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Moving from Toronto to Seattle: how to make it work
Moving can be challenging even when you are moving locally. Not to mention the challenges you will face when you are moving across the whole continent! Luckily, when you choose wisely among relocation companies in Canada act of moving will be much easier. And we have done our best to provide the necessary information for your moving from Toronto to Seattle. Hopefully, they will help you and make the whole process a lot easier.
What you should know about moving from Toronto to Seattle?
As you are already aware, moving from Toronto to Seattle means a big change. Those cities are more than 4000 km apart. To start you will need to do good research about the companies that can help you with relocation. There are a lot of things to think about. For example, if you are not planning to drive all the way to your new destination, you should check for car shipping companies in Canada. They could help you with the relocation of your vehicle. You should also be aware of the differences between leaving in the US, compared of life in Canada.
Moving from Toronto to Seattle means moving across the continent!
The differences between life in Canada and US
The United States and Canada are very different places to live. One of the major differences is that in Canada health system is free. When moving to the United States, make sure to check with your employer what kind of health insurance you have and decide if you need to take an extra one. In America, it can get really difficult if you are not properly covered. Also, if you are planning a family or having more kids, it’s important to know that in the United States you don’t get one year of paid leave. Maternity leave is about 12 weeks and depends on your employer if you will get paid during that period.
The metric system is different
The United States is one of only a few countries in the world that doesn’t use the metric system. This is important information you need to have in mind when moving or looking for a new apartment. If you see an apartment of 540 square feet and you think it’s too big for you, think twice. That is only 50 square meters! When organizing a relocation to a new place with long distance moving companies in Toronto this is important to have in mind. You don’t want to get to Seattle and find out you have too much stuff that can not fit in a new apartment! This difference goes with measuring the air temperature as well. When you hear it’s 59 degrees Fahrenheit, you might think it’s quite hot. But that’s only 15 degrees Celsius!
Make sure to learn the metric system used in the US, so as to not get confused.
Canadians have more vacation days
Americans work more than Canadians do when it comes to jobs. Canadian workers get a 30-minute break every five hours. Even though breaks are also given to American workers, Canadians are more likely to take them. As for time off, it depends on how long the worker has been on the job. Canadians who have worked for a year are entitled to two weeks of paid vacation. In the United States, employees usually get much less than in other countries. In fact, US law doesn’t require companies to give paid vacation time. And even when they do most employees don’t even use it.
Things you need to know about Seattle
No matter if you are moving to Seattle for business or to settle for an indefinite time, it is important you know what to expect. And you can expect only nice things! Seattle is one of the 10 best places to live in the United States. Once you have moved with a help of long distance movers in Canada, you can start enjoying Seattle’s green forests. The city is known for being friendly to the environment. Seattle has a reputation as a city where it rains a lot. The winters are often cloudy and misty but still, summer in Seattle is the best time of the year. When the temperature is high and the humidity is low, you can spend the day at the lake or go hiking.
Seattle is always on the top 10 lists of best places to live in the United States.
Should you rent or buy a home?
The housing market in Seattle is very competitive and jobs are getting better and better, which makes home prices go up. The average price of a home in Seattle is almost three times the average price of a home in the rest of the country. The average cost of rent is still high, but not as much as the average cost of owning a home. In general, people in Seattle can expect to pay about twice as much as the average person in the US. However, it is important to say that the Seattle resident makes about 12% more money than the average American. There are more high-paying jobs in Seattle’s growing tech industry. Big companies like Amazon, Microsoft, and Expedia are based in the Seattle area.
Education in Seattle
It is considered that Seattle is the most educated big city in the United States. Four out of every five people who move to Seattle have a college degree, according to the numbers. There are more than 500 public and private schools in Seattle. The city has 7 universities and colleges, and 7 more within 40 miles of Seattle. The University of Washington is the largest and most well-known college in the Seattle area. Over 80% of students graduate from the University of Washington every year, which is an excellent rate. 63% of 25-year-old and older Seattle residents have a college degree, and 27% have a graduate or professional degree.
Moving from Toronto to Seattle will be a positive change
Even though you will be moving from one country to another, and across the continent, moving from Toronto to Seattle is a positive thing. Every change is difficult, but there are always good aspects, especially when that city is amazing like Seattle. We hope you got more clarity on what to expect and how to make it work!