Possibly Moving to Scotland

Hi and welcome to the Forum.

Good luck in obtaining your UK passport; dual-citizenship can be handy, although perhaps Brexit may make it less so.  Aberdeen has some similarities to Calgary, in that it's an oil town, while the oil is there the city will thrive, when it stops, it's a place in the middle of nowhere.

£11k should be enough to survive for 6 months; remember that you won't be able to get credit when you first get here, so things like cell-phones, rental deposit etc will all be cash up front.

Hope this helps.

Cynic
Expat Team

Hi Cynic,

Thanks very much for your reply!

I'm still unsure which city specifically I should look to, when the time comes and I can begin the moving process to Scotland. I have my heart set on Aberdeen, however I also need to be realistic and look around for work opportunities and what I can really afford.

I've researched, and apparently I'll need to be within the country for over 100 days before I would be allowed to open up a bank account? Cash upfront is understandable and not an issue, but I don't want to carry around £11k, if you know what I mean. 

I'm still waiting on the final OK for my citizenship. If I want to apply for a passport afterwards, I believe I can do so - right now, it's strictly citizenship, by descent. 

Hi again.

The majority of people in Scotland live in the region between Glasgow and Edinburgh - they call it the Central Belt; it follows that this is where the majority of work is; unless your skill set is the oil business, then, of course, Aberdeen and Inverness should also be included.

Hope this helps.

Cynic
Expat Team

I am mostly interested in Aberdeen. I have a lot of office experience, but also experience in properties and aviation (avionics).

I have been approved for citizenship, and now I'm looking to really do the proper research into moving.

Hi again,

The North Sea oil fields use a lot of aviation (mainly helicopters); Aberdeen is the base for those.  If your avionics skill-set is hands-on, then you should check your qualifications are accepted in the EU (EASA).

Hope this helps.

Cynic
Expat Team

Oh I'm more office administration, my experience in avionics is dealing with customers and manufacturers to repair damaged components.

I can spot an altimeter, gyroscope, actuator, etc., though.

Thank you for all the info. I'm not worried about finding work, it's more the living situation, expenses, and banking I'm going to need to figure out.

Hi again,

Expenses - try the Numbeo website; this link will take you there.

Banking - you can't do until you get here and have an address to give them.  That said, this link tells us that all is not as bad as some make out.

Hope this helps.

Cynic
Expat Team

I've been on Numbeo before, it's definitely helpful with getting a better idea of expenses - still frightening to think that they might be more than estimated, in the end. I suppose a chance to take?

Also with the bank account, we have HSBC here in Canada - it's good to know I can open an account and it should be easier once in Scotland to obtain an account there.

I suppose there wouldn't be any advice to offer with regards to when would be a good time to search for flats to move to?

Numbeo is always behind the curve (I think it tells you that somewhere in the script).

Accommodation - very much depends on where you live and when you move there.  Try and avoid the things that will trip you up, so avoid university towns (students there are looking for the same accommodation as you will be and you have a funny accent, it puts the price up), don't move at the start of the summer tourist season (prices are silly).  You may struggle at first as you have no credit history.  You said previously that your family was from Aberdeen; if there are still any there, then that should be your first place to try and get some help; if not, then AirBnB for the first month (my daughter did that - albeit a different country); it gives you the advantage of having somewhere to go straight off the plane and an address for the bank, National Insurance etc.

You're probably using Google to search for accommodation; our experience is that what you see on the websites that is any good has probably already gone, it's kept on the website to attract people like yourself, then when you inquire, you get "Sorry, that's just been let, but we do have ......................." (which is probably the smelly place they can't move for love or money).  If somewhere is on the internet, looks good and is cheap, then it's probably a scam; there is no good, cheap property.  Local contacts are much more reliable.

AirBnB is great, it doesn't tie you down to a contract and enables you to look around the area to find what works for you and suitable needs.

My lease is up at the end of June 2019, so I was looking to move by the end of June/July.
I looked at AirBnB and it all seems overly expensive. Would be cheaper to hit a hotel, if needed.

I am currently signing up for many job sites and applying to positions. I have many months to get myself organized. Worse case, I stay here in a monthly rental until something comes up.

Unless you are a really a person that they want it's pretty hard to get a  job offer. I am not saying it is impossible but it's not common. You will find more success when you arrive.

Now there is this website that might interest you https://www.workaway.info/information-for-travellers.html.

Good luck, all the same, I hope you find something.

SimCityAT
Expat Team

I agree with SimCityAT.  Long range job searching only seems to work for those with unique skills that are in great demand; to be honest, I suspect that office-admin isn't in that group.

However, the office-admin group does seem to have a great deal of churnover, so they are always looking for people to fill these roles and your previous experience will help.  The issue will be that they want people who can start work tomorrow and with the best will in the world, I don't think you can do that from Canada.  My advice would be (assuming you are going to move to the UK regardless of your status) to make the move, then register with the local agencies to find work (temp or permanent), that will get you on the local ladder.

I'm very aware that my chances of finding a position while still in Canada is very unlikely, however that won't stop me from trying. I'm also very aware I will most likely need to move first and search for work once I'm there. I have 6 months, I'll figure it all out in time.

In that case, I shall shut up and let you get on with it.  Please let us know how you get on.

How did you get on with the idea of moving to Scotland? I hope you where successful.

I was just wondering the same.  The OP has been on the Forum fairly recently but hasn't posted anything for 4 years.  Perhaps if she has the time/inclination, she can give us an update as to how she has gotten on.

I haven't been active on here since before I moved, so I do suppose an update is in order 😅

I left Canada the 23rd of June 2019, and arrived in Glasgow morning of the 24th. I won't get into the hassle of trying to get from Glasgow to Aberdeen via train with a suitcase big enough to fit me, a backpack and two large cat kennels but I did finally manage.

I was lucky enough to secure a job the Friday before I left, so June 21st, with the leasing company I was in contact with to find a flat when I arrived. I booked an Airbnb for the first week, from Monday the 24th to Sunday the 30th. I met with the leasing agent/my new boss that Tuesday, secured my flat, opened up a new bank account that day and moved into the flat that Friday after payments were made. 😊

I worked for that company until fairly recently, just started a new job November 2022.

Happy to answer any questions about the move and relocating here. Overall it's been nearly 4 years and happy to have made the leap.

I haven't been active on here since before I moved, so I do suppose an update is in order 😅
I left Canada the 23rd of June 2019, and arrived in Glasgow morning of the 24th. I won't get into the hassle of trying to get from Glasgow to Aberdeen via train with a suitcase big enough to fit me, a backpack and two large cat kennels but I did finally manage.

I was lucky enough to secure a job the Friday before I left, so June 21st, with the leasing company I was in contact with to find a flat when I arrived. I booked an Airbnb for the first week, from Monday the 24th to Sunday the 30th. I met with the leasing agent/my new boss that Tuesday, secured my flat, opened up a new bank account that day and moved into the flat that Friday after payments were made. 😊

I worked for that company until fairly recently, just started a new job November 2022.

Happy to answer any questions about the move and relocating here. Overall it's been nearly 4 years and happy to have made the leap.
-@alannabel

Thank you for the update @alannabel

SimCityAT

Expat Tam

I haven't been active on here since before I moved, so I do suppose an update is in order 😅
I left Canada the 23rd of June 2019, and arrived in Glasgow morning of the 24th. I won't get into the hassle of trying to get from Glasgow to Aberdeen via train with a suitcase big enough to fit me, a backpack and two large cat kennels but I did finally manage.

I was lucky enough to secure a job the Friday before I left, so June 21st, with the leasing company I was in contact with to find a flat when I arrived. I booked an Airbnb for the first week, from Monday the 24th to Sunday the 30th. I met with the leasing agent/my new boss that Tuesday, secured my flat, opened up a new bank account that day and moved into the flat that Friday after payments were made. 😊

I worked for that company until fairly recently, just started a new job November 2022.

Happy to answer any questions about the move and relocating here. Overall it's been nearly 4 years and happy to have made the leap.
-@alannabel

Well done you.

@seanrhind Hi! I just got back from Scotland - I would still love to move there, but am hoping to in 2024. It's all about a job and a work-visa to go along with it. I'm also disappointed in the US/UK exchange rate - it's so expensive there. Where do you live? I spent three months - October through December - on the Isle of Harris, and some of my time in Pitlochry.

Hi from Vancouver!

I'm thinking of moving to Glasgow on an ancestry visa in 2024. I have a question for Alanna....what is the tax situation now that you've moved? Do you pay taxes in both Canada and Scotland?

Thanks very much!

@melanycamille2 I only paid taxes in Canada for the tax year I lived in Canada, so in 2020 for instance I completed an income tax form and let CRA know I left the country (and provincial). 😊 There's options when you complete taxes online for this, just gotta go through everything carefully but the forms are fairly straightforward. If you have a tax firm do your taxes for you, they'll know what to do.

Taxes out this way seem to be a bit easier, at least from my experiences.

EDIT: Sorry I think I made my reply a little confusing. I moved to Scotland in 2019, so in 2020 for 2019's tax year, I completed my income tax for CRA and Revenu Québec. I've not paid taxes in Canada since, as I don't work or live in the country. I have no income to tax in Canada. I didn't move here on a visa, however, so might be worth a call to CRA and see for sure. Since I'm a citizen/moved here with my UK passport, it could be a bit different for your situation..

@alannabel

Thanks so much for this info! This makes moving a tad less expensive:)

@melanycamille2

How are you liking Aberdeen?