Even if you’ve been to Canada before for visits, or for temporary work, you’ll find that actually settling and living there will be an entirely new experience. Moving from the UK to Canada can be daunting; many people underestimate just how far away from home they’ll be, and just how small the UK is compared to the Canadian nation!
However there is plenty of help at hand both in the UK before you leave and in Canada when you get there. The Government of Canada offers an extensive program of services that will help you adjust to your new home.
For example you will be offered services to help you look for a job, a place to live, and a family doctor. Your local immigration service will also help you with getting your Social Insurance number, finding out about language training, and enrolling your children in school.
You’ll even be given comprehensive advice with regards to Canadian customs, such as local greetings, what is considered polite behaviour, and what social norms you can expect to encounter. All this will help you feel more at home in your new country, and may in time contribute to a decision to apply for Canadian citizenship.
Canada, which has a population of 31 million people, prides itself on its ethnic and cultural diversity. You’ll find while living there that you meet people from all kinds of different backgrounds, and will learn to integrate into a hugely multicultural country. Of course winter is another thing you’ll learn to enjoy – most of Canada exists in sub-zero temperatures for several months of the year.