My bf and I have been checking Canada for a while, specially more isolated places like Saskatchewan. We’re way more familiarized by now with how the process for Canada would be, but as the sucker I am for wildlife, I really want to give Australia a try.
Stay in meheeco
Australia is incredibly difficult to immigrate to
Canada, I heard stories from other Latinos about Australia. Plus flying back to Mexico to visit family will be painfully long.
Canada
Australia’s take on Mexican food is reason enough to not move here
Saskatchewan’s weather is brutal, but the people are nice and friendly. Still wasn’t good enough for me to live there more then one year.
I’ve been hearing some good things about Australia within my expats circle. Looks they’ll be a few ex European expats in Australia soon as many have thought of moving there.
I’m Mexican, have lived in both countries a couple years each.
Canada -I couldn’t get used to the harsh weather and daylight changes during winter. Snow is fun, until it’s end of April and it keeps snowing (East coast). The real deal breaker for me was sun setting at 4 pm.payoff during summer time when its 9 pm and there’s still light, but it’s only for a brief time. -By law I had access to public healthcare, which is better than in Mexico but not what you often hear about “first world health systems”. -Paths to residence and citizenship are relatively easy, depending on the industry you work for. -Larger cities are multicultural but smaller towns and provinces might be different, and therefore harder (yet not impossible) to find a network of people. -Locals are nice and open to new people, at least in the city. However, consider people would likely have their lives already set and will keep to themselves most of the time. -Many decent Latino shops and restaurants and events -Flight back to Mexico is short, cheap-ish and plenty available
- Cost of living was high, but seemed less than in Oz.
Australia -New South Wales weather is a lot like Mexico City. A bit hotter during summer and slightly more humid, or at least it feels like it. -i don’t have access to public healthcare, and in Australia is partly private too. So I have to pay a good sum when going to the doctor, or dentist. And you need to have private insurance as part of visa requirements. -Many visa options but not the friendliest process to become a PR. -Same as Canada, depending on the area people might be more open to other cultures in larger cities than in smaller towns. With the difference that maybe smaller towns in Oz could get harder to socialise with foreigners. As always, everyone gets a different experience. -Not many Latino/Mexican shops or events -Going back to Mexico is a pilgrimage. Expensive AF, and expect at least 24 hrs trips, to the western world. -Cost of living is expeeeensive. -In the long run, there’s a lot of room for new businesses and a good way of living. But don’t think it’s going to be easy.
Overall, I’ve improved my way of living in both countries, but I feel I could’ve also done it in Mexico. What has been the difference and the reasons why I’d stay abroad is feeling of security, better work culture and life balance.
En cual lugar decidiste quedarte?
Por ahora Australia está cómodo, pero al estar tan lejos del resto del mundo no tengo tantas opciones de trabajo y no me gusta depender de una sola compañía. Así que le daré una oportunidad al siguente año y si no me convence intentaré ir a Alemania u otro país en Europa.
Sun sets at 6pm here in Mexico now that they don’t recognize DST anymore. Not saying it’s the same at 4pm but oof, it’s not that far off anymore.
Just picking random cities for comparison, though, Mexico City has more than 2h/day more daylight than Montreal in the darkest part of the year. Not only is the total daylight short but for most people working normal hours, it also means for three months of the year that it’s already pitch black out when you get off work. It also tends to be cloudy in the winter, so even when it’s “daylight” it isn’t unusual to go a whole week without actually seeing the sun.
I finally broke down and bought a full spectrum lamp that I sit in the bask of during winter mornings. It helps a bit loo
You’ll get used to it, eventually :)
Source: Latino living in Canada for 20+ years.
Lots of people in Mexico don’t see daylight either. Their normal working hours are much longer than Canada’s.
Yeah, and in my case I was working around 12 hr days in Montréal, literally lived in the darkness in that time. I’m sure I had SAD but never got it “diagnosed” so I didn’t do anything about it, out of ignorance.
And winter sun, though it’s better than cloudy day still feels a bit fake doesn’t it? I found it very funny when people sat down on Sunday afternoon, in their porch, wearing the tiniest of clothes just to catch the sun leaking between corners in the Plateau as soon as the temperature was in the positive side.
Hope that lamp is helping you, don’t forget to get your Vitamin D supplements too!
Canadian winters are dark and harsh. But Canadian summers are beautiful and amazing! The darkness is tough, but as someone from Latin America myself, I think it’s something you can get used to.
Canada. There is lots of wildlife up north! And plenty of it can be as dangerous as Australia (my SO is Australian. It’s a bit scary once you leave the urban areas.)
But also? Probably more Mexican food choices in Canada. And (I’m in northern Italy currently) as much as you think you won’t miss it? Oh for some real comida corrida where I don’t have to make everything from scratch (and there are no appropriate noodles for a sopita de fideo!)
Canada too cold
I lived in Saskatchewan for 2 years and my recommendation to you is don’t even think about moving there.
Hola! Lots of Mexicans in Canada, and latinos of every stripe, so you’d easily find a community here. Not to mention that integrating into Canadian society is not overly difficult - so you can meet and make friends from all walks of life.
What attracts you to Saskatchewan? Canada is very sparsely populated so anywhere you settle in, you’d be close to nature. For example, Calgary is only a one-hour (or less) drive to the Rocky Mountains. And even the larger cities are not too far from nature breaks.
The problem you’d have to prepare for in Canada is high cost of living, housing shortages, and a harsh winter depending on where you go (especially in the prairies!). I don’t say that to discourage you, just to share some of the good and the challenging parts of being a newcomer.
Whatever you decide, best of luck!
Canada is going to be easier simply because of the agreements between them. Similar time zones and such to keep in touch with your family at home and shorter flights for them and you to visit. Australia has a very difficult for anyone and hard the older you get.
I wouldn’t recommend Canada unless you want to be painfully freezing cold all the time. Especially since you’re coming from somewhere so warm
Australia es mejor opción al día de hoy, ni USA ni Canada
Pero Canadá se está llenando de Australianos. Obviamente no ellos se quedan en Australia.
tu lo has dicho, australianos, OP no es de australia, australia es mejor para latinos
That’s not true. Young Australians live overseas when going to see the world. Australians working in ski resorts for a couple of years is not what you said. There are twice as many Canadians living in Australia than Australians in Canada.
Yeah, I’m on working holiday in Canada and I hate it. Applying for jobs back home in Melbourne now.
dont waste time, they still believe the american dream and a great life is expecting to them in canada.
What does the American dream have to do with Canada? You know they are different countries, right?
lol