Moving to Calgary from UK

[lubicon]

I think the point is that to renew or apply you have to actually be entering the country, and that implies you must first exit it. You cannot do that at an airport. I know it seems ridiculous but rules are rules and a bureaucracy is a bureaucracy.

[ItsALondonThing]

This thread is already proving very useful! The company who I will be working for are hiring an immigration lawyer to organize mine and my partners visa. The idea is for these to be approved before arriving in Calgary and this will involve a visit to the Canadian High Commission in London. Does this affect the discussion you guys are having regarding being a "landed immigrant"?

We're both very excited about our new adventure. It is of course mixed with nerves and concerns about the unknown. Our priorities are finding somewhere nice to live with good transport links, feeling safe, and feeling happy. The salary will at least facilitate the first. As long as the people we meet are friendly and welcoming I see no reason why we won't enjoy life there.

What are the most exciting projects going on right now? (Save me trolling the boards haha!)

Thanks all

[Full Mountain]

Originally Posted by ItsALondonThing

This thread is already proving very useful! The company who I will be working for are hiring an immigration lawyer to organize mine and my partners visa. The idea is for these to be approved before arriving in Calgary and this will involve a visit to the Canadian High Commission in London. Does this affect the discussion you guys are having regarding being a "landed immigrant"?

We're both very excited about our new adventure. It is of course mixed with nerves and concerns about the unknown. Our priorities are finding somewhere nice to live with good transport links, feeling safe, and feeling happy. The salary will at least facilitate the first. As long as the people we meet are friendly and welcoming I see no reason why we won't enjoy life there.

What are the most exciting projects going on right now? (Save me trolling the boards haha!)

Thanks all

Land Immigrant is the first step toward citizenship.

Brookfield Place, Telus Sky, Guardian - See the first post here for Chadillaccc's excellent work summarizing the current & proposed developments

[ItsALondonThing]

Well the visa application is well underway now and we're anticipating arriving in mid August. I'm getting quite excited reading the forum and looking at all the cool stuff being built in Calgary right now. We're thinking of living fairly centrally, definitely near the LRT, and have estimated budget of $2.5k p/m inc utilities. Hopefully this will prove realistic. I'm also a keen amateur photographer so I very much look forward to sharing my 'newcomer' angles of Calgary through the lens in autumn. Suggested apartment blocks or areas to live suitable for an English couple in their 20s are very welcome. Cheers!

[McMurph]

Originally Posted by ItsALondonThing

Well the visa application is well underway now and we're anticipating arriving in mid August. I'm getting quite excited reading the forum and looking at all the cool stuff being built in Calgary right now. We're thinking of living fairly centrally, definitely near the LRT, and have estimated budget of $2.5k p/m inc utilities. Hopefully this will prove realistic. I'm also a keen amateur photographer so I very much look forward to sharing my 'newcomer' angles of Calgary through the lens in autumn. Suggested apartment blocks or areas to live suitable for an English couple in their 20s are very welcome. Cheers!

Congratulations. My advice is to go as central as you can afford, and then go a bit more central still. That said, you would be in great shape pretty well anywhere in a ring bounded by 20th Ave on the north, Crowchild Trail on the west, and 50th Ave in the south. The east boundary of my mental map is a bit more vague; it would probably be a mash-up of the Elbow River and Macleod Trail (plus Bridgeland, Inglewood and Ramsay).

There are plenty of great spots less central, but you're not going to get widespread boosterism for them on this forum and you'll be a bit in the dark as to what you're getting when shopping around without knowing the city well.

[Spring2008]

Originally Posted by ItsALondonThing

Well the visa application is well underway now and we're anticipating arriving in mid August. I'm getting quite excited reading the forum and looking at all the cool stuff being built in Calgary right now. We're thinking of living fairly centrally, definitely near the LRT, and have estimated budget of $2.5k p/m inc utilities. Hopefully this will prove realistic. I'm also a keen amateur photographer so I very much look forward to sharing my 'newcomer' angles of Calgary through the lens in autumn. Suggested apartment blocks or areas to live suitable for an English couple in their 20s are very welcome. Cheers!

Congrats! At 2,500 per month there really shouldn't be any problem finding a high quality suite anywhere in the inner city.

In terms of walkability and vibrancy, I'd highly recommend any of the inner city neighbourhoods south of the central business district, Beltline being the closest to the core, but Lower Mount Royal, Mission, Cliff Bungalow are ideally situated as well. Kensington(nw) of the core would be my number 2. Then neighbourhoods such as Bridgeland, Inglewood, Marda Loop are a bit further out as well as a bit less vibrant but quickly growing as well.

[Rusty van Reddick]

Just a slight correction as it might lend to confusion for prospective immigrants: The term "landed (not "land") immigrant" is no longer used and hasn't been used for at least the last 18 years. It is now "permanent resident," and to evidence it one carries a "permanent resident visa" and possesses "permanent residency." It is identical to what used to be called a "landed immigrant" but again that category no longer exists formally. After 3 years of residing in Canada as a PR (the current standard is 3 years of presence within not more than 4 calendar years, i.e. no long departures), PR can apply for citizenship. There is an effort afoot by the federal government (well, the CPC, we'll see if it happens) to make the residency requirement four years instead of three before one can apply for citizenship.

[Surrealplaces]

Originally Posted by ItsALondonThing

Well the visa application is well underway now and we're anticipating arriving in mid August. I'm getting quite excited reading the forum and looking at all the cool stuff being built in Calgary right now. We're thinking of living fairly centrally, definitely near the LRT, and have estimated budget of $2.5k p/m inc utilities. Hopefully this will prove realistic. I'm also a keen amateur photographer so I very much look forward to sharing my 'newcomer' angles of Calgary through the lens in autumn. Suggested apartment blocks or areas to live suitable for an English couple in their 20s are very welcome. Cheers!

Good to hear! 2.5k/m will be good, even in this tight rental market.

Also of note, there are a few of us here that are amateur photographers as well, and sometimes we get together to do some skyline shots, etc.. Just let people know if you're interested in joining in.

[simster3]

The Beltline is great but a little removed from the LRT, which for the most part you will not need to use unless you do not plan to have a car. $2500 will get a great place, unless you are wanting to rent furnished then it would be pushing the limits. Rentfaster.ca is a great place to start looking. I lived in Sunalta, just west of the Beltline and loved living there for 5 years. There is a new train station there so that is a big plus but is a bit of a walk from the amenities like 17th Ave and the 3 grocery stores nearby, only 15-45 minutes walk to pretty much anywhere in the Beltline. Good luck with the move and welcome to Canada!

[ItsALondonThing]

Update...

The visa processing office have informed us of a small delay, meaning we'll probably arrive in Calgary at the start of November. Bit of a shame we'll miss the summer, but its out of our hands. Looking forward to getting out there, and seeing the city.

What's to do in November?

[Fuzz]

Originally Posted by ItsALondonThing

Update...

The visa processing office have informed us of a small delay, meaning we'll probably arrive in Calgary at the start of November. Bit of a shame we'll miss the summer, but its out of our hands. Looking forward to getting out there, and seeing the city.

What's to do in November?

Buy winter clothing!

It depends, some years the snow has really started to fall, you can go cross country skiing or brave the still rocky ski hills. Other years you may be able to get a little bit more fall biking in.

[danofkent]

Originally Posted by lubicon

Speaking of landing, the whole formality of officially 'landing' as an immigrant is interesting. A coworker of mine at my last job moved here from the UK (his wife is Dutch so it applied to here too). They had all their papers etc. for working here but when it comes time to officially 'land' you have to physically present yourself at a port of entry. So for many people moving to Calgary it means a day trip to Coutts, Montana so you can leave Canada, turn around, and officially present yourself as a landed immigrant back at Canadian Immigration and Customs.

I'd like to clear up this misunderstanding. You can "land" at Calgary Airport. There is a whole room with multiple desks, and when I landed I was one of several people going through the landing process. It's exactly the same process as at a border crossing.

The issue of driving to Coutts ("flagpoling") arises when people who are already living here need to activate a new visa. The easiest way to do that is to turn up at an immigration desk at a port of entry. You can do that at Calgary Airport, but you have to leave the country and then re-enter. As such, driving to the border is likely quicker and cheaper than taking a flight.

[Fuzz]

Originally Posted by danofkent

I'd like to clear up this misunderstanding. You can "land" at Calgary Airport. There is a whole room with multiple desks, and when I landed I was one of several people going through the landing process. It's exactly the same process as at a border crossing.

The issue of driving to Coutts ("flagpoling") arises when people who are already living here need to activate a new visa. The easiest way to do that is to turn up at an immigration desk at a port of entry. You can do that at Calgary Airport, but you have to leave the country and then re-enter. As such, driving to the border is likely quicker and cheaper than taking a flight.

Ah, bureaucratic lunacy at its best. If you aren't here illegally, this seams a fairly unnecessary hoop.

[McMurph]

Originally Posted by Fuzz

Ah, bureaucratic lunacy at its best. If you aren't here illegally, this seams a fairly unnecessary hoop.

That's the point. You have to "flagpole" in Coutts (though Carway is a much nicer drive) when you have overstayed your visa. Technically at that point you're in the country illegally-ish and have to leave, re-enter and activate a new visa.

[Fuzz]

Ah ok. I misunderstood what was going on.

[milomilo]

Originally Posted by Fuzz

Ah, bureaucratic lunacy at its best. If you aren't here illegally, this seams a fairly unnecessary hoop.

It is bureaucratic lunacy, I had to do it myself and also leaves you with the possibility of being stranded if you haven't met some silly requirement. It wouldn't be so bad if you could just do it at an airport.

[Rusty van Reddick]

Originally Posted by McMurph

That's the point. You have to "flagpole" in Coutts (though Carway is a much nicer drive) when you have overstayed your visa. Technically at that point you're in the country illegally-ish and have to leave, re-enter and activate a new visa.

None of this is relevant for permanent residents. There is no such thing as "overstaying" a PR visa.