6 years. Thinking of moving on but not moving home
 

Coming up to my 6 year anniversary.

Landed in Toronto, which was never the plan when I started my Federal Skilled Worker application (scraped in on 71 points :P), but as the saying goes - "A bird in hand is worth two in the bush" and I had a job offer in Toronto. Toronto is a great city. I've gotten seen the Leaf's and Jay's play. Had some great nights out. Lived car free for 4 years. Then we moved to the suburbs to buy a place. A financially savvy move that left us both miserable.

But the good news is my new gig gives me the flexibility to live anywhere in Canada, so we intend to complete the journey to Vancouver. We'll have to downsize. Back to apartment living but at least we'll be back in the city.

My fear is that I'll get itchy feet again. I tried to move to the US a couple of years ago (fell through because of my uncooperative employer) and will feel like I've missed out on the career opportunities the US provides if I don't. I apply for the Green Card lottery every year. DV-2022 in three weeks but I know the chances are slim.

I keep a watchful eye on Australia and New Zealand. Applied for a couple of jobs in Singapore. I can't stay still. Anyone else like this?

Canada's been good to me. If you're on the fence just do it. You won't regret it. I don't.

Re: 6 years. Thinking of moving on but not moving home
 

This is an older thread but no one replied so i'll go - i can relate to feeling unsettled / not being able to stay still. I apply for jobs then think of all the negative things about moving away from Canada, then apply for Canada jobs and think of negatives there. Of course there are positives and negatives to everywhere. Need to remind myself to breath and nothing is set in stone.

Re: 6 years. Thinking of moving on but not moving home
 

Thanks for replying. I think I do a lot of day dreaming and bench-marking myself against others.

A lot of it is because I work in tech and the US feels like Mecca in terms of opportunity.

Re: 6 years. Thinking of moving on but not moving home
 

I work in tech too. I see the US as the opposite of a mecca due to poor working conditions (low/no PTO, expectation to work 60-70 hrs/week and no work/life balance), and safety issues (guns). Sure the money is great but you have no time to enjoy it if you're too busy working all the time.

I'm trying to get a 100% remote job so what country i'm physically present in doesn't matter.

Re: 6 years. Thinking of moving on but not moving home
 

The U.S. in tech-heavy areas is also extremely expensive. West coast US salaries are far above Canadian equivalent salaries for sure, but wiped out by insane cost of living. "Grass is always always greener.....". IMO, living in the U.S. is only fruitful if you have no family (dependents) and are willing to forgo the more cosmopolitan areas.

Re: 6 years. Thinking of moving on but not moving home
 

Well sounds like it would be a fit for me then - I don't like crowded spaces and big cities and I don't want kids, and i'm currently single. :lol:

The gun issue puts me off though. And, long term, I don't want to settle in the US. Preferably I want to settle in Europe.

Re: 6 years. Thinking of moving on but not moving home
 

Fair point. I've worked for 2 US businesses here in Canada and I don't find the Work Life Balance to be too different than Canadian companies.

I'm working remote at the moment so hopefully I can keep that going. I was looking at Miami or San Diego but I'm open to anywhere really.

Re: 6 years. Thinking of moving on but not moving home
 

I don't really know if there are many differences these days and have also worked for US businesses here in Europe/Ireland. Especially when it comes to multinational companies, the structure is often the same. Apart from the holiday entitlements (mentioned in other thread) and some local differences, it all comes down to your personal situation. I see colleagues in France and Germany send emails in the middle of the night and Managers who report directly to the US will probably have to be in later meetings (time difference). It's their choice though and I would assume that many people just feel more pressure due to household debt.
With higher mortgages and less social security, people in the US just seem to have less work life balance and the focus is on maintaining that high paid job. Without kids it's a lot easier of course and each plan is different but if your mortgage is still covered through unemployment benefits, life is less stressful.

Re: 6 years. Thinking of moving on but not moving home
 

Well quite. There are six US States in which I have not worked, as a contract computer person. I have worked in the others as well as in Ontario, Alberta, Australia, the Netherlands, the UK, Malaysia, Singapore, other places now forgotten. The differences between workplaces have more to do with the individual firms than the location.

One thing to be wary of is any firm that offers a "campus" workplace with a gym, cafeteria and daycare, the employer's intent is plainly that the workers never leave. In one notorious location on Long Island it took me fully 45 minutes of driving and credential checks just to get off the premises, have a smoke, and get back in again. Neither of the two military nuclear installations I worked at made coming and going as difficult as the large software companies do.

I'd also be cautious of any organization that offers organized prayer in the course of the working day,

Re: 6 years. Thinking of moving on but not moving home
 

The US is sort of a situation of two extremes. In the IT and tech sector they are always keen on their non-discriminions attitude, but that stops once it comes to visas, citizens, non citizens, and place of birth. Besides no PTO, long hours and safety and gun issues there is also expensive healthcare.