Removals to Canada

What is it Like to Live in Canada?

Schepens has helped hundreds of families to move to Canada, and many of them have subsequently made Canada their permanent home. We asked a number of our clients who are now resident in this beautiful country, what it‘s like to live in Canada.

Canada shares many qualities with the UK

Canada is still a part of the British Commonwealth which means that the Queen still appears on the currency. But that’s not the only British influence you’ll come across. English is the dominant language, except in Quebec. Canadian English is differentiated from US English by the fact that it keeps the ‘u’ in words like ‘colour’, or ‘honour’. And British TV is really popular, so there’s plenty of cultural references to share.

The weather is extreme

Canada is one the world’s coldest countries so, dependent on where you choose to live, you could be facing long, hard winters. Quebec receives the highest levels of snowfall, and Vancouver the least. Summers can be extremely hot – there are often heat warnings in Toronto – and the autumn is distinct and extremely beautiful. Expats tend to agree that the seasons are more distinct than in the UK, and more extreme.

The cost of living in Canada

Currently living in Canada is quite a bit cheaper than living in the UK. A lot of foodstuffs are imported which makes them slightly more expensive, but this is balanced by much cheaper housing, and transportation. Vancouver is the most expensive city to live in, but it boasts the lowest taxes in Canada. By contrast, Quebec offers the cheapest cost of living but the highest taxes.

It’s a big country

Canada is a vast country, 80% of which remains uninhabited. Lots of the expats we talked to found themselves unhappy with their initial location. Moving to another city, however, often made all the difference. In a landmass as large as this, there are huge differences between living in Vancouver, and living in Edmonton. Moving to Canada, we heard, is all about finding the province, and city that you feel you can call home.

It’s a long way from the UK

Anyone that’s planning to move permanently to Canada, needs to factor in the flight times to and from the UK. Flying to Toronto takes 7.5 hours, but flights to Vancouver are closer to 10 hours. The internet makes staying in touch simpler, but if you want to see family members and friends regularly, you’ll need to factor in the distance when planning your move.

Schepens provides international removals to Canada

We’re a fourth generation International Removals Company, and we’ve been offering removals to Canada for nearly 100 years now. Our friendly Move Co-Ordinators and removals teams have a wealth of local knowledge to share with clients, and are able to offer support and guidance at every stage of your moving to Canada process.

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Looking to immigrate to Canada from UK?

The number of people looking to immigrate to Canada from the UK has soared over the last two years, and – quite apart from Brexit – there’s plenty of reasons why. Canada’s considered one of the safest countries to live in, it’s record on freedom and human rights is second to none, and 20% of its 36.4 million inhabitants are foreign-born, making it one of the most immigrant-friendly countries in the world.

Not only does Canada extend a welcome to immigrants, it can also offer a great standard of living. For the past five years the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) has placed Toronto, Calgary and Vancouver amongst the top 10 cities, out of 140 assessed globally, based on living conditions and lifestyle.

Speak to us today on 01794 323558 for a no obligation removals quote on your move to Canada.

Choose Schepens for your removals to Canada

Whether you’re planning to move to western Canada for the stunning coastal scenery and the Rocky Mountains, or you’re tempted by the eastern cities of Toronto, Quebec or Ontario, you’ll probably be seeking a reliable and experience removals partner such as Schepens. We’re a family-run company driven by excellent customer service and we’ve been moving people to Canada for over 100 years.

International removals to Canada is a complex process, which is why you’ll benefit from the knowledge and experience of your specialist Schepens Move Co-Ordinator. Together you will draw up a detailed ‘Removals Plan’ with all critical deadlines scheduled in, to ensure that your move from the UK to Canada is as streamlined as possible.

Schepens for removals to Canada and storage

Many removals companies will emphasise the problems and the challenges when it comes to international removals to Canada. We are the quite opposite, which doesn’t mean that we we’re not realists. It’s just that we know our business, and we always aim for the ideal. We ship regularly to Canada which means that we can be flexible with scheduling and always provide a choice between dedicated or shared container space.

Your Move Co-Ordinator will be able to advise you on what items to take with you, and what to buy when you arrive. Should you want to store items in the UK, we offer door-to-door storage with secure facilities placed across the UK. If you have a musical instrument you want to take, or a valuable antique, or piece of fine art, we have specialist knowledge and can create bespoke transportation.

Immigration options

There are a number of different immigration programmes for entry to live or work in Canada. If you don’t have family located in Canada, an offer of work to go to, it would be best to consult an immigration specialist to find out which would be the best programme for your circumstances. Leave plenty of time for this bureaucratic process as there a number of different phases, and departments to deal with.

Healthcare in Canada

Known as ‘Medicare’, Canada’s health system is only partially funded by the government, the shortfall being made up by federal income and insurance premiums. The system is rated highly for efficiency and value-for-money by Canadians. If you plan to immigrate to Canada from the UK, you should buy temporary medical insurance within 5 days of arriving. Thereafter you can apply for a Health Insurance Card.

Education in Canada

Canada has recently topped global rankings for maths, science and reading according to Pisa tests. It was noted that Canada is also one of the few countries where migrant children achieve at a level similar to their non-migrant counterparts. Additionally, 55% of working age adults have taken advantage of higher education opportunities.

Education provision in Canada spans kindergarten through to higher education with a range of excellent choices at every stage. The education system in Canada isn’t nationalised; instead individual provinces or territories are granted responsibility for provision. System across regions are not hugely dissimilar, and standards tend to be high across the country.

A Range of Schepens services

Many of the people we help immigrate to Canada from the UK have little previous experience of planning such a big move, and they’re largely unaware of the challenges that could present themselves. We provide support in the planning, management, and practicalities of your removals to Canada and, because we know each move is different, we create a bespoke package of services:

• Packing – moving your home to Canada is a complex process and we have BAR trained staff to help you with this. If you would prefer to manage your own packing, we will still be on hand to give advice, and we’ll provide your packing materials.
• Insurance – as you would expect, all our removals services are covered by insurance. Should you want an extra layer of protection, we can offer accidental damage and extended liabilities cover.
• Storage – we offer a range of container sizes for objects you wish to store. Our secure facilities are located across the UK and the service we offer is door-to-door.
• Removals Fleet – the road-based components of your move will take place in one of our fleet of state-of-the-art removals vehicles, run on air ride suspension and boast an adjustable bearing system, which ensures little or no movement of vehicle content.

The safe and secure arrival of your goods is our top priority, and we have a great track record for removals to Canada. Customer service drives everything to do, which means that we leave no detail to chance in our attempt to provide streamlined, stress-free international removals. You’ll find your removals team are professional, highly skilled and proactive problem-solvers.

Schepens specialise in moving to the largest towns and cities in Canada, including: Toronto, Montreal, Calgary, Ottawa, Edmonton, Mississauga, Winnipeg, Vancouver, Brampton, Hamilton, Quebec City, Surrey, Laval, Halifax, London, Markham, Vaughan, Gatineau, Longueuil and Barnaby.

Let Schepens help with your move to Canada, so that you can start looking forward to your new life without worrying about how you’re going to get there. Call us on 01794 323 558 for your free removals quote.

Living in Canada

Our clients often tell us that deciding to move to Canada is a life changing experience. It’s a nation that boasts incredible countryside which is integrated with the modern city. For movers looking to immerse themselves in natural beauty, whilst indulging in modern comforts, Canada is the ideal location. The country also consistently ranks as number one in the United Nations annual Human Development index; which considers quality of life factors such as job opportunities, quality of schooling, life expectancy and cost of living.

Here are 4 aspects of life in Canada

People:

Canadians are really friendly. Stand around looking confused in virtually ant Canadian city and someone is sure to offer help to you. And it’s perfectly normal to strike up conversations with perfect strangers on public transport. Most Canadians have a burning passion for the outdoors which allows them to enjoy a variety of outdoor activities from skiing and snowboarding to hiking, mountain-biking, rock-climbing, camping and canoeing.

You might assume the majority of Canadians are British or French by origin, however it’s not the case. Expats move to Canada from all over the world. Toronto has more than 140 languages spoken, and near to 50% of the population was born outside Canada.

Climate:

Canada is up there as one of the coldest countries in the world. Winter weather is extreme with regional variations. Quebec, for example, has the most recorded snowfall throughout the year in the world; and in the Prairies, you can see snow in every month of the year! Vancouver’s less extreme, so you’ll probably get away with wellies and a brolly. Fall and Spring are some of the most pleasant months in Canada which are thoroughly enjoyed by the locals because summer can also be extreme. The cities can get very humid and heat warnings are common in Toronto.

Jobs opportunities

If you get Permanent Residency, you have the legal right to work in Canada and your dependents have the right to work and/or attend school. Canada has a thriving economy allowing many career opportunities to residents. Currently, employment opportunities are abundant and employers are eager to hire qualified, skilled and experienced workers in a wide variety of field. The Canadian job market is similar to that in other developed countries. The service sector has the majority of jobs, with the remainder in manufacturing and natural resources.

Cost of living

The average cost of living in Canada varies depending on the city, province, region, lifestyle and family size. On average, however, it’s around 2% more expensive to live in Canada than it is in the UK. Most expensive is Vancouver, due to its highly successful economy, proximity to the US and ability to attract tourists. The smaller cities in Quebec and Ontario tend to offer a lower cost of living, but they have smaller populations and less jobs on offer.

Schepens specialise in moving to the largest towns and cities in Canada, including: Toronto, Montreal, Calgary, Ottawa, Edmonton, Mississauga, Winnipeg, Vancouver, Brampton, Hamilton, Quebec City, Surrey, Laval, Halifax, London, Markham, Vaughan, Gatineau, Longueuil and Barnaby.

For tailored removals to Canada, call the highly experienced Schepens team today on 01794 323 558 and receive a FREE, no obligation quote.

Jobs in Canada for UK citizens

If you’re planning to move to Canada to look for work, it’s a pretty good time to be doing so as the job market is buoyant. It’s also a great location for English speaking expats to apply for jobs, apart from Quebec which is predominantly French speaking. The main obstacle to finding work is ensuring that you have a visa and work permit. Once that’s in place, however, there’s a range of opportunities on offer for expats.

What kind of jobs are on offer in Canada?

As in the UK, the service sector makes up a large proportion of Canada’s GDP. For skilled workers there are job opportunities in the following areas:

• Teaching
• HR
• Banking and Insurance
• Marketing
• Senior Managers
• IT

If you’re looking for part time, or seasonal work there are plenty of jobs that expats can apply for.

These include: admin assistants, au pairs, or hospitality.

How to find a job in Canada

Most expats looking for work in Canada will begin their search online. Before you start making applications, it’s worth doing a bit of research on how Canadians present their CV. It’s useful to know, for example, that CVs referred to as a resumé across Canada, and whether a chronological, or functional presentation would be best suited to the kind of jobs you’re applying for. Oh, and take note that Canadians are punctilious when it comes to business – you’re expected to arrive early to job interviews.

Canada vs UK salaries

This is a difficult one to call as every province is slightly different. Taken as an average, the weekly wage tends to be around £560, according to Statistics Canada. When calculating your salary, you also need to take into account the cost of living in Canada. Food items tend to be more expensive in Canada, but housing, transport and clothes are much cheaper. So even an expensive city such as Vancouver turns out to be cheaper to live in than London.

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Ever since the British vote to leave the EU, there has been a spike in Google searches for “moving to Canada” and applications for permanent residency. It’s not difficult to see why Canada would be natural choice; English is the prominent language, it shares a number of cultural similarities with with UK, and there’s a dazzling range of choices when it comes to deciding where to live.

One of the first things that strikes visitors to this beautiful country is its immense size; it’s the second largest country in the world (Russia is the largest). Ranging from the Pacific Ocean in the West, to the Atlantic Ocean in the East, the majority of Canada’s 36.4 million inhabitants live in the major cities of Vancouver, Quebec City, Ottawa, Montreal, Toronto leaving much of the country uninhabited.

Speak to us today on 01794 323 558 for a no obligation removals quote on your move to Canada.

Supporting your removals to Canada

Whether you’re looking to exit Brexit, or to relocate to Canada for work, Schepens is the perfect professional partner for your removals planning. We’ve been helping people to move to Canada from the UK for over 100 years and our goal has always been to take the stress out of overseas removals. For peace of mind, we provide a dedicated Canada removals co-ordinator to manage your move

Things to Think About When Moving to Canada

1. The Weather – the Canadians are as obsessed with the weather as the Brits, but they have more winter drama to talk about with average temperatures dipping to -25℃. The country is geared up for the harsh climate, so you’ll probably shiver less than in the UK!
2. Cultural Diversity – in 1971 Pierre Trudeau introduced the Multiculturalism bill, which embraced ethnic diversity and ensured that no singular culture could define Canada. Canadians are now extremely proud to support a multi-ethnic, multi-religious society.
3. Cost of Living – this is comparable with the UK. Food tends to be more expensive in Canada but transport, utilities and property prices are lower which averages out the difference.
4. Healthcare – the standard of healthcare is high in Canada (31st globally) and it is publicly funded by a network of health insurance plans (known as Medicare) which provide free primary care to Canadian citizens.
5. Driving in Canada – you will need to take the Canadian Driver’s Test in order to be able to drive legally in Canada. If you’re relocating you can get an International Drivers’ Permit in the UK which will allow you to drive when you first arrive.

Schepens for shipping to Canada

Schepens offers a range of services to help with the shipping of your furniture and goods to Canada:

Sole Use Containers – 20ft x 40ft x 40ft high cube for door-to-door removals to Canada. These take 6-8 weeks in transit.
Shared Use Containers – the sharing of container space can seem cheaper but the transit time is longer; 10-12 weeks.
Professional Packing – our BAR trained, uniformed staff provide a full packing service. If you would prefer to manage the packing yourself, we will provide high quality packing materials.
Customs Paperwork and Inventory – your Canada Removals Co-Ordinator can create your full inventory, which is required for Customs, and complete the Customs paperwork for you.
Tracking – for peace of mind, we can provide tracking on your shipped goods throughout their transit.
Storage – if you need to store any furniture or goods, Schepens has fully managed storage facilities across the UK.

Schepens specialise in moving to the largest towns and cities in Canada, including: Toronto, Montreal, Calgary, Ottawa, Edmonton, Mississauga, Winnipeg, Vancouver, Brampton, Hamilton, Quebec City, Surrey, Laval, Halifax, London, Markham, Vaughan, Gatineau, Longueuil and Barnaby.

We believe in working in partnership with our clients, providing the level of service they need for a streamlined removal from the UK to Canada. Get in touch with us today on 01794 323 558 for your free Canada removals quote!