readyforadven

I don't even know where to begin with questions because there are so many about living in a "foreign country" for the first time. We need information to compare whether it would be too much of a jolt. We have been to west and southern Ireland on a trip. The living quarters would be provided although information will be forthcoming on furnishings, etc. Car buying, economics, and general concerns are beating on the brain. Can anyone help?

flanneruk

Bringing this up to draw some real expert's attention. But a few general points:
- in my experience as an expatriate and a manager of expatriates, it's practically impossible to predict what jolts will hit. But browsing the stuff at www.americanexpatriates.co.uk will give you a sense of what one group of people get most het up about
- best place to start looking fo a car and car prices is www.jamjar.com. Note that insurance is relatively pricey in Northern Ireland: see www.tiny.cc/eXxHf for some tips round this
- Getting a car is easy (if you need one: public transport is good in parts): getting a loan for one isn't if you've no UK credit history. In fact, getting a bank account at all can be tricky, since the UK has strict anti-money laundering laws and a huge transient expatriate population. It may all be managed more informally in NI, but you're best advised to try to get a UK account before leaving home.
NI has a distinctive banking system, dominated by Northern Bank (subsid of Danske Bank), Ulster Bank (subsid of Royal Bank of Scotland), First Trust (subsid of the Republic's AIB) and Bank of Ireland (subsid of the Republic's Bank of Ireland): I believe RBS and the two Irish banks have some US retail operations, and you might try them. Or ensure the employer will stump up for a loan.
- even the best-willed employers will tend to squeeze you on expatriation. This is a particular problem when £1=$2, and I've seen benign but blinkered US home offices cause serious personal crises in expatriate staff through not understanding this. Search this board for relocation advisors and try to get the employer concerned to obtain professional advice.
- After getting a house and a bank account, and ensuring pay really does reflect the cost of living, partner boredom can be the most common problem. If you're North American,it's possible that one of you may not be legally allowed to work in NI. Getting really good advice about this from your nearest British Consulate is essential: getting citizenship of an EU country is an easy way round this, with Italy and Ireland normally being the easiest to get: actually usually the only options, and you require a grandparent born in Italy or Ireland (anywhere on the island) to start this process. If this applies, start getting the passport now.
- In calculating the economics, remember that moving your life from your home country is wasting this opportunity. Millions of Ulstermen and women happily buy own-label groceries, use public transport most of the time, and rely on the National Health Service rather than waste money on private insurance. Importing eating and medicare habits from abroad isn't maintaining a standard of living: it's cteating unnecessary misery as you squander money.

Would it be too much of a jolt? Surely "Would missing the experience be something I'd ever forgive myself for?" is the real question?

panhandle

Good for you! After visiting Belfast and NI I gave some thought to moving there myself! I really adore NI. My mother just remarried to a gentleman from NI and moved over here to be with her. Eventually they will move back to Belfast for the medical benefits. He has had no problem adjusting to life over here whatsoever.
If I would have had a way to do it I surely would have...it would make for some fantastic adventures!

cambe

Hi R,

I live in Belfast. Where will you be based?

Generally prices in NI are cheaper than the Republic (except for petrol).

There is a big American expat community around the Belfast/Lisburn area.

Most house/apartment rentals are fully furnished.

It's safe

What else do you need to know?

Helen

nytraveler

Be preapred for very high prices for everything.

Was in Dublin a couple of years ago for work and chatted with a colleague about car buying. My brother was getting a new Accord - which we see as a basic family sedan. They thought this was a very luxurious, expensve car - and IT WAS! Car prices are outrageous versus the US (like 50% higher) - it might pay to bring your own with you.

Also - in window shopping I noted household goods (sheetss, towels etc) are also hugely expensive for anything approaching decent quality. The prices I saw were at least double those in the US.

So make sure that the compensation package has been adjusted properly to the true cost of living.

readyforadven

Thanks to all for the information provided. You have really started us thinking and exploring. We will know more this week on the offer and we think more of a possible location. You have given ideas on talking about the offer. I'm sure there will additional questions and I really appreciate your sticking with this. Thanks.

readyforadven

I'm not sure if this is too general but based on an average household in NI or in Ireland,do you have an idea what the range of a minimum salary package would be in todays economy?
Secondly, in the health system, can older Americans get medical services because we would pay taxes through salary there?
It is our understanding that earnings above $81,000 are taxed within the USA even when the salary is from another country. Do you know anything about this?
Last, we have been told that it is cheaper to ship items by the US postal service that UPS. Is there another way that is cheaper?
Thanks for help.

flanneruk

Some of the earlier answers - and your latest question - illustrate perfectly why you need specialist relocation advice.

Dublin is not in Northern Ireland. It's in a foreign country that doesn't even use the same currency. So there's simply no point telling you how much sheets or SUVs might cost there. However relatively large the NI expatriate community might be, NI has a tiny population (far smaller than Greater Manchester), and the absolute numbers of expatriates there are small. So most available advice tells you about the Irish Republic or about England. And many crucial details are unique to NI

The UK National Health Service (NHS) has similar principles, but slightly different practicalities, in the UK's constituent parts. In England, a legal foreign worker, and his/her immediate family, has the same rights of access to free medical care, and virtually free drugs (ie, they're free to most people, and capped at £100 per year total patient payment for those who have to pay at all) as everyone else. This is probably the case in NI, but the NHS websites don't confirm this. It's almost certainly illegal for the NI NHS Executive to discriminate materially against any legal foreigners (there's a very low limit to how much autonomy we let any authority in Northern Ireland have, since the past 80 years show they'll spectacularly abuse it), but the small print (like how long might you have to have been here to qualify, or the documentation you need to show) will probably differ. And Sod's Law says it's the small print that will catch you when you get off the plane and remember you've left your essential drugs at home. So email the contact address at www.healthandcareni.co.uk

I can't imagine why anyone moving to Northern Ireland (or anywhere else) would use a parcel company. Unless this question is about a separate matter, you should be looking at a specialist international removals company.

walkinaround

yeah, flanner, i thought that was odd too.

NI is a completely different country with a different economy, different government, different currency. i guess that went unnoticed during the visit to the island. sad.

price comparisons with england and your country are much more relevent (as england is at least part of the same country as NI!) but as flanner says, NI is unique.

Alec

Some facts about living in Northern Ireland:
Cost of living is similar to England, and slightly less overall than in the ROI. Property prices, though risen a lot recently, are still the lowest in the UK. Insurance premiums, both auto and household, are higher than the English norm, partly because of perceived risks (mainly from the days of the Troubles) and lower competition (many British insurers don't underwrite business there).
Northern Ireland is reckoned to have good schools and higher standards than in England, being mercifully free from the red tape that afflicts English schools.
NHS operates along similar lines to England, but with lower prescription costs and similar eligibility criteria for foreign migrants (i.e. open to all legal residents).
Petrol/diesel is 20% or more cheaper in ROI, and many take advantage by refuelling across the border whenever they can.
Vehicle taxation is lower in Northern Ireland than in ROI, as is alcohol (but not tobacco).
There has been an explosion of stylish restaurants and bars in Belfast, and nightlife is really good, but choice is quite limited away from Belfast and (London)Derry.
For travelling to Europe, you normally have to go via the mainland, adding to the cost, though easyJet, Jet2 and BMIBaby among budget airlines serve Belfast and/or Derry.

readyforadven

Thanks for continuing to support with information. We did know the difference of Ireland and NI, however really wanted to know if there would be any similarities/comparisons and that's why the combined question. Sorry to throw that in to confuse.