Canada / UK
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- RumperChunk
Its only been 2 weeks since the UK threw itself under the train, and the political, economic and intellectual vacuum that exists is beyond anything I thought I'd ever see in this country. So my wife and I are considering our options and that of our 2 young boys future.. Canada looks good at the moment. Any advice? We would be relocating our business as well...
- Continuity0
Be prepared for a long wait, is all I can say. Canada's immigration system — especially under the former Tory government — is nothing short of primitive and medieval, even for migrants from other Western/allied countries.
A school friend of mine's British husband had to wait two full years for his application to be approved, during which it almost looked like he wouldn't get it.
In any case, I don't know if we still have a point system, but there is apparently some sort of express system for people intending to start a business, so that should be your first point of reference:
- Also worth noting: the fact that you come from a Commonwealth country means bugger all, as far as the immigration authorities are concerned.Continuity
- whoa didnt knew it was that hard..I know dutch people who are considering moving to canadada as well..sureshot
- It is that hard, and I can't understand why. You'd think the country would be more than happy to expand its tax base.Continuity
- Conversely, anywhere I've ever lived in Europe — as a Canadian — it's taken no more than three weeks for my visa applications to be approved anywhere.Continuity
- It's weird.Continuity
- it IS weird. I bet its even easier to get into the states..sureshot
- Anyway, it's by no means impossible to immigrate there ... it's just a fucking (unnecessarily) lengthy process.Continuity
- Yes. This seems to be the situation.sureshot
- Good for them - if the UK had employed similar policies vis a vis non-EU migration over the past decades, our populace would be a lot happier.detritus
- ...and we'd still be in the EU.detritus
- RumperChunk0
Thanks buddy. I've read all these pages... good to know some personal experiences..
- Bluejam0
Give Theresa a chance!
- CAN NOT UN-SEE.Continuity
- Roald Dahl character made fleshFax_Benson
- ^ very true!
Can imaging her turning kids to mice!mugwart
- RumperChunk0
Did she just shit herself?
- detritus0
'intellectual vacuum' indeed - t'raa now.
- fadein110
I have been thinking the same tbh.
- GeorgesII3
RumperChunk Canada is a lovely country,
especially if you have a familly, the land is beautiful, rivers are idyllic, the roads hhmmm, ok, I mean thebut let me be clear!!
Do not forget that the "nice" weather only last around 3 months (if you're lucky), the rest of the year is snowy madmax, be ready for long drives if you want to go anywhere, be ready not to ever drink outside, be ready to kill a moose and put his head on your pickup truck (joking),
I still wish you the best bruh, if you start now, it will take at least a couple years to get your docs, so I wish you the best to you and your family, Canada is a wonderful country!!
ps: I did the contrary, went from Canada to europe and I honestly don't regret it
- Ps: married with a canadian here,
ask if you need any help with the immigration, I went through everything more than a decade ago and still got contacts thereGeorgesII - It depends on where you live. Ontario gets nice weather for half the year. BC gets it for most of the year. Everywhere else is a frigid hellscape of polar bearsi_monk
- Avoid the Atlantic provinces like the plague. Unless you want to be a fisherman for living, and only want two seasons: winter and July.Continuity
- Ps: married with a canadian here,
- Fax_Benson0
Friend of mine just got his citizenship after moving from the UK 6 years ago. Think he had a short term contract lined up initially while he stayed with his gf's parents and looked for full-time job / sponsorship.
I don't know the ins and outs but the process sounded labyrinthine. Can ask if you have specific questions.
- RumperChunk0
Thanks Guys - its all interesting info. I guess we're looking at a long wait for residency - and moving the business there requires a Canadian partner.. anybody want to join me in starting a new studio venture..? lol..
- requires a Canadian partner? what the shit?sureshot
- where do you want to move to in Canada?GeorgesII
- Vancouver / Toronto.. have clients in NYC so Toronto useful..RumperChunk
- Toronto is effectively the business capital of Canada, so the chances are much greater there for you to build up a really respectable client base.Continuity
- Continuity2
Honestly, Detritus, I really don't know what you're on about now.
A few years ago, I landed in London to look for work and live there, and I can tell you from personal experience that Her Majesty's Home Office has some of the most random, non-sensical and outright draconian immigration policies in existence. It's nearly impossible for anyone non-EU who isn't in line to earn £100k+ p.a. to stay there.
Despite my best efforts, they most certainly didn't give this Commonwealth passport-bearing, native English-speaking, pork-eating blue-eyed white boy who doesn't wear a head-to-toe black bed sheet leave to remain beyond three months.
- Correction: Australian and South Africans seem to be able to immigrate to the UK at will, but Canadians no.Continuity
- And I find it incredibly ironic, given that QEII's mug shot hang in every. Fucking. Canadian. Government. Office. She's my fucking queen, too.Continuity
- Whether I like it or not.Continuity
- Very racist if you ask me.sureshot
- of course you dont, you don't live here.detritus
- A friend of mine moved from Toronto to Brighton a year+ ago and tells me the same thing about dealing with immigrating.i_monk
- pango4
Vancouver sucks! Don't come here!
- It's called retirement city for a reason.pango
- Vancouver = gross, ewwwwprophetone
- ^^ I thought that was Victoria -- "for the newly wed and nearly dead"Gnash
- Just avoid BC altogether = safest betprophetone
- Centigrade1
A site (I run) about Canadian Designers / Illustrators. We also have job postings. Good to get a sense of the industry here.
Oh and I'm a filthy immigrant too ;) Took quite a while.
- sleepyfatso3
I did the London to Canada move seven years ago with my wife and kids. It was the right move and Canada is a great place. I agree with GeorgesII that the weather is rough for most of the year, but I live in Newfoundland in the middle of the North Atlantic ocean. Shoot me an email if you have any questions I might be able to help with. john
- PonyBoy0
how's your french?
- RumperChunk0
French is rusty and creaky...
Thanks Sleepy, I'll do that.. I'll also take a look at the site - thanks Centigrade.If we do leave I'll miss my studio here - its an 18th century school house next door to an architecture museum. They're got a baroque choral choir doing a recital at the mo - sounds like angels singing..
- sleepyfatso5
This is where I am if you wanna come live here. Newfoundland is looking for skilled workers. My studio is the forest green building on the far right.
- Wow - pretty. Got to be brutal tho? - you're in the middle of the Atlantic...RumperChunk
- Ya, the weather can get you down, but it can be worth it. Fun people, good art and music scene, good hiking, etc.sleepyfatso
- hmmm. what kind of workers do you need?docpoz
- looks hella nice..how expensive is the weed? lolsureshot
- see_thru0
Victoria is essentially Canada's version of Torremolinos...loads of irritating, gobby middle aged white people.
</rantOver>
- moniker0
"New phone. Who dis?"
- Canada
- pango0
Ever thought about Mexico?
They have SUN there!!