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Since your husband is in Oil and Gas, Alberta will be the ideal place for you people for both education and building a career. Alberta has oil and gas reserves that are amongst the largest.

As a Software Engineer, I have worked for several oil and gas companies to build software for them. Maybe my experience would be helpful for you.

I have been living in Calgary for 14 years and my wife for 2 years (I got married in my home countr). If you put in the effort and plan your career smartly while being patient that things take time, you will be rewarded. This is indeed the land of opportunities. I got university education and Canada and then went on to build a career here and could not be happier.

I am an °µÍø½ûÇø. I have been to several different countries for both business and personal recreation purposes. I would say, I have always found Canada to be the most well-rounded place to live.

Ofcourse, salary as well as living expenses will vary greatly since Canada is such as huge country and there are so many different places where the economy is completely different as well as the infrastructure and population which all influence the living conditions.

I will give a bit of my own background:

Education: University of Calgary (BS. Software Engineering)
City: Calgary, Alberta
Average salaries in Calgary for professionals: $70,000 - $150,000 per annum (depending on your skills, experience and field).

My own salary: $100,000 per annum as a Software Engineer (includes stocks, shares, benefits, bonuses).

My workplace: Engineering department of largest communication company in Canada (Shaw)

My condo cost: $280,000 for a 950 sq-ft Condo (2 bedroom, 2 washrooms) in one of the best places in Calgary.

Condo fee: $306 (includes everything except electricity).

Electricity bill: $45 - $50 per month

Internet bill: $28 per month for high-speed ADSL

Digital TV cost: $50 with DCT included

Car insurance: $123 per month (with 7 years of driving experience. I am 32 years old).

Grocery bill for me and my wife per month (we cook at home with eating out twice a week): $170 - 200 for all

All in all, I am completely debt free and living costs in Calgary are low. As people know Calgary is the fastest growing economy in Canada. It has a huge range of different types of professional companies basing and working here so the opportunities available are very diverse. However, Calgary's economy mainly depends on Oil and gas.

That is why I chose Calgary as despite not being the most exciting city, it is extremely safe, peaceful, cheaper to live in compared to most North American cities and the salaries are as high as many of the strongest economies in North America.

Any questions are welcome.

As you are adapting to life in Calgary, it will be quite a big transition and in the beginning somewhat difficult (I went through it in the beginning and had to struggle a lot), you can be sure that Alberta is extremely short on people. Getting a job at a clerical job at a bank to getting a job at superstore is the easiest thing one could imagine. They are practically begging for people.

Your question might be how much does it pay at the least, most of these types of jobs these days are ranging from $13/hour - $17/hour depending on how you do your job search. Ofcourse, professional jobs start at $50,000 per year in Calgary and go up to $150,000 in salary.

I think taking the trade route is definitely going to be benificial for your husband.

Thank you Engineer Pro for your very in-depth response!Thank you Alphilan for your response too.

My husband has just started studying for a degree in International Marketing Management, which will give him great knowledge & empower him to be more of an asset in practice & in paper.

He is still continueing to work with the Gas company, gaining more experience & implementing what he is learning, while he studies part-time. The studies will take about 3 years then we can be more prepared for a new country.

Thank you again so much for all your info, I will pass it on to my husband & look into Alberta.

Glad you are very happy in Canada!

All the best,

Tanya