Is it still worth emigrating to Canada from the UK?

[cracked]

Is it still worth emigrating to Canada from the UK? It's 27 years since I lived in Montréal for six months in 1989, from what I remember Canada was a more decent place to live, with more opportunity and the possibility of buying a decent size home, a better quality of life, and of course more open to migrants. I really regretted moving back to the UK, so I've always wanted to go back and now I have a chance. I'm recently remarried, I'm 51, my wife is 37, she is living in Hong Kong with my five-year-old step-daughter, so we're looking for a place where we could live together. At the moment it's difficult to bring her to the UK because she's from outside of the European Union.
With her as lead applicant we have 400+ points, and I'm excited about having a second chance. I want to do it, but I am hesitating. Is Canada still the great place it used to be? Or has it gone downhill? It is still a better place to live than here? It's been such a such long time. Also, my parents are getting old and before too long they'd appreciate me being around. BTW I'm not working at present. Any advice appreciated.

 

[steaky]

How big is a decent size home? How much it costs in UK - more specifically which city? London or Nottingham?

 

[ttrajan]

Weather and job wise. UK is better.

 

[cracked]

Hi Steaky,
Thanks for replying!I'm living in my house in East London, and make some money by renting rooms, but from what I can see on the Internet, I could get a lot more house in Montréal.
Hi Ttrajan, thanks to you too!
I don't really mind cold weather, and my wife is from Russia, so I'm used to walking around in freezing cold! In fact I quite enjoy the contrast, I like to get into the house and have a nice hot cup of tea or something similar after walking around outside. Also I believe that the houses in Canada must be better heated than in the UK. Anyway, moving to Canada is for my wife as well, it's pretty difficult for me to bring her to the UK, because of the very strict requirements, I would have to get a good job and work here on my own for six months even before I could start to apply, to satisfy the income requirements, they don't care that she is younger and therefore more employable than me. But with her as the lead applicant, I think we have a chance of getting to Canada.
As far as employment is concerned, I can tell that the jobs market is booming here, by talking to my tenants who are all Europeans who have come to London because they have more opportunities here. Now we are part of the European Union, the United Kingdom is flooded by labour both skilled and unskilled. It used to be the case that you could un-skilled work in London, you could get warehouse work, or surveying work which didn't require qualifications but it is very difficult now because there are so many people from Europe here now. But isn't it the case that in Canada, because of the emphasis on letting in only skilled migrants, there is not so much competition for the unskilled jobs, and also that these are relatively better paid than in the UK? I remember when I took my driving lessons in Canada, I was impressed by the professionalism of the driving school. Driving instructors in Canada seem to have more status, bigger cars, an actual classroom to teach in, and a better standard of living than in England.
My wife wants to have a second kid, so as she is more employable, I will probably be a carer and work part-time at first. I'd like to try to start a new career when I get to Canada. I've spent the last 15 years in Brazil and China/Hong Kong where I could not do the social and community work which I used to do in the UK. In China and Brazil I did mostly interpreting, translating, English teaching, writing and some real estate sales work in China and Brazil. I also made some money (and a lot of friends) with a "guesthouse" in Hong Kong. I'd like to get back into social / community work again. I'm wondering whether this is feasible and also if there are other kinds of work I could do.

 

[mrbeachman]

There are no jobs in Canada and moving to a new country at 51? It's suicide.

Be aware that healthcare in Quebec is hideous and can not be compared to a quality healthcare that NHS provides. That money you save on the house will be eaten by other things. Canada IS expensive.

Why don't you go back living in Asia? You could go back to teaching and have that extra income from rentals.

Does your wife have a career in HK?

I am just afraid it would be a financial suicide for both of you. Canada is very good at separating you from your savings.

 

[8Hannah8]

Not sure where you got the information that "a job market is booming". Not only that unemployment is rising, competition is becoming more fierce due to constant increase of international students (they are granted a work permit after graduation). Basically, employers are hiring younger, cheaper and with crazy credentials.
It's not to discourage you, but rather to make things more realistic. Currently, Canada is not doing that great economy-wise as it is very tied up to Oil Market. Without Canadian experience, chances your wife will get a job are low.
If she is currently living in Hong Kong and you decided that the immigration to Canada is the absolute must, ask her to look for a job in Hong Kong for a Canadian company (some companies have branches there). This experience will count towards immigration and employment in Canada.

 

[cracked]

Hi mrbeachman thanks for replying!
Why do you say the health system in Québec is hideous? I see that Québec is the only province in Canada which funds fertility treatment, so it can't be that bad, surely?
What do you mean there are no jobs in Canada? There must be some jobs, otherwise why does the Canadian government keep on bringing immigrants in, and why do they keep on trying to get into Canada? Yes I'm sure it's not easy to get work, in a new country you always start at the bottom, I've been in that situation before, but if you are willing to work at it, make contacts, network, do some voluntary work, you can make it, I believe, don't you?
My wife, who is not a native English speaker, has work in Hong Kong as an English teacher.

The reason I don't want to live in Hong Kong any more is that the work there for me is limited to English teaching, and the place is slowly becoming absorbed by China, with steady erosion of human rights and the legal system, a deteriorating economic outlook, also it has the most expensive property in the world, expensive education,very bad air pollution and next to no welfare security net. And it's not a place you can ever truly call home, because you will never be Chinese, i.e. no path to citizenship.

8Hannah8,
Thank you for your advice, looking for a Canadian employer in Hong Kong is a great idea, I will start looking for a job for my wife in Hong Kong with a Canadian employer!
As for what you say, of course you are right, but it is the same everywhere. Employers generally prefer younger, more qualified workers, but I believe that it is still possible to compete. Employment is not just about qualifications, it's also about life experience, maturity and stability, which are things which come with age, and some employers realise that. At least I hope so,

 

[Neverending]

The reason Canadian government keep bringing people is here is because no one here wants to do the low paid service and retail jobs that need to be done. Looking at Albertan job market past few months only jobs available pay between 10 and 18 dollars an hour. Try survive here on that with cost of living rising everyday.
So yes lots of jobs but no money

 

[steaky]

So yes lots of jobs but no money

But he might still be able to feed himself and family by his rental income from Brazil and Hong Kong. Canadian properties prices are way lower than Hong Kong.

 

[mrbeachman]

Let me reiterate this once again.

Healthcare in Quebec is hideous.

I had an uncle who went for a surgery there and almost died of mold poisoning.

Healthcare in Quebec is 2 tier, private and government.

Expect to be on a huge waiting list in a government hospital. Family doctors don't exist.

Please note that I lived 15 years in Montreal and 5 years in Toronto. Ontario public healthcare is way, way better. It can not be compared.

You also mention political situation in HK, but it is not better in Quebec. I almost left that province in 1995 (in retrospect, I should have done it) because of referendum and political situation combined with animosity towards Anglophones and immigrants. Do you or your wife speak French? This is the only place in the civilized world that I know of where language police goes around restaurants and fines owners because they have the word "pasta" on the menu. And believe me when I tell you that being a member of certain political party will get you much further as far as employment is concerned. Sounds a lot like China, doesn't it?

If your wife works as an English teacher in HK, then she is doing better than most. Someone replied that she should look for a job with a Canadian company and get transferred. I am telling you right away this is going to be an impossible task. My ex used to work for relocation services and and most people that got transferred back in the day were people who worked in oil related jobs or IT (Suncor, EA, Ubisoft, and some financial services like Deloitte).

If you still want to move at least move to a more sensible province like Ontario. I understand the allure of Montreal. It is a lively city and I absolutely loved it there when I went to University. It does have a vibe. But you are not a young guy you used to be and memory and nostalgia can often be deceiving. The fact that you have experience counts for nothing unless it's Canadian. Just check the numerous posts on this forum (or even better other Canadian forums).


Of course, I don't know your personal situation. Maybe you are well established and can afford this experiment.