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Pensioner wanting to move to Canada

Pensioner wanting to move to Canada

Old Feb 15th 2023, 7:46 am
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Default Pensioner wanting to move to Canada

Hello.
im new here and was advised by a moderator to start a thread on this page?

to recap, wife and I are 65 but still working and want to move to Canada.

I have over 25 years experience working in the MOD in the uk, as well as admin work done in banks and financial services.

however, due to my age, I wouldn’t think anyone would employ me in Canada so we would want to retire there on our pensions.

we both have company pensions as well as the government pension.

I’ve done a little research on this and found it could be the proverbial worms in a tin can, as I realised wife is on hypertension medication which is free here in the uk, but in Canada the cost for prescriptions could eat up our pensions!

then of course there’s the question of on what base do we apply to enter Canada?

we do have kids already there but as someone kindly advised, it’s a lottery situation for sponsorship!

could anybody advise please, especially about the medical side if this? Would we be covered in full by the health care there or would we need to pay?

thank you in advance.

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Old Feb 15th 2023, 12:11 pm
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Default Re: Pensioner wanting to move to Canada

Have you looked at visas at all yourself yet? Do you know what you're scoring on the CRS? Which province are you hoping to move to? When did you last work and did your wife work at all (if so, doing what)?

Lastly, your children are there, are they citizens or PR's?

Re: medical cover, yes, you'd be covered if you got PR under provincial healthcare (although as you say, that doesn't include prescription medicine so you will need to check the cost of that).

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Old Feb 15th 2023, 12:40 pm
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Default Re: Pensioner wanting to move to Canada

Why not use the parent/grandparent super visa: https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration...uper-visa.html

Now allows you to stay up to 5 years, which should give you enough time to plan a route to PR. I know Jerseygirl went this route; came to Canada on the super visa and is now a PR.
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Old Feb 15th 2023, 12:45 pm
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Default Re: Pensioner wanting to move to Canada

Originally Posted by Gozit
Why not use the parent/grandparent super visa: https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration...uper-visa.html

Now allows you to stay up to 5 years, which should give you enough time to plan a route to PR. I know Jerseygirl went this route; came to Canada on the super visa and is now a PR.
I was going to explore PR options first as they want to move permanently, but agree that the super visa is a good Plan B if there is no other way and they don't get lucky in this year's sponsorship lottery. Some people aren't prepared to move on a temp visa as it's a big upheaval, so depends on how they feel about that.

But maybe the OP will come back and say his children are in Manitoba, or something equally brilliant, so there's an easier route to PR for them.
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Old Feb 15th 2023, 5:51 pm
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Default Re: Pensioner wanting to move to Canada

Also a drawback of the super visa is you have to pay for your own private health coverage, whereas with PR you can enroll in and use the canadian health system.
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Old Feb 15th 2023, 6:28 pm
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Default Re: Pensioner wanting to move to Canada

[Hello and thank you very much for so many replies!

I really didn’t think anyone would be interested in helping an old geezer with this!

So to reply:

Firstly I must add here and now, that yes my sons are PRs there but they do not want to sponsor us. Family problems. I did hope they would but it appears not.

Imworking in vehicle financing and have been for the past 5 years. Before that I worked with the MOD for 12 years.

Wife is working in the NHS.

We are both 65.

As for which area we would like, I’m a bit of a nature lover and prefer Alberta or BC.

As I mentioned earlier, after finding out that medication cover has to be paid for in Canada, that put the fear of using up huge amounts of our pensions on that. Wife is on several drugs for hypertension etc and one person on the internet has said a pack of 30 blood pressure tablets sets him back $200 a month. That’s a huge amount if you add other drugs.

That is our main concern. Accommodation will have to be rental initially until we can settle down properly.

I haven’t tried the CRS yet but I do know that over 50 or so you get zero points!

Sounds a bit difficult to me and very overwhelming the number of hoops we have to jump through!






QUOTE=christmasoompa;13173146]Have you looked at visas at all yourself yet? Do you know what you're scoring on the CRS? Which province are you hoping to move to? When did you last work and did your wife work at all (if so, doing what)?

Lastly, your children are there, are they citizens or PR's?

Re: medical cover, yes, you'd be covered if you got PR under provincial healthcare (although as you say, that doesn't include prescription medicine so you will need to check the cost of that).[/QUOTE]
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Old Feb 16th 2023, 8:39 am
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Default Re: Pensioner wanting to move to Canada

Originally Posted by steviewinder546
Firstly I must add here and now, that yes my sons are PRs there but they do not want to sponsor us. Family problems. I did hope they would but it appears not.
Ah. I'll be brutally honest and say that may well spell the end of your Canadian dream. Sorry to be blunt, we'll see if there's any other option for you but realistically they may have been your only way over. Any chance of one of them changing their mind?

Originally Posted by steviewinder546
I haven’t tried the CRS yet but I do know that over 50 or so you get zero points!
Do take that test, as we need to know that info first really to be able to help you. Assume max points for now on your English exam as a native speaker, it's only to give you an idea of your points level. It's unlikely you'll score enough, but you never know.

Would you consider another province that's easier to get in to, or does it have to be BC/AB? Lastly, would you be prepared to try and find a job to get a visa, or is working definitely not an option?
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Old Feb 16th 2023, 9:07 am
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Default Re: Pensioner wanting to move to Canada

Originally Posted by christmasoompa
Ah. I'll be brutally honest and say that may well spell the end of your Canadian dream. Sorry to be blunt, we'll see if there's any other option for you but realistically they may have been your only way over. Any chance of one of them changing their mind?



Do take that test, as we need to know that info first really to be able to help you. Assume max points for now on your English exam as a native speaker, it's only to give you an idea of your points level. It's unlikely you'll score enough, but you never know.

Would you consider another province that's easier to get in to, or does it have to be BC/AB? Lastly, would you be prepared to try and find a job to get a visa, or is working definitely not an option?
Good morning and thank you for your help, Xmassoompa!

Yes it’s a deep family issue that’s riven us apart so no hope there!

But what you say about other provinces is heartening to hear.

We certainly would consider other areas and as regards jobs, well, if Canadian employers offer us jobs bearing in mind our ages, we would jump at the chance!

Only reason why I mentioned BC and Alberta is because we have been there on holiday and really liked the scenery!

Really appreciate your help. Also if there are any pharmacists on here, would be good to know what the typical price is for hypertension tablets there, too?

Rgds

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Old Feb 16th 2023, 5:15 pm
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Default Re: Pensioner wanting to move to Canada

There might be lots of different medications for hypertension but in BC, I was prescribed Ramipril which for 180 5mg tabs cost $20 plus $10 dispensing fee.
HTH
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Old Feb 16th 2023, 7:14 pm
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Default Re: Pensioner wanting to move to Canada

Originally Posted by steviewinder546
Good morning and thank you for your help, Xmassoompa!

Yes it’s a deep family issue that’s riven us apart so no hope there!

But what you say about other provinces is heartening to hear.

We certainly would consider other areas and as regards jobs, well, if Canadian employers offer us jobs bearing in mind our ages, we would jump at the chance!

Only reason why I mentioned BC and Alberta is because we have been there on holiday and really liked the scenery!

Really appreciate your help. Also if there are any pharmacists on here, would be good to know what the typical price is for hypertension tablets there, too?

Rgds
Being brutally honest and this is from recent experience I have in helping my grown up child secure their first job in Canada - (with a PR visa I should add), it would be very very difficult if not impossible to envisage circumstances in which 65 year olds could secure employment offers from Canadian employers. With the family difficulties you have outlined preventing you from being sponsored by your children about your only remaining option I can think of would be to try and secure PR through one of the many PNP business streams. Some if not all of these would require a significant investment (apx $150k+) in a new or existing business in which you would have to have a certain degree of management involvement. Depending on the province this would provide either a direct route to PR or you would have to be involved in the business for a few years and then the province would nominate you for PR. Once nominated by a Province for PR you are virtually guaranteed PR baring medical or background check issues. For this route to be an option you would need the $$$ and be able to demonstrate that you have some business or management experience.
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Old Feb 16th 2023, 10:52 pm
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Default Re: Pensioner wanting to move to Canada

Originally Posted by steviewinder546

Yes it’s a deep family issue that’s riven us apart so no hope there!

Rgds
With this difficult issue with your family, what is your motivation to move to Canada?
It's an enormous upheaval at any time in your life, but at 65 ? Have you even looked at what vacancies are available in Canada? Are you OK with moving to Canada without a job in place (IF there is such a possibility?)
Have you got plenty of resources if jobs are not forthcoming in the short term?
Would you intend to sell up (presuming you own your own home in the UK)? or let out your property. From what one has heard about BC, house prices are sky high, so if you did decide to return to the UK at least having somewhere to return to would be of benefit.
Good luck with whatever you decide - personally I could not imagine taking such a leap at 65.



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Old Feb 16th 2023, 11:06 pm
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Default Re: Pensioner wanting to move to Canada

Gozit is correct we went from the Super Visa to PR within a couple of years. We were lucky because the following year they made the route much harder. We also had sponsorship.

The problem with the SV is it is only for 5 years, if they stay with the current system, you should be able to extend it another 5 years. The problem is…what then? Unless you somehow manage to get PR, you will have to move back to the UK. I anm not sure if it can be extended beyond 10 years total. Also, as previously stated you will need medical insurance, which is costly. A Canadian insurance company must be used. It will most probably only cover emergencies. If you are diagnosed with a serious illness, then you will probably be told to return to the UK. I know someone who was diagnosed with cancer whilst staying long term in Canada. She had to return to the UK. Not sure whether you can get some sort of insurance to cover meds.

As SanDiegoGirl said, at 65 moving to a new country is an enormous upheaval. Having to move back to the UK when you are 75, doesn’t bear thinking about IMO.

Last edited by Jerseygirl; Feb 16th 2023 at 11:29 pm.
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Old Feb 17th 2023, 4:05 am
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Default Re: Pensioner wanting to move to Canada

Good morning and thank you for your help, Xmassoompa!


Really appreciate your help. Also if there are any pharmacists on here, would be good to know what the typical price is for hypertension tablets there, too?

Rgds
I'm certainly not a pharmacist, but I live in BC.

I take Ramipril and Amlodipine for high blood pressure.

My latest prescription costs were $22.62 for 3 month supply of Ramipril 10 mg, and $233.76 for a 3 month supply of Amlodipine.

I have another prescription for something else that now costs around $500 for a 3 month supply.

We are retired, have BC MSP but that does not cover any prescription costs for us. Our Extended Health Policy through OH's retirement package through his former employer has a deduction of $1,000 before covering percentages of drugs ....... and that begins anew every year.

It will be at least April before we break that deduction bar and start getting at least part of the prescription costs covered.

You should also know that we need to have a Dental Policy because dental work is not covered, and that policy covers usually around 50-60% of most items such as twice yearly check-ups.

Last year, we paid over $3,000 for those 2 policies.

Spectacles are not covered under either of our policies ...... OH's last eye test cost $86.00.

Hospitals and any drugs given in the hospital, and all operations are free, but here in BC you have to pay a sum for your bed which depends on whether you want a private room, a room for 2 or a room for 4, plus ambulances are expensive.

I hope this gives you some idea.
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Old Feb 17th 2023, 5:15 am
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Default Re: Pensioner wanting to move to Canada

Originally Posted by SanDiegogirl
With this difficult issue with your family, what is your motivation to move to Canada?
It's an enormous upheaval at any time in your life, but at 65 ? Have you even looked at what vacancies are available in Canada? Are you OK with moving to Canada without a job in place (IF there is such a possibility?)
Have you got plenty of resources if jobs are not forthcoming in the short term?
Would you intend to sell up (presuming you own your own home in the UK)? or let out your property. From what one has heard about BC, house prices are sky high, so if you did decide to return to the UK at least having somewhere to return to would be of benefit.
Good luck with whatever you decide - personally I could not imagine taking such a leap at 65.
Thank you for your reply and indeed all the replies so far!

I do realise it’s quite a big leap to move somewhere new at our age; hindsight is a wonderful thing…we should have done this years ago in our 30s or 40s.

It does look as if it’s a tough one.
We already know jobs in any care mainly age related and we have very little chance in getting jobs there.
The job climate is far better in the uk for over 50s, with a range of full time as well as part time opportunities…I’ve looked into that.

I guess it’s a pipe dream that I should put out, going by the writing on the wall!

Oh well…Blighty it is then…!

Thank you all for the help.

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Old Feb 17th 2023, 8:50 am
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Default Re: Pensioner wanting to move to Canada

Originally Posted by Jerseygirl
The problem with the SV is it is only for 5 years, if they stay with the current system, you should be able to extend it another 5 years. The problem is…what then? Unless you somehow manage to get PR, you will have to move back to the UK.
Even SV would require sponsorship from one of the OP's children though, so that's not an option either unfortunately.
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