I was going to title this thread “How can you have a city where all the houses are really fucking expensive yet people still seem to live there?”
I was in Vancouver recently and I just fell in love with the place. Then I checked around and it seems that the median home price is around $700,000. That is of course in Loonies, but still a hefty chunk of change. So I am wondering how on earth places like Vancouver and the Bay Area can support any people at all, is there like some magic antigravity gun that keeps money from falling out of people’s pockets so that they have more to spend on mortgages, or just some trick of economics that I’m not seeing?
I’m a Java programmer, I make some pretty good coin, but from the looks of things I’d be living under a bridge if I moved there. Somebody please tell me I can move to Vancouver without having to peddle my ass on the streetcorner.
I haven’t looked into it myself, but a friend of mine is trying to emigrate to Vancouver. He says that they have a points system. If you have a degree, then you get some points. If you’re under a certain age, you get some points. If you’re older you get fewer points. He said there are negative points as well. If you can get a sponsor, then that’s a good thing. Otherwise you’ll need to have enough money to support yourself for a certain length of time. The cash amount seems very modest. Something like CDN$10,000. He also said something about ‘landed status’. Apparently if you own property it might be easier. If you have a unique skill then a company may hire you.
As it happens, he was asked to leave Canada. The authorities thought he’d been there long enough. (I don’t know how long he’d been there.) So now when he goes back he needs to show proof of U.S. residence, proof of employment, etc. in addition to his passport. His (Canadian) girlfriend’s parents are outraged. Canadian friends who immigrated from India say they’d never heard of a white guy being asked to leave. He’s got lots of support up there, but won’t ask his g/f to sponsor him or get into a ‘marriage of convenience’. He’s totally trying to do it legally. I wish him luck.
Me? I’d just like to get a work visa and work for my employer’s competition.
Johnny - I think as a Java programmer, Brain Wreck will probably be ok - however, he can go here to take the little quiz.
Regarding house prices, well - do you currently own a home? Do you have a down payment? ScotiaBank offers a “now down payment” type mortage for first time home buyers, but a $700,000 mortgage is still a bit daunting.
I think you could reasonably expect to find a small condo for about $300,000 which is more manageable, but not great if you’re trying to move a family in.
FWIW, Vancouver is an easy city to bike around so you don’t HAVE to have a car. I would look in places like Kitsalano - close to lots of stuff (downtown, harbour, shopping, restaruants, etc) and not INSANELY expensive.
Anyhow - yah, it’s expensive. Honestly, if I thought I could aford it I would have moved years ago. Perhaps I should sponsor you…
The quiz, now… I’m familiar with the quiz. I got a 75 out of 100 on the quiz, which is supposedly enough to get “permanent worker status.” The immigration part, I think I can swing.
However, unless they give me $5,000 for each point I made on the test, I guess I’m having trouble seeing how I’ll be able to afford housing and cost of living. I guess this is a whine more than a question; I just need to do a little more research. It is so rude of Vancouver to be so nice and then also be so expensive.
Both Vancouver and Victoria on Vancouver Island are nice places. But, hell, yes–anyone planning to immigrate to here, or move from another part of Canada, beware… Housing is incredibly expensive.
