Reply to: Anyone thinking of retiring abroad?

[DealorNoDeal]

Portugal also includes the Azores islands and buying residential property there is still included in the Golden Visa qualification from 2022.....They removed the Algarve, Lisbon, Porto and a few others from being eligible last year

It's been reported in the last couple of days that Spain are considering abolishing or amending the scheme too.

https://www.schengenvisainfo.com/new...ng-the-program

[Spellbinder]

Portugal also includes the Azores islands and buying residential property there is still included in the Golden Visa qualification from 2022.....They removed the Algarve, Lisbon, Porto and a few others from being eligible last year

[d000hg]

Bill C-16 amended the Canadian Human Rights Act and the Canadian Criminal Code to include “gender identity or expression” under the list of classifications protected from discrimination. In doing so it effectively criminalised objective reality and freedom of expression (i.e. it is now a criminal offence to call a bloke in a frock a man if he says that he is a woman).

C-16 is contentious for many reasons; not least the underhand way that the consultation process and passage through Parliament was managed.

Obviously, opinions will differ as to whether or not C-16 is "a bad thing"^TM, but it is very clear that it leaves the women and girls of Canada woefully unprotected.

Google, as always, is your friend should you wish to dig any deeper.

Well that's exactly the sort of stuff I meant by saying Canada was woke and 'progressive' - in line with states like CA and OR basically was my impression based on legalising weed, etc and this all seems in line with that.

Last time I was in Portland, OR I heard a parent tell their young child off for asking "what is that man [me] doing?" - not for being nosy but for assuming my gender!

[wattaj]

What sort of things?

Bill C-16 amended the Canadian Human Rights Act and the Canadian Criminal Code to include “gender identity or expression” under the list of classifications protected from discrimination. In doing so it effectively criminalised objective reality and freedom of expression (i.e. it is now a criminal offence to call a bloke in a frock a man if he says that he is a woman).

C-16 is contentious for many reasons; not least the underhand way that the consultation process and passage through Parliament was managed.

Obviously, opinions will differ as to whether or not C-16 is "a bad thing"^TM, but it is very clear that it leaves the women and girls of Canada woefully unprotected.

Google, as always, is your friend should you wish to dig any deeper.

[d000hg]

Canada's equality laws are some of the most illiberal in the world. Best avoided until there is an outbreak of common sense.

What sort of things?

[SimonMac]

There is a reason I have a house in Spain and an EU passport

[wattaj]

I like Canada but surely that's at least as 'woke' - quite a progressive government? Canada just seems like USA turned down a couple of notches to me.

Canada's equality laws are some of the most illiberal in the world. Best avoided until there is an outbreak of common sense.

[PCTNN]

No, much better.

An overcrowded swamp? Wow. What a great retirement.

[d000hg]

If you can get in then Canada but for the USA its all woke tulip or the opposite and medical costs will kill you as you get older

There are a lot of moderates in the US still but you don't see them because you rarely get radical moderate activists It does seem a country in turmoil but then I suppose that's on the large scale, if you can find the right town it could still be great.

I like Canada but surely that's at least as 'woke' - quite a progressive government? Canada just seems like USA turned down a couple of notches to me.

[DealorNoDeal]

No, much better.

Not if you're young and after sun, sea and sand. Oh yes, and cheap booze and casual sex.

[Paddy]

Sunny Beach?

No, much better.

[DealorNoDeal]

I have one villa with smallholding and a nearby vineyard in Bulgaria.

Sunny Beach?

[Paddy]

I have one villa with smallholding and a nearby vineyard in Bulgaria. There are quite a few Brits in BG but not all clustered together (unlike in Spain). English is wildly spoken. Internet better than UK. Varied countryside, mountains and skiing in winter, some flat plain and seaside. There is much freedom to roam and many places to explore. Real summer lasts about six weeks longer than the UK with temperatures in the 30s (sometimes 40c) If you are retired with a pension you will qualify for a D visa and residency. Income tax and company tax is very low (10%) Ltd Co easy to set up. (Moving to BG was a lot simpler prior to Brexit.) Strangely, more Brits are moving to BG after Brexit that before.

A liveable house will cost from 20,000e to around 100,000e +. My Council Tax for this year for three buildings and 2 acres of land was 40e. I just love being able to drive to town and park free and not bothered by lots of regulations.

[DealorNoDeal]

What attracts me the most is the complete lack of rain. I like cycling and it's crap in the UK. I'd obviously like to cycle more when I'm retired and have loads of time in my hands and I can't see myself doing it in the uk where every year is worse than the one before precipitation wise.

It's worth checking out Fuerteventura which has the same climate as Lanzarote. The roads are a lot quieter, and there are miles of off-road tracks. Property is quite a bit cheaper too.

30% of the population of Fuerte are expats, a figure which will probably continue to grow. Brits and Irish make up the biggest share, and for most other country's expats English is a second language. I wouldn't be surprised if the island becomes increasingly anglicised in the years to come.

[PCTNN]

+1

Around 27°C at its hottest in August/September, and 20°C in January/February. Plus very few insects; hardly any mozzies.

We were out there in early March, and it was balmy compared to here.

What attracts me the most is the complete lack of rain. I like cycling and it's crap in the UK. I'd obviously like to cycle more when I'm retired and have loads of time in my hands and I can't see myself doing it in the uk where every year is worse than the one before precipitation wise.

Last time I was there I think I saw a big banner saying you could get a visa if you bought a 250k+ property.

Not that I need it as I have a EU passport but still sounds doable for britons.