Traveling to Canada alone

rlad

stevief01 wrote: »

got me work permit everything done!!!! now to book some flights:D ah ya sound i might do the same and book one way!!! i have even started drinking canadian molsen's beer and its nice ha ha

good stuff! oh yeah haha i like your planning of sampling the canadian beer

guest124

rlad wrote: »

good stuff! oh yeah haha i like your planning of sampling the canadian beer

I seen Canadian Club whiskey in my local, I must try it sometime! Hot clubs?

Stinjy

Hi guys and gals,

I'm moving to Vancouver (woo Go Canucks) in a few months. Late October to be precise.

How have you guys got on with finding your feet?

How have jobs gone for ye? and where/how did you guys find them?

I'll be going over with a BSc in Biology, mainly ecology based subjects. Would love something in a zoo or park or even forestry conservation..

krudler

GrumPy wrote: »

Keep use posted how you get on!

Work permit, bank account, canadian sim and SIN all sorted within a day. Found an apartment a block away from the hotel I was staying in, really central, nice area, sound roommate who travels a lot so won't be around much so will have plenty of my own space. Landed on mah feets.

goingitalone

krudler wrote: »

Work permit, bank account, canadian sim and SIN all sorted within a day. Found an apartment a block away from the hotel I was staying in, really central, nice area, sound roommate who travels a lot so won't be around much so will have plenty of my own space. Landed on mah feets.

sorted so im sure ill shoot ya a few questions when i head in august!

krudler

goingitalone wrote: »

sorted so im sure ill shoot ya a few questions when i head in august!

It'll probably melting hot by then, it was 25 degrees at 10pm tonight and its really humid and sticky. loads of places have aircon though. The cooler nights will start rolling in early september so you'll probably get a few great weeks. I can relax a lot more now I at least sorted accomodation that was a worry the past few days.

Bring as much money as you can with you as well, it's expensive here until you can start cooking for yourself, unless you want to eat cheap pizza and stuff all the time. sports bars can get expensive but a lot of them do deals on stuff each night. The basement of the Eaton Centre has a massive foodcourt with loads of variety down there and it opens late most nights.

It's a pain in the balls that the 13% tax isnt included in the price on labels, you always pay extra at the till. Start learning the subway stops and streets here too before you go, google maps is an absolute godsend just for getting your bearings.

goingitalone

krudler wrote: »

It'll probably melting hot by then, it was 25 degrees at 10pm tonight and its really humid and sticky. loads of places have aircon though. The cooler nights will start rolling in early september so you'll probably get a few great weeks. I can relax a lot more now I at least sorted accomodation that was a worry the past few days.

Bring as much money as you can with you as well, it's expensive here until you can start cooking for yourself, unless you want to eat cheap pizza and stuff all the time. sports bars can get expensive but a lot of them do deals on stuff each night. The basement of the Eaton Centre has a massive foodcourt with loads of variety down there and it opens late most nights.

It's a pain in the balls that the 13% tax isnt included in the price on labels, you always pay extra at the till. Start learning the subway stops and streets here too before you go, google maps is an absolute godsend just for getting your bearings.

Yeah that's my plan heading the last week in August so it be a gradual cool down .ah money wise Ill have no.less the about 12 thousand Canadian. yeah same with the states no tax on the displayed price pain in the arse initially .we will have to have a Toronto boardies beers .

stevief01

quick question to people on this, how much is people bringing with them... im not being noisy.. just a rough idea

GrumPy

krudler wrote: »

Work permit, bank account, canadian sim and SIN all sorted within a day. Found an apartment a block away from the hotel I was staying in, really central, nice area, sound roommate who travels a lot so won't be around much so will have plenty of my own space. Landed on mah feets.

Wasn't aware you had to obtain a "work permit". Can you tell us more about how to go about that? Also, the SIN - I assume you need this too; before you can start working and using the bank account...

goingitalone

stevief01 wrote: »

quick question to people on this, how much is people bringing with them... im not being noisy.. just a rough idea

as said above ya in the about 13 or so thousand Canadian but im sure there people going with the bare minimum all the way up

stevief01

goingitalone wrote: »

as said above ya in the about 13 or so thousand Canadian but im sure there people going with the bare minimum all the way up

yeah i saw your comment there ... thought I'd just ask what everyone else is bringing ... hopefully i can bring somewhere near that ha ha:) thanks for the reply..

krudler

GrumPy wrote: »

Wasn't aware you had to obtain a "work permit". Can you tell us more about how to go about that? Also, the SIN - I assume you need this too; before you can start working and using the bank account...

Oh sorry the work permit is given to you in the airport, that's your visa basically they staple it to your passport. yeah the SIN is basically your canadian social insurance/pps number. You can get it a few places but I just went to city hall as its right across from a subway stop, takes a few mins.

GrumPy

krudler wrote: »

Oh sorry the work permit is given to you in the airport, that's your visa basically they staple it to your passport. yeah the SIN is basically your canadian social insurance/pps number. You can get it a few places but I just went to city hall as its right across from a subway stop, takes a few mins.

Thanks for clearing that up. What do you need to obtain a SIN? Just passport (with visa now attached inside) and they assign you it on the spot?

guest124

stevief01 wrote: »

quick question to people on this, how much is people bringing with them... im not being noisy.. just a rough idea

Hopefully 10,000CAD! When you're going alone I think the extra money is more of a security blanket. No way would I go out with only 2500CAD. No one around to lend ya cash/couch

krudler

GrumPy wrote: »

Thanks for clearing that up. What do you need to obtain a SIN? Just passport (with visa now attached inside) and they assign you it on the spot?

Yeah, city hall is easy to find theres big brown doors just head in and there's a queue for SIN applications, you just tell the girl at the desk you need one and she gives a short form to fill out, you can use whatever hotel/hostel you're in as an address as they no longer post out cards they just assign you the number there and then, its only like 9 digits or something I must try remember mine.

There's a bank across the street called TD that has free banking for 6 months, so no atm fees as long as its an TD one, other banks charge you and never use hotel atms as they charge more, there's atms EVERYWHERE so you're never far from one especially downtown. I did an online transfer that should hopefully arrive tomorrow and once i have money in my canadian bank account properly it'll be a relief not having to use my irish card.

stevief01

booked flights 2nd september!!!! so im def going now!!!

rlad

stevief01 wrote: »

booked flights 2nd september!!!! so im def going now!!!

Good stuff lad! ill be there a month before ya

stevief01

rlad wrote: »

Good stuff lad! ill be there a month before ya

Goodman ... we'll have pints when I land!!!!!:D

krudler

Just a heads up that you should start arranging places to view in advance if you're coming in september, from what locals have told me downtown is really hard to find a place due to the students starting back around then. Theres plenty of temp accomodation now and people looking to sublet for a few months so it's handy enough finding a place for 2-3 months if you didnt want a longer lease or just want to test the waters here but at the end of the summer competition will be fierce.

stevief01

krudler wrote: »

Just a heads up that you should start arranging places to view in advance if you're coming in september, from what locals have told me downtown is really hard to find a place due to the students starting back around then. Theres plenty of temp accomodation now and people looking to sublet for a few months so it's handy enough finding a place for 2-3 months if you didnt want a longer lease or just want to test the waters here but at the end of the summer competition will be fierce.

Thanks for the heads up.... just a quick question whats job situation like?? I do anything really just to start me off!! heard its tough enough??

rlad

stevief01 wrote: »

Goodman ... we'll have pints when I land!!!!!:D

ya man for sure!!

rlad

Heading off now in less than a month, is anyone already over there or goin round that time??

paco451

Yeah pal I'm here just got in about a week and a half ago. It's going ok looking for work and just getting settled. Drop me a pm when you get in we can head for a pint

rlad

paco451 wrote: »

Yeah pal I'm here just got in about a week and a half ago. It's going ok looking for work and just getting settled. Drop me a pm when you get in we can head for a pint

cheers man i will do, did ya find a place to move in to yet?

paco451

rlad wrote: »

cheers man i will do, did ya find a place to move in to yet?

Yep, have a place at the moment. It's not that bad to get somewhere. Make sure you only go to viewings where they've put up pics though. Some places are just sh*#% holes

rlad

paco451 wrote: »

Yep, have a place at the moment. It's not that bad to get somewhere. Make sure you only go to viewings where they've put up pics though. Some places are just sh*#% holes

lol id say some places are alright, yeah no bother man thanks for the heads up, im pm ya to meet for a beer or that when i get over

solotravel

Hi, myself and dayo79 arrived yday staying in fashion district for the moment. If anyone fancies meeting up for a few let us know..

stevief01

solotravel wrote: »

Hi, myself and dayo79 arrived yday staying in fashion district for the moment. If anyone fancies meeting up for a few let us know..

Anyone around for a few the second of september???

sillybill

Hi,
Just stumbled across this forum, I am a 32 yr old f solo traveller too, arrived here on Thursday, so far so good, lovely city, great weather, staying in a hostel at the moment but really hoping to find a house share/sublet very soon. Would love to meet up for a few beers over the next few days....

ngoggins

hey anyone headin over around the end of october. im probably heading alone as others have pulled out .