How to get out of UK - preferably move to Canada

mikesz

Hi All,
I have been leaving in UK for last 8 years and I think that I'm running out of energy. Life in here sucks. You have to be a milionaire in order to afford decent standard of living. Property prices are high and impossible to purchase. It's only work, sleep, eat and work again - hard to afford to go out. I really would like to have kids, but in this environment (UK) it is highly unlikely.

I would love to move abroad - Canada would be nice , but unfortunately non of us, neither me or my girlfriend qualify for Skilled worker scheme.

Does anyone know of any alternatives?

Thank you

Mikesz

networker050184

mikesz wrote: »

Life in here sucks. You have to be a milionaire in order to afford decent standard of living. Property prices are high and impossible to purchase. It's only work, sleep, eat and work again - hard to afford to go out.

Sounds like the rest of the world to me.

Asif Dasl

Marry a Canadian? The grass is always greener on the other side, everywhere has it's pluses and minuses.

sheckler

I thought everyone in the commonwealth can easily get work visas in any of the other member countries?

Go to Australia, best country ever.

it_consultant

Its not particularly easy to immigrate to Canada, and damn near impossible if you want to live in Quebec.

erpadmin

it_consultant wrote: »

Its not particularly easy to immigrate to Canada, and damn near impossible if you want to live in Quebec.

I can imagine that's true about Quebec...outside of Montreal, you are dead in the water if you don't speak any French in the rest of Quebec. Speaking French is practically a requirement there.

I always thought that since Canada was British property, that any British subject/citizen would have no problem living in Canada.

TimTheEnchantor

The Canadian Government "fell" recently due to no confidence. I am sure the Canadian people are very happy with their economy. Probably not. Economy sucks everywhere. Grass is always going to be greener, etc. Personal opinion: Work harder to achieve what you want. It may seem tough but who said anything was easy?

it_consultant

Canada is technically under the British Monarchy but they are a sovereign nation unto themselves. Canadian citizens are not British subjects. It may be easier for a brit but I don't remember reading of any special considerations for UK subjects when I looked at immigrating to Canada (from the US) a few years ago.

CertGuy2011

erpadmin wrote: »

I can imagine that's true about Quebec...outside of Montreal, you are dead in the water if you don't speak any French in the rest of Quebec. Speaking French is practically a requirement there.

I always thought that since Canada was British property, that any British subject/citizen would have no problem living in Canada.

Economy is good here, but your right about French speaking in Quebec province, it’s a must especially if you want to work here. You’ll have to learn another language. On a brighter note you’ll have free health care. Toronto and Vancouver are also nice too and don’t need French speaking there !

Aldur

I took a job in Canada in 2009, and man was it a pain to get a work permit. Granted I did have Juniper's lawyers working in the background so it wasn't a terrible amount of work for me to do. But still, it came down to me traveling to the border and presenting my case to the immigration officer. And even at that point they could have rejected my application.

But it does seem that it is easier to get a work permit and then try to integrate yourself into the country then flat out trying to immigrate to Canada. Might be a route you want to try.

erpadmin

CertGuy2011 wrote: »

Economy is good here, but your right about French speaking in Quebec province, it’s a must especially if you want to work here. You’ll have to learn another language. On a brighter note you’ll have free health care. Toronto and Vancouver are also nice too and don’t need French speaking there !

I've been to both Ontario (not Toronto though... ) and Montreal. I was floored that the street signs were in French...however, in Montreal, everyone spoke English (one of the world's major cities.....there's pretty much no choice). However, I was told that once I leave Montreal, I'm pretty much on my own...lol.

As for free health care....sorry, I don't want to wait x amount of years to see a specialist.

Plantwiz

mikesz wrote: »

Hi All,
I have been leaving in UK for last 8 years and I think that I'm running out of energy. Life in here sucks. You have to be a milionaire in order to afford decent standard of living. Property prices are high and impossible to purchase. It's only work, sleep, eat and work again - hard to afford to go out. I really would like to have kids, but in this environment (UK) it is highly unlikely.

I would love to move abroad - Canada would be nice , but unfortunately non of us, neither me or my girlfriend qualify for Skilled worker scheme.

Does anyone know of any alternatives?

Thank you

Mikesz

Are you not native to England?

I've several friends around the area and they seem to enjoy what they have. However, I agree with the others comments about going to Canada, it can be more difficult to get into, but not as difficult as Australia.

If you speak French, why not simply move to France?

Otherwise, it sounds like maybe your suffering from "there must be something better" as many people have and currently are going through...

Keep in mind, only YOU have the power to change your situation. It typically has little to do with the country one is in (unless say you are in Burma/Myanmar) or some place with a bit of turmoil ).

ConradJ

Well my friend, you're in my specialist area here! I was born and raised in South Africa, moved to Singapore, left there and moved to England. Lived in England for 11 years and moved to Canada in 2008. Never looked back.
I got in under the provincial nominee program. It's hard, and takes forever, but well worth it. The standard of living here is phenomenal compared to the UK... The one and only thing I miss is my pub.
It took about 4.5 years of waiting to get in, but they assure me they are re-addressing the entire system with the view of getting it slipstreamed to around a year.
Any questions let me know, I'm away for the weekend but will be back Sunday night!

za3bour

networker050184 wrote: »

Sounds like the rest of the world to me.

me too

SneakDogg

Isn't the UK in the European Union, which means you can work anywhere in Europe? If you can, I would try to live in Spain. I've always dreamed of living over there.

Essendon

Come over to Australia. As a pom you will have no problems getting a permanent visa here, at least this is what my pommy colleagues tell me.

nel

Essendon wrote: »

Come over to Australia. As a pom you will have no problems getting a permanent visa here, at least this is what my pommy colleagues tell me.

Is this true? Damn, im going to apply, screw it.

England isnt that bad, its alot better than the majority of its EU counterparts imo, but like everywhere it has its positives and minuses. If your not a native countryman to the country your living in then to be honest you have to make sure your picking the right country to move too. sounds like you've made the wrong move mate.

mikedisd2

Heaps of British ex-pats over here. They love the sun and beaches that we have. Also fresh air, less crime and less crazies trying to kill all of us, relatively speaking.

mikedisd2

Plantwiz wrote: »

If you speak French, why not simply move to France?

Otherwise, it sounds like maybe your suffering from "there must be something better" as many people have and currently are going through...

Keep in mind, only YOU have the power to change your situation. It typically has little to do with the country one is in (unless say you are in Burma/Myanmar) or some place with a bit of turmoil ).

France may be just as undesirable. I think his points and attitude are totally valid, not just a grass is greener thing.

I don't agree with it just being about mental attitude. Your environment can really send you out of your tree, especially in the big city.

stuh84

mikesz wrote: »

Hi All,
I have been leaving in UK for last 8 years and I think that I'm running out of energy. Life in here sucks. You have to be a milionaire in order to afford decent standard of living. Property prices are high and impossible to purchase. It's only work, sleep, eat and work again - hard to afford to go out. I really would like to have kids, but in this environment (UK) it is highly unlikely.

I would love to move abroad - Canada would be nice , but unfortunately non of us, neither me or my girlfriend qualify for Skilled worker scheme.

Does anyone know of any alternatives?

Thank you

Mikesz

"Location: London"

There is your problem right there. I'm not earning a great wage (less than £30k a year), but I own a house, car, have most stuff I want and can go out when I feel like it.

Just like if you went to live in New York and said living in the US sucks, saying that living in the UK sucks based upon being in London just makes no sense to me.

it_consultant

erpadmin wrote: »

I've been to both Ontario (not Toronto though... ) and Montreal. I was floored that the street signs were in French...however, in Montreal, everyone spoke English (one of the world's major cities.....there's pretty much no choice). However, I was told that once I leave Montreal, I'm pretty much on my own...lol.

As for free health care....sorry, I don't want to wait x amount of years to see a specialist.

Have you seen a specialist in the US? I work with a couple of specialist physician practices and the waits can be a long time, if they even agree to take on new patients. Canadians are not overrunning our border in order to see physicians so I can't believe its that bad.

erpadmin

it_consultant wrote: »

Have you seen a specialist in the US?

Yes I have...and in a reasonably quick amount of time, as I needed to have thoracic surgery to remove a non-cancerous mass. The only bad thing about that was I had to be out of work for a couple of months, but I had enough sick time to cover that. Did not have to go on disability or beg others for their own sick time.

If I had been in Canada, or any other Commonwealth Realm or what-have-you, I would probably still be on a waiting list for that surgery.

Turgon

erpadmin wrote: »

Yes I have...and in a reasonably quick amount of time, as I needed to have thoracic surgery to remove a non-cancerous mass. The only bad thing about that was I had to be out of work for a couple of months, but I had enough sick time to cover that. Did not have to go on disability or beg others for their own sick time.

If I had been in Canada, or any other Commonwealth Realm or what-have-you, I would probably still be on a waiting list for that surgery.

It really depends in the UK. There are waiting lists but sometimes you can get turned around pretty quickly for surgical procedures with no hassles on healthcare insurance and what have you.

SneakDogg

I know London is expensive but since the country is small and the transportation system is good, can't you live outside of London for a reasonable price and commute to a good paying job in the city? I seem to remember taking the Tube all the way to countryside once when I was there back in the 90s.

bertieb

Essendon wrote: »

Come over to Australia. As a pom you will have no problems getting a permanent visa here, at least this is what my pommy colleagues tell me.

I wish it was as easy at all those other ex-pats who have already made it to Aus have said! Essendon already knows, but to set the background for everyone else, I'm in the process of going through the visa process and it is MUCH harder than it was say a couple of years ago (based on some experiences my friends have had). The net is tightening and it is proving a harder (and much longer) process to 'get-in'. I'm not being put off though - and the day I get to meet and buy the Aus TE members a beer or ten will be a good day indeed

To the OP, have you considered anywhere else in the UK rather than London? I spend a lot of time there with work and am always glad to head back 'up north' as fast as a BA jet or Virgin rail train will carry me. I view London an exception, a completely unusual and strange place in the UK where people won't give you the time of day or say hello (generally speaking of course). I never understand why people in London race up and down escalators to catch a tube that appears every minute....WHAT is that all about?

Turgon

SneakDogg wrote: »

I know London is expensive but since the country is small and the transportation system is good, can't you live outside of London for a reasonable price and commute to a good paying job in the city? I seem to remember taking the Tube all the way to countryside once when I was there back in the 90s.

People do that, but the house prices even at a long distance from London are still too high for an average wage. The price of a seasonal ticket to get in and out of London for work is not inconsequential and many wages in London are not much higher than the rest of the country. Throw in a crowded long commute and the situation where you cant socialise with people you work with in the evening because everyone travels in different directions to catch trains and get home and you are left feeling it's not something you want to be doing unless you either really need the big city experience or earn a lot of money. Even if it pays lots of loot it gets old and cramps your personal life.

Anyone wants to offer me homeworking and over 100K GBP + Car + Bonus to work in London contact me offline please.

Cheers

erpadmin

bertieb wrote: »

I view London an exception, a completely unusual and strange place in the UK where people won't give you the time of day or say hello (generally speaking of course). I never understand why people in London race up and down escalators to catch a tube that appears every minute....WHAT is that all about?

No different than Manhattan, NYC, then. (The rest of NYC is not like that at all.)

it_consultant

erpadmin wrote: »

Yes I have...and in a reasonably quick amount of time, as I needed to have thoracic surgery to remove a non-cancerous mass. The only bad thing about that was I had to be out of work for a couple of months, but I had enough sick time to cover that. Did not have to go on disability or beg others for their own sick time.

If I had been in Canada, or any other Commonwealth Realm or what-have-you, I would probably still be on a waiting list for that surgery.

It really depends on where you are physically located in Canada, similar to the US. The supply and demand of specialists works the same in both countries. I read a study once that showed that average waiting times were comparable in Canada and the US. The big caveat being that in Canada you don't have to pay...well you pay with huge income taxes but whatever.