Anyone moved to Canada (Greater Toronto Area)

[babbi]

Hi

We have submitted an application to emigrate to Canada, we have an eye on the (Greater Toronto Area).
We just wondered if anyone has any info/advice that they can share.

Tia

[babbi]

Hi Sqeakypop, my friend lives in a remote cottage on the Gore Road in Caledon - fantastic - rural and heaven. Her DH commutes downtown everyday, but they love the getting away from it all feeling that they get every evening and weekend....

Rodgershawk , we were in the playground that you describe in Burlington in April , we just loved it , clean and what a view .....oh

talking to all you lovely people is making me so impatient ....

[rodgershawk]

Need patience too, especially when you have experienced how friendly all the people were that you met in Canada. Frustrating when relatives over there keep saying "any news yet?" & "why can't you just speed it up??" If only!!

[Callisto]

I LOVED how friendly the people were and how they all have a talent for striking up a conversation out of the blue. How in the only traffic jam we were in (Vancouver - Whistler road works) people got out of their vehicles and formed little groups just to have a chat. DP got talking to a guy who was a mine of information. It was soooo refreshing after no eye contact Britain.

I agree, talking about it all is making me very impatient too.

[rodgershawk]

I think people are getting annoyed with DH and I as all we say are things like (on youths being a nuisance) "you wouldnt get that in Canada!",(on rubbish thrown in the park)"you wouldnt get that in Canada!", (on the toddler swings being filthy and apparently bitten by the hoodie's dogs overnight)"you wouldnt get that in Canada!" etc etc I'm even starting to annoy myself but I can't help it! (I wouldnt be like that in Canada!!!)

[Callisto]

[rodgershawk]

Good news, we got a letter from the Canadian embassy asking us to do our medicals! we have 90 days to have them completed..

[babbi]

Fantastic !!!
Good luck !! Hopefully it wont be too much longer for you ...xx<br /> I am online looking for flights to go out Jan or Feb to visit friends and family again and cant wait !

[Callisto]

Excellent news Rodgershawk, you're getting there slowly.

[rodgershawk]

I know, so excited and scared!!
Looked at where to get them done and its either a choice of Harley street or out a bit in Slough. On contacting both there is a considerable price difference, for 2 adults and baby its £500 in Slough and £665 in Harley street. Madness! They also want the processing fee of $490 pp! Just at the time of year when you are most skint too!
We are booked in for December 8th, they do Urine, blood and x-ray..
Babbi, jealous!!! where you going?

[babbi]

Probably will book an apartment downtown Toronto or perhaps Etobicoke so that we can be flexible with regards to heading out to visit different folks in different places. My aunt is unwell at the moment and she lives in Alliston so we will probably stay up there for a few nights.
We are holding off on booking at the minute until she is released from hospital just to see how things are . Whether we should go sooner rather than later IYSWIM .
I am sympathising with you re the prices for the medicals , worst time of year as you say. Still it will all be worth it in the end.
Good luck !!

[rodgershawk]

babbi, sorry to hear about your aunt. At that time of year it probably does not matter if you book last minute as its not the most popular time unless you are going to a ski resort.. Canadian affair always good for a bargain but that said Air Canada has been the cheapest for us for the past 3 years!
Saving pennies now for our medicals, I told DH not to expect that IPOD touch from Santa... its baby's first Christmas so any spare cash will be spent on him!!! (probably about four quid!!)

[rodgershawk]

babbi, sorry to hear about your aunt. At that time of year it probably does not matter if you book last minute as its not the most popular time unless you are going to a ski resort.. Canadian affair always good for a bargain but that said Air Canada has been the cheapest for us for the past 3 years!
Saving pennies now for our medicals, I told DH not to expect that IPOD touch from Santa... its baby's first Christmas so any spare cash will be spent on him!!! (probably about four quid!!)

[rodgershawk]

Had medical, which seemed to go ok. Also paid the right for permanent residence fee which was $980 CAD. Alot to pay out in December! Fingers crossed everything goes ok...

[babbi]

My goodness !! Fantastic - you are almost there , fingers crossed for you . I am so pleased all seems to be going well for you ! I hope you have a fab Xmas with the baby and I sincerely hope that his second Xmas is in his new country !

(Sorry I did not reply to your earlier post sooner - don`t know how on earth I missed that ! Aunt is doing not so bad but we are saving like mad hoping to get over for even a week at some point next year ! )

[rodgershawk]

Good luck with the saving.. Not so good at this time of year..

Im back to work in February so had to sign baby up for nursery.. not for long hopefully.. feels weird thinking that soon we will be in Canada (Im staying hopeful) and that he will have a Canadian accent!!! Loving the thought, and scared hopeless!

Keeping my fingers crossed for you guys..

[rodgershawk]

Got our confirmation letter today! Very scary stuff...

[babbi]

Well sorry to say that it would appear to be all over for us. CIC have announced that all applications received after Feb 2008 for skilled workers will not be processed apart from a very few select occupations , they will refund our money and that will be it !

It would seem that the only way would be to get a job first, anyone have any idea how to go about his ??
Or indeed any other ideas at all about how we can get to Canada ??

thanks

[christie1]

I would search canadian job sites. There is not a big call for teachers but teaching french would be a big asset to finding a job in teaching. For example, I live in ottawa where french is required for many jobs with the canadian government so if you were willing to settle in Ottawa for a while your ability to speak french might lead to employment. They are always looking or french translators and teachers. There are many french schools here that require bi-lingual teachers. Even the english schools teach 90 minutes of french a day and have immersion programs at grade 4 that are taught in 50 french so I would try the Ottawa-Carlton Public School board or the Catholic school board for jobs as a french teacher.

Your husband's skills would be employable but not as likely to get you over here. Also, check the canadian government website that lists all jobs with the canadian government and not all require canadian citizenship if your skills are required. The sites I suggest are workopolis, government of Canada (under the public service commission website) and Monster Jobs. ca. The government of Canada is alwalys looking for french speaking employees because it has rules requiring so much of her services to be in french.

[babbi]

Thanks very much Christie for this , Ottawa would be great too .
I will get working on this .
Thanks again

[christie2]

The government jobs site is jobs.gc.ca

[christie2]

also try wwwjobbank.gc.ca, I am looking for myself and just noticed 3 jobs for french teachers.

[Pepa]

I emigrated from London to Toronto 8 years ago. I now live in Oakville with my ds(3) and dd (18 months) I would definately recommend my town for families the (free) services available (drop in groups etc) are just fantastic and the schools are some of the best in the GTA. The only downside is the cost of housing here although if you head a little further west to Burlington you can reduce that a little. I would stay on a good transport link to Toronto - despite all our compliants the GO train is great!

However emigrating is not an easy path even if the place you are moving to is perfect. Despite e-mail/video phone and telephone the world is a big place and if you leave family at home it can feel very lonely espically when things go wrong (people get ill etc) at home. People always say you can always go back but it really isn't the case, life has a way of sweeping you forward all the time. I'm not trying to put a dampener on things I love Canada. I've become a citizen here and I'm sure we will stay here. But home is home and for me that will always be the UK.

[rodgershawk]

babbi - thats not good, do you know why?
we have booked to go to the emigrate2 show in Sandown in March, we have been before and found it helpful. Is there one near you?

We received our passports back with our visas in and have until 8th December to leave. ( a year from the date of our medicals)

Buddy - we had our medicals in Slough too. The doctor was nice and it went smoothly. From the medicals to getting the go ahead has gone really fast so be prepared for a rollercoster ride! Just as a matter of interest when did they start processing your application?

[Buddy80]

Hi,

We received our 90-day letter on 1st Oct, sent back our docs on 16th December and got our med requests on 9th Jan.

It seems as if you got your visas back very fast! When do you plan to leave the UK?

Kay