not ask some of the more general ones!

Maggie

Anyone noticed that the OP have not posted again. I think I might PM them and invite them back. Make them feel welcome when they come.

Not sure what someone would have to gain by posting dodgy 'how do you move to Canada' questions, but I half agree that you have to put time in, to get out of BE what you need.

And sometimes, a curt 'are you having a laugh' message is needed.

Give a man a fish etc...

Chris.

did you pm them ?
cheers sue