Hi all - my hubby and I have been in Canada for 7 years. We rather rushed into being here not thinking it through entirely.....We went home to the UK recently and realised there is a strong pull to return home to the UK to be with family. Thing is we have really struggled to establish ourselves here and were just nicely settled in a beautiful home and we'd have to start all over back home in the UK because the SOL is quite different. We'd probably have to start right back on the first rung of the ladder renting. The whole idea of uprooting when you are young seems so easy but once you're in your 50's and established well...it isn't such a fun prospect ! Unfortunatly we aren't really rich so the whole thing would need a lot of organizing so we had jobs and homes swopping over at the right times etc.

I guess before we rush back I'd appreciate to hear all the different points of view people have about their experiences of living in Canada or returning home to the Uk....is it soemthing you end up regretting because the QOL in Canada is so much better ? Just want to open up to all the different things people have to say about living over here in Canada versus the UK and advice people might have.

thanks a lot

Squidlet

Have you got Canadian citizenship or are you just permanent residents? If you're just PRs, the door back to Canada will be closed after a few years when you leave.

More generally, you should think about the reasons why you moved to Canada, also bear in mind that being on a vacation somewhere else is not the same as living there.

If you must try out life in the UK, best to keep your home in Canada (at least for a while) and have Canadian passports in case you realise that you really would prefer to live in Canada.

Hi. We've just returned to the UK after living in Canada for 8 months. We came back to the UK mainly because we missed our family and friends alot, but also because we found that we didn't particularly like the North American way of life.

It all depends on what makes you happy. In Canada we had exactly what we hoped we would; a lovely home, a job, the outdoors. But we found out that having it didn't bring us any happiness. In fact, we were miserable and ended up having more rows than ever. What makes us happy is having our family and friends around us and we missed the British lifestyle. We also thought that day to day living costs weren't that much different in Canada, so we packed up and came home.

Being back isn't easy, we haven't found jobs or a home yet, but it will come in time and it's wonderful being with everyone again and all the familiar things in England.

You've been in Canada a long time now and you say you were starting to settle. Maybe come over to the UK for an extended holiday and see how you feel after that. It's been mentioned before, but maybe rent your home in Canada out and come over for 6 months. It's a big decision to make and a hard one and I wish you lots of luck with it.

We are permanent residents. I think if we go back to the UK its for good so I wouldn't leave loose ends in Canada such as a property being rented out. I understand that once the Canadian Govt deems that you have left they would take 50% of any profits on a house sale as Capital gains tax or some such thing due to a clause they have for non-resident property owners.

It is more a case of wondering what England is really like after 7 years away. We want to head to Devon which looks like it has a healthy work situaiton going on in the areas we would need to find work.

I noticed that London was pretty much 'spot the Brit' when we were at the Airport. Not said as a racist comment but I did read about how England is the gateway to thousands of immigrants who just arrive and then disappear and turn up later on the dole. Made me wonder what life is really like back there these days and if tensions are now running high what with all the terrorism stuff going on. Here, in that way, it is relatively peaceful.

also I wonder about the imminent burst of the housing bubbble ..... any rumbles of that going on yet ? it is for sure rolling out in the US....

thanks for all advice..

squidlet

A surprising number of people go back home "for good" and then subseqently want to return to Canada. If they're not citizens and their PR status is gone, it's not possible (unless they can get PR again by applying from scratch).

Rules for keeping PR are here:
http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/newcomer/res-oblig.html

I've done the boomerang thing to and from Canada..sound advice. Even though I am sure that I will not be back if I get up enough courage to leave this time..you never know.

Wow the rules have changed since I last looked !

It used to be that you had to reside in canada for 6 months out of every 12 or so but now they have changed it to 2 years in every 5. That allows a very different story to occur. We could go back home for 2.5 years and rent our house out instead of simply burning bridges. That is very interesting altho I suppose then one is left open to being taxed by both countires for the same time period ?

Can those of you who have been back and forth a couple of times say more about what was behind that ? Was it just romantisicm that drew you back to the UK and then ugly realities sent you back to the open plains of canada ??

I am very curious what it IS really like to go back to the UK after a long absence. Maybe it is quite easy to re-acclimatise but maybe not ??

Any experiences to share anyone ?

Thanks

The problem with boomerangers is that they like and dislike aspects from both countries and then cant settle anywhere because so and so was better there. Really you have to get realistic about life, no where is perfect we simply have to find the place that makes us the happiest and accept that no one place can fulfill every one of our needs. Whereas some people look for fulfillment within a relationship or a job I often find that Expats look to be fulfilled by a country, its not as easy as that, fulfillment comes from within. I think a reason why people give up and move back and forth again is that everyone wants everything to be right straight away and no one wants to give the time it deserves to get there. All I can say is make a decision and stick to it, if you allow yourself to compare constantly you may well end up being one of those that end up wanting to move back to Canada which is going to add to the financial and emotional burden for you and the rest of your family.

The rules changed on 28 June 2002. It's very different to before, you can stay away for longer, but if you don't meet the new requirement (other than carefully defined exceptions) then you can't normally keep your PR irrespective of what you say your "intentions" are.

Permanent residence and tax residence are not the same thing. But you would probably need professional tax advice.

If you really want to keep the door open to a return, why not keep it simple and get yourselves Canadian citizenship before you leave? If you're British citizens you can have dual citizenship without problems.

One of which is being married to a Canadian citizen. This one saved me from having to re-apply.

Hi

As others have said I would really try to come here for an extended holiday. Devon is getting v v expensive to live and not so sure about the healthy work situation (although I don't know what you do so can't really comment!).

Best of luck! J