Moving from Switzerland to Canada

[mmafra]

Hi there

I'm Brazilian living in Switzerland (Zürich region) with my family since 2003. The company I'm working for has signalized with a possible transfer to Canada (working place in Mississauga). I'm really interested on any advice related with:
- Education: How is the education level in Canada in comparison with Switzerland? How does the educational system support the English learning process (in Switzerland they got special German classes for free)? Are sports considered in the curriculum or this is extra?
I have 3 kids (13, 6.5 and 3 year-old) and this is a very important topic I'm taking into consideration for my decision.

- Public transportation: In Switzerland I'm using public transportation to commute home-office-home. How is such structure in Toronto/Mississauga region?

- Living: Any advice in regard living places?

- Purchasing power: Does somebody know any figure comparing both countries?

Thx ahead for any input

Maciel

[kaz101]

Hi Maciel,

Welcome to the forum.

Someone will be along soon to answer your questions.

Regards,
Karen

[freedom]

Canada is a wonderful country to live in - you will find it a much better experience than living in Switzerland (I am a Canadian stuck in switzerland right now).
Education: Canada just ranked 2nd overall of all OECD nations surveyed in terms of their education system - First was Finland. Each province controls their education system. Over the past 5 years, the system in Ontario has improved dramatically. "kindergarten" will soon be full days every day for younger children, and class sizes in the public school system are capped at a maximum of 20 children/class until end of grade 3 (age 9).

In the greater Toronto area, of which Mississauga is a part, >45% of the population does not come from Canada originally, and for many of the students, English is not the first language spoken at home. The school system is remarkably adept at bringing all these cultures and each child's language capabilities together - the focus on literacy is phenonmenal from age 3 onwards. There is ample extra support for students for whom English is a second language, and extra support for any children struggling with literacy/reading/comprehending English. All this from a public system! The schools have improved dramatically, and all for the better - this is the best time to move to the country.

Sports - there is a good emphasis on physical education at school and many sports are taught to all children as part of this program. Almost all schools also have sports teams in the junior grades (grade 3 and up) for sports such as softball, basketball, volleyball, track and field etc. There are ample ways in each community to also supplement what is happening at school - swimming, hockey, ice skating, gymnastics, dance etc. programs abound. Sports teams and clubs are a great way for your kids to meet other children their age and to make friends quickly in your community.

Transportation - this is the tricky part! You need to know that a third of the entire population of Canada lives in the greater Toronto/Golden Horseshoe area. That means that the entire population of all of Switzerland will be within a one hour drive of where you are located in Mississauga! If your office is in Mississauga, and you can find a nice house in this suburb, your commute should be fine, but you will need a car. If you want to live in Mississauga and work in Toronto (downtown), you can take what is known as the GO train - you can park at the station and the train is a very efficient way of getting to the downtown core. There is also a very basic subway system once you are downtown. The highways are very different than switzerland - many more lanes, and a definite rush hour in the morning and evening. You can locate yourself strategically to minimize your commuting time, but most people use cars to get around.

Living places - I would figure out what kind of neighbourhood you want to live in -suburb? downtown? short drive to work? near parks and trails? etc. and then you should be able to find almost any type of area to suit your needs. The housing market has been very hot in Toronto for the past few years, so prices are pretty high for housing right now, but there are low mortgage rates. Toronto and vicinity is full of wonderful suburbs with many conveniences and strong community feelings. A good real estate agent should also be able to assist you to pinpoint good areas to meet your needs.

Cost of Living - the income tax rate is much higher in Canada vs Switzerland (closer to 30 -40% depending on your level of pay). However, day to day cost of living is SUBSTANTIALLY less- everything from your food, groceries, utilities, car, clothes, gasoline, entertainment, etc. will be much more than 20% less than Switzerland (probably closer to 40% less). You need to investigate the tax implications though to be able to make a fair comparison.

Hope this helps!

[mmafra]

Hi Freedom.

Thx a lot for your input.
My intention is to find a place with a good infrastructure for my family and closer to schools, sport halls, supermarkets, etc. I don't mind driving 45 min./1 hour if they are satisfied.
I have another question and, most probably, you can clarify:
- In Switzerland, when you rent an apartment, you have to pay a kind of deposit (around 3 times the rental price). How this works in Canada? What should I take into consideration when renting a house?

Thx ahead & bstrgds

Mmafra

[CanadianGal]

Good luck with the move. Its pricier towards TO. But all the cities have many facilities/transportation. Including Mississauga. Thats the GTA(greater TO Area-busy!). The cities along the 401 run into one another. Check the map and then check out mls.ca - Welcome for housing prices/rentals. Not so many rentals there but worth a look. Try Toronto Apartment Rental | Toronto Apartments | Apartment for Rent Toronto, Ontario or local city papers online for rental properties. Renters have rights so don't be taken advantage of (not that it may happen just so you know as an immigrant there is help for renters if there is a problem). Landlord and Tenant Board(rights) Landlord Tenant Board - Commission de la location immobilière
Also sites like Free Kijiji Canada Classifieds | Free Ads | Petites Annonces Gratuites has alot of rentals/homes . Choose your city at the top of page.
First and last month rent is required. Cheques(keep receipts)generally. Some month by month, others several months at a time. You never should give out a social insurance number-it is private and not required. They like to have character references(places you last lived), and sometimes the apartment buildings(as opposed to private home owners) like to ask for a letter of employment and your approximate yearly salary to see if you can pay the rent. Generally they do not want pets.
Each landlord will spell out whats included (ask). Some places have everything included-even cable tv. Others you pay your own hydro/cable/heat. There is variablity on this. Ask if fridge and stove is included. Usually yes. Ask about air conditioning. Many apartment buildings do not allow for it(window a/c units) as it might damage windows- but some do. Private homeowners may have it. Remember it'll hike up your energy bill so be aware of that if paying your own hydro. Worth it though-it gets *hot* in Ontario. Humid too.
Something that happens once in a while is you hear about someone who has pretended to own a home and rented it to several families at once. They neither own the home or can be found later. They take the deposits and run. Just a heads up on that rare possibility.
If there is a rental agreement and it sounds fair then sign it-its great protection for you. Have everything spelt out clearly-so terms are understood. Some want a year commitment others not at all. Generally most people never have problems. But you can get a bad landlord just as they can get a bad tenant. Look for a safe, well lit/apartment in good repair. Near transportation. Avoid downtown areas that might get risky at night.Ask around the area. Talk to the neighbours or the people leaving to see what the neighbourhood is like and if the landlord takes care of complaints. Talk to local realtors too. They know areas to avoid and sometimes have rentals. Again, good luck.
PS. Avoid Oakville(very expensive) for commuting.