Canada or Australia? can't decide

[dalaney]

Hi
Hoping you can help me decide on where to immigrate to.

My hubby been offered a job in Calgary (plumber) but really unsure if Canada is right for me because I hate being cold.

Apart from the weather Canada looks like a beautiful country to live and Calgary looks great just can't stop thinking about how cold it will be.

Australia looks great aswell plus its warm but we haven't received a job offer from there and visa application looks more complicated.

Can anyone help me decide

[leoman20]

Originally Posted by dalaney

Hi
Hoping you can help me decide on where to immigrate to.

My hubby been offered a job in Calgary (plumber) but really unsure if Canada is right for me because I hate being cold.

Apart from the weather Canada looks like a beautiful country to live and Calgary looks great just can't stop thinking about how cold it will be.

Australia looks great aswell plus its warm but we haven't received a job offer from there and visa application looks more complicated.

Can anyone help me decide

Australia is like Canada a resource rich country and there is a big demand for workers for those mining and oil/gas field areas (and support services) of mainly western australia and queensland on north east
people often live on coast of queensland (like miami beautiful beaches good surf holiday feel sun++ but may be too hot for you in summer up to 35 degrees C 70% humidity) and commute by plane to inland mining areas of Mt Isa -look on google earth
western australia mining areas are in more arid frontier company towns but good facilities air con etc.


Sydney (2.5 million people ) Melbourne and Brisbane are big population centres with good supply of suitable jobs not just cashier type.but sydney housing is expensive-eplains why young families are moving en masse to high growth areas of south east queensland
although some like the slightly cheaper but colder area of melbourne.more english weather very changeable 4 seasons in one day they say.but not as cold as UK


Australia has small population however and 3 levels of government making the admin overhead high and hence taxes although they are falling
highest tax rate 41.5% occurs around 150000aud
average wage is $50000
free (or almost free) medical care for all but not for elective surgery (must queue 2 years for hip replacement typically) or specialist care that is not emergency.
e.g. if have heart attack free ambulance then free treatment in hospital if queue not too long e.g. for stenting.
expensive but not as bad as USA
I think Canada has similar medical model to australia.

There are small government pensions and unemployment (if you are long standing citizen)
Australia is a melting pot with not much real racism no land connected neighbours
most who come here are mixed in within a generation speaking aussie slang
and have same friendly one class society openness.

so we are safe few guns unlike USA .hunting is not the norm.farmers may have guns for animal pests.
the spiders and snakes are not seen in urban cities in practice.I have seen one funnel web in 24 years on my land and only because i made a small excavation for a shed in a disused part of the block.when bushwalking again rare to see a dangerous anything.birds of all kinds in the cities.kangaroos in more nature park areas outside cities.
lots of space big blue sky like that of soouth africa .
it can be dry here droughts can go for 15 years in some parts.
most people live along the coast where beaches are best in world next to perhaps hawaii but much less people.
good infrastructure -roads gas electricity blackouts rare .can drink water from the tap.air quality even in sydney is still good.
sewerage excellent.
good quality goods and consumer protection
like most countries politicians are soso especially state and council ones occas caught with hand in the till but good press and tv help to epxose that eventually.plus national carrier ABC radio/tv like BBC no advertisements and lot of bbc productions.
supermarkets are vry good here-
food is still relatively cheap and range is huge
fresh frozen peas $5 /kg pork and chicken 12-15$ /kg steak around $16/kg cheezes -esp new zealand and local around $10/kg among best in the world but also danish imported cheese italian sausage greek olives as well as local
local yoghurt $5/kg greek style or fruit flavoured.
local anfd imported coffee .local tea sugar macadamia nuts rice avocados
tomatos year round
fresh bananas oranges pawpaw pineapple apples granny smith pink lady jonathan etc all local
onions-white red
cabbage standard red
lettuces-standard rocket
cauliflower cabbage spring onions potatoes egg plant garlic cucmber
nearly every kind of fruit vegetable not all seasonal.
fish barramundi atlantic salmon tuna plantiful (lots of fish farms inland!)
all take away and restaurants.indian thai chinese french lebanese italian greek
but more expensive.
alcohol cheap-24 cans beer $35
spirits expensive (tax) jonny walker $35 /750 ml
wine good and relatively cheap one of australias big exports!
good red $15/bottle reasonable champagne style $10 /bottle
good white $13/bottle

weather lowest for 40 years was this winter 8-13 degrees C in Sydney -i.e. not even a frost!
minus 5 on highest mountains with snow.
bit warmer than Canada!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
warmest is in late december jan feb around 30-35 high hunidity in sydney.
tend to have rain in summer . just go to beach and put on t-shirt or sunscreen
(must watch sunburn as most poms dont understand how strong it is here because of the clear blue skies.)
spring and autumn breathtaking flowers here

in short nearly everything you want at affordable prices and great weather except houses in sydney and taxes.
canada has advantage of being near usa to visit ir get bigger paying job .i am not sure once you are canadian how easy it is to work in usa.
stan

[dalaney]

Thankyou Stan that is incredibly imformative.

I think I would really like Australia, especially like the Victoria area. But my hubby and 2 kids have got there heart set on Canada because it's closer to England and because he has been offered a job there.

I think if he had a job offer for Australia aswell I might be able to pursuade them but I have sent his CV off to lots of employers with no answer from all but 1, who told us to contact them once we had arrived in Australia.

Also financially it's not going to cost us too much to get too Canada, just flights and work permit initially, so if we decide we are not happy then we haven't lost too much.
Australia however is going to cost us a lot more to apply, as we need visa and skills assessment before we move.

If anyone knows of how to get a job offer in Australia before we apply I would greatly appreciate their help

[Raymapleleaf]

hi we look at both too we are going to calgary canada its better for kids ,money and much more closer to u.k to but we are not looking back
regards
ray

[dalaney]

Originally Posted by EDWARDTHE CHEF

hi we look at both too we are going to calgary canada its better for kids ,money and much more closer to u.k to but we are not looking back
regards
ray

Hi Ray

We going to Calgary too, when are you off?.
We just waiting for hubby's qualifications and experience to be regonised (AAIT) then we can apply for work permit. Hoping to be there around middle February. Although might go sooner if we can, as employer keen to get him there asap.

The more I have looked into Canada the more I think we have made the right decision. Australia was calling me because of the weather but I think Canada will suit us more.

Like you we have decided no going back and we are going to apply for PR straight away.

Denise

[Raymapleleaf]

Hi Denise,

We have been in the queue for 24 months and have just received a letter saying that need us to have police checks and certs etc. This is needed by the end of December so unsure from there how long to the medicals?

We are visiting Calgary and Banaff in late December to check out the weather as only been when it has been sunny! I am hoping to be out there all going well by late summer or christmas next year.

Are you going to buy or rent out there? What does your husband do for a living?
I am a chef and going as a skilled worker.

The good thing about Canada is that the people are reall nice and extremely proud which is something we are not!! So looking forward to being part of something.

Keep in touch and good luck,

Ray

Originally Posted by dalaney

Hi Ray

We going to Calgary too, when are you off?.
We just waiting for hubby's qualifications and experience to be regonised (AAIT) then we can apply for work permit. Hoping to be there around middle February. Although might go sooner if we can, as employer keen to get him there asap.

The more I have looked into Canada the more I think we have made the right decision. Australia was calling me because of the weather but I think Canada will suit us more.

Like you we have decided no going back and we are going to apply for PR straight away.

Denise

[Raymapleleaf]

We are also trying to imigrate to Calgary, we have been in the queue for 24 months, just received the letter to get our ref/ police checks etc. We have only visited Calgary twice both times it was in July and very hot so we are going in late December this year to check out the cold as my wife also worries about being cold, but has been informed by so many canadaians that the sun shines every day and the snow is not that bad as you get the chinnock wind coming across so makes it less harsh; also it is a dry cold not a wet cold that goes to your bones, so they say. Will let you know how we get on!

Canada is geared up for the snow and extreme weather so I shoudn't worry to much as you would get used to it and you would see the four seasons, something we don't see here alot!

Good luck,

Ray::

Originally Posted by dalaney

Hi
Hoping you can help me decide on where to immigrate to.

My hubby been offered a job in Calgary (plumber) but really unsure if Canada is right for me because I hate being cold.

Apart from the weather Canada looks like a beautiful country to live and Calgary looks great just can't stop thinking about how cold it will be.

Australia looks great aswell plus its warm but we haven't received a job offer from there and visa application looks more complicated.

Can anyone help me decide

[dalaney]

Hi Ray

Husband is a plumber, he got his job offer from emigrate2 website, check it out got lots of jobs on there.

We are going to rent initially as dont think we are going to be able to sell our house in time so will probably rent it out.

Also better to rent I think so you can get a feel of the place before you decide where you want to live long term.

Not too worried about the cold now, getting used to the idea and like you said it's all geared up to deal with it. Even quite looking forward to the snow.

Just want to get there now!!!!!!!!

Don't know how you are coping with waiting so long, must be quite stressful.

Have you looked at areas you think you would like to live. We thinking about NW, SW or further out SE next to the lakes looks nice. going to be working downtown so don't want to be too far away especially as he will be starting work at 7am.

[ChungyUK]

All I can say is your very lucky to be moving to Canada and I do wish you good luck!!! I badly want to move to either Canada or the USA. I've completely tried everything to do an internship or an traineeship program but im not having any luck....Oh well my life seems to be stuck in grotty UK...all the best!!!

[louiseg]

Originally Posted by EDWARDTHE CHEF

Hi Denise,

We have been in the queue for 24 months and have just received a letter saying that need us to have police checks and certs etc. This is needed by the end of December so unsure from there how long to the medicals?

We are visiting Calgary and Banaff in late December to check out the weather as only been when it has been sunny! I am hoping to be out there all going well by late summer or christmas next year.

Are you going to buy or rent out there? What does your husband do for a living?
I am a chef and going as a skilled worker.

The good thing about Canada is that the people are reall nice and extremely proud which is something we are not!! So looking forward to being part of something.

Keep in touch and good luck,

Ray

Hi Ray,
Just noticed you are planning a trip to our neck of the woods later this year. We live in Canmore, it is a great place to live. Banff is very much a party town with the younger ski set in winter, and back packer travellers in summer. You are welcome to come by and visit to get a take on expat life here.