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NZ to Canada
Hi there
We have been here in Christchurch for almost 12 years and for the last few months have been toying with a move to the Vancouver area. Canada was always our first choice all those years ago when we moved here but unfortunately we didn't have enough points and it didn't happen! Now it looks like we qualify for PR but we can't decide whether to go or not, typical eh!! We have two kids, 12 & 9 who have known nothing other than the NZ way of life, grown up here, have great friends etc: So..... do we uproot them and start all over again and go live our dream or stay put and maybe regret it in 5 years???????!!!!!!!!! I'm just curious to see if there are any Canadians who have moved here and what are the pros & cons between Canada & NZ regarding schooling etc: Cheers :D |
Re: NZ to Canada
Migrating is a huge upheaval and you need to have a strong sense of adventure to do it all over again.
Have you all got your NZ citizenship? Your NZ-born daughter is a New Zealand citizen already, but the rest of you need to apply. |
Re: NZ to Canada
Originally Posted by JAJ
(Post 8366710)
Migrating is a huge upheaval and you need to have a strong sense of adventure to do it all over again.
Have you all got your NZ citizenship? Your NZ-born daughter is a New Zealand citizen already, but the rest of you need to apply. God I know what you mean, it's a massive upheaval and that's why we're wondering if we can go through all that again! Finding a house, jobs, making new friends etc: I think we have to sit down and do a pro/con list and think REALLY hard if it's the right thing to do! Regarding citizenship we have actually got the forms sitting in the drawer and we had already decided end of last year to go for it, we just need to find $1500!:unsure: |
Re: NZ to Canada
Perhaps the thing to do is get your NZ citizenship, then think about whether you still want to leave or not.
Migration to Canada will cost you a lot more than NZ$1500. If you are well settled in NZ, I'd think very hard before moving. Nowhere is perfect. |
Re: NZ to Canada
Originally Posted by JAJ
(Post 8366741)
Perhaps the thing to do is get your NZ citizenship, then think about whether you still want to leave or not.
Migration to Canada will cost you a lot more than NZ$1500. If you are well settled in NZ, I'd think very hard before moving. Nowhere is perfect. Hmm seems we have a lot of thinking to do!!!!:confused: |
Re: NZ to Canada
A girl i used to go to school with who i talk too regularly on face book lives in Canada and they are really struggling, her hubby a qualified welder cannot find work altho she does say that she likes the country
Neil |
Re: NZ to Canada
Originally Posted by Jan n Neil
(Post 8366999)
A girl i used to go to school with who i talk too regularly on face book lives in Canada and they are really struggling, her hubby a qualified welder cannot find work altho she does say that she likes the country
Neil Canada is a huge place. Work varies a lot depending on where you are. |
Re: NZ to Canada
Originally Posted by debz12
(Post 8366697)
Hi there
We have been here in Christchurch for almost 12 years and for the last few months have been toying with a move to the Vancouver area. Canada was always our first choice all those years ago when we moved here but unfortunately we didn't have enough points and it didn't happen! Now it looks like we qualify for PR but we can't decide whether to go or not, typical eh!! We have two kids, 12 & 9 who have known nothing other than the NZ way of life, grown up here, have great friends etc: So..... do we uproot them and start all over again and go live our dream or stay put and maybe regret it in 5 years???????!!!!!!!!! I'm just curious to see if there are any Canadians who have moved here and what are the pros & cons between Canada & NZ regarding schooling etc: Cheers :D |
Re: NZ to Canada
What do you mean by 'live the dream'. What about the dream aren't you getting in NZ?
I think Canada has a higher standard of living overall than NZ, but I miss NZ meat and vegetables. And cheese. And I miss a certain camaraderie that comes from being all in it together in a small country. In terms of schooling, I haven't noticed a lot of difference...both countries do well internationally, and BC is one of the better provinces for education, along with Alberta. I'd say there is more choice in schooling here..french immersion, arts schools, mandarin schools, sports schools etc. The main thing is the cultural difference. Vancouver is definitely a north american city. CULTURE SHOCK. I like it a lot, personally, but I'd be very very sure about coming all this way in case you don't like it. For me it has a lot of what I love about NZ - physical beauty, a temperate climate, more laid back - without a lot of the negatives, like parochial attitudes, isolation, small economy/less opportunities. There is definitely more going on here culturally. I think there are more opportunities here for my daughter simply because Canada is so much bigger, so close to the US/Europe, and is so rich in resources compared to NZ. Having said that, there are pros to living in an isolated part of the world like NZ, and NZ is probably less competitive than here. If you are going to move, do it really soon for the kids. IF your oldest could start high school with his/her peers it'll be much easier for him/her than trying to break into cliques later. Overall, I love it here, and have met a few kiwis who feel the same way. It seems to be an easy city for expat kiwis to live in. Funnily enough, in my daughter's class there is another little half-kiwi whose dad owns a business here and employs a lot of kiwis..there are a few of us around. However, you can't underestimate the culture shock. Attitudes, humour, etc is quite different to NZ and Canada over all is not very like the UK or NZ. So if you're not up for that, I wouldn't move. If you have any other questions just ask. |
Re: NZ to Canada
This is an interesting thread for me because we are Canadian and have lived in NZ now for three and a half years. I must say that having made the move, and now being wiser I would never have moved to NZ. While we do enjoy it here we find that there are enough draw backs that the weight is on the negative side of the ledger when compared to Canada.
We don't find schooling here to be consistently reliable product between schools or between classrooms in the same school. My son does not have text books at High School which I find surprising. Though I think NZ does OK compared to other Western countries on academic achievement, from my own experience, I can't understand how that is true. We have found that there is a prejudice here in NZ in my line of work against foreigners. Just yesterday someone made a comment to me about people from overseas. Racism is not even below the surface here in NZ. I was on a job interview and someone made a comment about Maori. Two weeks ago one of the parents where my daughter was playing commented about his barking dog and said it was ok because I wasn't brown. Anyway, that aside, from my personal experience of living in Canada, NZ, Britian and working in the USA and Bahamas, I would suggest that Canada offers more economic beneifts to the average worker than are available in NZ, more social/cultural assets, a stronger a more stable currrency and government structure and offers all the same benefits in many areas of the country that are available in NZ in the natural environment, lower levels of personal taxation, better levels of social support if you need it such as unemployment insurance, cheaper fuel and cars, and a much wider selection of fruit and vegetables in the store (here the biggest section we have seen is only about 30% the size that was in our local store in Canada), better tasting chocolate milk (no chemical aftertase like here) and yes, better tasting lamb (Ontario lamb tastes better than NZ lamb). I think that there are really just a few areas that you need to compare to make your mind up. The first is economics. You will likely be economically better off in Canada looking at your wages and take home pay. Of course housing is a variable that you can control and so you can choose more or less expensive options, but you may not get the same size section as you enjoy here. Costs of most items is less in Canada we find except for butter and apples, but milk is much cheaper as is gasoline. Employers often have a good benefits package that will allow you to visit the dentist twice a year, pay your perscriptions, match your RRSP savings contributions and have a defined benefit or contribution pension plan. You can also invest in a tax free savings account in addition to your RRSP and so avoid tax. Your savings grow on a tax free basis in Canada as opposed to a tax paid basis here meaning your savings grow much more quickly. So that is some of the economics. Lifestyle - this is a personal thing but what I do like about NZ is that sections are not as small as they are now in Canada when buying new houses. The sections there are getting very small. Traffic can be an issue, even on a Saturday in places like Burlingtion, Mississauga and others as you make your way to the Mall. Some of the shopping areas are very busy. Depending on where you live you might find the winter to be a little too long and if you are not a person who gets out to ski, skate, take the kids to the tobbogan hill than you may find the winter to be too hard. Personally, I enjoyed the change of seasons and enjoyed the walk in the woods in winter but by March I was looking forward to spring and the warmer weather. The same holds true for summer. Southern Ontario can be hot and humid with little to offer in the way of beaches compared to here, but if you have the money to buy or rent a cottage up north in Muskoka or some place like that a summer holiday is very pleasant. I think greater economic resources can produce a nice lifestlyle, but like here, keep to your means. Personal Preferences - What you want out of life. Unlike the other poster, I think that the cities here are just the same as those in Canada, except the Canadian cities are laid out so you can get around in the car easily and traffic is kept out of residential areas. Christchurch is such a busy place even in many residential areas. You may want to give Auckland a try. Sorry for the long post, I don't even know if I said much. |
Re: NZ to Canada
Originally Posted by CAN2NZ
(Post 8368728)
This is an interesting thread for me because we are Canadian and have lived in NZ now for three and a half years. I must say that having made the move, and now being wiser I would never have moved to NZ. While we do enjoy it here we find that there are enough draw backs that the weight is on the negative side of the ledger when compared to Canada.
We don't find schooling here to be consistently reliable product between schools or between classrooms in the same school. My son does not have text books at High School which I find surprising. Though I think NZ does OK compared to other Western countries on academic achievement, from my own experience, I can't understand how that is true. We have found that there is a prejudice here in NZ in my line of work against foreigners. Just yesterday someone made a comment to me about people from overseas. Racism is not even below the surface here in NZ. I was on a job interview and someone made a comment about Maori. Two weeks ago one of the parents where my daughter was playing commented about his barking dog and said it was ok because I wasn't brown. Anyway, that aside, from my personal experience of living in Canada, NZ, Britian and working in the USA and Bahamas, I would suggest that Canada offers more economic beneifts to the average worker than are available in NZ, more social/cultural assets, a stronger a more stable currrency and government structure and offers all the same benefits in many areas of the country that are available in NZ in the natural environment, lower levels of personal taxation, better levels of social support if you need it such as unemployment insurance, cheaper fuel and cars, and a much wider selection of fruit and vegetables in the store (here the biggest section we have seen is only about 30% the size that was in our local store in Canada), better tasting chocolate milk (no chemical aftertase like here) and yes, better tasting lamb (Ontario lamb tastes better than NZ lamb). I think that there are really just a few areas that you need to compare to make your mind up. The first is economics. You will likely be economically better off in Canada looking at your wages and take home pay. Of course housing is a variable that you can control and so you can choose more or less expensive options, but you may not get the same size section as you enjoy here. Costs of most items is less in Canada we find except for butter and apples, but milk is much cheaper as is gasoline. Employers often have a good benefits package that will allow you to visit the dentist twice a year, pay your perscriptions, match your RRSP savings contributions and have a defined benefit or contribution pension plan. You can also invest in a tax free savings account in addition to your RRSP and so avoid tax. Your savings grow on a tax free basis in Canada as opposed to a tax paid basis here meaning your savings grow much more quickly. So that is some of the economics. Lifestyle - this is a personal thing but what I do like about NZ is that sections are not as small as they are now in Canada when buying new houses. The sections there are getting very small. Traffic can be an issue, even on a Saturday in places like Burlingtion, Mississauga and others as you make your way to the Mall. Some of the shopping areas are very busy. Depending on where you live you might find the winter to be a little too long and if you are not a person who gets out to ski, skate, take the kids to the tobbogan hill than you may find the winter to be too hard. Personally, I enjoyed the change of seasons and enjoyed the walk in the woods in winter but by March I was looking forward to spring and the warmer weather. The same holds true for summer. Southern Ontario can be hot and humid with little to offer in the way of beaches compared to here, but if you have the money to buy or rent a cottage up north in Muskoka or some place like that a summer holiday is very pleasant. I think greater economic resources can produce a nice lifestlyle, but like here, keep to your means. Personal Preferences - What you want out of life. Unlike the other poster, I think that the cities here are just the same as those in Canada, except the Canadian cities are laid out so you can get around in the car easily and traffic is kept out of residential areas. Christchurch is such a busy place even in many residential areas. You may want to give Auckland a try. Sorry for the long post, I don't even know if I said much. We're financially sound here in Canada, have good jobs, big house, etc. and I know from reading all the posts that cost of living in NZ is higher than in Canada but it doesn't seem to stop us. There's something else that pulls us towards NZ, it's beauty and serenity, it's climate and access to beaches... Is it worth the cost? Everyone must decide for themselves what they cherish the most and what price they are willing to pay for it... With regards to your query we can say Canada is wonderful and diverse. We love Canada and are very grateful to call ourselves Canadians! Our teenage son would not be moving with us, he loves it here with all the pros and long winters. Maybe it's a mid-life crisis? Souls are looking for some adventure? I hope you find your answers... Oh, but the citizenship is a MUST before you do anything, I agree with JAJ. |
Re: NZ to Canada
Originally Posted by CAN2NZ
(Post 8368728)
Personal Preferences - What you want out of life. Unlike the other poster, I think that the cities here are just the same as those in Canada, except the Canadian cities are laid out so you can get around in the car easily and traffic is kept out of residential areas. Christchurch is such a busy place even in many residential areas. You may want to give Auckland a try.
Sorry for the long post, I don't even know if I said much. Also, RE here is very expensive. I also disagree about winter. Unlike Ontario, this part of BC is really temperate. For instance, we've had no snow this year. That's not unusual...more often it rains. Spring, Summer and Autumn here are generally pretty good...we don't get muggy or smoggy due to the sea winds. I really think Van has the best climate in Canada..not too hot in summer, not too cold in winter. edited to add: But I hear great things about Ontario's Muskoka/cottage country ;-) |
Re: NZ to Canada
Originally Posted by Canadka
(Post 8368838)
We're from Canada (Ontario) looking to move to NZ :) I'm reading this forum daily trying to find as much info as possible, find all pros/cons about NZ and here is the post from people going the other way. Funny. It's always greener on the other side, isn't it?
We're financially sound here in Canada, have good jobs, big house, etc. and I know from reading all the posts that cost of living in NZ is higher than in Canada but it doesn't seem to stop us. There's something else that pulls us towards NZ, it's beauty and serenity, it's climate and access to beaches... Is it worth the cost? Everyone must decide for themselves what they cherish the most and what price they are willing to pay for it... With regards to your query we can say Canada is wonderful and diverse. We love Canada and are very grateful to call ourselves Canadians! Our teenage son would not be moving with us, he loves it here with all the pros and long winters. Maybe it's a mid-life crisis? Souls are looking for some adventure? I hope you find your answers... Oh, but the citizenship is a MUST before you do anything, I agree with JAJ. |
Re: NZ to Canada
Originally Posted by Kiwilass
(Post 8368856)
You can get that in BC ;) just sayin'....
And I don't mind hot summers :) I just would like winters to be in +15..+20 area so BC is a little bit off weather wise for me. And it's expensive... But I do agree with you on the beauty part! |
Re: NZ to Canada
Originally Posted by Canadka
(Post 8368883)
Thank you very much. We'll have to go BC to see for ourserlves. The big drawback, though, are the crowds and traffic in Vancouver. Can't stand both :(
And I don't mind hot summers :) I just would like winters to be in +15..+20 area so BC is a little bit off weather wise for me. And it's expensive... But I do agree with you on the beauty part! Plenty of other places in BC without crowds or traffic...Van Island, sunshine coast, etc. etc. Anyway, good luck whatever you decide ;-) |
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