[Thad E Ginathom]

Originally Posted by Red Liner

Yes, we got Thad here to start with.

In this forum, I may be the only one that came and stayed with the intention of staying for life, rather than than the duration, even if multi-year, of employment posting etc.

I don't know how much of my story I told here. Much (too much! I wish I'd realised that anonymity on the internet is actually a good thing!) of it, my experiences, naivety, etc, is certainly told on Indiamike.

It's too late to ask me now. It's been 17 years. India is my home, my norm. GB is now the place full of foreigners that I visit occasionally.

[ads11]

Originally Posted by Red Liner

What would be interesting will be to hear from non Indians who have chosen to settle in India and why?

Yes, we got Thad here to start with.

Reading this thread actually had me pondering about posing the same question above. My partner (they're from the UK) and I have been musing about prospects with moving to India. More specifically how easy would it be for them as a foreign national. The little I do know is that having an OCI would help ease their employment prospects significantly. For reference they're a chartered accountant (ACA from what I know, and I know precious little about accounting). Just how feasible would it be for them to find work in India?

Would really appreciate any advice the members have!

Mod Note: If there already is an Immigration to India thread, please feel free to redirect my post.

[V.Narayan]

Originally Posted by ads11

Reading this thread actually had me pondering about posing the same question above. My partner (they're from the UK) and I have been musing about prospects with moving to India. More specifically how easy would it be for them as a foreign national. The little I do know is that having an OCI would help ease their employment prospects significantly. For reference they're a chartered accountant (ACA from what I know, and I know precious little about accounting). Just how feasible would it be for them to find work in India?

Would really appreciate any advice the members have!

Mod Note: If there already is an Immigration to India thread, please feel free to redirect my post.

An ACA from the UK can quite get a job in India in a corporate's finance department or a financial services company or bank. Only thing one cannot do (I think) is to practise as a CA until you pass the Indian CA exam. My CFO in the 2000s, very bright chap, was a UK ACA.

[ads11]

Originally Posted by V.Narayan

An ACA from the UK can quite get a job in India in a corporate's finance department or a financial services company or bank. Only thing one cannot do (I think) is to practise as a CA until you pass the Indian CA exam. My CFO in the 2000s, very bright chap, was a UK ACA.

Thanks for that! That's really promising! Although I'll admit from friends in India who tried to clear the CA exams, it seems a miserable exercise.. Still I had no idea about how feasible their prospects would be so this is quite reassuring. I have a feeling my partner would have an easier time getting a job in India than I would, wouldn't that be ironic..

[digitalnirvana]

Some of you might know I'm in Switzerland now (definitely not forever) and I love it here. I love the German language even though it feels like a smattering of machine gun sounds. I'll try to learn it at some point, I already did enroll to a course but missed it due to a personal emergency.

One byproduct of moving abroad even for a short term stint is learning a new language. It challenges the jaded grumpy old git in me in ways that I didn't even think was possible.

[Thad E Ginathom]

Originally Posted by ads11

Although I'll admit from friends in India who tried to clear the CA exams, it seems a miserable exercise...

Isn't it a miserable exercise in UK too?

My best friend went for accountancy as a second career. He persevered through the huge amount of work (on top of having to stick with his first career and support his family) through to the final year. He left it, and went for qualifications which, he told me, allowed him to do all the tax/finance/audit work with individuals and small to mid businesses that he was ever likely to do anyway. Haha, his brother-in-law, already an accountant, said "It is the only career I can think of that combines extremes of stress and boredom!"

Come to think of it, I do know one Indian who went to work in London as an accountant. Otherwise, I do wonder if anyone here takes UK seriously as a potential destination any longer? Feel free to be as rude about my mother country as you like, because, frankly, especially post-Brexit, if you don't, I wouldn't blame you!

[kushagra452]

A close friend (in Delhi NCR) is a Canadian PR card holder and is evaluating making a move in 2023. He is 38, married (no kids) and is working for a Big 4 Consulting organization. His wife is also working as a Digital Marketing Executive.

He and his wife combined make approx. 75L per annum. He has a comfortable standard of living. Both have (top 3 program) MBA degrees and are doing alright in their careers (though they did face tough times in 2020 because of Covid) .

Considering that neither have any Canadian work experience, is it advisable to first enroll in a good Executive MBA/specialized Masters program to get a good job in Canada?

At the moment they plan to spend a max of 5 yrs in Canada and return. His Parents and in-laws have no plans of moving abroad.

Thanks for your inputs!

[am1m]

Originally Posted by Thad E Ginathom

Otherwise, I do wonder if anyone here takes UK seriously as a potential destination any longer?

I think London is still a very attractive destination for professionals. I can think of at least 3 friends who made the move during the past 3-5 years. Two of them were very well-traveled before that too, could have equally easily moved to the US or somewhere else in Europe, but they tell me that they find London one of the few truly international cities. They seem to be enjoying their time there.

[McLaren Rulez]

Originally Posted by Thad E Ginathom

I do wonder if anyone here takes UK seriously as a potential destination any longer?

While London might not offer the best quality of life in terms of pure numbers, I'd say it's one of the most inclusive and welcoming cities in the world to immigrants. Not something to take for granted, in this day and age.

[ads11]

Originally Posted by Thad E Ginathom

Come to think of it, I do know one Indian who went to work in London as an accountant. Otherwise, I do wonder if anyone here takes UK seriously as a potential destination any longer? Feel free to be as rude about my mother country as you like, because, frankly, especially post-Brexit, if you don't, I wouldn't blame you!

Oh I have plenty to be disparaging about the UK (the capacity for bone headed decision making these days is remarkable), just as I do for India. And I say that because I consider both to be home, having pretty much split my life evenly between the two.

I more meant for an English person moving to India to work as an accountant. I will say my partner made a very clever move shifting to accountancy and clearing the tedious exam process (why do accountants love to subject themselves everywhere to these?) after uni (they studied a completely unrelated subject lets say). Clearly the wager was a wise one given how ubiquitous requirements for accountants seem to be.

Originally Posted by am1m

but they tell me that they find London one of the few truly international cities.

Originally Posted by McLaren Rulez

While London might not offer the best quality of life in terms of pure numbers, I'd say it's one of the most inclusive and welcoming cities in the world to immigrants.

I enjoy visiting London these days but loathe the prospect of moving back there for work. That being said I won't deny that it's truly a cosmopolitan metropolis with all the melting pot perks that brings, (just a heaving morass of a city though). If you want quality of life, up north in Manchester or Leeds is where it's at (I'm heavily biased of course). It's just a bit frustrating how London sucks all the energy and investment from elsewhere in the country - one of the few policies the Cameron govt got right was recognising the need for a northern powerhouse and starting to shift momentum towards some of the bigger cities there.

[GTO]

Originally Posted by McLaren Rulez

The best reason to move abroad is for your own personal growth. Live in a new culture and experience a new kind of life - this is the part that a short visit/holiday doesn't capture. The world is a diverse and amazing place and India is only one tiny part of it.

I have travelled the world and feel that travelling abroad is overrated. Spend a week living the life of a local in South Goa. Go explore Ladakh in a 4x4 (Mahindra has guided tours with Thars and Scorpios). Take a fortnight to explore the backwaters of Kerala, the deserts of Rajasthan or the villages of Gujarat. Come with me for a weekend in humble Deolali or Pawna and I'll show you the weekend of a lifetime.

Go to Manali, breathe in Coorg, meditate in Rishikesh, pray in Amritsar and party in Goa.

Travelling abroad is fun. Travelling in India is equal fun . If you know what to do in India and where to go, you can have more fun than in Seychelles.

[Thad E Ginathom]

I've spent enough years here now to be able to put in hours grumbling about Chennai/India, just as I could about London/UK! Isn't that an inevitable part of being at home?

Originally Posted by ads11

I enjoy visiting London these days but loathe the prospect of moving back there for work. ... ... ... It's just a bit frustrating how London sucks all the energy and investment from elsewhere in the country.

And how it sucks you in when you live there. It's weird: it gets hard to believe that a short train ride takes one out of the city. And an hour and a half takes one to Britain's second-biggest city.

Yes, London is a really great city to visit. I enjoy my trips there very much. I wish they could be more frequent, but I wasn't very clever with the capital that I brought to India. And, more recently, of course: covid.

Originally Posted by McLaren Rulez

While London might not offer the best quality of life in terms of pure numbers, I'd say it's one of the most inclusive and welcoming cities in the world to immigrants. Not something to take for granted, in this day and age.

It's nice to hear you say that.

Whilst I have no doubt that "the system" is inherently racist, and that that is reflected in the wider community, I do think that things have improved.

[V.Narayan]

Originally Posted by ads11

Mod Note: If there already is an Immigration to India thread, please feel free to redirect my post.

You could start one now. In 15 years it could become one of the most popular threads, trust me!

[nitkel]

Originally Posted by kushagra452

A close friend (in Delhi NCR) is a Canadian PR card holder and is evaluating making a move in 2023.
----
Thanks for your inputs!

Since he already has a PR, why doesn't he simply negotiate with his firm for a transfer to Canada?

There's no reason to pursue another degree in Canada to gain recognition. Their current credentials will be good enough to land a decent role anywhere in the world.

If they want to explore their potential in another country and return in 5 years, they should take it up. Will be good for them personally and professionally IMO!

[tsk1979]

Originally Posted by kushagra452

A close friend (in Delhi NCR) is a Canadian PR card holder and is evaluating making a move in 2023. He is 38, married (no kids) and is working for a Big 4 Consulting organization. His wife is also working as a Digital Marketing Executive.

Canada is significantly lower salaries than India for white collar jobs when you look at cost of living. To maintain that 75L lifestyle, you are looking at a combined income of atleast 200K CAD (if not more, I am being conservative here).
If their aim is to come back to India with Canadian citizenship, that is fine, but if they are thinking to go for 5 years, save money and come back, well they will save more in India.