# Retired American Fed moving to Canada



## ddruker (Feb 21, 2010)

Greetings, All!

I have recently retired from the Federal government in Washington, DC, as a telecommunications specialist, after 35 years of service. So I have a fairly generous annuity. My wife is also retired from the University of Maryland, where she taught classical ballet for over 30 years. She receives both a Maryland retirement annuity and Social Security.

We are, therefore, not fabulously rich but certainly not poor. I also work part time now as a personal chef, something I have been doing alongside my Federal job for many years. Now that I am retired, I am spending more professional time in the kitchen.

We are seriously thinking of relocating to British Columbia and would like some insights and/or guidance from Forum members about our prospects for restarting our lives in the Vancouver area.

My wife was originally a British subject, and gained her American citizenship about five years ago. She is a graduate of the Royal Academy of Dancing in England. I have undergraduate and graduate degrees from the University of Chicago and have taught everything from American history to the theory and history of film at the University level. I have also worked as a freelance writer and critic for a number of newspapers and journals.

I understand that, as skilled professionals, we probably have the credentials to make the transition from Maryland to Canada, but -- as a retired couple over 60 -- are we being realistic?


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## Auld Yin (Mar 10, 2009)

ddruker said:


> Greetings, All!
> 
> I have recently retired from the Federal government in Washington, DC, as a telecommunications specialist, after 35 years of service. So I have a fairly generous annuity. My wife is also retired from the University of Maryland, where she taught classical ballet for over 30 years. She receives both a Maryland retirement annuity and Social Security.
> 
> ...


I, personally, do not believe you are being realistic, unless your training and expertise as a telecommunications specialists is an occupation on THE LIST of 38 considered essential to Canada's future. Chefs are on the list but they must be formally trained with such documented. Your degree/teaching qualifications could possibly be of interest to a Canadian university and you would require a job offer from one, which may provide you with pre-arranged employment. There are many skilled professionals who must go the pre-arranged employment route.
Canada does not have a retiree immigration programme.


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