 You don't need to be an 'investor' to invest in Singletrack: 6 days left: 95% of target - Find out more
Hello all,
I've been presented with a bit of a dilemma regarding my future, in terms of career and location, and I'm interested to know the opinion of the STW collective.
First a wee bit of background to give some context: I'm about to turn 28, recently married and living in SW England (both my wife and I are Scottish) I have a decent job, not terribly well paid, but not. My wife is in a similar situation, but her contract expires in November.
Ok, so here's the dilemma: For the last couple of years, we've been talking about moving out to Vancouver, as its something we've always fancied (I've done a few months there previously, and loved it, and she's keen to give it a go.) My wife's best friend is from Vancouver, and her parents (also friends of ours) have offered us a place to stay for a couple of years, for next to no rent.
No brainer, right? That's what we thought, however a spanner has just been thrown in the works in the shape of my dream job becoming available with my current employer, which would allow us to move back to Scotland, and it would pay me a lot more than I currently earn.
The thing making this difficult is that its not a simple choice, as no matter what we choose, it affects everything else we want to do ie. We want to have kids within the next few years, and we also want to look at buying a house. That would make the job the obvious choice, as its a much safer bet, and definitely the more sensible option. If we go to Canada, it will probably destroy our savings, meaning that when we do come to buying a house, we have to start saving again from scratch.
If I logically weigh up the pros and cons of each, Scotland comes out on top. But it doesn't have that x-factor that the exciting prospect of Canada has, and I'm really concerned that if we don't go over there and at least try to make it work, that in a few years time when we're tied down with family, house, job etc we'll deeply regret not doing it. I can't stand the idea of wondering "what if"
If I'm going to go for the job, I need to throw my hat in the ring asap, as they want someone to start in the next 6-8 weeks, and I'm genuinely struggling to make a decision.
I know this is very much a first world problem, and there are lots of people facing much tougher decisions. I also know that the opinions on here will not be the deciding factor, but I'm just curious to see what other people would do in this situation.
Any and all advice is appreciated. Cheers!
You lost me at hello.
that's constructive. Thanks.
I have a short attention span for whiney.
that's constructive. Thanks.
I think what our inkblotted friend was referring to, is it's quite the block of text.
Might want to pop a few line breaks in there. Make it easier to read.
Edit: Ok. I was wrong. It seems he is just calling you a whiney bawbag 8)
Edit 2: Go to Canada. You have already economically migrated once, might as well do it again. My Dad's biggest regret was not moving over to NZ when he was younger.
Living abroad will be that big thing you did when you were younger.
If you don't do it you will always wonder what if.
Live life.
Going to Australia was the best thing I ever did.
Firstly, have you checked you'll both qualify for a Canadian Visa ?
Secondly, what's to stop you making the Scottish move (and rent initially) and then moving to Canada later rather than rush a decision in the next few weeks ? Might p*ss off the employer if you jump ship in 6/12/18 months but it's your life 🙂
Is the Scotland job yours? Do you have an offer, or do you need to apply? Just trying to work out if you discuss your dilemma with them.
I was going to say the same thing as Jamie. It will be a lot hard to live the expat life when say you've got a house and two kids than now. Not impossible but harder.
Also you're basing the dilemma on the premise that you can't have both. Who's to say you can't also get your dream job in Canada?
It sounds like you've got some talent that your current employer recognises so its likely that another employer in Canada will also see that.
I am inclined to agree with allthepies.
Canada will still be there in a year or so - and it would give you a bit more time to get some cash together. It sounds like nothing is actually set in place for Canada (ie job to go to, visa etc) and all that takes time anyway so you are not giving up one opportunity to go after another.
@jamie- fixed now. Posted by phone while on a train.
Apply for the job, you might not get it.
Get the paperwork sorted for Canada too, make sure you know what it entails and start applying for jobs there.
1.) As above, check the visa situation.
2.) Why will you blow through all your savings? Are you planning to not work while you're there? If so, why?
If you can stay in Canada virtually rent free why will it eat up you savings? The fact that you 'dream job' has cropped up and you are considering not taking it says to me that your heart is set on Canada. That'd be my choice. Have an adventure.
I keep trying to respond to the questions, but im on a train in deepest darkest Somerset, and keep losing signal halfway through responding. Please be assured I'm not ignoring the comments- all advice is appreciated.
Re: the job. It's not guaranteed yet- its basically a rep job, and I've been working as inside sales covering that area for the last 2 years. I've built up some really good relationships with my customers, and generally do well with sales in that area. I know our products, customers and systems, so i can't see why i wouldn't get it.
Re: the visas. We're eligible for two or three different types- already done the checks on the CIC website. We've got guaranteed accommodation, and the people we're to be staying with have already said they'd sponsor us for residency if we wanted to go down that route. My wife has two prospective jobs, and while I don't have anything solid lined up yet, I have some good contacts in Vancouver through my current work, and at very least, a mate of mine has promised me a job in his bike shop.
Re: Rorschach- Good for you and your short attention span. If you don't have anything nice to say, don't say anything at all 🙂
An old boy has just ran off to France for the weekend.
Follow your dreams, jobs Come and go
If it was me, I'd go for the dream job, but start setting things in motion to at least apply to move to Canada. All this can be done on the qt. Your employer doesn't have to know. Living back in Scotland with your dream job might change your perspective on life.
There'll be quite a bit of paperwork in setting up Canada so you might as well be taking the job opportunity while it's there.
As for what ifs, you can't go jumping at every "what if" that presents itself - if you lead any kind of decent life, working hard and being honest and fair with people, opportunities will present themselves - sometimes, you just have to say no thanks to some of them.
Go to western Canada. Its like Scotland, but bigger and better 8)
Canada - just go. All the other stuff will still be available to you should you change your mind later on.
Take the financial side out of it, forget money. Then weigh it up.
Canada.
Sorry, but I would jump at the chance to move there and Vancouver, whilst expensive is a stunning part of it. If you have jobs to go to and next to free accommodation, I'd be out there like a squirrel with toasted nuts.
Worth a try at least?
that in a few years time when we're tied down with family, house, job etc we'll deeply regret not doing it. I can't stand the idea of wondering "what if
That should tell you all you need to know. Once you have kids for all the right reasons and unless your very lucky especially financially that option will be much, much more difficult.
I'd suggest Scotland, give it a try. Canada will still be there in six or twelve months' time.
How dream is the job anyway, I mean if it offers you experience and training you would otherwise never get and opens gateways in future life then it may be worth it but if it's just a better paid job then these come up from time to time. If you want kids then seriously consider any move before this point or go when they are very young, leave it till they're 10 or so and it's a big hassle... I would dearly like to move to oz but 2 kids, wife, house and a menagerie of animals makes this almost a retirement dream for me now.
10 years older than you, with a kid. Gone the other way round. Stayed put for the good job and have just now moved to Asutralia. Having the experience and money in the bank was the enabler for our move.
Go. It just gets a load harder once kids hit secondary school and parents start ageing. Mrs Please refused to go to Nz for a 2 yr stint last year predicated on not being able to leave her folks. If you don't go the'what ifs' are uncomfortable. Good luck as i don't think there is a right answer.
7 years ago we were considering moving to Canada, but in the end moved to the Highlands instead (Canada lost out do to job relate matters not Canada related matters). Have never regretted it.
You are still very young and have plenty of time to get over to Canada.
I would opt for Scotland. Buy a property, rent this out in a few years and the leave.
You should move to Canada, if Scotland gets independence it will be a third world country inside of 3 years!
my wife was asked to relocate to canada, a good whack more money than she makes here, and a secure job with the 4th biggest employer in the world.
we've been before (on holiday) and loved it, we will go again.
BUT, when it came to it, we just didnt want to live there.
you need to talk with your missus and be brutally honest about what you want to do.
what put us off the most was the weather, edmonton was regularly hitting -40c last winter, i love snow and ice, but not that much.
STW member Boybiskit moved to Vancouver. His [url= http://boybiskit.wordpress.com/ ]Blog[/url]
go back to scotland and free up jobs for the english.
take the scottish job and prepare the move to canada best of both worlds bit of cash in pocket in fav place plus planning to move to dream location..
I'd say head to Canada. I work with many Canooks, and a few are from Vancouver/BC. They're a decent bunch all in all, who have great lifestyles out there.
We went to Oman for 3 years, and NZ for 7. Although we are happier now that we are back on the UK, we are glad that we went and had the experience.
The dream job's become just another job at some point.
I'd be off to Vancouver my friend, but whatever you do good luck.
I'm 28, wanting to settle down (wife, kids, mortgage etc.) so I've pissed off to Thailand for 5 months
Walked away from my job (offered a sabbatical), turned down offers for better when/if i return as i want to keep options open
If you don't go you'll always wonder what if, and if you do go you'll be telling your kids and grandkids about the years you lived in Cananda and the adventures you had
Do It!
Another vote for the land of maple syrup.
Canadian visas get harder after you're 30 (you can always head out on a Working Holiday one in the short term). I'm 33 and found it pretty much impossible to sort out without a confirmed job offer, so I'm heading to NZ instead.
As above there's plenty of time for dream jobs at home. Moving to Scotland will always be straightforward but making a big transatlantic move will get harder as you get older.
hmmm, dream job as a sales rep ?
I would go to Canada if you like it out there.
Canada
You'll regret it if you don't try it. I've done some time in Newfoundland on the east coast. And some time in Sydney, a couple of years working overseas. It's worth trying different places out
It doesn't seem like a choice to be made here - rather ensuring you do things in the right order to benefit yourselves. No reason at all to not follow the Scotland job, assuming you OH will follow up there now rather than November.
Continue with planning for Canada while enjoying a better salary and location. You have a more senior position on your CV for future if you need it and are eliminating no options at all (unless some of the visa options are aged related?).
The world is your crustacean.
Repping in the bike industry is a tough gig these days, Im not jealous of the guys out on the road for the company I work for. They have quite an easy experience, as we're a large manufacturer, and a great support network, but it's still a lonely life, targets are hard & you are at the mercy of many factors way out of your control which can make or break you in record time.
It's fairly obvious who you work for, and being blunt, there is no way I would be considering repping for a P&A distributor over a potential life changing experience of moving to Vancouver.
No contest. Get it done.
[b]Go to Canada.[/b]
Sales rep is not really a job that last.
Over there you can build as big a house as you want as there is no land grab.
Also Scotland will soon be independent so you will starve to death if you stick around. The English will definitely put you to hard labour.
😆