March 1st will be our 5th year in NS. As expected a lot of ups and downs, and missing the only family we have which we left in the UK. Work has been quite difficult to find and the wages have been disappointing. Took us quite a while to stop doing the UK Comparison with everything.

On balance we love the life style, but there is always something missing if you don't have close family or friends to share it with.

Although some Brit friends have taken citizenship and regularly try to convince us to do the same, we are not rushing. I guess we cant be 100% convinced yet.

Miss the dumbest things like walks in the country and some of the foods, and of course family. But 5 years sure has flown by !!!

Hi


1. Other than cost, why wouldn't you apply for citizenship? You don't lose your UK citizenship and should you decide to return the UK, citizenship means that if that turns out to be a mistake, you can always return to Canada as citizens.

Plus you might be less of a target for terrorists with a Canadian passport than with a British one.

This may not be as true as it used to be.

I'd also say go for Citizenship. There really is nothing to lose, well apart from the fee, but it's very nice to have a Canadian passport and to be able to come and go freely to the UK and States. We have just over 16 years in Nova Scotia and I guess I'm used to it now. The space is nice but also miss the countryside, culture, friends etc. Honestly, if I could swap it all for what we had before, a stone cottage in the South Tyne valley, Northumberland, I'd go in a heartbeat. Problem is, with the price of housing in the UK, we'd only be able to afford to buy a mid terrace Coronation St. house so I guess we'll keep the 3 bedroom detached house on an acre of land. It's hard to avoid looking back with the rose tinted specs though.

Best
Steve

We're 7 years in NS and to be honest we're thinking of moving on. While we have enjoyed ourselves here, the lack of job opportunities and high taxes have started to wear on us somewhat. If you look at the Ernst & Yong tax calculator, take home pay based on similar salaries is significantly lower here than in BC or Alberta, plus salaries would be higher in those Provinces, with job prospects better and opportunities for Children as they start their careers would be higher. NS has been a decent place to live up until now, but with hindsight it was a mistake staying here so long

I know this has been said a thousand times, but it so depends where in the UK you left and where you ended up in Canada. If you came from an unattractive area (for whatever reason) and have ended up in a nicer place with a better job, then it will probably seem a good move. I think the cost of living is relative too. If your mortgage in the UK is huge then your disposable income may well be less, even though things are cheaper to buy.

We personally find our cost of living is cheaper here than it was in SW London. We miss some stuff, sure, but overall I personally am happier here than before we emigrated.

...and housing costs too, don't forget.

Like for like would be higher, but I'm fine getting something smaller.

welcome

Like for like is way higher but smaller would be significantly more too.

Did you ever see Vancouverite buys heritage castle for less than an East Vancouver bungalow




Granted this is extreme but in an article headed One bedroom, one bathroom, $1 million is the comment that Even in Halifax that makes a lot of houses affordable.