Please bear in mind that I earn 64k a year, and I have to support my partner and my cats. All experiences are personal experiences, as should be taken as granted when watching videos on a personal channel.

Thanks so much for your frank and honest story. Super helpful to put things in perspective and put priorities into focus much better. Im so sorry you have had to skip meals, I really wish the best for you and your partner.

Enjoying your vids Jack. Keep them up!

@JackStrange

Жыл бұрын

Thanks!

I completely agree with everything you’ve said. My partner and I moved to Calgary 6 months ago and only just feel like we are starting to settle in, it was an absolute slog finding work and I feel like no one really talks about how hard it is. We also had comparisons of living in NZ and Aus where is was SO much easier to set up a life really quickly, so it was a bit of a shock coming here 😂 the food prices are insane, and I also think the quality of fresh produce isn’t very good either. I think we will also be returning to the UK after our two years here. Thanks for sharing your experience, I’m sure it will be really helpful for others thinking about making the move, and safe travels back home!

@JackStrange

Жыл бұрын

Thanks Amy. My next video will go super into depth about it all, because there’s a lot to share, including what you touched upon as well. It’s a shame Canada seems so open and welcoming, and then setting up here seems near on impossible. I don’t blame you if you do decide to move. Did you find Aus better?

@anamyabroad

Жыл бұрын

@@JackStrange it is a real shame! But I guess we live and learn, and I’ve had some beautiful experiences here too. Australia was a breeze, we lived in Melbourne, my partner had a job within 3 days of being in the country and I had a job after a week, we were earning $31+ an hour for pretty low-stress jobs! They really value work/life balance in my experience

@JackStrange

Жыл бұрын

@@anamyabroad that’s good that you got that experience there. And you’ve tried both, which is more than a lot of people can say! We’ve been thinking about Melbourne next, so it’s nice to hear you’ve had positive experiences

@anamyabroad

Жыл бұрын

@@JackStrange so true, it’s easy to forget when you’re struggling with the day to day but we are also very fortunate to have these experiences! I think you’d enjoy Melbourne, if you have any questions feel free to reach out 😊

@JackStrange

Жыл бұрын

@@anamyabroad I definitely will!!

Than you for talking about this. Have a work holiday visa to Canada. I'm from UK currently leaving Australia, but having second thoughts about Canada now due to the expense.

@JackStrange

Жыл бұрын

It really is circumstantial and personal. I hear Australia is expensive, but I hear a lot more positive stories of people who moved there than I do people who moved here. I think it depends on your job and what you want from the experience, and definitely depends on where you go. People here in Van are making it work. Not sure how, but they are! We were just one of the people who couldn’t make it work

Well done

I loved my experience in Canada, but I agree it was super expensive 😢

@JackStrange

Жыл бұрын

Sooo expensive. Impossible to live almost

I lived in Toronto years 2014 to 2019. Learned a lot from my unrealistic expectations. This helped me to live in Switzerland as I was more realistic. Canada is a great country but now is not the time to move there as country is struggling. My experiences were similar also got a job before. Not considering really coming back to my home country, Poland as work and political culture is not good. I am not conservative and don't fit.

Hi Jack, Just bounced back from your latest video. I’ll be hitting Vancouver in July🙌🏻 Irish national for reference. Quite disappointing that your partner could not find work, 64K CAD seems to equate 38k sterling. That’s gotta be hard as a sole provider. Did your partner find work towards the end that you guys wanted to stay? You guys are young and will bounce back so don’t worry. Wish ye the best for where the world takes you next 🙌🏻

@JackStrange

Жыл бұрын

Thank you! Good luck with your move. I’m sure you will enjoy it! I think my partner was afraid of the change a little, so wanted to stay, but we’re back home now and still keen to see where we go next. The UK doesn’t have to be forever, but we definitely couldn’t get by in Van. It really didn’t help that he couldn’t find work that would have counted towards the application processs

Hi Jack, I'm so disappointed you are going back. I was really hoping that things would have worked out, and that you would have stayed for a few more years and got your PR visa and possibly your citizenship. I saw your comment that your boyfriend was unable to find work, which must have really stretched your finances. As mentioned in a previous post I moved to Vancouver from the UK on my own in 1995. It was really tough getting established the first couple of years, but things eventually got easier. I got my citizenship in 1999 and then move to San Francisco Bay Area where I've lived since. I must admit that I have never got over being homesick. The only thing that has really kept me here is my American wife's elderly parents. After they pass we plan to return to the UK. Don't get me wrong I love both Canada and the USA, they are great countries and great places to live, but there is something that's calling me back. The only thing I'm worried about is my memories of the UK are frozen in time. I have only visited the UK a handful of times since I left and the last time was over 10 years a go. I guess I could be in for a reverse culture shock when I eventually do move back. Anyway please keep the videos coming, I would definitely like to know how you get on when you return to the UK. I feel really sorry for your cats having to make the trip again, and staying in a long quarantine.

@JackStrange

Жыл бұрын

Hey! I’m sad we can’t stay either. I plan to talk about it a lot more, but we really wanted to stay and that was 100% our plan, but it just wasn’t feasible. We couldn’t have accounted for the way our job situations would go unfortunately. I have nothing against Vancouver or Canada, but it’s very hard to live here. I think we came at the wrong time. I love San Fran area. I’ve been twice. I think the UK has definitely changed a lot since you last went. If you do get the chance do go back. I’ll try and capture as much of it as I can for you when I’m back. Thankfully our cats don’t have to quarantine, so they will be with us as soon as they land!

@bobjpgr3683

Жыл бұрын

Hi Jack thanks for your reply. Have the UK lifted quarantine restrictions for pets.? I thought it was something like 3 months? Anyway good luck luck to both of you. Look forward to seeing how things go for you back in the UK.

@JackStrange

Жыл бұрын

@@bobjpgr3683 yeah, no restrictions thankfully!

I found the credit card culture to start with strange aswell but then I realised why, their cards are so much better than ours, in 2 years i've had over 400 dollars back in cash back from using my credit card for everything 😐 Just have to make sure it's paid off in full each month and isn't being used above the users means

@JackStrange

Жыл бұрын

Oh wow! What a good hack 👀

I'm sorry things didn't work out for you. But, keep in mind that the cost of living in Vancouver is by far the highest in all of Canada. Only downtown Toronto comes close. As for salaries and wages, it may seem like Australia's are higher, but that's deceptive. I spent a year in Brisbane right after university and discovered that, athough their government sets a higher minimum wage for jobs at the lower end of the skills/education/experience continuum, in Canada, if a person has more than just a 4-year BA, and the job field is in high demand, you can make far more in Canada than either Australia or the UK. But, it's nit for everyone. At least you can say you've tried living in another country, which takes courage. Many of the cultural and economic differences that you found troublesome sound like they're due to the cultural/economic similarity between Canada and the US: credit card culture, competitivejib market, very capitalistic, hustle, hustle, hustle, etc . . . I suspect you would, in fact, feel more comfortable in Australia, as 8 found it more culturally similar to the UK than the US.

@JackStrange

Жыл бұрын

Very true. Vancouver is a beast. We’re talking about the options of returning, and where we might go eventually. We did like Canada but found Vancouver incredibly tough. I definitely struggled with the Americanisms for sure. My partner isn’t keen on Australia, but I’d give that a go!

Take me with you ! Canada is over taxed and it’s not worth working anymore

Hey, I'm currently Looking at moving to either Vancouver or to Toronto for a year or two for a working Holiday. I had a few questions. 1.Do I need a proffesion of some sort to be able to move? As I've got no degree or anything under my belt. 2. What Travel agents did you use to help you move? 3. How hard was it to find work and did you struggle with cost of living?

@JackStrange

Жыл бұрын

Hey. No( you don’t need a skilled profession, unless your hope is to stay permanently after 2 years, in which case to get that visa it needs to be skilled. An IEC working holiday visa allows you to do any job. I don’t have a degree either. I didn’t use any agents. Just applied to the IEC pool and went from there. I found work easily and straight away. My partner didn’t and hasn’t worked for a year. This is in context of us working in film & TV, and the plan was to do skilled work for permanent residency. If you’re coming here and not bothered about doing any job, you will find work. As mentioned in the video, the cost of living is insanely high. It’s hard to live here, and is our main reason in moving back home. I hear Toronto is just as expensive. Both Vancouver and Toronto lead the most expensive places in Canada.

@Stun1298

Жыл бұрын

@Jack Strange Okay thanks for the feedback, I'm honeslty torn between those two and Sydney in Australia, The thing with canada as well is that I have Family near Vancouver as well so yeah. Won't be going for a while as I want to save very mcuh in advance but yeah.

I live in ontario canada but born in scotland ...came here when i was 6 yrs old now that im in my 60s im heading to northern ireland cause ive always missed my country....I love UK and what u habe said about Canada is so true😢 ive never liked it

@JackStrange

Жыл бұрын

That’s such a shame, but I really hope your move goes well, and that you enjoy it

I moved to British Columbia from Ukraine and I really don't understand how to survive here. Nobody hires me even though I speak English fluently. Canada made a special program for us and invited us but we are not prepared to live here.

@JackStrange

Жыл бұрын

I am so sorry it’s been like that for you. I’m sorry there’s been no support, either. Here’s me moaning about it, and then you have literally had to leave your home not by choice and you’re kind of left to your own devices. ‘Hey, come here, but good luck, you’re on your own.’ I read a story about immigrants coming here and wishing they’d been told about how expensive it was to live here. I really do think before people come the government should provide people with a true cost of living index. I don’t know how anyone survives here either, unless they’re Uber rich. I hope it gets better for you!

@nonnad9210

Жыл бұрын

@@JackStrange Thank you very much. I know UK was very welcoming as well but at that time you needed a sponsor. There are some things I like about Canada, no doubt about it but at the end of the day it is about making it through the rain. And I can't go back home to Kyiv either. I live 70 km from Vancouver but prices here are almost the same. Anyways, good luck to you coming back home! 🏠

I have a 1 year IEC. If I search for a job and it takes me 3 months, does that mean I can only work for an employer for 9 months? Or does it mean 1 year and I can extend the 3 months? Thanks

@JackStrange

29 күн бұрын

Only work for them for 9 months. The visa is valid for a year only, regardless of if you have a job or not.

How did u manage your cats back to UK we have pets and want to take them with us to UK

@JackStrange

Жыл бұрын

World Wide Animal Travel 😊

Understand that things in Canada were a LOT easier 5-7 years ago. You showed up after our living standerds collapsed.

@JackStrange

Жыл бұрын

That’s how I feel too. I think I came at completely the wrong time unfortunately 😞

@iansmith3406

Жыл бұрын

@@JackStrange The reality of being an immigrant in Canada in 2023 is that you are constantly told that we love immigrants and valued and that diversity is the best thing we value etc. This is all good in theory but the moment you arrive you feel a strange disconnect when you realize Canada treats immigrants as commodities to be extracted for maximum value at the expense of they're well being. Its really sad its become this way and I say this as a native born Canadian human life literally does not have much value here as it used to at a base level. Also Canada is like super corrupt especially BC corruption bribery and fraud is rampant. It just feels like the country that used to extend kindness to everyone born here or not, the country that I grew up in has totally lost its way and I am sad you were not given the Canada that I think you and all others deserve.

@JackStrange

Жыл бұрын

@@iansmith3406 there are so many I’ve spoken to who have come here and seem to love it. They say they can’t imagine moving back home etc and want to stay. Part of me wants to stay and wish I could, but I wonder how true and authentic some are being when they talk of how much they love it here. Whenever I ask it’s always ‘because of the mountains’, and they think that solves the cost of living crisis, or rent going up and up. For me, I just can’t be swayed by how beautiful it is here. I’d love to stay, but not at the expense of a worse quality of life, especially when most of us move here to get a better quality of life. I’m going to go into more detail about the move home in another video, but sometimes it’s hard to see the immigration process as anything other than a way for the gov to earn money.

How difficult was it to make friends in Vancouver?

@JackStrange

Жыл бұрын

Super difficult! I’ve only made one friend, and she’s from Toronto

@marvin6016

Жыл бұрын

Vancouver is most anti social city in world.

I think that's why lots of ppl leave: overprice food and housing, boring night life or normal life lol, too commercial or capitalist environment. Not to mention a health care system that is so disappointing. AND, safety or security; since the last 5 or 8 years there has been lots of crimes and murders everywhere, gunshots are common now.

Sorry to hear that you’re leaving! But it sounds like you didn’t do as much research as you claim in your video. You work downtown, that’s fine, lots of people do-me as well. But you don’t have to live downtown. It’s literally the most expensive area in all of British Columbia really. You could’ve easily lived in a suburb of Vancouver-like lots of people do but perhaps near a SkyTrain line for easier access. You had so many options-Burnaby, New West, Coquitlam, Pitt Meadows, Richmond, Surrey to name a few. I’m not saying they’re soooo much cheaper than downtown but there is a difference. There’s a reason some people have 1-2 hour commutes TO and FROM work. Seems like you needed to be 15 minutes from your workplace… well I guess that’s why you paid the price as well. lol I have been here since 2005 and I agree that the cost of everything has gone up astronomically! It also didn’t help your partner did not contribute at all and you had to feed him and the cats. I’m not sure how much cheaper life is in the UK compared to Canada but I would think London and Vancouver are identical in terms of costs of living, might even be more expensive in some categories. Of course if you’re from elsewhere in the UK, far from the big cities, it would be cheaper, just like here in Canada. Alberta is cheap! Their taxes are cheaper too! People make lots of money there I heard lol but of course Vancouver and Toronto aren’t cheap. Quite overpriced! Anyways, my comment is all over the place lol

@JackStrange

Жыл бұрын

I hear you lol. But I disagree about the research. We did loads of research. We knew downtown would be expensive, and we wanted to live in downtown to begin with so we would get our bearings. So we were prepared to sacrifice a cost there. But I kind of touch upon it in the video where I say a lot of online research is out of date, and I think a little bit of wrong timing happened. The rents we saw during research weren’t the prices we were faced with. But we were also faced with limitations around our cats. Also, places like Burnaby, New West etc really aren’t that much cheaper. Granted, if I were to do it again I’d do New West, but I’ve been looking at Burnaby, Surrey etc and honestly seeing apartments for the same price as our downtown core. It seems a relatively new thing too, that prices are like that, but I could be wrong there. But that’s definitely been what I’ve seen and experienced when looking around. Yes, you’re def right about the hour commute etc. If we were to stay, and had the luxury of a car, we’d be doing that. But I think in your first year in a brand new place you don’t want to be so far away. Some of these ‘cheaper’ places don’t have adequate commute, so a car is the only option. London is a whole other thing. Move an hour out of London and it’s cheaper and you can commute easily. Here? Not so much. Again, just been my own observations. I plan to do more of an in-depth video about it and will definitely make sure it’s clear that all experiences are personal, and situational. Also, my partner got the odd freelance remote work back in the UK, so he did contribute when he could. But still, it wasn’t enough. Because Vancouver is insanely expensive lol. Also, it’s why I mention about film jobs. If you’re in any other career you’re probably going to have a great time because you’ll find work. Film & TV is so uncertain wherever you go, and didn’t really translate as stable work here!

Many of the talking points here are just the difficulties of being an immigrant in general

Bro you literally chosed to live in Vancouver. The most expensive city in Canada. If you are not financially strong and you are looking to move to Canada, you should must avoid both toronto and Vancouver. There are a whole lot of other cities out there. I reckon you should consider moving to calgary. An affordable and safe city with very nice people and great job opportunities. I would say it's your own fault that you are struggling in Canada since you chose Vancouver as a city to reside.

@JackStrange

Жыл бұрын

Okay 👍🏽

Did your boyfriend ever manage to get a job in the end?

@JackStrange

Жыл бұрын

Nope 😞

@MK_2023.

Жыл бұрын

@@JackStrange that's awful! It's a pity no one would take him on, but at least you've both been able to experience living there which is nice. Hopefully everything starts looking up for both of you when you're back in the UK 🙂

I've been watching your videos for the entire year of you living in Vanvouver as I moved over here in May last year too. I like a lot of viewers I'm guessing waycy your videos looking for research etc and what it's like moving to another country and KZread is a great resource usually. However I have to say some of your thoughts views and opinions often worry me that you're not particularly portraying an accurate picture, whilst I appreciate your experience is very personal to you I really struggle to understand how you've had the experience. I thinks it's definitely worth pointing out to your viewers a bit more often that you've said on multiple occasions how you're earning more than you ever have before but I'm assuming all your time in the UK wasn't supporting your partner too? I know so many people that live here that earn significantly less than you and aren't "struggling to survive" as you put it. I'm a bad example sadly cuz myself and my partner are both on a higher wage than you but were not earning obscene amounts but we pay an extortionate 3k a month on rent like most do, but we shop at no frills or real canadian, we walk most places unless we're going on trips and then we use our car which we bought here used. You hit the nail on the head in this video about the uk and you said you realised you might have been the problem and had to adjust your mindset and perception and I think you may be your own worst enemy here too instead of enjoying yourself and living here you've perhaps struggled with the culture shock and I can't imagine it's not helped supporting two people and cats! Best of luck going home but I'd say to anyone watching your videos sadly to disregard most of your advice because some of its wildly inaccurate 😢

@JackStrange

Жыл бұрын

Hey. Thanks for the feedback, but sadly I don’t agree. I’m portraying my own personal experience, as I’ve said in many videos, but I’m also sharing the reality of living here. I’ve spoken to a lot of people and they are feeling similar ways. Yes, they are personal experiences. Yes, every persons experience is going to be different. I also touch upon here that our careers specifically don’t translate properly here. Your comment on portraying an accurate picture isn’t fair, because I’m portraying my personal experience accurately. Ultimately, everyone has to make their own decision, and they will. My videos aren’t going to change anyone’s minds, but they are going to help people see that it’s not all sunshine and rainbows. People often make excuses for Vancouvers cost of living, and I don’t agree with that. It’s an insanely expensive place to live, and the fact that I can’t survive on 64k a year is abysmal. I think explaining that my partner hasn’t found work is taken as a given that I’m paying for us both. Granted, things may have gone smoother if he’d found work. Your experience is one of the good ones, and I’m glad about that. Because you’re not alone there. There are way more positive stories of living in Van than the negatives. Does that mean then that because my experience hasn’t been a positive one, I should disregard all their advice because they don’t align with my own? Of course not. You’ve met people who aren’t struggling to survive. I’ve met and spoken to people who are struggling to survive. On less, on more, on the same wage as me. I’ve spoken to Canadians who say they would love to move away because they’re struggling to pay their rents or mortgages. I shop at No Frills. It’s not cheap. I compared a shop at No Frills and Save on and they came out the same price, for very little items. I don’t have a car because I can’t afford one. I’ve sacrificed a lot this past year to be able to get by. I understand what you’re saying, but I don’t appreciate being told that my sharing of my experience is misleading, because it’s not. They’re videos on my channel, sharing my experience, and that’s the way it’s going to be. I was the problem to the extent. I’m not the sole problem. I think that’s unfair and a little rude to say, really. I embraced Canada and adjusted, and the things I said included in the video are more of a reflection on me now looking to go back home and what might have been different, and how I would have done things differently. Hindsight. But I feel like people are too quick not to acknowledge Vancouver’s massive problems. I also don’t appreciate you saying to ‘disregard my advice’. People need to know the truth of living here and make their own judgements. Too many people share just the positives, and I want to share an authentic, true experience of living here. Since you’ve had a great experience, you should consider sharing yours, as you will be able to share some good advice. Advice that maybe should be listened to instead of my own, it seems. I truly appreciate your comment though. Glad your experience has been a good one.

@insie87

Жыл бұрын

@Jack Strange appreciate the reply and please bear in mind I meant absolutely no offense nor to attack you in anyway. It's terrifying to me that you're saying you can't survive on 64k when I know so many people doing much more than surviving on 40 to 50k here! I don't mean this to sound patronising or offensive but have you ever considered sitting down with an accountant or finance savvy person and creating a realistic budget based on your income?

@JackStrange

Жыл бұрын

@@insie87 I know you weren’t being offensive. Truly, I appreciate your comment. I think it’s interesting to hear from others and see how they’ve got on. Especially because that was what I hoped for and expected, and didn’t get. You haven’t offended, and I hope I didn’t offend either. If you don’t mind, I might use the comment in a video at some point. It’s an interesting discussion point. We budgeted ourselves here, and I don’t really see the need to talk with anyone. I think people have the idea that I’ve spent money with no sort of responsibility, and that just isn’t the case. I’ve cancelled subscription services, not bothered getting too many coffees. Don’t eat out or go to restaurants. But by the time I’ve paid rent and a phone bill (which I would have changed if I stayed) and bought food for the week (which doesn’t go that far) it’s not left much else to work with.

@insie87

Жыл бұрын

@Jack Strange I don't mind sharing this too much but let me stick these figures here and you can use or look back and compare vs your own. My salary = 80k before bonuses. Usual pay twice a month $2492.88 Share of rent / parking space per month: $1575 Phone bill: $45 Internet(free in building but added cost of speed increase and unlimited package) $22 / 2 so personally $11 Cineclub membership $10.49 VPN $8.50 Streaming services my share $18.23 Grocery shopping $250 bi weekly so my share for month $250 So that leaves me with roughly $3067.54 for sinking funds and savings each month. Now I don't know exactly how much 64k brings in but if I had the effort levels I could do a tax calculator and do it I'd be hazarding a guess that if I was on 64k I'd have roughly 2k for my sinking funds and savings Obviously your circumstances are different as I assume you're paying for everything meaning on 64k 2 people can't survive which I would agree with much more than what you say about not being able to survive.. if that makes sense? Bear in mind our car cost around 10k all in with insurance for the year and I took that from our joint savings rather than income but as you can see it would take roughly 3 or 4 months to us to be able to save that for a car, probably less as my partner earns slightly more than me. Please don't take this the wrong way but did your parnter not consider literally taking any job? Just to bring in an income my nan always used to badger on at me saying "it's much easier to get a job once you have a job"

@JackStrange

Жыл бұрын

@@insie87 Thanks for this. I mean straight away you’ve got 80k. You’re already better off. Then assuming your partner has higher, so immediately you’re going to have a great experience, which is good. I absolutely don’t deny two incomes would have been good to have. However, in our fields, we could only dream of 80k! It’s also worth mentioning that even though you’re earning that, you’re still having to sacrifice some things, such as shopping at ‘cheaper’ places and walking places instead of riding etc. Which obviously is absolutely fine, but there’s a bigger problem here: you’re earning a lot but what have you got to show for it? Unless I’ve misconstrued some of your examples. But that’s kind of the point I’m making in the video. This work to survive culture, and at the end of the day not being able to have what you once had etc. Sure, you don’t need material things, but you’ve got to have a nice life. If you’re happy with having the smaller things, or having to still be frugal even on wages like yours, that’s great. And I say that as a general thing, rather than you guys personally. Yeah, my partner considered all jobs. But we were thinking of PR, and thinking of the points and work experience etc. We felt like ‘unskilled’ work would have been a waste of time, but maybe we were wrong to think that 🤷🏼‍♂️

Too bad you didn't wait until Trudeau is gone in 2024, things will vastly improve once Conservatives are in power

I want to move to Canada from the UK. Can you send me email I have a few questions related IEC