WildfireV2

I'd like to know from any of you with experience of moving from the UK to Canada whether it really gave you a better life.

In regards to opportunities, things to do, emotional well being, all that stuff really.

I am 25, & looking at hopefully going there, but with literally no idea what I will do once I get there, work wise or other. Are we limited to "Immigrant type jobs" over there?

christmasoompa

Hi, I've moved your post as it was tagged on to the end of a Canniversary thread, so a bit of a thread hijack and also not likely to be seen by many people.

Hopefully others will respond now it's in the main forums, but I'd also suggest you do a quick search as the 'qualify of life Canada v UK' thing has been talked about a lot of times before. Some prefer the UK, some Canada, and some dislike or like both equally, so you'll get a good variety of views!

Good luck.

Former Lancastrian

Oh boy lets have some fun with this. Imagine you are reading a tourist brochure on Canada and you will see phrases extolling the best of Canada and what it has to offer those wishing to visit or live in Canada.

Wide open space = Frozen arctic tundra where nobody lives
Modern transportation = One road across Canada which splits into 2 just west of Winnipeg. A choice of 2 x airlines unless you live east of Winnipeg which charge outrageous fares for domestic travel.
Modern communication system = Limited broadband access and rip off cell phone and internet charges
Quaint rural towns = Nobody wants to live there except the locals born there
Shopping = Most travel to the US outlet malls for bargains
A dynamic workforce = Minimum wage jobs unless you get a Govt job
Multicultural = Think of areas like Brixton, Toxteth, Moss Side or Bradford

WildfireV2

Maybe I should have rephrased.

I see a lot of people on here move over there with families, or with the view of living there to put their kids in certain schools and what not. A lot of them also already seen to be professionals in jobs they enjoy, like quite a few engineers switching to a job they know is over there & basically is a similar life just in a perceived better place.

Things are a little different for myself, at 25 with no strings & no clue what I want to work as, so I suppose I'm curious of the real opportunities that are out there from people who have been/or are living it, along with any difficulties they may face.

I am looking for a bit of self discovery while out there.

MountainHiker

My personal opinion is that opportunities are very limited in Canada these days.

I moved because I wanted more hiking, climbing and skiing which wasnt hard to find and my job paid considerably more than in the UK so it was an easy move, land and houses were cheap and investments made a lot of money, this isn't the case anymore if I moved there today it would be a huge struggle everything is more expensive. I would however still do it because what I want out of life is in Canada.

WildfireV2

Interesting, I didn't realise it was like that, I figured that it would be as expected with far more opportunity within the bigger cities, and not much going on outside of them.

Thanks for your point of view though, for me it is more about figuring out what I really want from life, & being in North America was the main thing I ever wanted, I never wanted to be a specific professional at anything, but location was always important.

MarkG

I think the two big issues here are:

1. Lots of resource-based jobs. If the Chinese are buying all the stuff we dig up, that's good. If they're not, that's bad.

2. Distances are much greater than the UK. When I lived just outside London, I could work anywhere in the city or the towns and cities around it, with hundreds or thousands of companies in my industry. In Saskatoon, I can work in Saskatoon, and there are probably only a dozen or so companies here I could work for.

That didn't matter so much ten years ago, because it was a cheap place to live, whereas all that Chinese money buying up our oil and other junk has doubled house prices in that time.

not2old

simple answer from me YES, but that was 48 years ago & I was younger than you by a few years at the time. Also from the NW of England, I came to Canada on a one way ticket, with one suitcase, little money to last a few weeks, no job, no place to go to, no family or friends here.

Is that something you'd like to take on?

Yes, of course, Canada is not the 'land of milk & honey', you start at the bottom, at the very bottom with every other immigrant from all walks of life from a zillion countries & compete to survive, as well as the fact there are unemployed Canadians

Canada is expensive, especially in the metropolitan areas.

You'll likely get a job at minimum wage which you will be hand to mouth for a several years till you finally get a leg up

The climate is a killer, not everyone can deal with a <60'C> temperature swing climate. Cold as hell freezes over in the winter, power outages, transit shut down to a sweat pot in the summer, more power outages, sleepless nights without AC.

As a tourist for a few weeks it looks great - to live & work here is totally different, just the same as the UK, OZ, NZ, USA...life goes on

from your first post in April 2014

http://britishexpats.com/forum/welco.../#post11218666

Now, if you post your question on the Australia or USA thread, you may get a different answer.

Since you were looking at the IEC & likely never made it, what about applying for one to Australia?

Better still, if you have enough money saved, loaned, beg steal or borrow - why not come visit Canada for 3 mths, or go to Australia?

What about living & working in Europe?

Final point, did you graduate, are you still living at home, are you employed in the UK, do you have friends, are you in a relationship with anyone?

read from the top & back again

ann m

Not massively better or worse. But we'll stay, for a while longer at least.

Live in a nice place, pretty town in the foothills of a stunning backdrop of mountains so I do breathe in that beauty on a daily basis and appreciate it.

We are mortgage free here in a decent enough home and I like the space. Internally, externally - I'm not cooped up or boxed in. I can dump money into a pot for retirement, which will very likely not be where I am right now.

Stress-free, low-to-no crime, kinda boring in some ways, but plenty to go and do when I want to.

It was an opportunity. We agonized over staying for the first four years, and then suddenly the decision was made to stay, until we are mid-50's at least.

Our kids have had a safe, somewhat sheltered life here - not too street wise, but it's coming as they get older. Schooling has been adequate - I wouldn't rave about it but it's not terrible, and they will do fine, whatever they choose. They will likely both head back to the UK for a while/further education. And that's fine.

So all in all, it's a good place, it is worth a look. It might not tick all your boxes but where on this planet does? Explore, investigate and then have a try if you can.

WildfireV2

Hi, thanks for the reply.

Yes I graduated in Accounting back in 2013, & I currently work in a public practice accountants. While it's what I studied, I don't see myself working for 40 years in this field...

I am glad to have just a piece of paper saying I was a good lapdog and got my degree though, could stop a few doors from being shut.

Yes I live at home for now, no I am not in a relationship as it seems pointless right now seen as I do not want to live in the UK. I have not missed the 2015 IEC yet I don't think, as I believe most of us are still waiting for it to open for UK.

I suppose I hoped that while it's not the "land of milk & honey", it would be an improvement over the NW England (Lancashire) for a younger guy to adventure into.

not2old

positive points...

- Uni grad & currently employed

- 40 years from now, like others 'bills to pay, family to raise' [you have to do what you have to do], you'll be stuck in some job. The difference can be, is do you want to emigrate, change your job or travel - or all of that?

Once you leave the UK & let go of 'home' to live & worked as an immigrant in one or several countries like many of on BE have done, it changes one forever. You could stay put in the UK, build your career, re-educate in a different field, work for a multinational, get to travel for work or maybe a posting overseas. All kind of possibilities...time is on your side!

You could also work for the same or similar employer in the UK, grow with them over time, look beyond the routine work, travel lots etc

Or, you could spend the next 5 years to 30 applying for an IEC to Canada or OZ, or work in Europe[

Living & working in another part of the UK could be better than where you're at right now - have you considered that option?

You can only appreciate what you have when you let go of it & have walked in the shoes of an immigrant. All the 'what if' or 'what do you think' means zip.

You want adventure, find a job in London, leave home, fend for yourself for 6-12 mths, that way you'll start on the path of independence & meet all kinds of folks that do what you want to do.

If the thought of working in London scares you, then coming to Canada will be worse as a 'go it alone single person with no friends, no relatives & no job' IMO

The 'green green grass of home' might not be all that bad in Lancashire or elsewhere in the UK compared to having to tough it out as a single immigrant only to find a few notches or scars on your belt you'd return back to the UK after a short time abroad.

Do what you have to & don't take 'verbatim' what we immigrants on BE have to say about anything to lead you to conclusions, other than read between the lines

bats

You're 25 and living at home, presumably as it is too expensive to move out, no attachments.

Just do it. Get an IEC. Visa and see where life takes you.

MarylandNed

I'm not sure if "better" is the right word for me (although it may be for others). I think "different" is probably the right word.

I moved to Canada when I was 24 simply because my wife was offered a job as a nurse and I thought "What the hell? We're young. No kids. Let's go see a different part of the world!" We stayed 7 years, moved back to the UK for 2 years and have been in the US for the past 17 years - adding 4 kids at various stages along the way.

I've enjoyed living in different parts of the world (although I've also enjoyed living in different parts of the UK). There are pros and cons to living anywhere. But I do know that life is short and there's much of the world I still want to see. Of course, seeing different parts of the world doesn't necessarily mean you have to live in different parts of the world - e.g. you can travel from a home base in the UK. However, I also wanted to live in different parts of the world. It's not for everyone. Some get homesick and can't get past being away from friends & family in the UK.

If you're going to take the plunge, this is as good a time as any. Of course, you'll need to feed and house yourself so income is going to be crucial - which, for most people, means a job.

MarkG

Worst that's likely to happen is you spend a couple of years here working in Tim Hortons, do some travelling, live in a few different places, and go back.

I was about your age when I quit work, bought a round-the-world plane ticket and set off to travel until I ran out of money or stops on the ticket. Though jobs were easier to find in the UK in those days, so I wasn't worried about not having one when I returned.

MarylandNed