# Anyone living in Kelowna,bc ?



## Restless Entity

Hello Everyone

We absolutely love the look of Kelowna, BC and I have even found a job there. But after a little research I have found that houses appear quite expensive compared with other provinces in Canada.

Please could anybody tell me if this is correct & if the general cost of living is high in Kelowna or just the houses ??

Regards
Tim


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## The Baileys

Hi Tim,

We are looking to move to Kelowna but just waiting for a job offer for my husband. We were lucky enough to go to Calgary and Kelowna last year and yes, some parts of Kelowna are expensive but it all depends on what you want out of life. We loved Kettle Valley and if we can do it, we would really like to relocate there rather than anywhere else as it would suit our lifestyle.

Hope this helps.

Regards



Jacqui


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## Restless Entity

Hi Jacqui

Thanks for your reply. Since posting my question we have now moved to Kelowna, It's a little difficult to know what it's truely like here because we are currently under 2 foot of snow !!

Driving can be a little difficult here in the winter but with a 4x4 it's not too bad.
We have come to the conclusion that it's not that much more expensive here than in the UK, as long as your sensible and don't overstretch yourselves. If you are happy to live with the same comforts as you had in the UK....like a typical house with a normal car....then it's no more expensive. It only starts to cost a lot more if you want the finer things in life !!

We have now bought a new minivan & found a rental house which is nice with a view of the mountains. 
I wish you & your family the best of luck with your move & I hope your husband gets his job offer. 

Kind regards
Tim


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## The Baileys

Hi Tim

Thanks for your reply....we are so jealous but of course very happy for you.

Keep us posted on how life is treating you!

Kind Regards



Jacqui


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## dav43

hope to arrive kelowna july this year with kids 16 yrs and 6 yr old, dont know anything about starting out eg schools, renting jobs for husband, painter decorator, joiner, manual labour, [no college education] had own business, i will be enrolled in to ohanagan college, kalowna. looking for some support and friendly advice, dont have anyone out there, closer it gets the more panic i feel. HELP


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## The Baileys

Hi there

I am starting to panic too! We are also hoping to go out to Kelowna in July and our two boys will be 16 and 12. We are hoping that my husband will get a job before landing, he is a plumbing and heating engineer and once the children are settled at school then I will probably get a temping job. When we stayed out there last summer everyone was so helpful you will soon feel setteld I am sure. Keep me posted on how it is going.

Jacqui


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## dav43

happy to hear from you, are you going on a working visa or have you applied through the tough way? we are trying to get in through the back door, went to see a lawyer in vancouver she advised me to apply for college [early education] whitch i have but all seats taken, i am now on waiting list, will not know untill march, we went out in october this year, [area hunting] and you are right people are so helpfull and very friendly, we have spent a fortune 
for lawyers, registration fees for college, r.v rental, flights, and so on, its awfull the not knowing, and so many obsticles, i am at the nervouse break down stage, now i am told i have to take a exam to get in to college in english, was told i can sit it here in a high school then another dept told me i have to sit it in kalowna, then i was told i could sit it here. HOPE IT ALL WORKS OUT FOR YOU ALL I will send you my email if you want to keep in touch. Pam


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## Restless Entity

Hello Pam

I was just checking up on any news on the forum & I noticed your post. 

I thought I would offer any help I can give you regarding your move to Kelowna & coping with the stress involved in such a task !!

Myself, Wife and our 19 month old son moved here on the 1st Jan 09 from Gloucesrshire, UK. We started our emigration journey about 4 years ago after we visited Vancouver island on holiday & loved it.....so much so we decided to research emigration. We attended the usual immigration seminars in London & collect as much information as possible. My wife had some reservations about leaving family & friends, which is totally understandable. Before we decided to make the leap & commit ourselves, my wife has always had an interest in New Zealand, so in January last year we holidayed on New Zealands south island & travelled across the island getting info.....all I can say is that after the first couple of days we knew straight away that New Zealand was not for us. 
Based on this recent trip we decided that Canada would not be beaten !!

In June 08 I contacted Shadi Norman at Tri-continental Global services in Vancouver regarding employment, within 3 days I had a phone interview with a Company in Kelowna & I had a solid job offer.
It took about 6 months to get everything sorted....like the job offer paperwork, house sale & organising Visa's. in order to speed up the process Shadi organised work permits for us both so we could enter Canada & start work while they processed our Permanent Residency Visa's. We have our Medicals in a couple of weeks.

Since the 1st of Jan we have now started work .....purchased a minivan & moved into a rental house in the Glenmore region of Kelowna. 
I won't give you any false impression......it's a lot of hard work & stress is an unfortunate part of the process.....but Kelowna is a beautiful place & the people are amazingly friendly & nothing is too much hasstle.

We came here without knowing anybody so I know what a lifeline it can be just to have someone who has already made the move to the area you want. If you have any questions, need any advice or just want a english point of contact then please feel free to contact me & I'll try to help :- [email protected]

Regards
Tim


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## Oggy

Hi! Welcome to the valley, Tim! 

I was born & raised in Kelowna... if I can help out with any questions, feel free to ask.


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## dunstable diva

Hi Baileys 

Ihave lived in Kelowna for nearly 4 years. Work here is difficult at the moment as everywhere. My husband is a carpenter and I have had to resort to cleaning which I actually dont mind. We find it very expensive to live here. Groceries are dear and wages are low for tradesmen. If you are very outdoorsy this is the place for you. If you like the pub, green grass, great architechture, theatre, bbc, villages, indian food and have a great sense of humour then you may wish to reconsider. Oh and if you have teens the drug culture here is huge. Pot smoking on the beach in the summer !!!!!!!!!! seems to be acceptable.


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## inutley

Hi Tim,

I am (hopefully) moving out with my wife and two daughters (12months and 3 years) from Gloucestershire to Kelowna later this year, and I am going through final negotiations on a job offer at present. Just wondered how you have found things since your move, and have you found any good nurseries/kindergartens in the area?

Best Regards

Ian Nutley


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## louiseg

Hi Ian,

Welcome to the forum...Where in Glos are you from. I grew up in Tetbury. Nice countryside, but can't beat where we are now. We were camping in Kelowna on the May long weekend, being by the lake and the vineyards was very nice. Much warmer than Canmore. But I think the summer heat would get to me. Good luck with the job negotiations.
Cheers Louise


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## inutley

Louise,

We are living in Tetbury currently! Its a lovely place but we are fed up with the UK and want a different attitude and pace of life - we cant wait to get over. We have options in both Calgary and Kelowna, so have to make a decision - how long have you been in Canmore?

Regards

Ian


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## louiseg

What a coincidence!! I must admit I couldn't wait to leave Tetbury, when you live somewhere a long time you don't see the quaint pretty town anymore.
Our main reasons for moving were also negativity, attitudes and just to have some adventure. We definitely found that!
We moved here in 2003, then had a couple of years back in UK been here since 2007 this time. I would say that its taken a good 4 years to settle down. Initially we were trying very hard to do everything, all the activities, like a 'proof' we had done the right thing. Once we settled down and just enjoyed life it was much better. 
Calgary / Kelowna two very different cities, thats going to be tough. Are you able to delay the decision until after you've been here a while?
If not then my adivce would be to take a while to think about whats most important about where you live. Don't base it on the job offers (if that what takes you there) because you may change jobs but the other aspects about a place you can't change. Location to airport, weather summer/winter, access to activities you like, healthcare availability, the things that are inherent about the place. Because once you arrive its going to be a lot harder to move again. 
I've heard Kelowna get very hot summers, but winter lots of cloud hangs over the valley and it can be quite dreary. Calgary has the chinooks which vary the temp in winter. Both have good access to activities, of course the lake in Kelowna is great. Need it to cool off!
If you intend having visitors over, Calgary makes it easier with the airport right there.

Good luck with the decision, when are you planning on arriving


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## Oggy

Hi Ian

Kelowna does indeed get toasty in the summer months and during a heatwave can easily reach into the 30 to 40C range. The Okanagan Valley lies at the top of the Sonoran Desert and as a result, the area is considered semi-arid (with little or no humidity). During the summer months, air conditioning isn't just a luxury... it's a necessity! *chuckles* 

The winter months are cold, although we don't see the more frigid temperatures that some areas of Canada experience. Although the southern coastline of BC is considered mild by Canadian standards, I personally find the winter weather more tolerable here due to the dry climate. This past winter was a strange one in that we didn't see any snowfall until just before Christmas and then we had an Arctic front settle in for almost 2 weeks that broke temperature records - -27C. Generally a cold snap will come down maybe twice and stay for 2 or 3 days, but apparently Mother Nature had other ideas last winter!! It's true that the valley experiences lots of cloud cover between say November & February... we refer to it as "Okanagan White Skies"... but it does provide an insulating factor from colder temperatures. It's not constant and we do have clear days as well.

Our Spring was delayed this year and we didn't see normal May temps until late in the month when we finally saw 30C. Fortunately, the cherry crops weren't affected by the unusual colder weather and we are expecting a good crop. 

Our airport has gone through a number of expansions and has now attained international status. It has been reported that there will be flights direct to the UK, rather than using Vancouver as a hub, but that hasn't happened yet. 

If you have any questions about the Okanagan Valley, I'll certainly try and assist you... just drop me a note! 

Cheers


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## HolyMole

Oggy said:


> Hi Ian
> 
> Kelowna does indeed get toasty in the summer months and during a heatwave can easily reach into the 30 to 40C range. The Okanagan Valley lies at the top of the Sonoran Desert and as a result, the area is considered semi-arid (with little or no humidity). During the summer months, air conditioning isn't just a luxury... it's a necessity! *chuckles*


Oggy, I live just 30 miles north of you, in Vernon, BC. Originally from Montreal but spent 6 years on the coast in Vancouver before moving to the Okanagan 22 years ago. 
I disagree that air conditioning is necessary in summer, when night-time temperatures routinely drop to 12 or 14 C, even when it hits 34 or 36 C during the day . That's what makes the area so pleasant in summer, although the trade-off is you can't sit outside without a sweater after 9 pm. There are maybe 3 or 4 nights all summer where sleeping is difficult without A/C. A window fan's all one needs.

The best part about Okanagan summers is the almost total absence of mosquitos. 

As for Okanagan winters, don't believe those clowns, (realtors, probably), who have the nerve to call Kelowna and area "Palm Springs North". When I lived on the coast and was contemplating a move to the Okanagan, friends described the winter weather there as "like Vancouver but a little colder."
No, a lot colder, with a lot more snow.
But everything's relative. Montreal gets about 100 inches of snow, while Vernon averages about 30.
As for cold....my '79 Mazda's engine block cracked in Vernon in mid-November one year when I delayed adding anti-freeze.


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## Oggy

Hi HolyMole

That's what makes forums such as this so helpful... everyone who contributes their experiences are essentially assisting others in getting a better mental picture of an area!  

I was being a bit cheeky with my remark about air conditioning and it's true I was mainly thinking when the daytime temperatures are in the upper 30's. I rarely use my central air, but will confess to flipping the switch for a few hours during those times. We never use air conditioning in the night hours and are blessed with a wonderful breeze that comes off the mountainside, so open windows help cool the house again. 

I was born and raised in Kelowna and was moved to the Lower Mainland just coming into my teens as a result of my parent's divorce. After 15 years on the coast, I came back to Kelowna many years ago to purchase a home here. Perhaps it's the just what I'm accustomed to, but I've always found the combination of cold air and wet climate to be chilly, so for me, the valley is more tolerable during the winter months. 

Cheers for your input! 

PS) I'm not a realtor either.... just a hometown gal who was helped tremendously by forums such as this one when I sponsored my husband from the UK. I now try to "pay it forward" any chance I get.


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## Mayleyboo

Just wondering how you found the sponsorship process. My husband in Canadian/British dual national, living most of his life in UK. We currently live in Florida but are considering a move to Canada (Kelowna) later this year. We're hoping that sponsorship of spouse/child is fairly straight forward. Any advice would be much appreciated......Thanks


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## Mayleyboo

The Baileys said:


> Hi there
> 
> I am starting to panic too! We are also hoping to go out to Kelowna in July and our two boys will be 16 and 12. We are hoping that my husband will get a job before landing, he is a plumbing and heating engineer and once the children are settled at school then I will probably get a temping job. When we stayed out there last summer everyone was so helpful you will soon feel setteld I am sure. Keep me posted on how it is going.
> 
> Jacqui


Hi Jacqui
Just wondering if you moved to Kelowna, we're also looking to move this summer and thought you might let me know how it's going. I have a 10 year old so interested in how you've found the school system, what area you are and how you have found the winter. We are Brits currently living in Florida so this will be very different!!!


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## bc brit

Hi ,
The winter in Kelowna has been very mild this year.very little snow in town,although big white has had a bummper crop that has made the skiing awsome.
You should find the school system very good compared to back in the UK.
We have 2 girls ,13 and 7,they both go to the christian school in town,the kids love it.
The school offers loads of activities for the kids,Skiing,school camps and also trips abroad when they are older.
School fees are really cheap compaired to the Uk.
Hope your husband plays golf,before you are even asked your name,people ask what your handicap is,if he does not play,he soon will lol.
We have been here 10 years now,and have enjoyed every second of it,there are a lot of brits here and they are well catered for ,you can get all the goodies you may miss from the uk,ie
wisper bars,bisto,mr kiplings mince pies at christmas and also a good curry.
Send me a pm and i will give you are phone number so you can pop round for a cuppa when you get here ( pg tips )

regards bc brit


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## Mayleyboo

bc brit said:


> Hi ,
> The winter in Kelowna has been very mild this year.very little snow in town,although big white has had a bummper crop that has made the skiing awsome.
> You should find the school system very good compared to back in the UK.
> We have 2 girls ,13 and 7,they both go to the christian school in town,the kids love it.
> The school offers loads of activities for the kids,Skiing,school camps and also trips abroad when they are older.
> School fees are really cheap compaired to the Uk.
> Hope your husband plays golf,before you are even asked your name,people ask what your handicap is,if he does not play,he soon will lol.
> We have been here 10 years now,and have enjoyed every second of it,there are a lot of brits here and they are well catered for ,you can get all the goodies you may miss from the uk,ie
> wisper bars,bisto,mr kiplings mince pies at christmas and also a good curry.
> Send me a pm and i will give you are phone number so you can pop round for a cuppa when you get here ( pg tips )
> 
> regards bc brit


Hi
Thanks for your reply, would love to know the name of the school so that I can take a look online. We have lived in Florida for last 6 years so this will be a big change for us but we are ready. My husband was born in Canada but grew up in UK so with his dual nationality we are hoping to go the sponsorship route! How is the job market. Kevin is a General Contractor in Florida but worked in Electronic Security as a Project Manager in UK for many years. My background is marketing and promotions but I haven't worked since arriving in Florida. We've also run resorts overseas so thought about getting back into that field!!! Glad to hear we can still get the British goods in Kelowna, it's pretty much the same here although I have had to learn to cook curry's from scratch as the choice here is not so great.......

We are probably going to have to rent for a while as we have decided not to sell out home in Florida right now so how is the rental market and are there any areas I should avoid looking at. Looking forward to hearing back from you, not sure how to send a PM on this site but would definitely not turn down a cuppa PG!
Thanks again, Tina


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## Oggy

Mayleyboo said:


> Just wondering how you found the sponsorship process. My husband in Canadian/British dual national, living most of his life in UK. We currently live in Florida but are considering a move to Canada (Kelowna) later this year. We're hoping that sponsorship of spouse/child is fairly straight forward. Any advice would be much appreciated......Thanks


Hi Mayleyboo!

There are 2 methods for immigration via the Family Class... Inland or outside applications. Here is a link from the Citizenship and Immigration Canada website for you to peruse....

Sponsoring your family: Spouses and dependent children

Our application was inland and processing was approximately 13 months but we experienced some delays due to RCMP fingerprint backlogs and the requirement for the PR card being introduced. This was back in 2004, so can't give you a more current timeline. 

You have to have a set amount of posts before you can message anyone, but once you have more posts, you're welcome to PM me, as well. I may not be able to answer all your questions, but will certainly try to help.

Advance welcomes to Kelowna!


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## m field

Hi there we too are hoping to move to the Kelowna region we are going out for a fact finding trip in may. My husband is also a plumbing and heating engineer. We are in a real dilema one minute we are desperate to get there then the next i panick about jobs. My husband runs his own business and has done for 11 years and is really busy here we know that financially we are going to take a big step back. How are you getting on has your husband secured a decent job??? and how does the sallary compare ??? We have 3 young children 8,5 and 2. Any info would be great 
maria


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## bc brit

Mayleyboo said:


> Hi
> Thanks for your reply, would love to know the name of the school so that I can take a look online. We have lived in Florida for last 6 years so this will be a big change for us but we are ready. My husband was born in Canada but grew up in UK so with his dual nationality we are hoping to go the sponsorship route! How is the job market. Kevin is a General Contractor in Florida but worked in Electronic Security as a Project Manager in UK for many years. My background is marketing and promotions but I haven't worked since arriving in Florida. We've also run resorts overseas so thought about getting back into that field!!! Glad to hear we can still get the British goods in Kelowna, it's pretty much the same here although I have had to learn to cook curry's from scratch as the choice here is not so great.......
> 
> We are probably going to have to rent for a while as we have decided not to sell out home in Florida right now so how is the rental market and are there any areas I should avoid looking at. Looking forward to hearing back from you, not sure how to send a PM on this site but would definitely not turn down a cuppa PG!
> Thanks again, Tina



Hi Tina,
The school web site is Kelownachristian.ca
The address is 2870 Benvoulin rd Kelowna.
As regards to house rentals,you can check out castanet.net,this is the local web page for Kelowna,there are always plenty of homes for rent.
There are a number of home rental companies in town also.
You may want to check out the following areas for a house, Kettle Valley,Mission,
Glenmore,Dilworth,Black mountain.
If you find something you are intrested in,let me know and i will take a look at it for you.
As for work for yourself,there are a number of radio stations in town that are always on the look out for people,also the local tv station advertising group were looking for people.There is a company in town called ' Think ' you are in the marketing game.
With regards to Kevin,there are plenty of general contractors in town,it woulld take Kevin a while to get to know how things work here,so the electronic side may be his best bet.
There are a number of hi tech companies in town he may want to talk to,i would contact the chamber of commerce for pointers on who to speak too.
City hall may also be worth a call.
If you need any more details regarding any aspects of Kelowna,please let us know


regards Nicci and Mike


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## inutley

Hi Tim,

Just noticed your posting and was interested to read of your experience. I am also moving to Kelowna with my family on March 13th, from Tetbury in Gloucestershire. We went over last summer and loved the location. Fortunately I have found a job (in construction) so hopefully will be able to settle in quickly. Interested to hear of your feedback on the areas - we liked Kettle valley as a previous post albeit prices can be quite high there - what is Glenmore like? We have also struggled to find reasonable short term furnished accomodation - this seems very expensive in the area as it is a big vacation area. If you have any contacts in this regard it would be really helpful.

Regards

Ian Nutley and family.


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## Mayleyboo

Hey Nikki & Mike, Thanks for that, took a quick look at the school's website and it looks really nice, I will certainly contact them for some more info. Also appreciated the link for the rentals (this forum is paying off already), I had been googling properties for rent and very little came up but this website had nearly 2,000. There is so much to think about! I will for sure contact the Chamber and I've had a couple of other suggestions with regards work for Kevin so I will keep you posted. Tina


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## Mayleyboo

m field said:


> Hi there we too are hoping to move to the Kelowna region we are going out for a fact finding trip in may. My husband is also a plumbing and heating engineer. We are in a real dilema one minute we are desperate to get there then the next i panick about jobs. My husband runs his own business and has done for 11 years and is really busy here we know that financially we are going to take a big step back. How are you getting on has your husband secured a decent job??? and how does the sallary compare ??? We have 3 young children 8,5 and 2. Any info would be great
> maria


Hi Maria
Don't panic, this will be my 3rd relocation in the last 15 years and if you do your research and go with an open and positive mind it will all work out. I have found that the 1st year is the hardest but after than, generally things will fall into place. I am also a great believer in things happening if they are meant to. We are in the very early stages of looking at the area, so can't be much help on that front but it seems that there is work and although housing is expensive it does seem that other ex-pats are enjoying a good standard of living. Kevin hasn't secured a job yet but we haven't really started looking, we want to make sure the area is right for us first. I have one daughter, she's 10 and is totally up for the move, I think children are pretty resilient and you'll find they'll settle quicker than you!!! Good luck with everything, stay in touch, would really love to hear your progress and how your May trip goes. Tina


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## Mayleyboo

Oggy said:


> Hi HolyMole
> 
> That's what makes forums such as this so helpful... everyone who contributes their experiences are essentially assisting others in getting a better mental picture of an area!
> 
> I was being a bit cheeky with my remark about air conditioning and it's true I was mainly thinking when the daytime temperatures are in the upper 30's. I rarely use my central air, but will confess to flipping the switch for a few hours during those times. We never use air conditioning in the night hours and are blessed with a wonderful breeze that comes off the mountainside, so open windows help cool the house again.
> 
> I was born and raised in Kelowna and was moved to the Lower Mainland just coming into my teens as a result of my parent's divorce. After 15 years on the coast, I came back to Kelowna many years ago to purchase a home here. Perhaps it's the just what I'm accustomed to, but I've always found the combination of cold air and wet climate to be chilly, so for me, the valley is more tolerable during the winter months.
> 
> Cheers for your input!
> 
> PS) I'm not a realtor either.... just a hometown gal who was helped tremendously by forums such as this one when I sponsored my husband from the UK. I now try to "pay it forward" any chance I get.


Hi Oggy
Your posts are definitely helpful so thanks, re the sponsorship I have a couple of questions, when you say you applied inland, how did that work, I hadn't considered that and we only thought about applying from the states but I guess the time it takes could be prohibitive if we want to arrive in time for our daughter Lily to start school. Also, did you use an immigration Lawyer, I have heard pros and cons for both so would be interested to hear your take on it.
Thanks, Tina


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## Oggy

Awww, thanks Tina! 

Inland spousal applications have some drawbacks - from my observations, they generally take a bit longer than outside applications. We didn't want to be apart any longer, so chose the inland route. As the person being sponsored, you can't work until you reach the halfway mark, AIP. I've heard that you can now submit a request for the work permit at the time you put in your application, which we couldn't do back in 2004. 

While your application is being processed, you have to keep legal status in Canada, so will be required to extend your visitor status until PR is obtained. We didn't leave Canada while the process was happening because we were warned that it was up to the officers at the border as to whether they allowed hubby back in, or not. eeeek! I've heard others have had no issues, but we weren't going to chance wasting our coin and starting again. 

We didn't use a consultant or a lawyer, we just crosschecked our application ourselves. You can call the CIC helpline (not sure if it's accessible outside Canada) if you aren't sure how to fill in a portion of the paperwork or can find many of your answers on forums such as this one. 

I've previously made a post about what types of paperwork to include to prove the validity of your marriage to CIC and you can probably access the post through my profile. If you'd like to read it, let me know if you can't find it, and I'll search it out for you.

Although BC Medical will say otherwise, you are eligible for coverage after the 3 month waiting period. Most of the employees at the call centres don't think of inland spousal applications, so tell you that you have to have PR before you can apply. 

Hope that helps somewhat....

My apologies to everyone for taking the thread off topic!


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## Mayleyboo

Oggy said:


> Awww, thanks Tina!
> 
> Inland spousal applications have some drawbacks - from my observations, they generally take a bit longer than outside applications. We didn't want to be apart any longer, so chose the inland route. As the person being sponsored, you can't work until you reach the halfway mark, AIP. I've heard that you can now submit a request for the work permit at the time you put in your application, which we couldn't do back in 2004.
> 
> While your application is being processed, you have to keep legal status in Canada, so will be required to extend your visitor status until PR is obtained. We didn't leave Canada while the process was happening because we were warned that it was up to the officers at the border as to whether they allowed hubby back in, or not. eeeek! I've heard others have had no issues, but we weren't going to chance wasting our coin and starting again.
> 
> We didn't use a consultant or a lawyer, we just crosschecked our application ourselves. You can call the CIC helpline (not sure if it's accessible outside Canada) if you aren't sure how to fill in a portion of the paperwork or can find many of your answers on forums such as this one.
> 
> I've previously made a post about what types of paperwork to include to prove the validity of your marriage to CIC and you can probably access the post through my profile. If you'd like to read it, let me know if you can't find it, and I'll search it out for you.
> 
> Although BC Medical will say otherwise, you are eligible for coverage after the 3 month waiting period. Most of the employees at the call centres don't think of inland spousal applications, so tell you that you have to have PR before you can apply.
> 
> Hope that helps somewhat....
> 
> My apologies to everyone for taking the thread off topic!


Brilliant thanks, very helpful............I'll have Kevin call the consulate in Miami and hopefully he'll be able to get some up to date info from them.......


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## Guest

Hi Dunstable Diva

I totally agree with you, infact I have sent you a "befriend" message! We have been here the same amount of time as yourselves and my husband is a stone mason and we are seeing Kelowna in its true light, and not through 'rose coloured glasses'. Maybe you have a Facebook account?


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## JerryH

dunstable diva said:


> .......... If you like the pub, green grass, great architechture, theatre, bbc, villages, indian food and have a great sense of humour then you may wish to reconsider............


That would be an understatement ! It's the same every where in BC, you just have more or less of it in certain places.

You have to give up just about any sense of community, culture and experience of difference when you move here, you get "nice and easy" at the cost of bland it seems.

I'm just waiting a year or so to get the passport and then back to Europe for us I think.


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## saroshrabia

*moving to Kelowna*

Hello Guy & Gals,
We are presently living in Edmonton, Alberta but planning on moving to a milder climiate area due to my daughter's condition. My daughter can bare the weather here in edmonton, especially when its my +20 one week and next week its -1 to + 4 with winds. I wanted to know if some of you might be able to give us some information about kelowna,

1. How is the weather, does it snow a lot over there, is dry/hummid?
2. House pricing how much would a 1400 sq house would go for in Kelowna?
3. Cost of living grocery and car insurance?
4. How much are the taxes?
5. Schooling & Health care
6. Jobs ( I am computer consultant & my wife is an Esthitician)

Any information given will be appericated.

Thanks

Sarosh


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## bc brit

saroshrabia said:


> Hello Guy & Gals,
> We are presently living in Edmonton, Alberta but planning on moving to a milder climiate area due to my daughter's condition. My daughter can bare the weather here in edmonton, especially when its my +20 one week and next week its -1 to + 4 with winds. I wanted to know if some of you might be able to give us some information about kelowna,
> 
> 1. How is the weather, does it snow a lot over there, is dry/hummid?
> 2. House pricing how much would a 1400 sq house would go for in Kelowna?
> 3. Cost of living grocery and car insurance?
> 4. How much are the taxes?
> 5. Schooling & Health care
> 6. Jobs ( I am computer consultant & my wife is an Esthitician)
> 
> Any information given will be appericated.
> 
> Thanks
> 
> Sarosh


Hello there,
Weather is normally very dry,not hummid atall,
House prices are above average price wise,check out mls.ca
cost of living again is not cheep,but worth it to live in such a great place imo
Very large hospital in Kelowna,it,s also being expanded as we speak,
taxes,try city hall for rates,
I would call recruitment companies to get an idea on job prospects or look on line at the local papers daily courier is a good start.
We have lived here for 10 years,it really is a great place to live if you can get work,
good luck with move bc brit


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## dunstable diva

Havnt been on here for a while. I think there are many of us who feel the same way. In the past 2 years i have lost both my dads and my mum will be 80 in september. I miss my sisters and my nieces and nephew. I cant wait to get back to the UK one day i dont know when. Hopefully before we run out of money. I dont mean to be a cow but who was it who said Canadians are the friendliest people in the world!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I dont think so. If you live in a crap part of the UK just move to the nice part like Chester or St Albans or Dorset or Brighton.


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## dunstable diva

Hombre85 said:


> Hi Dunstable Diva
> 
> I totally agree with you, infact I have sent you a "befriend" message! We have been here the same amount of time as yourselves and my husband is a stone mason and we are seeing Kelowna in its true light, and not through 'rose coloured glasses'. Maybe you have a Facebook account?


Hello Hombre85. I havnt been on here for ages. I cant find your befriend message. how can we connect?


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## denisevines

Restless Entity said:


> Hello Everyone
> 
> We absolutely love the look of Kelowna, BC and I have even found a job there. But after a little research I have found that houses appear quite expensive compared with other provinces in Canada.
> 
> Please could anybody tell me if this is correct & if the general cost of living is high in Kelowna or just the houses ??
> 
> Regards
> Tim


Hi Tim,

We have been in Kelowna 4 years and are on our second house. Real estate prices are high compared to some other parts of Canada but cheaper than Vancouver and Toronto. Prices are looking higher at the moment because of the exchange rate. When we came in we got 2.35CAD to the GBP which made them a lot less expensive. One thought we brought just enough money into the country to pay for a downpayment, took out a mortgage and then waited for the exchange rate to improve before we brought in the rest of the money from the sale of our UK home and paiddown some of the mortgage. It saved us thousands. Mortgage rates are low here a the moment. What you do get is a much bigger home. In the uK when a home says is has 3 beds and 2 baths, that is what you get. When it says 3 bed 2 baths here you often get a family room, den and basement rec room as well. We sold a 3 bed detached in Ramsbottom, lancashire with 1035 sq ft and bought a 6 bed 2700sq ft in Kelowna for less money. There are a couple of banks now looking after immigrants and bringing in credit scores etc.

Cost of living is lower than the UK although some things are expensive. Beer and wine are more expensive, the cost of running a car is much less although BC is notorious for rejecting UK insurance letters and giving us 0 no claims.The first 6 months you compare and convert everything back to pounds but once you are being paid in $ eventually you just start to work in Canadian money.


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