marcustandy

It would seem that there a fair few Military personnel either at, or approaching their end of service who are looking to make the move to Canada. I have also noted that there a quite a few who have already made the move.

Hopefully this thread will enable a lot of the available advice and info to be found in one place, although we wouldn't want to end up repeating info, such as the excellent topic of Military Pensions here.

If anyone has links to other useful threads scattered about BE, maybe they could be posted here to enable them to be found quickly and easily; a one-stop-shop, if you will!

marcustandy

On another thread (Military Pensions) the subject resettlement and of timing ref a move to Canada after military service was mentioned.

I had an interesting telephone conversation with an IERO yesterday reference the matter of doing a resettlement course in Canada, working for another employer whilst still being paid by the MoD and the general integration of emigration & resettlement.


Resettlement courses abroad - as previously mentioned somewhere on BE, the criteria for this includes that the course isn't available in UK, if it is available in UK then it is cheaper abroad and that personal circumstances would play a big part i.e. plans to emigrate to said country.

The budget/payment for this is controlled and authorised in a slightly different manner i.e. centrally at (I think) Wilton and as such, approval can take a while longer than normal. Tip for top - plan ahead!

To remain 'on duty' whilst in another country doing resettlement, you would be temporarily attached to the local British Embassy; the only possible deviation from this would be in there was a British Military base in the same location. I don't know if BATUS counts for Canada.

The accommodation (ahem, course) fee's can still be paid (well, claimed) despite them being in a foreign currency, however, you the individual may be expecting to pay or receive X-amount but due to currency exchange rates fluctuation you may end up paying/receiving XX-amount.

You are responsible for your own travel arrangements, however, you may get a nominal 'port of entry' type of travel claim.

Don't forget that ELCs and resettlement can be combined nowadays.


Working for another employer prior to actual discharge - this was the question that I thought had become something of a victim of the 'urban myth syndrome'. I had difficulty understanding how it is perfectly feasible and legitimate to get CO/OC permission to carry out other work, so long as it meets certain criteria (no work as a 'bouncer' or anything that would affect your duty, nor anything that would reflect badly on the Service) and yet you can't undertake paid employment until your discharge is complete!?!

Well, the actual truth is something more along the lines of the following; whilst on your resettlement course you are 'on duty' and so can't be paid; similar rules apply to a CWA (Civilian Workplace Attachment). However, if you are only 'on leave' and not duty then it is perfectly fine to approach your CO/OC for permission to undertake paid work. Same rules apply as to part-time work (see para above) and the individual is responsible for ensuring that all matters of tax etc are dealt with appropriately.

In my case, I have spent many many weekends and leave periods working for different agencies and companies directly, whilst still serving. Worst case scenario, I would do the same right up until my actual date of discharge!


Last six months in Canada? - the IERO explained how this might well be achieved but the opportunities would be somewhat limited. I'll hold off from going into too much detail on here (maybe until I've sorted it for myself first! ) but PM me if you want some more info ref this later on. Surface to say it is not a 'mission impossible' . . . . . . . . .


Disclaimer: The above post is offered as goodwill advice only, and is taken from my personal experiences. Please ensure that you check any of the above information before basing any life-changing decisions on it! I cannot confirm it's accuracy but it's as true as I was told it!

ex_REME

Good thread! Let's get as much as we can on here to help those following. I've been through the process last year, although I didn't do any resettlement training in Canada, I did get my recce/CF recruitment tests/house hunting trip classed as a CWA and thus got return travel cost to/from Gatwick, hotel and meals claim whilst in Canada.

chinook

Is there anybody out there that has actually demobbed at the end of their tour. I am sure BATUS must have had a few, I am just thinking that if you were out here on your last tour, paying UK tax then would you pay tax on your terminal grant.

I am posted out here for 3 years and intend to put my papers in so the demob and tourex dates match, then the last 6 months of tour are my resettlement, leave, terminal time.

I also need some proper advice on the subject as I have my PR and actually landed in May 07, well before this tour started.

Anybody have any ideas or advice.

agr

Where does this 'last 6 months' idea come from? It's 7 weeks resettlement (if you can be spared) and 4 weeks terminal leave.

If I were a career manager/desk officer/drafter for someone who submitted notice while serving abroad, then I would invite the employing unit/embassy/host nation CO to consider whether the notice-giver could be spared for 11 weeks. If no, I would provide a relief and repatriate the notice-giver for his last 3 months (too expensive to keep him abroad). If yes, I would deduce that the post was not vital and could be deleted at considerable LOA saving to the taxpayer.

Don't assume that your tour length is set in stone!

But the greatest risk is tax on gratuity, especially if you already are PR for immigration purposes. It takes very little else to trigger tax residency once you have passed your final date in the Service. See this thread for more discussion. You want to be able to show you are a UK resident until the gratuity arrives in the bank!

agr

True, but ELCs can only be used with approved training providers, of whom there are very few outside the UK.

marcustandy

My time is made up as follows; 4 wks terminal leave, 7 wks resettlement, 3 wks carried-over, 6 wks* annual leave = 20 weeks/5 months. Our personnel have previously been able to add their grant days/PH at the CO's discretion . *From next leave year the annual entitlement increases from 30 to 38 days.

As I previously mentioned, there is a way around this potential problem, one element of which is to ensure that only your terminal leave is left to take during the last six months i.e. do your resettlement courses earlier. There is a bit more to the process though.

Absolutely agree!! Hence the reason that our plans have been pushed back by 6 months. I am currently looking at options such as living in a welfare flat for a month after my discharge date or even a cheap hotel. The question is, can I be on vacation in Canada for a month (genuinely living in a hotel) before landing?

agr

This just looks like mismanagement of manpower to me. If there are people loafing around foreign countries for 5 months at the taxpayer's expense waiting to go outside then their billets are not required and should be redeployed elsewhere - perhaps to those places that are so stretched that they are generating 3 week leave debts?

All I'm saying is that, having served abroad twice, I have spent a lot of time justifying posts; I could not have said a post was essential if its occupant did not come to work for 5 months. So such a plan would not survive contact with me. You would be burning up leave from the day you joined.

Check out the previous threads and the CRA website - it's all about where your family are and where you have a residence available to you. You might want to ask the CRA for a written determination - see the thread I linked to earlier.

Wearsider

Hi Guys

Check some of "Suzyanne" s previous posts. She hasn't posted for over a year, but I used to work with her and I know her hubby did a number of placements in Alberta when he was about to leave the Army.

He used to be an engineer or mechanic, and I am fairly sure he got a decent job managing a maintenance department soon after landing.

leecyndisanders

Resettlement courses abroad- as previously mentioned somewhere on BE, the criteria for this includes that the course isn't available in UK, if it is available in UK then it is cheaper abroad and that personal circumstances would play a big part i.e. plans to emigrate to said country.


I'm out in a few weeks, I was informed by IERO that as long as I had good reason for any course choice to be held in Canada that would be fine. When I mentioned HGV she initially said that I would have to do it in UK, when I explained that a UK licence would be no good as I'm only stepping in UK for a connecting flight she said it would be fine. All I had to do was pay for course then claim back the £530.

dinger24

Firstly - Hoorah - Fantastic thread, now I have my Cam cream on, helmet on and a sandbag ready It is great to see this info on here and few guys/girls going through the same hoops.
I have a friend who spent his last 4 months in Batus this year (Bn would not give him his last 6 months unless it was to the UK, not sure if there is a rule here or if it was CO's discretion) He then thought he was on easy street until he arrived there and was put to work, again CO's discretion! He was sent there to take up a job/post. I know he got his resettlement etc but there was no extras, "gardeners leave" etc. Fortunately he had employment locally already arranged. However unfortunately I have lost touch with him I would be sure he could have answered a few questions.
My plan is to make a move as soon as the money is in the bank (gratuity) The problems are endless, I am in the process of asking for last 6 months in the UK, I have no resettlement organised (do I do it in Germany or UK during last 6 months? will I even get my last 6 months in the UK) Then there is the housing, if I go back to UK I will need to move into a quarter, but can I stay in it after discharge until I move to Canada? I am getting no answers back here as the Unit is on rear details, I am not long back from Afghan so I am starting to panic! I just cant see the light at the end of the tunnel!

LiffyB

MY OH is also military and is leaving the Mob next November after 33 years service.

We too would like to be out in Canada six months prior to his release date but the situation with tax on the gratuity prevents this. We are going down the CI route having lived out in NS before and are desperate to get back to Halifax. We are about to put our home on the market (not the best of times!) and are looking to move back into MQ's.

Ideally if a sale happens we will start to look for a home in NS - but the tax situation will hold us back. OH has looked at doing courses over in Canada but - We are aware that the Canadian tax man will not look favourably on the fact that we may have a home in NS, OH is doing courses and/or on a job placement.

So from the end of July which is when he can start leave/courses we will be sitting twiddling our thumbs desperate to get out to Canada

Liff

andyjojake

Then there is the housing, if I go back to UK I will need to move into a quarter, but can I stay in it after discharge until I move to Canada? I am getting no answers back here as the Unit is on rear details, I am not long back from Afghan so I am starting to panic! I just cant see the light at the end of the tunnel![/QUOTE]

hi, i'm am going through this process at present. I've been told that u can stay in your MQ until 90 days after your discharge date, although the cost goes up. i think u have to pay the same rate as a council house in that area. This is only from my experience i the UK, sorry i don't know the rules abroad. Hope this helps.

dinger24

Thanks, I have literally put the paperwork in yesterday for my last 6 months in the UK, I am in Germany. On the form I filled in it stated that I accept I can be moved out before or on my discharge, which is a concern. I know ppl have remained in until 90 days after, this would allow for my gratuity to be payed in. If however I have to move into a rented house, I just see £'s going down the pan for 1 or 2 months! Does anyone know the ruling on this?

DAVIE_MAC

Holly Hell,

Have I got to do everything round here....

DInger n all here ya's go.

http://www.defence-estates.mod.uk/sfa/loss.php

I also intend to stay put once discharged. I doubt they will formally evict you if paying rent at the correct rate.

JPA states that you should allow 30 days for gratuity payment but should be in around 10 working days...which I can vouch for as being near as dam it as the OH left in Aug hers came through quickly and JPA discaharged me on the 6th of July...WHY??? no idea as I hadn't signed off but they did.

My gratuity came through in around 8 days and my pension was also paid quickly...what a pain in the ass writing letters and paying it all back.

You watch now when I sign off I'll have no end of hassle they will prob say "you have been paid this already...sod off" and it will take months to sort...you just know it will happen.....