Moving abroad can be a daunting prospect if you know nothing about the country you are moving to and if you have no friends or contacts there. In the days prior to the Internet this was even more difficult. However, with the advent of the ‘digital highway’ you can now quickly find a wealth of resources about the country you are moving to. What’s even more helpful are online forums like SACanada where people can find information about specific topics and share information with South African expats already living in Canada and South Africans who are planning to immigrate there.

SACanada – where South Africans connect

Sa canada forum has over eight thousand members and a wide variety of forum topics:

• Application: SA expats considering immigrating, can find a wealth of information about the ‘dreaded’ application process.
• Arrivals: There is information about the importance of LSD (Look, See and Decide) trips and what you need to do when you arrive in Canada.
• Settling In: Once you have arrived, there is a vibrant forum where South Africans discuss everything to do with settling in.
• Returning: What’s more – there is even a discussion containing over 2 489 posts where South Africans who ‘verlang’ too much discuss returning to South Africa!
• Money: If you are confused about Canadian dollars, there is a money discussion group where you can ask or share anything about personal finances, taxes, retirement or other money matters.
• Communities: Do you want to connect with other SA expats in your new Canadian hometown? Well then, this is the place for you to find them
• Home: Are you looking for your favourite South African snack in Canada? Or perhaps you have some delicious South African recipes to share to curb your cravings – discuss and post them here!
• Health: Are you worried about your own health or the health of your family? Here you can get some tips about doctors and the Canadian health service
• Ladies Lounge: Do you want to chat with other women about your move to Canada? Meet other ladies here.
• Lost-n-found: Are you looking for someone in Canada? Here is where you can reach out to possibly find them.
• Travel: Planning to head “home” to SA for a visit? Chat with other SA expats about airlines and flight ticket prices.
• Youth: Moving abroad can be equally challenging for the younger generations. Here is a place where young people can gather and chat about their experiences.
• Coffee Clubs: If you haven’t emigrated yet and want to meet up with other South Africans planning a move to Canada, visit this discussion to find information about Coffee Clubs in all SA’s major centres. Meetings are regularly arranged where you can meet to share information face-to-face.

General expat forums

There are also other expat forums where you can meet people from a wide variety of countries, including Canada. For example, Expat.com has over 1.5 million members and claims to be the biggest expat help and support network. InterNations.org has a huge online community and covers 390 cities worldwide. ExpatForum.com has more than 175 000 members and dedicated forums to specific countries and many helpful articles in the Expat News section.

If you are a South African living in or planning to immigrate to Canada and  and would like to know more about how you can maximise your finances through financial emigration, accessing your South African retirement annuity and our tailor-made tax solutions for South Africans around the world, contact FinGlobal today.