Toronto is a great city. I go there 2 or 3 times a year. Canada is a great place, but it is a bit more expensive to live in. You do get free education and health care (nevermind the 5 hour waits in the emergency room!). Canada is generally cleaner than the US, too. However, for every slum in the US, there's also a beautiful neighborhood. I guess you just have to pick and choose where you live!

One of my cousins designs microchips, and I'm not sure what the other one is up to these days

They do. I had a Russian taxi driver who had won it and lived in L.A. He hated it. Couldn't use his skills because of language barrier. Hated the materialism and shallowness of the natives. Said his daughter were at college and loved it though. I've never met anyone so homesick. Felt really sorry for him :(

The grass is always greener an' all that. I go to the State for work occasionaly. About a week is usually enough to long for home.

Having said that properties in Florida are incredable value and built to a very high standard. Very tempting, but unlike this country they are very fussy about who they allow in.

Make love not war Katana.

Jesus wept remember!

But the question is, is what Bush and Blair doing illegal to warrant an appearance in the UN war crimes tribunal? You have to think out of the box. I may not agree with war but I don't see it being illegal in any way..

I know a place like that with lots of fast cars, hot women, over 300 days of sunshine a year, one and a half hour flight from London, no tax on revenue, wealth, housing or TV for non French nationals. They had a rally there not long ago ;)

Pubs close at 5 am if youy like beer or other alcoholic beverages, and one is open till 7 am if you're thirsty :D LOL

must be a dream...I might visit there tonight :)

lol.......

"Come over to the UK. The british will give you a house, an allowance for food, clothes and beer. In fact, you don't have to bother working, we will just put the tax up for the british and you'll never have to do a days work in your life. In fact, if you don't think you have enough, you can go and steal from them. If we catch you, you might get a bit of a telling off if your unlucky, but thats nothing to worry about."

We don't look after number 1. Thats the reason this country will fall.


[Edited by Gedi - 2/5/2003 12:49:01 PM]

Katana every thread I read sort of thing from you

'The only thing is, they won't accept thickos like Popeye P1 and Shrek there in the US. I can guarantee that.. '

For gods sake give it a rest. You're the one baiting us for an argument all the time.

BTW you do talk drivel. That hole you're digging is getting huge. LOL Keep digging!

[Edited by Popeye P1 - 2/5/2003 5:47:04 PM]

Hey you guys (you and shrek) keep bringing up my name everytime there is a political thread so don't even start that pops..

[Edited by Katana - 2/5/2003 5:49:55 PM]

America accepts everyone and anyone. Once your here you can stay as long as you like. Our immagration laws are a joke. I recently read an article in the LA times where the border patrol was told they could no longer question people who they suspected where illegal aliens. Also the police are not allowed to report illegal aliens to the INS for deportation so even if you brake the law your safe. As for work there is plenty of it and in every field so long as you know what your doing and can sell your self in an interview you will get a job. We have snow just like Canada in all of the northern states but unlike Canada we also have sun in most of the Noethern states. I dont know what you all pay in Taxes but they seem high here in America. I pay %35 to the federal government and another %8 to the state government and another %7.5 to social security. Thats not counting sales tax and about a million other small taxes. Canada however has higher tax rates than the US. America is all I know and I do think its a great place to live but like everywhere else it has its problems.

** Important live changing things here **


Guys, I will ask you to do something I wish someone had done for me 9 years ago.

List the top 10 most pleasurable things that have happened in your life.

Have a look at them. How many involved buying a house or a possession? In my case, it is ZERO.

I moved to Canada (Great place) 9 years ago. I was fed up with Taxes, policies, bad attitudes, poor way of doing business - etc, etc.

I obtained a walk out bungalow, hot tub, new car, Snow Mobile, etc etc. All the modern North American Luxeries.

I am about to give it all up and come back to the UK.

Why?

I miss family, friends, the pub, the driving, the British Sense of humour, The country side, etc etc.

I would think very seriously about moving if your list involves the important things in life. They are not easily replaced by THINGS. Trust me.

madbrit - did you go out there alone or with a partner/family??

me and my hubby-2-b are wanting to move to canada in the next 3 or so years because of the outdoors life, weather, and just really because the UK sucks big time.

if you went out there alone...do you think you would have stayed there if you had gone with a partner?? that way you have someone to share the british sense of humour with, and you have a bit of home with you????

Not sure about the exact details but my cousin has been living in Oz for a period of time.

He has his own home there and works as a pilot flying the likes of you and I to hotsville.

He has just been refused permanent residence and is soon to be returning to the UK!!!

His girlfriend has offered to marry him to allow him to gain the required amount of points but he refused.

How can that be?

A little harsh I think as he works and is a homeowner.

Maybe he is being deported for robbing a bank but the "lack of points" story sounds better?

I have been finding out about moving to America for some time now (I want to move to America and join the US army). I met this other Brit who just got his citizenship who is in the US army.

Apparently you go to the US embassy and say you wanna become a US citizen or wanna live in America. They will advise you to get a sponsor (someone who lives in the USA that can vouch for you and say that you are legit and will settle down/work etc etc - not bum around..import drugs etc). After that, you fill in loads of forms, and eventually get your green card.

Sorry I can't detail it more....all I have to do is go to the US embassy, say I want to join the US army and give them details of my sponsor.....they do the rest while I am in the US army training!

Good Luck to you Reib.
Interested to know why you have such an ambition, what started it off?

one question for the Canadian residents...

i have family living in canada - not immediate family - but my great aunt and uncle and numerous 2nd and 3rd cousins.
Would we be able to use these as sponsers to get into the country...or do sponsers have to be immediate family????

Reib. Read this.

http://www.usembassy.org.uk/cons_web/ins/insindex.htm

OK, the first thing is to find a job. Now, you can use monster and other things, which is great, but what about interviews? not exactly a 10 min drive to the USA is it? Plus I think the company has to sponsor you and that does from what I know, cost quite a bit. Plus there is the whole issue of not employing outsiders, some companies will only employ american citizens.

Our company does have an office in the USA and there were plans to relocate all of us out there, so we didn't we? well, US Imigration did not want to give us work permits? why? who knows! they'd not tell us! we personally think that it was that 6 staff members would be relocating to the USA, and Immigration saw that as 6 less jobs for american citizens, and they are VERY funny about that kind of thing. They see it as "why can't an american do the job of your staff" well, I have 9 years experience, and as it's our software it's not like there are thousands of people who have the extent of knowledge I do, plus there is the fact that the other members were in the development team, so they know the code of the program. So after a year and a half of trying we were a little fed up.

So that is why we are in Canada, as the Canadian's seem to have no problem with 6 of us being relocated. Even still I'm not too sure how easy it would be to get in without already having a job.

As said, i'm very lucky as I'm part of an inter comapny transfer. If you could get in with a UK company that has a USA/Canadian parent/subsidary then that would possibly be the best way to do it.

If you can do it, then do so. OK, there are pro's and cons of every country, but I do like it out here, and apart from missing family and friends, there's no reason for me to come back to the UK.

sexy wrx69 - not sure on that point tbh. I would have thought it would need to be your parents or your hubby's parents tbh.

wow that house looks amazing...i could have some of that!

would tony soprano`be your neighbour!!??

Hi sexy wrx69


Yes, I came out here alone. It may have been different with a wife, and/or with kids.

I do have several Brit friends who now have older teenagers who have grown up in Canada. They consider themselves Canadian. The problem is, the adults would like to move back - but would be without their children if they did so. The kids dont want to go. Not nice when you dont have a choice.

I nearly got married 18 months ago. It was the reason I didnt come back earlier. I thank my lucky stars things didnt work out, as I can go back to my decision to come home. Had I got married, I would be stuck here for sure.

Markus - Canada is great, no question. There is a honeymoon period though. I would like to find out your opinion in 4 years time. I think it would mellow somewhat.

Maybe it is all to do with what we get used to - a change is as good as a rest type thing. In my case, I need to get back to the UK. Buying yet more material items isnt bringing me the fun it once used to. Going to the mountains is no longer an every other weekend trip. THe cold, long, long, long, (Did I mention longgggg) winters has taken its toll. I hate the winters.

I though the rain was bad enough. WRONG. Shovelling a foot of snow every other day of the driveway in minus 30 weather is a real downer.

Skiing? GREAT! Problem is, the minus 25/30 weather is too cold many weekends.

Thats my opinion for what its worth. Everyone has to make up there own mind - regardless of what anyone elase says or does. All I can say is I have run the complete range of emotions in Canada. Its the best... Its the worst.... I want to retire here... I want to come home.

Aahh nuts! Well, I was just stating what the US army matey said to do....he could be wrong :)

The reason why I wanna join the US army is cos, ever since I was a kid, I always wanted to be in the Army, but also wanted to live in America. So I though "why not kill 2 birds with 1 stone?".

I'm currently in the Territorial Army, but it just isnt the same.

Kind of a weird reason isnt it?