UK to Hants County with RDA
 

Hello.

Are there any Brits who have made the move to Nova Scotia, and in particular to Hants County via the RDA route?

We would love to hear from people with a young family (we have 3 kids aged 13,11 and 3), who have moved and find out more about the general area, schooling, whats for kids, and your thoughts on your new life!!
My wife is a telephonist and i'm a police officer.

Thanks,

Gaz.

Re: UK to Hants County with RDA
 

Hi and welcome

Take a look at this FB Group - it is for Expats in or moving to Nova Scotia - it is really helpful - https://www.facebook.com/groups/185209748193973/

Re: UK to Hants County with RDA
 

Thanks.. will give it a look.

Re: UK to Hants County with RDA
 

If that is the only way a community can attract people to it, it would be too suspect for me;)

Re: UK to Hants County with RDA
 

Things work very differently out here in NS...;)

Re: UK to Hants County with RDA
 

You can say that again.

Re: UK to Hants County with RDA
 

You can connect with others on our facebook group as well relocationnovascotia
we recently had a request from Viorica who works for the Hants County to help network with newcomers, quite often the RDA's aren't too keen to get involved, each one is different..when are you coming over or have you been already?

Re: UK to Hants County with RDA
 

I think nowadays, most RDA's are happy to get involved and meet with people when they visit and have contact with them by phone/e-mail when they are still in the UK.

I would imagine they realise how important it is for NS to welcome new immigrants and as so, they are much more welcoming and open to newcomers.

Re: UK to Hants County with RDA
 

yes RDA's do realise how important it is to welcome newcomers here but are still often missing out on some of the opportunities to network outside of their own county as its often a case of trying to get someone interested in their own geographical area, I think what I'm saying is that sending people to chat with anyone who is a newcomer here, with information to share about lifestyle and schools etc., is still a valuable source of information for most people, we are based in Halifax but know people all over the Province. we often have been told that as we don't live there we can't help..that to me doesn't make much sense, as word of mouth referrals and networking is how most of NS works .

Re: UK to Hants County with RDA
 

ooh - can I advertise my company here too now ?

Re: UK to Hants County with RDA
 

Whoop whoop :rofl:

Re: UK to Hants County with RDA
 

has OnTheBoatOut come back a a woman :thumbdown:

Re: UK to Hants County with RDA
 

Depending on the visa route some folks will require connections in their local community though, that are not involved with other enterprises

Re: UK to Hants County with RDA
 

Hi Gaz
I am also looking to move out to NS as well. We are going on a recce next march to look around the area and make some good contacts in the community. Hopefully we will use the CIS route as well
I am a police officer as well in Hants and my wife is a social worker. We will be going with our son who is 17.
As people have already said this is a very good site for info as well as the Face Book site as well.
If you need any more info let me know
John

Re: UK to Hants County with RDA
 

Thanks guys.
Went to the Emigrate show in Bham last week and met with Viorica and was lovely and really helpful.

Got to get some papers together and send them to her for her thoughts and hopefully travelling for a 10-14 day trip in April/May next year.

Cheers all,

Gaz.

Re: UK to Hants County with RDA
 

Does that include spelling - Shame whoever wrote that info cannot spell...

Threw rather than through

Re: UK to Hants County with RDA
 

Now I am confused?

Re: UK to Hants County with RDA
 

From the Facebook Page
'This site was designed to help all memebers gain contacts in Nova Scotia! We also help arrange: Mortgages, Info On Vehicles and Finance, Realtors, Insurance, Places to Stay as well info on the area's in Nova Scotia threw our membership.'

Wonder how many members they throw?

Re: UK to Hants County with RDA
 

Oh dear me..lol I have yet to be thrown. I await my turn.

Re: UK to Hants County with RDA
 

Just a quick comment on how involved the RDA's get - I went through Colchester County and since getting my letter of approval for nomination have not heard a single word from the RDA! This is despite contacting them several times for advice re schooling! I could be living anywhere in Canada as far as they are concerned.

I know it is the immigrants responsibility to get our there and network etc etc but I did expect some level of involvement on the part of the RDA's and the immigration section of the NS government, especially after reading about how much they want to encourage immigration in that part of Canada.

I can only speak for my own experience but I must say that the support given to new immigrants by the people who are employed (and paid) to encourage immigration in NS is not very impressive (in my opinion of course!). Other people may have had different experiences.

Re: UK to Hants County with RDA
 

I think alot of people find that - I know some RDA's are really hands on with people once they do receive nomination and move over and some have no more to do with them - which I agree is a shame!

Re: UK to Hants County with RDA
 

we're heading to Kings and have had only positive dealings with the RDA there. She was really helpful in the planning and we met with her on our two recces. After our nomination and after our provincial and federal approval I've sent various emails, every time I get a reply within a day. On all sorts of issues! We're going out to land and we've got another meeting with her scheduled - not for anything specific, just to say we're official :) She's also given us contacts for our business, realtors and house builders.

No complaints here :thumbup:

Re: UK to Hants County with RDA
 

That's good then - only wish we had gone through Kings RDA. It may have made a huge difference to how we are now seeing the whole thing. My advice is don't just consider the area and the initial contact with the RDA - also ask what support there will be for you during and after your application for PR. If they want you to come to that area they will be happy to invest the time and effort supporting you.

Re: UK to Hants County with RDA
 

sorry it didn't go so well for you Rubie... how are things these days? Feeling any more settled?

Re: UK to Hants County with RDA
 

We found something similiar with our RDA, after the nomination not much back. We met when we landed but only because we initiated it. I found through the whole process that often I wouldnt get any response to an email for days and sometimes not at all.

We now live in Hants county which was not the county that sponsored us. We did live there for a few months but could not sustain the cost of the travel to and from Halifax which is where I work. I can say that we like the area we live in and the school my daughter goes to. We are near Elmsdale which seems to have everything we need and feels like its close enough to Halifax to make it possible to work there.

Re: UK to Hants County with RDA
 

They sponsored you after not keeping a pre-arranged appointment. Thats pretty good isn't it:thumbup:

Re: UK to Hants County with RDA
 

blimey !

Re: UK to Hants County with RDA
 

hmmm do the RDA not read these things - or what about irate wanna be immgrants that may point them in this direction . . . .its not something I would want to brag about on the a public forum

Re: UK to Hants County with RDA
 

I agree with Caz, people tend to forget that immigration is a priviledge and not a right as such. You don't get pressganged to come here and there are some on not just this board, ut other forums too that really should do well to remember that whilst there are a few bad apples in every basket - in general CIC / RDA and whatever other acronyms you can come up with do their absolute best to aid and assist.

I get really annoyed with the amount of slagging off the staff of immigration get. Overworked, probably underpaid and definately unappreciated.

Re: UK to Hants County with RDA
 

thats not what happened at all, what do you mean?
We kept all our appointments, arrived here and lived in that county for a few months trying to find jobs in that area and a home to live in. Unfortunately we couldnt find them there. We were lucky to find the jobs we have now, we couldnt afford to live far away from them, thats all that happened. We now live in a county that shares the same healthcare etc, so there is some connection.

Re: UK to Hants County with RDA
 

I will never forget that being here is a priviledge and not a right.

Re: UK to Hants County with RDA
 

I don't mean anything, or worry about your chosen location. I am just trying to help you reach an understanding of why maybe you haven't got much feedback from CORDA.

possible of course that it could be something else entirely:thumbup:

Re: UK to Hants County with RDA
 

We did worry through our options for a while as felt that we should stay in the county that sponsored us, morally.
As it turned out we ate through so much money while other half found a job - 6 months - that thank goodness we didnt live so far out from Halifax.

It may well be that RDAs and other people in immigration are overworked and underpaid and underthanked (word even?) I dont know but it was hard to come here and have absolutely no support at all from ours.
I dont know what we expected but I am very thankful to all those that did help us settle here and we are very happy. There were people that helped us look for jobs, advised us on the ins and outs on everything and were one great support network.

Re: UK to Hants County with RDA
 

Maybe don't worry about where you ended up so much but look at the situation as a whole. You were nominated though, so that's good:thumbup:

Re: UK to Hants County with RDA
 

Thank you - its turned out so well. We were nominated, arrived as visitors for 8 months (took massive risk but house sold really quickly) in March, got offered a job in three weeks, got a TWP, left country - had quick trip to Florida to activate permit, came back, found a house in a wonderful neighbourhood in Hants county and started job.
Spent A LOT of money as other half got a casual job but we had to have childcare so that he could work, as it turned out we spent more than he earnt, hindsight is so wonderful there. Now he has a good job and i am still in mine.
We love this area, its near enough to work in the city but far out enough that the kids arent on a leash.

Re: UK to Hants County with RDA
 

Hi Rubie, hope things are going okay for you now, seems ages ago that we were going through this whole process:eek:,

Just one very general note I would make is that ultimately the RDA's role is to choose whether or not to support an application for an individual which will lead to a PR visa, in most cases they treat everyone in good faith based upon the information they are given. It seems for most people they will provide "support" in the context that they nominate (if criteria is met) and utimately lead people to a PR visa, that is what their job is.

Regarding follow up and settlement support services there are other organizations in NS that provide immigrant settlement services that are supported by the government, this is not the role of the RDA, although from what we are seeing here it seems to depend on who the RDA is and who the applicant is, to the level of additional support that they provide.

I know they have limited financial resources for staffing etc so their priority has to be the assessment of applicants, particularly if there are other agencies available for the support. Also depending on individual circumstances I can see that they would have to make choices regarding who they provide any spare time they do have too, things change over time with people and circumstances etc.

Hope things work out for you whatever you decide and where you end up:)

Re: UK to Hants County with RDA
 

Hants County rocks! lol Anyone need any info from someone living here, experiencing the county and all it's good and not so good points, feel free to contact me.

Been here since July 2008 and have loved most of that time! lol

We :heart: Hants!

Re: UK to Hants County with RDA
 

Well said! Filtering our entire experience with the RDA and CIC, they did us proud!

We feel privileged to be here, often pinching ourselves when we take any of this for granted!

Nothing is perfect but so much is perfect in this great Province of an amazing Country!