Your advice/suggestions on living and working in the UK

[ShallowCanuck]

Having moved here from Quebec 10 months ago, I would recommend than any would-be migrating Canucks think VERY seriously about relocating here.My observations follow:

The cost of living of EVERYTHING is at least twice what you are used to back in Canada. You cry about $0.95 a liter gas? Try 95 pence a liter! Same goes for food, clothes etc.And as far as buying a house is concerned, unless you have at least $500,000 to invest you may as well forget it.

Your extraordinary abilities as a Canadian professional worker will not be recognized. Sadly, but truly enough, Brits are ethnocentric and only recognize their own internal qualifications. I know you may think you can impress them, but the reality is different: Brits know they have all the answers and they are stubborn as mules.

Everything is, well, historical! That includes such mundane things as house plumbing and electrical outlets. Get ready for cold showers and weird electrical adventures. Oh, and they are starting to learn about recycling, but only every second week!

Canada is really the best country in the world.sigh.

[AngelKiri]

Sounds like you've had a hard time of it ShallowCanuck, sadly I've become a bit more like minded as you in recent months but it may be due more to the lack of sucess finding local jobs of at least matching pay as my last, also the professional job market seems to have dropped in demand greatly in the past year or so.

I didn't have much trouble when I first arrived in the UK in the spring of 2004, took about 3-4 months for me to find a fairly local job making an average(ish) salary of £16.5k per year. I worked there for about a year on the promise of recieving a raise to 17K per year after 6 months once I had proved my capabilities/talents. Well near on a year later, no raise but certainly an increase of workload and responsibilities to far above and beyond the original role I was hired to do (aka, supervising staff below me, responsible for looking after all aspects of finance for the company and not just recievables/credit control) and when the formal reviews & raises were handed out, I was informed by the MD that had made this deal with me that I could expect no raise in salary or job title. That was a hard time for me as I felt taken advantage of and felt it had a great deal to do with my inexperience of employment laws in the UK, needless to say when I called the MD up on this, I was all of a sudden suspended with full pay pending investigation of unproffesional conduct. Needless to say he ended up settling with me to shut me up & get me out of his hair, but it was extremely unpleasant and if I hadn't had the backing of my British partner & his father (ex trade union head came with me to meetings & informed about employment laws on discrimination and intimidation etc) I would have probably packed my bags ASAP and gone back to Canada with a not very good view of living & working in the UK.

That whole experience also taught me that the office/personal life although portrayed as friendly & relaxed/outgoing, is very rarely so as my office 'friends' not one of them stood up for me and most of them actually signed written document attestations to how I had been unprofessional (probably on the promise of a raise or some other such thing, that company was dodgy to begin with I think) which I went over and pointed out that it was biased as those same accusations could be lodged against any one of my fellow co-workers and that surely, if its not discrimination against me then they would have all been investigated & reported on as well.

Long story short, know where your coming from and agree on alot of points but no experience will ever be the same for two different people, anyone reading this now just carefully weigh your options & your decision. Canadians may like the British coming over to Canada, doesnt mean it will be reciprocated or any special treatement given just because your not from the USA *lol*

Most people here cant tell at all wether your from Canada or the USA here anyway and although you may get some social allowances for not being a Yank, it wont get you any special treatment above or beyond the 'bloody immigrants' mentality alot of working/middle class have here.

[doublehappiness]

I'm looking at heading over to the UK soon, and just want to know how I can get some help to get over there?
i.e. with visa, assistance on arrival, etc

[AngelKiri]

You might want to come over on a recreational/research trip first to get your bearings and make contacts here.

Also have a look at the British Expatriats websites, theres alot more traffic of Brits going to Canada then vice versa it seems *lol*

[Tumbleweed]

[quote="AngelKiri"]
already had a boyfriend in England whose parents were kind enough to sign a letter & photocopy the deed to their house stating that they would let me stay at their house in the intermn. you need to have some sort of abode ready & waiting for you when you arrive & provide proof of it (lease or deed) in your application as well as proving that you are financially viable (not in debt & have substantial amount of savings to carry

quote]

I am going to be applying for a settlement visa for my boyfriend in the next month or so (I have dual Canadian/British citizenship) but we were planning on looking for a place to live when we get there, since it would be insane to rent a place 3 months before our arrival. I have been trying to get in contact with the British Consulate in Ottawa but they charge $2.80 per minute for any visa question so forget about that! I am going to ask a relative if I can use their address on the application but we wouldn't actually need to stay with them. Do I have to ask them for a copy of the deed to their house? It seems kind of intrusive.I'm hoping I can just list their address and telephone # on the application. Also, if I attach copies of bank accounts is that proof enough that I can afford to support myself? Thanks.

[pologuy85]

Hi Everyone,

My father was born in Scotland and still holds his British passport and we're looking into getting me one as well. I'm looking to travel to Britain and potentially stay there and I'm curious as to what I'le to do with my passport. I.e: I was told that because my father is from Britain that if I reside in the U.K for a full year with my passport that I can attend a university for free. Is this true and also do i need to get a visa to work and any advice on living there would be a HUGE help.

Sincerely Tom
p.s: Does anyone know of any good Water Polo Clubs over there?

[oohmercyme]

HI Pologuy- welcome to the board.

In regards to univsersity fees, said to say that even with an EU passport one needs to have *resided* in the UK/EU for three years (36 months) before paying homeland uni fees. I have been a dutch citizen for 39 months, but have only resided in the UK for 34 months and must still pay overseas tuition fees. I have been looking into these and there does not seem to be flexibility. (Presumabily to keep people from coming here just to get a free education!)

The university I attend is not free for anyone, it may be different at other universities.

As for a work visa, why not get an ancestry visa or (it sounds like you are eligible) your own passport? It makes life a lot easier than having to mess with visas.

[feint]

Another surprise I got (can you imagine my face when it first happened to me!) was that you need to signal the bus to stop for you when your waiting at the stop. if you dont put your arm out into the road to let the bus driver know you want to get on, he'll just drive right past you assuming you must be waiting for a different bus. WOOOSH.

now THAT'S why the buses wouldn't stop! geeeezzzzz i thought i was really bad looking or something, that's why they wouldn't stop! or even started thinking i was invisible!