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AprilMaria wrote:

hi aprilmaria, i've lived in toronto all my life and travelled most of canada so happy to give you my thoughts. by all means, its fair to keep an open mind regardless but locals will give you insight you otherwise would not have.

1) What are the opertunities like for a very experienced butcher (he has some where between 15 and 20 years experience)

i worked part time during a career change at an organic butchers in toront and loved it. the staff were professional and took their trade seriously. i'm happy to send you a pm with the name of the store and your boyfriend can reach out to them directly.

2)What are the opertunities like for people in the fashion and interior design sectors?

disposable income is diminishing even in toronto. with the world economy under pressure it is impacting the cdn market so ppl are not spending $ on non essentials. a friend of mine is in the interior design trade and has confirmed sales/commissions are down dramatically


3)What is the cost of living like? Rent etc

cost of living in toronto is high although i'm not sure of the comparisson to ireland. a 2bdm apt will rent for $1,600 cdn; a 2 bdm condo can go for $1,900 upwards (condos come with appliances; rentals don't)

4)is it possible to make a good living if all else fails and I went back to farming? I know land is not very expensive in Canada.

surprisingly, our farmland in and around toronto is being converted to housing but the areas outside of the greater toronto area may still be affordable. farming is also becoming challenging due to commodity prices; soil conditions (which are best in the areas being converted to new housing developments etc). so i wouldnt focus on ontario. perhaps down east would be feasible. the scenary is stunning and the ppl are friendly. new foundland is particularly stunning. the home values are also much better in the maritimes.

anyhow, hope this helps and i'll send you a pm with the butchers name.

cheers and good luck!

Hello;
I would like to say that first you need to make sure you have your paper work in place before you come into the country, because it is illegal to work unless you have a work permit, once you are in the country you can apply for one but if they catch you working, you are in trouble, and the visa work if you are lucky can take up to 2 years.

Most companies won't employ people unless you are Canadian, just a fact of life!

Good luck!