# Canary Isles



## Duchess (Sep 28, 2009)

Hi my hubby and I are hoping to move permanently to the Canary Islands but have a dilemma.
Do we try to find jobs there and move before he retires (he's 62 soon), or do we wait til he is 65? How easy is it to get employment in the islands?

Has anyone moved with just a few years before retirement?

Healthcare - I think we have to get private plans or do they have free healthcare?

Cost of living - are utilities bills, council tax (or equivalent) and other bills expensive?
Is grocery shopping cheap?

I have tried to research these on 'the web', but would appreciate some guidance or advice from those who have made the move already.


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## Lynn R (Feb 21, 2014)

Duchess said:


> Hi my hubby and I are hoping to move permanently to the Canary Islands but have a dilemma.
> Do we try to find jobs there and move before he retires (he's 62 soon), or do we wait til he is 65? How easy is it to get employment in the islands?
> 
> Has anyone moved with just a few years before retirement?
> ...


Well, we moved just over 8 years ago and my husband just reached his 65th birthday a few weeks ago - but we made sure we had enough funds in place for us to live on until our pensions became payable. We would never have done it had we needed to find work to pay our living expenses until normal retirement age - and when we moved the global economic crisis hadn't yet started. That was to Andalucia of course, not the Canaries, but I don't think the jobs situation is much different there unfortunately.

With regard to healthcare, yes anyone now wishing to register as a foreign resident in Spain has to provide evidence that they have healthcare cover (and if they can't get an S1 form from the UK as they are below pensionable age that effectively means private health insurance - for the first year at least. After that they may be able to pay into the Spanish state health system by way of the Convenio Especial which currently costs €65 per month per person for under 65s.).


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

Duchess said:


> Hi my hubby and I are hoping to move permanently to the Canary Islands but have a dilemma.
> Do we try to find jobs there and move before he retires (he's 62 soon), or do we wait til he is 65? How easy is it to get employment in the islands?
> 
> Has anyone moved with just a few years before retirement?
> ...


if you're going to be *needing *an income, then wait until he gets his state pension - unemployment is much much higher than in the UK, so the chances of getting contracted work are slim

if you come before he gets his pension, you would need private healthcare for at least the first 12 months after registering as resident - unless you managed to find contracted work, in which case you'd be able to access state healthcare

if you look at our http://www.expatforum.com/expats/sp...-living-spain/2725-faqs-lots-useful-info.html you'll find lots of info about registering as resident, healthcare etc.


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## 90199 (Mar 21, 2010)

I live on the island of El Hierro, if you need employment here you have be highly skilled and fluent in Castellano. Ordinary jobs are scarce, that is because unemployment is over 30%.

If you wish to retire here and you have an income, then life can be very good. The cost of living is far less than the U.K. and far less than other Spanish territories, for example fuel is less than €1 per litre on the larger islands. We run two properties and a car and our outgoings are less than 1000 € monthly. We do not need heating or airconditioning, council tax, water etc. is far cheaper than the U.K., so are groceries, tobacco and alcohol are cheap.

Life in the U.K. is now but a distant memory, here is home and here is where we stay.

Photos of this island on the link below, probably not where you would retire, but still worth a visit. 

Thurnscoe, my goodness!! I lived there in 1970………..


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## Pesky Wesky (May 10, 2009)

I would suggest reading up on the employment and economic situation in Spain today before you make the move. In the FAQs you could look at post#23.
This is info about the Canary Islands from a link in post #32 in the FAQs
https://ec.europa.eu/eures/main.jsp?catId=441&lmi=Y&acro=lmi&lang=en&recordLang=en&parentId=&countryId=ES®ionId=ES0&nuts2Code=%20&nuts3Code=null&mode=shortages®ionName=Canarias
There is also info about the paperwork needed, renting, tax etc


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## Duchess (Sep 28, 2009)

Thanks for the replies, sounds like we'll need to wait until he retires!
Hepa - what a small world! Did you learn Spanish when you moved or do most people speak English in Canaries?
Can anyone give advice on letting agents or how you found and dealt with property finding, estate agents etc? We are thinking of renting first to get to know which areas we like.


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## 90199 (Mar 21, 2010)

Duchess said:


> Thanks for the replies, sounds like we'll need to wait until he retires!
> Hepa - what a small world! Did you learn Spanish when you moved or do most people speak English in Canaries?
> Can anyone give advice on letting agents or how you found and dealt with property finding, estate agents etc? We are thinking of renting first to get to know which areas we like.


I have been learning Spanish from being a young man in Argentina in the mis 60's, to classes in England. Where I live now English is not widely spoken, for there are only four English people on the island. English is spoken in the Tourist areas of the larger islands, but O.K., for a few days, maybe, however I would not want to live there.

It is a renters market at the moment in the Canary Islands, and it all depends which island and which area you are attracted to, there are others on the forum that live on the other islands, if you let us know where, we may be able to advise.


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## Alcalaina (Aug 6, 2010)

Slightly off topic but my favourite foodie TV show _Un País para Comérselo_ was all about the island of La Palma last night. Not only do they have vineyards (I didn't realise there were any Canarian wines) but they also make rum and cigars, just like in Cuba! Made me want to go and have a look.


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## Duchess (Sep 28, 2009)

Hepa

Do you get English tv, and is broadband good there and in the Canaries?


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## 90199 (Mar 21, 2010)

Duchess said:


> Hepa
> 
> Do you get English tv, and is broadband good there and in the Canaries?


I can get English T.V. on the internet, however I don't use it much these days, I find most programs are no longer of interest. I have an Imagen Movistar for T.V Phone and Broad band set up, my broad band here is 7 or 8 mbps, but places on the other islands it is far worse. 

Don't know about the other parts of Spain, they seem to live in a much different world to ours.

Oh yes good news, Diesel dropped in price to 95 cents a litre :laugh:


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## GFlan (Feb 7, 2015)

"It is a renters market at the moment in the Canary Islands, and it all depends which island and which area you are attracted to, there are others on the forum that live on the other islands, if you let us know where, we may be able to advise."


Hi Hepa 

I'm not sure if I should start a new thread or not. You said 'renters market'. I'm aiming on moving to one of the islands in June or July of this year but have no idea where to look for long term property rental. I'm in the early stages of an online business so all I need is a cheap small apartment (not tiny or grotty) and decent internet connection. My intended stay would be a minimum of 6months and then might move around or find someplace more suitable. My intention is to live inexpensively to concentrate on work. I do not want to be in any busy touristic area, but also not the middle of nowhere. I wonder if you have any advice.

I wonder could you direct me to any site i could have a look at rental availability?
Thanks


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## 90199 (Mar 21, 2010)

GFlan said:


> "It is a renters market at the moment in the Canary Islands, and it all depends which island and which area you are attracted to, there are others on the forum that live on the other islands, if you let us know where, we may be able to advise."
> 
> 
> Hi Hepa
> ...


Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, might suit you, the capital of Gran Canaria, everything within walking distance, extremely good public transport system, and a good international airport. The city has tourists, but the main tourist areas are in the south of the island.

Rental agencies are many, but most require a 12 month contract, as short term rentals need a licence.

Google, Alquilar apartamentos las palmas de gran canaria

The are many sites, mainly in Spanish though.

Your best bet would be to visit on a fact finding tour.


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