Moving to Canada

[PK99]

D1 has just accepted a job in Vancouver - a mix of lifestyle choice and career move. Already has a pre approved Young person's work visa.

Just wondered if any of our Canadian brethren or folks with experience of Canada have any advice I could pass on.

London salary is £54k
Vancouver salary is C$80k plus benefits
How do these compare in terms of lifestyle they buy?

 

[slowmotion]

We've been a dozen times for summer holidays in the last twenty years because we have family there. If D1 likes outdoor activities...sailing, skiing, hiking, cycling, swimming etc, she'll love it. It's all right outside her front door. If she's a bit of a culture vulture, it'll seem like a desert compared to London. She's young so what has she got to lose? Get on the plane.

 

[marzjennings]

Vancouver is a great city. My wife has family up there and my brother moved there from Leamington about 2 years back. He and his family love the place so much so they're looking at making their stay there as long as possible. Cost of living is very high, especially compared to Leamington and if you want to live close to down town. Compared to London it'll be very similar, though I wouldn't accept a pay cut to move there.

Is there a moving package with this deal? While she get a month's rent to help find a home? Will the company help with dealing with UK taxes for the first year?

I've been up a few times and really like the place, there's some great cycling on and off road. Traffic can be a nightmare is she has to commute.

My brother lives in Kitsilano which is great neighbourhood, walks along beach, not far from the Uni and down town, but rents are crazy.

My wife's family is in Steveston, very laid back fishing neighbourhood. Bit of drive/bus ride from down town.

 

[Debade]

I have not been to Vancouver in years but from what I remember and know from others, slowmotion provided a good summary. I was interested in the cost question and found this link that might be helpful https://www.numbeo.com/cost-of-livi...ancouver&country2=United+Kingdom&city2=London

 

[PK99]

We've been a dozen times for summer holidays in the last twenty years because we have family there. If D1 likes outdoor activities...sailing, skiing, hiking, cycling, swimming etc, she'll love it. It's all right outside her front door. If she's a bit of a culture vulture, it'll seem like a desert compared to London. She's young so what has she got to lose? Get on the plane.

her holiday in June was 2 weeks solo camping and hiking in the Rockies in Colorado...... this is a lifestyle choice!

 

[marzjennings]

her holiday in June was 2 weeks solo camping and hiking in the Rockies in Colorado...... this is a lifestyle choice!

I did the Icefields Parkway ride with these guys about 9 years ago... http://www.rockymountaincycle.com/index.html ... one of the best tours I've ever ridden.

 

[slowmotion]

her holiday in June was 2 weeks solo camping and hiking in the Rockies in Colorado...... this is a lifestyle choice!

MEC should be her first port of call then! Mountain Equipment Co-Op in Vancouver is some kind of paradise. I bought my chain whip and tyre levers there a decade ago.
She'll need this....
https://www.mec.ca/en/product/5025-358/Bear-Spray-1%-325g-Canister

 

[rich p]

Handy for skiing too.

 

[Flying_Monkey]

Vancouver is beautiful and the west coast in general is lovely. However it has also become ludicrously expensive in recent years due to a massive influx of mainland Chinese investment capital, which has rendered most of the central city, and even moving a lot further out, unaffordable to anyone on normal salaries, let alone those who are genuinely poor. It's become one of the most expensive cities in the world in relation to income. The average house price is over $1M Canadian now... $80K is not going to go as far as it used to, nowhere near.

 

[Saluki]

£7k pa pay drop but I'd still go in a heartbeat.

 

[PK99]

£7k pa pay drop but I'd still go in a heartbeat.

That's much where she is.

If it turns out to be permanent, she would sell her London flat and buy there, in the meantime she will rent it out for more than the mortgage.

 

[Saluki]

That's much where she is.

If it turns out to be permanent, she would sell her London flat and buy there, in the meantime she will rent it out for more than the mortgage.

Good plan

 

[gavgav]

Spent a month in Western Canada, back in 2006. Best month of my life, amazing places, particularly Whistler and Vancouver.

 

[snorri]

Don't go without your.

 

[PK99]

Don't go without your.

She is well aware of the winter rains!