I’m lucky enough to have my occupation listed on the infamous ‘list of 38’ – I’m a university lecturer – and I’m now planning to apply for permanent resident status. I’d like your informed advice about where I should consider moving to. Perhaps a bit about me, why I’m leaving the UK and what I’m looking for might help:

Like many Brits, I’ve become disenchanted with many of the changes in the social and economic climate over the last few decades. Incivility, bad manners, ignorance, the worship of base culture, criminality, fatalism and the emergence of a welfare-claiming class are increasingly taking the lustre off almost anything done in public – from shopping to jogging.

At a more abstract level, I increasingly feel like my liberty is being sold down the river: an increasing tax burden, statist solutions to just about everything and the general sense that most people now look to the government rather than themselves to fix problems, have all reduced my hope for the future of life in the UK.

Of course, I want to live in a part of Canada where these issues are less of a problem. In short, I want freedom from other people making my life hell and a bit more freedom to make choices about where I spend my money. In the long run, I may end up living in the US - I have always enjoyed my visits to the US - but Canada is much simpler for me to gain access to.

I’m in my late 30s, male, never married and I have no children. My only family connection is my brother, who lives in southern Mexico. Given this, friendships are important to me. I’m therefore looking for somewhere with plenty of interesting things going on. I’m a keen competitive runner but, I’ll run anywhere and countryside doesn’t do a great deal for me. In fact, a good urban life (with bearable traffic problems and the relative absence of a UK underclass culture) is of greater importance. I am a bit worried about getting over to Canada and finding it very difficult to settle in and make friends.
I’m open to ideas, criticisms etc!
Cheers.
Alan

Don't you have to go where the work is? Surely you're not in a position such that you can bang on the door of any university and be immediately appointed to a position there.

hi and welcome

have you been to canada? anywhere in canada? east side is very different to west side and the bits in between......

if you can find the time, i would firstley do some on-line suffeing and have a look at the many facets of the country as a whole as far as climate goes, history, geography etc etc.......then, if you've got any more spare time, go over have a look......

personally, i prefer the west side overall. i like the mountains and the divercity of the climate.....

Plenty of lecturing positions available where I work....

http://www.tru.ca/careers/

You won't get "informed advice" unless you fill in some more background. As dbd33 said, you can't just move somewhere and then look for a job lecturing at a university. (Unless you want to join the ranks of contract faculty... not a move I'd recommend).

You need primarily to have a strong to very strong research background, strong to very strong teaching skills and good to very good luck to get a job offer.

What is your field?

Thanks for the helpful responses.

I have a fairly strong research background - a recent book, a number of research papers and grants - and my initial research suggests that there are a number of *theoretically* suitable jobs in my field. I am a sociologists and, as far as teaching goes, specialise in quanitative methods/statistics.

Initial research also suggest that pay is significantly higher in Canada than the UK for this occupation (i.e. above that of a secondary school teacher!) although this is not terribly important. Similarly, I have some equity to bring and am not too worried about property prices.

I have no intention of going over to Canada and hoping to find a job. Madness I will secure a job first before moving.

I've been to Canada a few times, but only the east coast. BC is attractive to me because of its similar climate to the UK's and relative proximity to the US.

I intend spending some time during 2009 exploring Canada to help make my decision but, advice here could help shot-cut things a great deal.

I don't have any other firm ideas.
Thanks.
Alan

in our experience, it was the best thing to do......

I'd suggest you subscribe to "University Affairs", where all academic jobs in Canada must be advertised. I'm afraid I don't have a link to hand, but you can find that yourself.

If you can get an Assistant Professor offer in your field, you can likely anticipate $65 - 80k to start. I don't know if you think that is good money, but I note that you're single and still in your 30's.

University of Windsor? Can't get much closer to the US than that - you can see Detroit from the University downtown, hell you could probably even spit that far.....

You say you're not bothered about property prices, but take a look what you could get for your money around here - if you have even a modest chunk of equity, you could live very nicely indeed.

Please correct me if I'm wrong, but I don't think you are a university lecturer?