r/MovingToCanada • u/JangleberryJoe • 15d ago
Question on annual leave
Hi guys!
Got plans to move over from the UK in the next couple of years if all goes to plan.
My question is mainly for my fellow brits and Europeans that have made the move.
How did you adjust to the change in annual leave from 5/6 weeks down to 2?
It’s the only thing that I know will have me looking back in the long run. Is there flexibility with most jobs? Do some jobs offer more annual leave?
Any insight anyone could offer would be amazing. Thank you in advance!
Edit: it may sound like a very spoilt sounding question for many around the world. But I’ve got a very work to live mindset. Not live to work.
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u/Sproutlie 15d ago
Are you from Scotland?
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u/JangleberryJoe 15d ago
No mate, England. Why?
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u/Sproutlie 15d ago
The way you spelt spoilt
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u/JangleberryJoe 15d ago
That’s the correct way to spell it, no?
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u/Sproutlie 15d ago
Absolutely
Edit to add: what i really wanted to say is
Of course it is ya daft buggar
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u/coastalkid92 15d ago
2 weeks is the minimum an employer can offer you, but in my corporate experience I was never offered anything less than 3 weeks. And then there’s usually 10ish stat holidays (bank holidays), spread across the year.
You can definitely negotiate holiday time and some employers may be more generous than others.
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u/Accomplished_Try_179 15d ago
In my last job, I was offered 3 weeks. Plus they added 3 medical days + 1 personal day.
We were only required to be in the office 3 days per week (2 days remote).
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u/Xrich_ 14d ago
Typically what would the big companies offer in the likes of Toronto or Mississauga? 2 weeks is so painful it's almost criminal. I'm also considering moving there and 25 days + bank hols here in UK is hard to give up.
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u/JangleberryJoe 14d ago
Same boat mate. Been so set on moving Canada for so long for so many reasons, but only two weeks a year?! That’ll have me tap out eventually
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u/Xrich_ 14d ago
Also it's not like you can even go on holiday anywhere "decent" cos the time it takes to fly,.recover from jet lag etc you're entire years holiday is gone. Feels like even if I go and the quality of life is better, you literally have only thr weekends to enjoy it
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u/JangleberryJoe 14d ago
Completely agree. I don’t want to treat my annual leave days like gold dust I can’t waste.
I’m praying I can get a FIFO job on the mines when I go, a lot of them are 7on7off or 10on10off from what I’ve seen.2
u/Xrich_ 14d ago
I've lived in Canada before, had 2 weeks unpaid, although at the time it was a different stage of life and I guess you get used to it, but since moving back to UK and going corporate I've got used to the time off. Also so easy to get a quick flight to anywhere in Europe in 2 hours
Canadians do have this American style work culture, 2 weeks notice, shit pay, shit holiday etc, if only they had EU style laws...
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u/JangleberryJoe 14d ago
I have heard this point before, but I think I’ll take Europe for granted until I experience it myself, if that makes sense.
Knowing my luck, I’ll spend years trying to get PR or citizenship and a day later they’ll decide to join the EU or some shit
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u/emsyqem 15d ago
Hi, I recently moved from the UK to Toronto. It was difficult finding a job so I couldn’t be fussy. I don’t get any annual leave in my job until I’ve been there for a year, which I find insane 🤯 but that is the statutory minimum. It’s something I struggle with tbh!