Moving from Kuwait to Edmonton

[New_Life]

Hi everyone, greetings all the way from Kuwait. That is right I am from Kuwait and currently thinking of working in Edmonton, AB (many people here find this strange). I have not decided yet but I am getting there (80% I guess). I need all the help & advice that you can provide :smile:

I am a 30 years old single male with a 4+ years of experience in the Telecommunication industry. I work as an Analytical Marketing Analyst or as some people refer to it as a Business Analyst. How hard is it for me to find a job in Edmonton & how much do you think I should earn to live a good life in Edmonton? I mean to cover the cost of living and maybe save some :smile:

I am more of a staying home guy who most of the time enjoys going out to watch a movie (every weekend i guess) & likes to dine out once or twice a month. so i guess most of my expenses goes to rent & utilities (electricity, TV, internet, ......) and food ofcourse ;-)

Can you please also tell me where to start when I look for places to rent? I mean areas that is safe and have shops within a walking distance (like groceary stores). I know this will be more relevant to my job location but it want hurt to look into those areas now.

I appreciate all the help & advice that you can provide and if you have any advice that you think can be helpful and i did not ask about it, please do tell me.

Thank you in advance :smile:

 

[Mowich]

Hi everyone, greetings all the way from Kuwait. That is right I am from Kuwait and currently thinking of working in Edmonton, AB (many people here find this strange). I have not decided yet but I am getting there (80% I guess). I need all the help & advice that you can provide :smile:

I am a 30 years old single male with a 4+ years of experience in the Telecommunication industry. I work as an Analytical Marketing Analyst or as some people refer to it as a Business Analyst. How hard is it for me to find a job in Edmonton & how much do you think I should earn to live a good life in Edmonton? I mean to cover the cost of living and maybe save some :smile:

I am more of a staying home guy who most of the time enjoys going out to watch a movie (every weekend i guess) & likes to dine out once or twice a month. so i guess most of my expenses goes to rent & utilities (electricity, TV, internet, ......) and food ofcourse ;-)

Can you please also tell me where to start when I look for places to rent? I mean areas that is safe and have shops within a walking distance (like groceary stores). I know this will be more relevant to my job location but it want hurt to look into those areas now.

I appreciate all the help & advice that you can provide and if you have any advice that you think can be helpful and i did not ask about it, please do tell me.

Thank you in advance :smile:

Hello New Life...........welcome to the forum. I hope this helps answer some of your questions.

Moving and Relocating to Edmonton, Alberta | EEDC || EEDC

 

[New_Life]

Hello New Life...........welcome to the forum. I hope this helps answer some of your questions.

Moving and Relocating to Edmonton, Alberta | EEDC || EEDC

Thank you Mowich :smile:

This is really helpful. Looking forward to hear from locals more ;-)

Thank you again

 

[New_Life]

Hello Any more help please ???

 

[Walter]

Enjoy having beer.

 

[karrie]

Hello and welcome to the forum. I think you'll enjoy Edmonton just fine. You probably won't be able to move without a job, and any job you can find will support a single male in an apartment if you budget, so I don't think you need to worry about affording life here in Edmonton.

The one thing I would point out to you (if it even applies) that I don't know if you'll be able to find online, is that the north of edmonton, especially from 137th avenue and up, has a larger arabic population than other parts of the city thus more halal delis, mediteranean markets, etc.

Google is your friend in finding out anything about the city. Good luck

 

[New_Life]

Hello and welcome to the forum. I think you'll enjoy Edmonton just fine. You probably won't be able to move without a job, and any job you can find will support a single male in an apartment if you budget, so I don't think you need to worry about affording life here in Edmonton.

The one thing I would point out to you (if it even applies) that I don't know if you'll be able to find online, is that the north of edmonton, especially from 137th avenue and up, has a larger arabic population than other parts of the city thus more halal delis, mediteranean markets, etc.

Google is your friend in finding out anything about the city. Good luck

Thank you Karrie this is really a helpful information. I'm thinking more of living as closer as I can to my job just because I will not get a car when I initially move to Edmonton but now I know where to look for Halal food & Arab groceries

Can anyone tell me how the taxes in Edmonton are compared to the United States??

 

[karrie]

Thank you Karrie this is really a helpful information. I'm thinking more of living as closer as I can to my job just because I will not get a car when I initially move to Edmonton but now I know where to look for Halal food & Arab groceries

Can anyone tell me how the taxes in Edmonton are compared to the United States??

Sometimes living near work isn't practical. If you're moving here without a car, look into moving near to one of the many public transportation terminals. Between the buses and the light rail line, the city isn't too bad to get around so long as you make sure you're within good walking distance to a nearby hub.

 

[New_Life]

Sometimes living near work isn't practical. If you're moving here without a car, look into moving near to one of the many public transportation terminals. Between the buses and the light rail line, the city isn't too bad to get around so long as you make sure you're within good walking distance to a nearby hub.

You are not wrong there Karrie. Never thought about it this way

 

[PoliticalNick]

I think you may have picked the wrong place to move. Edmonton is a blue-collar city servicing the oil/gas fields. From what you say of your prior experience I would suggest you look in Calgary which is where all the egghead business guys work out of. May be a little more expensive than Edmonton but job prospects would be greater.

 

[karrie]

I think you may have picked the wrong place to move. Edmonton is a blue-collar city servicing the oil/gas fields. From what you say of your prior experience I would suggest you look in Calgary which is where all the egghead business guys work out of. May be a little more expensive than Edmonton but job prospects would be greater.

Of all our friends, a group of roughly 20 couples, I only know 3 that are working 'in the oil patch' here in the city (and one's my hubby, who's beyond 'blue collar' at this point). The rest are lawyers, realtors, teachers, social workers, road builders, IT (5 or 6 IT folk), a dance instructor, a glass worker, a civil engineer... it's a huge city with a LOT more going on than oil patch and blue collar work.

 

[PoliticalNick]

Of all our friends, a group of roughly 20 couples, I only know 3 that are working 'in the oil patch' here in the city (and one's my hubby, who's beyond 'blue collar' at this point). The rest are lawyers, realtors, teachers, social workers, road builders, IT (5 or 6 IT folk), a dance instructor, a glass worker, a civil engineer... it's a huge city with a LOT more going on than oil patch and blue collar work.

Like any major city Edmonton has a slice of everything but Calgary is where most of the 'business' types are and where there is more opportunity for someone with that background is all I was saying.

 

[eh1eh]

Check the weather. Click here
Also check the historical data at that web site for, lets say, the month of January.
You know how it's 40C where you are most of the time, well for about 1/4 of the year you can get as low as -40c temps in Edmonton.
Just saying.

 

[SLM]

Check the weather. Click here
Also check the historical data at that web site for, lets say, the month of January.
You know how it's 40C where you are most of the time, well for about 1/4 of the year you can get as low as -40c temps in Edmonton.
Just saying.

Yep. That should really be the deciding factor shouldn't it? Lol.

Don't you think it's cute when someone with a heavy accent turns to you on the street and says "Boy, it's cold out isn't it!"....in September.

 

[Praxius]

I think you may have picked the wrong place to move. Edmonton is a blue-collar city servicing the oil/gas fields. From what you say of your prior experience I would suggest you look in Calgary which is where all the egghead business guys work out of. May be a little more expensive than Edmonton but job prospects would be greater.

Just because a city/town has more work for a specific field of work, that doesn't mean there still no available jobs in other fields.

People working in oil/gas still need restaurants, they still need IT services, they need phones, TV's, pubs, theatres, and in my line of work... all those places need signage for their buildings and advertising. ;-)

Even though Nova Scotia is mostly fishing, manufacturing, ship building, forestry, etc..... if you know what to look for & how, there are jobs available in other fields.

Yep. That should really be the deciding factor shouldn't it? Lol.

Don't you think it's cute when someone with a heavy accent turns to you on the street and says "Boy, it's cold out isn't it!"....in September.

Don't get me started on that.... here in Melbourne in the middle of the "Winter" when it "drops" to +12 C in the day time, everybody's running around saying "Boy it's freezing out."

I kind of shrug at them and say "Yeah, I suppose" then they notice my accent and say, "Oh, I guess coming from America, you're used to this cold."

:roll:

 

[Durry]

You are not wrong there Karrie. Never thought about it this way

So why do you want to go to a western country? Most western countries have their laws and lifestyles based on a Christian ideology, Canada is a western country.

Muslims like our benefits but they don't like our lifestyles and they don't integrate well into Canadian societies.
Muslims are not well respected in Canada, so far they have failed to gain the respect of the majority of Canadians even tho Canadians are the most welcoming people in the world.

So, why do you want to come here, why don't you go to Muslim countries?
Interested in your answer.

 

[Praxius]

So why do you want to go to a western country? Most western countries have their laws and lifestyles based on a Christian ideology, Canada is a western country.

Canada isn't as "Christian" as say, the US is.... and who said he was Muslim?

Muslims like our benefits but they don't like our lifestyles and they don't integrate well into Canadian societies.
Muslims are not well respected in Canada, so far they have failed to gain the respect of the majority of Canadians even tho Canadians are the most welcoming people in the world.

So, why do you want to come here, why don't you go to Muslim countries?
Interested in your answer.

#1, you don't speak for Canada or most of Canadians, so don't.

#2, why even bother to bring this up unless you just want to be a jerk?

I know / have known a few muslims and never had an issue with them, nor have I seen them have any issue with living in a Western society.

Regardless, this isn't really the topic to be discussing here as his religious beliefs are irrelevant & none of your business.

 

[Durry]

his religious beliefs are irrelevant & none of your business.

When it comes to Muslims in my country,,,,,I make it my business.. So suck it up!!

 

[New_Life]

I think you may have picked the wrong place to move. Edmonton is a blue-collar city servicing the oil/gas fields. From what you say of your prior experience I would suggest you look in Calgary which is where all the egghead business guys work out of. May be a little more expensive than Edmonton but job prospects would be greater.

Dear I thought the same when I started looking into working in Alberta 8O. However, after doing few researches, I found out that there are plenty of opportunities in other fields besides the oil/gas industry. I kept Calgary as my next option if I failed to find a job in Edmonton but Edmonton is what my heart dsires :smile:

Check the weather. Click here
Also check the historical data at that web site for, lets say, the month of January.
You know how it's 40C where you are most of the time, well for about 1/4 of the year you can get as low as -40c temps in Edmonton.
Just saying.

Yep. That should really be the deciding factor shouldn't it? Lol.

Don't you think it's cute when someone with a heavy accent turns to you on the street and says "Boy, it's cold out isn't it!"....in September.

Don't get me started on that.... here in Melbourne in the middle of the "Winter" when it "drops" to +12 C in the day time, everybody's running around saying "Boy it's freezing out."

I kind of shrug at them and say "Yeah, I suppose" then they notice my accent and say, "Oh, I guess coming from America, you're used to this cold."

:roll:

This might sound crazy or funny but one of the factors that got me to choose Edmonton is the COLD :lol: I know I come from a very hot climate but I can show you photos of me wearing a short sleeves Polo shirt in Alaska :lol: not kidding so bring on the -40 weather ;-)

So why do you want to go to a western country? Most western countries have their laws and lifestyles based on a Christian ideology, Canada is a western country.

Muslims like our benefits but they don't like our lifestyles and they don't integrate well into Canadian societies.
Muslims are not well respected in Canada, so far they have failed to gain the respect of the majority of Canadians even tho Canadians are the most welcoming people in the world.

So, why do you want to come here, why don't you go to Muslim countries?
Interested in your answer.

Dear Durry, First, thank you for your post :smile: Second, I don't believe that my religion has to do with anything related to where I live or work :smile: What do you mean by lifestyle? Not all Christians have the same lifestyle & same goes to Muslims. In fact, my best friend is a Christian from England who currently lives in the US. We lived together in different cities (in the same houses) & I visited his family back in England many times and had no problem with my religion or they had with theirs although we are both very restricted about our religions :smile: Religion never meant to be a divider my friend ;-) Thank you

Canada isn't as "Christian" as say, the US is.... and who said he was Muslim?



#1, you don't speak for Canada or most of Canadians, so don't.

#2, why even bother to bring this up unless you just want to be a jerk?

I know / have known a few muslims and never had an issue with them, nor have I seen them have any issue with living in a Western society.

Regardless, this isn't really the topic to be discussing here as his religious beliefs are irrelevant & none of your business.

Thank you :lol: this is exactly what I mean :smile:

 

[Kakato]

Just because a city/town has more work for a specific field of work, that doesn't mean there still no available jobs in other fields.

People working in oil/gas still need restaurants, they still need IT services, they need phones, TV's, pubs, theatres, and in my line of work... all those places need signage for their buildings and advertising. ;-)

Even though Nova Scotia is mostly fishing, manufacturing, ship building, forestry, etc..... if you know what to look for & how, there are jobs available in other fields.



Don't get me started on that.... here in Melbourne in the middle of the "Winter" when it "drops" to +12 C in the day time, everybody's running around saying "Boy it's freezing out."

I kind of shrug at them and say "Yeah, I suppose" then they notice my accent and say, "Oh, I guess coming from America, you're used to this cold."

:roll:

Your right but without the patch,all those industries are screwed,they rely on the patch and folks that work there.

When the price of oil hit,s over a hun a barrel I have the senior boss calling me asking me for operators so he can fire up another crew.
This is instantly and I ignore these requests as I know how the patch works.
Calgary and Edmonton's economy and success the last 10 years at least are owed to the oil patch and nothing else.
The grunts in the field make it happen,they come from all over Canada to work here and have to stay and eat somewhere,some stay and take up other work fields,this is what makes Alberta a good place to work and live,a good work ethic.

Sounds like were on the same page.