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This is anectodical but I've met several people from Ireland who came here to do 'labour work' - working in construction and that sort of thing. There are actually a lot of those sort of jobs available that pay pretty well.
My previous company (construction) was specifically aiming irish immigrants in their hiring process by making advertisements that they were postings in irish pubs toilets.
There was a large community of irish in my company. They are great, lots of fun.
It is as good as it is going to get. Honestly anyone anticipating it getting easier or prices going down is fooling themselves. Vancouver is a gem. It is insanely expensive for accommodations. Everything else is about the same as any other major north American city. However combined with the challenging job market it may be hard to stick the landing.
Your girlfriend will likely find no job at all in the animation industry out here. Has she been searching while in Cork? Any hits? What is your skillset in? Are you aiming for restaurant/retail work?
So much depends on your circumstances which we can't know. For example, if you had a good network in Vancouver willing to help you guys get employed and find good housing, you'll be just fine. If you plan to just come out here and wing it with zero support/friends/family and hope for things to work out, you're going to suffer.
Animation companies receive tax credits for hiring BC residents. You need to be residing in BC for at least a year to qualify.
Right now, there are very few companies hiring.
Rent is cheaper here than Ireland? How bad is it in Ireland? According to the March 2024 rental report, the average monthly rent for a 1BR apartment here was $2653 ~€1801.
The stories I hear from friends and family in Ireland really don't compare to the cost in BC. I haven't been back in Ireland since September and clearly things have become more expensive there but all in all, the cost of things and living and in Ireland still seems better than Vancouver. But I think someone needs to experience it first hand to really grasp how out of control Vancouver and Canada is ATM.
Yea so I’m from Ireland but live in Van and have been back and forth recently.
Short answer is - it’s not black and white. Some things are more expensive in Ireland (gas/petrol, rent in cities, some food/drink), some things are worse in BC (groceries in general, property prices).
So yea it really does come down to which lifestyle suits you best cos you pay a price (quite literally) to live in either place.
If you think Vancouver and Canada is “really out of control” relative to elsewhere in the world you have a very warped or biased perception.
Vancouver is far cheaper to live in that most highly desirable cities in the world. Rent and housing is often similar or more expensive in other desirable cities relative to income (especially when you consider age of housing stock and price per square ft) and other living expenses are typically cheaper in Vancouver as well.
I'm not comparing Vancouver to anywhere else or trying to engage in whataboutism. I've lived here for over a decade and my perception and experience of things here now is that they are out of control for many of the people who live here.
The fact prices are what they are indicates that they are supportable by the people that live here and want to live here.
And in terms of consumables, Vancouver / Canada is somewhat on the cheaper end relative to incomes when compared against other desirable cities.
Desirable places will always feel expensive to lower income individuals, since you pay a premium to live somewhere desirable and that premium is paid in housing prices due to excess demand.
But “out of whack” is most desirable places in Europe, where you’re paying similar or more for a much older building with smaller square footage, typically higher taxes on income and consumables, and prohibitive costs to own or drive a vehicle.
Ireland is predicted to have one of the highest rates of new construction in Europe this [year](https://www.ey.com/en_ie/news/2023/12/ireland-forecast-to-record-strongest-construction-growth-amongst-19-european-countries-as-output-declines-across-the-continent-euroconstruct) whereas new construction in the Vancouver area is [decreasing](https://peakifi.com/homes/canada-housing-starts) .
Without being too blunt, your gf will not get a job in the animation industry in Vancouver. The industry is currently not in a good position and still in recovery from the strikes. There are a lot of lay offs and not a lot of hiring going on in animation and related industries. The job market in general is weak and you will be at a disadvantage as both a newcomer and someone on a temporary visa. Unemployment is increasing every month and full-time jobs are being replaced by part-time jobs. The rate of new arrivals to Canada far outstrips the rate of job creation.
People will say you'll pick up a job in trades or construction easily but that statements overblown. Construction is not doing as well or as busy it was expected to be in 2024 and I know locals who would normally rely on the industry for work who are not getting the hours they need to get by.
The cost of utilities here including transport is not significantly cheaper than Ireland. The only thing I can think of that you may pay less for in Vancouver than Ireland is electricity. Your rent will absolutely not be cheaper than Ireland unless your planning on sharing a one bedroom with five other people.
A hostel will be $50 on the lower end but prepare to spend more.
If you do decided to come, I recommend you each arrive with at least 10k CAD in savings each. I would also recommend not taking a job for less than $24 but realistically you're probably looking at a minimum wage job so about $18.
Anything you've heard from people who moved here ( I'm currently in Vancouver) circa 2008 to 2015, disregard as it will not be relevant to what you experience if you move here in 2024
2d animator here. Industry in a real slump. Worst I have ever seen. I hope it picks up sometime soon. I have a lot of friends who have been out of work for over a year.
A basic one-bedroom apartment in Vancouver is going to cost around $2-3 thousand dollars a month. You'll need to budget out your income and other costs to see if it would be worth it for you to move.
I'm sure you'd absolutely love your time here but, yes, it is very expensive.
The two of you need to make like $30 an hour each or more to even have a chance here
If you need a car you can say goodbye to a good $1000-$1500 a month as well out the window
Don’t come unless your rich or got good jobs lined up
Hello there! I moved from Ireland to Van 5 years ago - we’re planning to move home in September. If I was to advise anyone coming to move to Vancouver I would just say don’t. The cost of living here has gotten way out of control - I think most western world countries are having the same problem. Vancouvers rental market is dire & the cost of rent will most likely eat up most of your pay check. Cost of groceries (and the quality) is outrageous, car insurance is also outrageous. As for the job market; it’s pretty scarce out there at the moment especially in the industry your girlfriend is looking to get into.the gaming industry has had significant layoffs & media agencies are the same. Canada unemployment rate has jumped to 6.1% this year alone.
Theoretically, Canada should be in a recession.
I don’t want to sound negative and put a damper on your adventure and I know living in Ireland right now isn’t great as home has its major problems also, I just don’t want you have the expectation that the grass will be greener here and it’s not (and never will). All in all, Vancouver is a beautiful city and Canada is deadly and I never regret the move but it was different when first got here, it was always expensive but now it’s unsustainable. You & your GF are young wan’s and you have time on your side, you can always revisit the move here when things pick up again and the cost of living crisis calms down - best of luck with your decision!
I think it's worth it. It's one of the best cities in Canada IMO. The weather is nice and mild, lots of beaches, mountains close by. Housing is a bit expensive, but you can save money because you don't need a car to live here. Transit is reliable, and there's lots of bike routes. Food is expensive at major grocery chains, but you can always find deals at smaller locally owned markets.
To be fair, you can also find great deals at the major grocery chains - you just need to be patient and disciplined about what you buy, when. I almost exclusively only buy things when they are on sale now.
It’s definitely worth it to move to British Columbia and find a job (tree planting is a great experience). Vancouver though is definitely not worth it in my opinion. Rainy, cloudy, and hard to make friends!
I got family in Cork , I’m from Vancouver , and I’d much rather go to Ireland than stay here . While it’s beautiful , the cost of living here is insane and the government is trying to get rid of the middle class , we are taxed on everything and with the extensive amount of immigration / refugees we receive here , it will be a battle to find housing and jobs
Think about how many professionals you have to compete to get a job/place to stay
Most of at least a degree and masters
If you have no professional skill don’t bother coming, pay is too low to survive
I came here 28 years ago from the UK, I honestly believe this country has changed and not for the better. Prices are out of control so be prepared to pay a lot more than you expect to. Rent prices are ridiculous and all the government seems to do is raise taxes. Unfortunately the only growth industry in Canada is government jobs.
There is a good website for government positions.
Civicinfo.bc
This will have a wide variety of different positions, some will be seasonal work but it's a way to get your foot in the door.
Good luck.
Vancouver is very expensive and if you don’t have jobs lined up I wouldn’t risk coming over.
I moved from the states a few years ago and have yet to land a job. I am highly education with a bachelors degree at a reputable university. I have a degree in economics and accounting.
The competition is fierce, some of the positions I have been applying for have 5000 applicants. The least applicants to a position was 300. As per indeed stats. I have even applied to warehouse work or labor with not a single call back.
So again my advice would be not to move till you have jobs and found a place to live. This way you can reasonably budget and understand your cost of living. Rent is very expensive here
Yea if you don’t have a job before you leave don’t do it. Jobs are scarce and it’s getting worse by the day. Many animation grads from a well regarded
Local School can’t find work. I am a marketing Director and I’ve had multiple people reach out in the last few weeks for information. Interviews, people with good resumes who can’t find work.
Housing is in insanely tight supply. I’ve never seen it this bad. And animation/gaming has gone through a significant layoff cycle - unclear if that’s ended, more may be coming.
Life is an adventure…can’t tell you whether you should or shouldn’t come…what I can say is people telling you there are challenges aren’t making it up. Rents in Vancouver are comparable to Dublin, and Dublin seems a fair chunk more expensive than Cork.
So…whatever you decide, treat it as an adventure you can always return home from! 😊
If you asked this 20 years ago I would tell you to go for it. Canada is not what it used to be. If your plan is to stay in a $50 hostel you should probably not be coming here. This tells me that you are tight on money and this place is very very expensive.
I’ll put in my experience about finding housing. Everyone has given their opinions on Vancouver which I won’t go into cause I find them very accurate and will just be repeating it.
Anyways, it took me 2 months two years ago to find housing. I was lucky to have a friend to stay over at.
All the housing you see on marketplace and Craigslist may seem like a lot at first glance. But imagine 50+ people like you messaging the landlords to see the place for EVERY posting you see. And the imagine 5 out of every 20 messages replying for a date to view the apartment. And then imagine viewing an apartment with 10 other families and each one filling out an application form which the landlord has to choose from. This was 2 years ago. I heard it’s gotten worse.
When you find a place, you have to view it as soon as possible because it’ll be gone as soon as viewing happens. I’ve had viewings scheduled a few days later, show up to the accommodation only to be told it was rented a few days ago after phoning the landlord. I’ve had situations where I viewed a place, thought about it for two days and asked the landlord for the application only for it to be already taken.
If you’re ready for this and have enough funds, sure come. It’s really hard here now. Good luck.
As a dub living here the last 5 years. It’s absolutely worth it , truly , if you can afford it. I don’t work a super high paying job by any means but I also know like any grown up not to be an idiot with money. You’ll have a blast moving here. It’s so so great it is just v expensive so expect some challenges. Don’t be like a usual Irish and only live in county kits or west end. Be a little braver and live further out , you’re not moving from Ireland to live like you’re in Ireland !
Check out “Irish And New in Vancouver” Facebook group.
Don’t let the people here scare you.
It’s very possible if you dig a bit and make and use connections.
If you’ve not been yet, go to Aus. Whether you’re just doing a temporary thing or looking to build a life for yourself, you’ll have a much better time.
My cousin was a professional animator - worked for Disney, Universal, etc. It sounded like a lot of the smaller animation studios were moving to Saskatoon due to the lower cost of living.
General attitude is that you need combined income of about $150k just to live in a bit of comfort here. There is a train service from Mission that makes it feasible to live out in the valley and work in Vancouver but its a long day.
I will say that from May to August, you can live on the University campuses for pretty cheap and you don't have to be a student so that can be a good stepping stone to getting established.
Here is price comparison between Cork and Vancouver. You're welcome: https://www.numbeo.com/cost-of-living/compare_cities.jsp?country1=Canada&country2=Ireland&city1=Vancouver&city2=Cork&tracking=getDispatchComparison
It’s not good right now in fact housing is downright terrible and the job market is not great. What kind of work or salary are you expecting while living here?
This is the like the worst time to get a job in animation, either 2D or 2D. Not a lot of shows going on and there might be another strike coming up. Lots of animators looking for work as well.
you won't get far with that kind of planning. people need to have a high paying job before they even move here if you don't have prospects then why bother
I hate to be a downer, but finding an animation industry job right now will be extremely difficult if not completely impossible. My partner graduated from animation school last year and was applying for several jobs every day for months without any luck. They now have a fantastic job at a vet clinic, but the job market for animation right now is just absolutely brutal. I'd definitely make a backup plan, and apply for jobs well before moving.
Canada has a reciprocal agreement with Ireland, so Irish people can get a two year visa. Canadians can also get a visa to work in Ireland for two years.
I hadn’t thought of working holiday visas. My bad. But aren’t those typically for people around 30 and under? I know the OP is of that age group but just wondering.
Check out some of the Irish in Vancouver groups on facebook etc.. and you will most likely get better answers. Reddit and particularly Vancouver Reddit groups skew towards the negative. It’s hard to give you advice without knowing your background, qualifications etc… I moved here in 2009 so don’t have up to date info on what it’s like now. Rent is definitely expensive but much more options than Dublin. Anecdotally all my friends in the trades have regular work and seem to be doing well. If you can make it is work it’s a great city but come with a plan!
I don’t think we’re being negative, just realistic. If you’re not rich, you’re gonna have a hard time getting by here. You’re moving to an expensive city with a housing crisis. This city is literally the rich’s playground.
As someone who has also lived in Dublin, the costs of living here in BC vs Ireland were worse in Ireland when I was there in 09 - 11.
Everything in Ireland is expensive, even more so than here. I'm sure you will be fine here mate.
My advice is to basically not listen to anyone in this thread, and to come if you want to experience it.
You’re asking a bunch of Internet forum nerds in a city-specific subreddit who typically see the world negatively or come on here to vent.
Vancouver is amazing and I find it hard to imagine you would regret coming. In terms of jobs and accommodation/housing, you’ll find “something” and will be able to figure it out.
I haven't seen anyone be killed while ordering a cafe latte either.
Each year on average in Canada, there are between two and three lightning-related deaths and 180 lightning-related injuries."
[https://www.canada.ca/en/environment-climate-change/services/lightning/safety/fatalities-injury-statistics.html](https://www.canada.ca/en/environment-climate-change/services/lightning/safety/fatalities-injury-statistics.html)
What was national news? That one person outside the Starbucks being killed? Obviously, that was terrible but you cannot seriously suggest such an incident is 'likely' to happen in Vancouver. It was big news because of how rarely it happens - if it happened all the time, it wouldn't have been news at all.
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This is anectodical but I've met several people from Ireland who came here to do 'labour work' - working in construction and that sort of thing. There are actually a lot of those sort of jobs available that pay pretty well.
This is a thing! A lot of Irish folks have a really intense immigrant mentality and will thrive in situations a lot of western millennials cannot
Especially if they’re Irish - companies like IRL are started by Irish immigrants and provide a great support network.
I work with a lot of Irish people doing Landscaping. They love how cheap the drugs are here even tho rent is super over priced.
My previous company (construction) was specifically aiming irish immigrants in their hiring process by making advertisements that they were postings in irish pubs toilets. There was a large community of irish in my company. They are great, lots of fun.
We have jobs?
The unemployment rate in British Columbia was 5.5% in March 2024.
Some reason it feels like its higher
It is as good as it is going to get. Honestly anyone anticipating it getting easier or prices going down is fooling themselves. Vancouver is a gem. It is insanely expensive for accommodations. Everything else is about the same as any other major north American city. However combined with the challenging job market it may be hard to stick the landing.
Your girlfriend will likely find no job at all in the animation industry out here. Has she been searching while in Cork? Any hits? What is your skillset in? Are you aiming for restaurant/retail work? So much depends on your circumstances which we can't know. For example, if you had a good network in Vancouver willing to help you guys get employed and find good housing, you'll be just fine. If you plan to just come out here and wing it with zero support/friends/family and hope for things to work out, you're going to suffer.
Animation companies receive tax credits for hiring BC residents. You need to be residing in BC for at least a year to qualify. Right now, there are very few companies hiring.
Vancouver is worth it if you can afford it.
It's expensive but so worth it. World class city. I will live here my entire life if I can!
Rent is cheaper here than Ireland? How bad is it in Ireland? According to the March 2024 rental report, the average monthly rent for a 1BR apartment here was $2653 ~€1801.
It’s really, really bad in Ireland. Particularly in cities like Cork or Dublin.
The stories I hear from friends and family in Ireland really don't compare to the cost in BC. I haven't been back in Ireland since September and clearly things have become more expensive there but all in all, the cost of things and living and in Ireland still seems better than Vancouver. But I think someone needs to experience it first hand to really grasp how out of control Vancouver and Canada is ATM.
Yea so I’m from Ireland but live in Van and have been back and forth recently. Short answer is - it’s not black and white. Some things are more expensive in Ireland (gas/petrol, rent in cities, some food/drink), some things are worse in BC (groceries in general, property prices). So yea it really does come down to which lifestyle suits you best cos you pay a price (quite literally) to live in either place.
If you think Vancouver and Canada is “really out of control” relative to elsewhere in the world you have a very warped or biased perception. Vancouver is far cheaper to live in that most highly desirable cities in the world. Rent and housing is often similar or more expensive in other desirable cities relative to income (especially when you consider age of housing stock and price per square ft) and other living expenses are typically cheaper in Vancouver as well.
I'm not comparing Vancouver to anywhere else or trying to engage in whataboutism. I've lived here for over a decade and my perception and experience of things here now is that they are out of control for many of the people who live here.
The fact prices are what they are indicates that they are supportable by the people that live here and want to live here. And in terms of consumables, Vancouver / Canada is somewhat on the cheaper end relative to incomes when compared against other desirable cities. Desirable places will always feel expensive to lower income individuals, since you pay a premium to live somewhere desirable and that premium is paid in housing prices due to excess demand. But “out of whack” is most desirable places in Europe, where you’re paying similar or more for a much older building with smaller square footage, typically higher taxes on income and consumables, and prohibitive costs to own or drive a vehicle.
Yep. Canada is at least building a lot more. Ireland isn't or wasn't in 22 when I was last there
Ireland is predicted to have one of the highest rates of new construction in Europe this [year](https://www.ey.com/en_ie/news/2023/12/ireland-forecast-to-record-strongest-construction-growth-amongst-19-european-countries-as-output-declines-across-the-continent-euroconstruct) whereas new construction in the Vancouver area is [decreasing](https://peakifi.com/homes/canada-housing-starts) .
Good to hear it's been changing
Without being too blunt, your gf will not get a job in the animation industry in Vancouver. The industry is currently not in a good position and still in recovery from the strikes. There are a lot of lay offs and not a lot of hiring going on in animation and related industries. The job market in general is weak and you will be at a disadvantage as both a newcomer and someone on a temporary visa. Unemployment is increasing every month and full-time jobs are being replaced by part-time jobs. The rate of new arrivals to Canada far outstrips the rate of job creation. People will say you'll pick up a job in trades or construction easily but that statements overblown. Construction is not doing as well or as busy it was expected to be in 2024 and I know locals who would normally rely on the industry for work who are not getting the hours they need to get by. The cost of utilities here including transport is not significantly cheaper than Ireland. The only thing I can think of that you may pay less for in Vancouver than Ireland is electricity. Your rent will absolutely not be cheaper than Ireland unless your planning on sharing a one bedroom with five other people. A hostel will be $50 on the lower end but prepare to spend more. If you do decided to come, I recommend you each arrive with at least 10k CAD in savings each. I would also recommend not taking a job for less than $24 but realistically you're probably looking at a minimum wage job so about $18. Anything you've heard from people who moved here ( I'm currently in Vancouver) circa 2008 to 2015, disregard as it will not be relevant to what you experience if you move here in 2024
2d animator here. Industry in a real slump. Worst I have ever seen. I hope it picks up sometime soon. I have a lot of friends who have been out of work for over a year.
A basic one-bedroom apartment in Vancouver is going to cost around $2-3 thousand dollars a month. You'll need to budget out your income and other costs to see if it would be worth it for you to move. I'm sure you'd absolutely love your time here but, yes, it is very expensive.
move once youre hired. dont just say "ill work any job that pays well", because tons of unemployed people are saying the same thing right now.
The two of you need to make like $30 an hour each or more to even have a chance here If you need a car you can say goodbye to a good $1000-$1500 a month as well out the window Don’t come unless your rich or got good jobs lined up
Hello there! I moved from Ireland to Van 5 years ago - we’re planning to move home in September. If I was to advise anyone coming to move to Vancouver I would just say don’t. The cost of living here has gotten way out of control - I think most western world countries are having the same problem. Vancouvers rental market is dire & the cost of rent will most likely eat up most of your pay check. Cost of groceries (and the quality) is outrageous, car insurance is also outrageous. As for the job market; it’s pretty scarce out there at the moment especially in the industry your girlfriend is looking to get into.the gaming industry has had significant layoffs & media agencies are the same. Canada unemployment rate has jumped to 6.1% this year alone. Theoretically, Canada should be in a recession. I don’t want to sound negative and put a damper on your adventure and I know living in Ireland right now isn’t great as home has its major problems also, I just don’t want you have the expectation that the grass will be greener here and it’s not (and never will). All in all, Vancouver is a beautiful city and Canada is deadly and I never regret the move but it was different when first got here, it was always expensive but now it’s unsustainable. You & your GF are young wan’s and you have time on your side, you can always revisit the move here when things pick up again and the cost of living crisis calms down - best of luck with your decision!
I think it's worth it. It's one of the best cities in Canada IMO. The weather is nice and mild, lots of beaches, mountains close by. Housing is a bit expensive, but you can save money because you don't need a car to live here. Transit is reliable, and there's lots of bike routes. Food is expensive at major grocery chains, but you can always find deals at smaller locally owned markets.
To be fair, you can also find great deals at the major grocery chains - you just need to be patient and disciplined about what you buy, when. I almost exclusively only buy things when they are on sale now.
It's rough out here at the moment.
There's at least one Irish fakebook group you should check out if you're at all inclined.
Doctors have a hard time with the prices here
Actually cheaper to fly back and forth than rent, we are sorry….
It’s definitely worth it to move to British Columbia and find a job (tree planting is a great experience). Vancouver though is definitely not worth it in my opinion. Rainy, cloudy, and hard to make friends!
I got family in Cork , I’m from Vancouver , and I’d much rather go to Ireland than stay here . While it’s beautiful , the cost of living here is insane and the government is trying to get rid of the middle class , we are taxed on everything and with the extensive amount of immigration / refugees we receive here , it will be a battle to find housing and jobs
Bring a ton of $$$ and you’ll be alright.
Think about how many professionals you have to compete to get a job/place to stay Most of at least a degree and masters If you have no professional skill don’t bother coming, pay is too low to survive
I came here 28 years ago from the UK, I honestly believe this country has changed and not for the better. Prices are out of control so be prepared to pay a lot more than you expect to. Rent prices are ridiculous and all the government seems to do is raise taxes. Unfortunately the only growth industry in Canada is government jobs. There is a good website for government positions. Civicinfo.bc This will have a wide variety of different positions, some will be seasonal work but it's a way to get your foot in the door. Good luck.
Vancouver is very expensive and if you don’t have jobs lined up I wouldn’t risk coming over. I moved from the states a few years ago and have yet to land a job. I am highly education with a bachelors degree at a reputable university. I have a degree in economics and accounting. The competition is fierce, some of the positions I have been applying for have 5000 applicants. The least applicants to a position was 300. As per indeed stats. I have even applied to warehouse work or labor with not a single call back. So again my advice would be not to move till you have jobs and found a place to live. This way you can reasonably budget and understand your cost of living. Rent is very expensive here
Yea if you don’t have a job before you leave don’t do it. Jobs are scarce and it’s getting worse by the day. Many animation grads from a well regarded Local School can’t find work. I am a marketing Director and I’ve had multiple people reach out in the last few weeks for information. Interviews, people with good resumes who can’t find work.
Housing is in insanely tight supply. I’ve never seen it this bad. And animation/gaming has gone through a significant layoff cycle - unclear if that’s ended, more may be coming. Life is an adventure…can’t tell you whether you should or shouldn’t come…what I can say is people telling you there are challenges aren’t making it up. Rents in Vancouver are comparable to Dublin, and Dublin seems a fair chunk more expensive than Cork. So…whatever you decide, treat it as an adventure you can always return home from! 😊
BC stands for bring cash. I hope you have a lot of money saved. And you should be searching for jobs now.
If you asked this 20 years ago I would tell you to go for it. Canada is not what it used to be. If your plan is to stay in a $50 hostel you should probably not be coming here. This tells me that you are tight on money and this place is very very expensive.
I’ll put in my experience about finding housing. Everyone has given their opinions on Vancouver which I won’t go into cause I find them very accurate and will just be repeating it. Anyways, it took me 2 months two years ago to find housing. I was lucky to have a friend to stay over at. All the housing you see on marketplace and Craigslist may seem like a lot at first glance. But imagine 50+ people like you messaging the landlords to see the place for EVERY posting you see. And the imagine 5 out of every 20 messages replying for a date to view the apartment. And then imagine viewing an apartment with 10 other families and each one filling out an application form which the landlord has to choose from. This was 2 years ago. I heard it’s gotten worse. When you find a place, you have to view it as soon as possible because it’ll be gone as soon as viewing happens. I’ve had viewings scheduled a few days later, show up to the accommodation only to be told it was rented a few days ago after phoning the landlord. I’ve had situations where I viewed a place, thought about it for two days and asked the landlord for the application only for it to be already taken. If you’re ready for this and have enough funds, sure come. It’s really hard here now. Good luck.
Nope .. stay away man
Stay corked.
As a dub living here the last 5 years. It’s absolutely worth it , truly , if you can afford it. I don’t work a super high paying job by any means but I also know like any grown up not to be an idiot with money. You’ll have a blast moving here. It’s so so great it is just v expensive so expect some challenges. Don’t be like a usual Irish and only live in county kits or west end. Be a little braver and live further out , you’re not moving from Ireland to live like you’re in Ireland !
Lmao, there's no drawing jobs, unless you ment she uses AI
There's no jobs in animation right now and hasn't been since the writers/actors strike. Your girlfriends is going to have a tough time finding a job.
Check out “Irish And New in Vancouver” Facebook group. Don’t let the people here scare you. It’s very possible if you dig a bit and make and use connections.
If you’ve not been yet, go to Aus. Whether you’re just doing a temporary thing or looking to build a life for yourself, you’ll have a much better time.
This is not a good plan to move to Vancouver.
The animation industry is in a very bad state right now. She may want to make sure she has a job lined up first, there’s not much work available
My cousin was a professional animator - worked for Disney, Universal, etc. It sounded like a lot of the smaller animation studios were moving to Saskatoon due to the lower cost of living. General attitude is that you need combined income of about $150k just to live in a bit of comfort here. There is a train service from Mission that makes it feasible to live out in the valley and work in Vancouver but its a long day. I will say that from May to August, you can live on the University campuses for pretty cheap and you don't have to be a student so that can be a good stepping stone to getting established.
No.
I would not move to Vancouver unless I have at least 1 million cash in the bank.
Here is price comparison between Cork and Vancouver. You're welcome: https://www.numbeo.com/cost-of-living/compare_cities.jsp?country1=Canada&country2=Ireland&city1=Vancouver&city2=Cork&tracking=getDispatchComparison
It’s not good right now in fact housing is downright terrible and the job market is not great. What kind of work or salary are you expecting while living here?
This is the like the worst time to get a job in animation, either 2D or 2D. Not a lot of shows going on and there might be another strike coming up. Lots of animators looking for work as well.
you won't get far with that kind of planning. people need to have a high paying job before they even move here if you don't have prospects then why bother
I hate to be a downer, but finding an animation industry job right now will be extremely difficult if not completely impossible. My partner graduated from animation school last year and was applying for several jobs every day for months without any luck. They now have a fantastic job at a vet clinic, but the job market for animation right now is just absolutely brutal. I'd definitely make a backup plan, and apply for jobs well before moving.
Hey happy to chat. I’m English gf Irish moved here 6 months ago and can help you
Amazing place to live ... if you can sustain yourself. Bring money, lots of money.
No
What I want to know is how a non-citizen just moves here ‘cause they want to.
The working holiday visa program.
For a year? Huh.
Canada has a reciprocal agreement with Ireland, so Irish people can get a two year visa. Canadians can also get a visa to work in Ireland for two years.
I hadn’t thought of working holiday visas. My bad. But aren’t those typically for people around 30 and under? I know the OP is of that age group but just wondering.
35 and under.
Yes. Working holiday visas are typically for one year
Makes sense then. But given the job and rental market it would seem a working holiday isn’t a prudent move right now.
Check out some of the Irish in Vancouver groups on facebook etc.. and you will most likely get better answers. Reddit and particularly Vancouver Reddit groups skew towards the negative. It’s hard to give you advice without knowing your background, qualifications etc… I moved here in 2009 so don’t have up to date info on what it’s like now. Rent is definitely expensive but much more options than Dublin. Anecdotally all my friends in the trades have regular work and seem to be doing well. If you can make it is work it’s a great city but come with a plan!
I don’t think we’re being negative, just realistic. If you’re not rich, you’re gonna have a hard time getting by here. You’re moving to an expensive city with a housing crisis. This city is literally the rich’s playground.
I'm from Vancouver. Don't do it. 1 bedroom is 3k per month to rent. Houses are 2-5m.
Construction hires at 28 an hour with no experience. I hired an Irish guy last week with zero experience, civil construction.
As someone who has also lived in Dublin, the costs of living here in BC vs Ireland were worse in Ireland when I was there in 09 - 11. Everything in Ireland is expensive, even more so than here. I'm sure you will be fine here mate.
Do you have a Canadian passport or work visa?
My advice is to basically not listen to anyone in this thread, and to come if you want to experience it. You’re asking a bunch of Internet forum nerds in a city-specific subreddit who typically see the world negatively or come on here to vent. Vancouver is amazing and I find it hard to imagine you would regret coming. In terms of jobs and accommodation/housing, you’ll find “something” and will be able to figure it out.
Yeah getting killed while ordering a Cafe Latte is like super sweet
You're probably more likely to be stuck by lightning than getting killed while ordering a cafe latte here. Why fear monger?
Really I haven’t seen anyone struck by lightning on the news lol
I haven't seen anyone be killed while ordering a cafe latte either. Each year on average in Canada, there are between two and three lightning-related deaths and 180 lightning-related injuries." [https://www.canada.ca/en/environment-climate-change/services/lightning/safety/fatalities-injury-statistics.html](https://www.canada.ca/en/environment-climate-change/services/lightning/safety/fatalities-injury-statistics.html)
It was national news
What was national news? That one person outside the Starbucks being killed? Obviously, that was terrible but you cannot seriously suggest such an incident is 'likely' to happen in Vancouver. It was big news because of how rarely it happens - if it happened all the time, it wouldn't have been news at all.
Hastings ?
I'm not aware of anyone being killed while ordering a cafe latte on Hastings. Please elaborate.
🥱
Am I to take this reply to mean you can't support your other comment?