Any advice on moving to Cork from US?

The more I read the more complicated and expensive the work Visa process seems. Can someone who has done it share their experience?

Hi majicksand,

Welcome to exapt blog!

Thank you for this introduction. I hope other members will share their experience with you very soon.

Best of luck,
Christine

Wow, thats a huge move and especially since you have never been to ireland. You face major obstacles at the moment especially in the job market. If you are able to secure a decent paid job thats a good bit of the obstacles. Its not necessarily warmer than dublin, Cork has experienced major flooding just 3 weeks ago just to give you an idea of the worst of weather. At the moment I think you need to keep the research going because its tough moving a whole family. Childcare is through the roof in ireland. I am paying 55O euros for 3 days of childcare. You will need to between the two of you earn in excess of 2500 euros to survive in ireland per month. Just to give you an idea

I am an Arizona native. I began travelling to Ireland over 6 years ago, when I was just 19. On my very first trip I ended up meeting a man who would five years later become my husband. I had already finished my college and my husband was still pursuing his degree so rather than him moving to Tucson, I moved to Cork. My suggestion to you...stay where you are!

I absolutely love and adore Ireland, don't get me wrong, but it is not all its cracked up to be. It is beautiful and there’s great people and fun, but I would not move here. It is a country that is good to be a tourist, or have family that you can come visit once in awhile, but not to live.

I got the travel bug at a very early age and have had the privilege of travelling the world. Growing up all I ever wanted was to move away from the US, move to Europe or somewhere... somewhere different and most importantly... that wasn't America! I am now in that situation and the only thing I have come to realise was what a beauty America really was. I didn't appreciate my country when I lived there, never realised how truly awesome it is, and now I don't live there anymore. I have never been more proud to be an American than since I left there. It is true what they say, "don't know what you got til' its gone."

Me and my husband live in Cork, I see that is one of the places you were thinking about. This country, and Cork are incredibly expensive, there is simply no comparison to America. Prices are outrageous. When I now go to the shop to buy my good ol' trusty mascara I have to pay 14 euro rather than the 5 dollars at Wal Mart! Many shops aren't even open on weekends, or past 7pm. Restaurants close early, you can't buy alcohol in a shop past 10pm and pubs close at 12! Our cost of living and quality of life is so much lower here than it would be in Arizona, which is why were going to try all we can to move back by the end of next year. However with how expensive bills, gas (about $8-9 a gallon), rent, it is difficult to even save anything! I am a college graduate with honors and all I have managed to find work wise is 20 hours a week in a coffee shop! I gave up an amazing job that I loved and had for 5 years at a community college to wash mugs and make sandwiches. I'ts not for lack of trying, I have great references, education and experience but there are few jobs and lots of applicants. It is very competitive. There is no future here. The amount of young people leaving is countless. All my husband's cousins have left, his friends... they're all leaving! My husband can't wait to move to Arizona and had it not been for his schooling he would have chosen to be on the first plane out of this place instead of me moving here. Even his parents (who are in their mid 50s) are considering retiring and moving to the states, for they too see all the change and decline in lifestyles. The future world is not here. 

To me America represents FREEDOM! As cliche as that might sound, it is so true. I have never been more unhappy in my life than now, living here. It is hard and the beauty of the postcards doesn't translate to beauty in life. I would certainly recommend visiting! Travelling is the most important and amazing thing a person can do, but you already live in paradise, and there is no better than the best.

As someone who is living the situation on a daily basis, all I can say is stay where you are. I love Ireland and am glad that I am getting this opportunity but the one main thing that living here has done for me is simply made me appreciate America and where I came from more all the more. I will never take it for granted again. I am not hating on Ireland, I love this place and think everyone should visit! But from one American to another, I would not move away from where you are right now!

Hi BOBrien,
Me too want to go Ireland ,I am  Hakim yaklef,from Tripoli,Libya.I,d like to improve my English. please can you advice me about best school of English in Ireland, and about cost living in Ireland.
  Thanks regards
        Hakim yaklef

majicksand wrote:

Hi,

I am considering moving my family to Ireland from the US. I'm thinking about Cork as it looks to be more affordable and have warmer weather compared to Dublin. We've never even been to Ireland, but I've always wanted to travel, and Ireland is top of the list.

We own a small business here but would need to get "real jobs" once we move. My husband is a master window tinter. I'm actually changing everything, including careers, and will be getting certified as a nursing assistant before moving. Our oldest son will be looking for entry level work in the IT field.

We also have two younger sons, so we need to know about schools and childcare as well.

I've been researching everything as best I can, but I'd really like to hear from people who live in Ireland, native or ex pat, what I can expect. Anything and everything you care to share from housing to schools to job market, cost of living, buying a vehicle... whatever. It would really help me make some informed decisions before dragging my family around the world unprepared.

Thanks.

My advice, quite frankly is DON'T. You haven't visited here, you probably won't be able to get a work Visa and it there are too many unknowns for you to make this massive, life-altering decision. If you move here based on the information you provided (unless you are a multi-millionaire) it's unlikely you will have a positive, beneficial experience. Come here on a vacation/holiday at least 6 or 7 times. Unemployment here is very high and "foreign nationals" have their lives made a misery if they do get a job. You won't be able to get the dole. I really wish I could give you a more positive reply, but I am speaking from experience (though I am a dual national, which made it easier to  get work when I moved here 15 years ago on my own); I'd do almost anything to get back home to the USA.

Irish people have nothing against Americans due to our special connections. People in Ireland live miserable lives due to the celtic tiger having created a culture of capitalist greed and the associated social consequences. Some of the Irish public sector is viewed by some as "corrupt" and "overpaid" and this has also spilled over into a class warfare between different sections of society. It's really to do with an old system that favors elitism and cronyism. Socially, Ireland is broke. The European problem has also fueled people's reservations against Europeans, Asian, African and South American immigrants living in Ireland.

RobbieIE wrote:

Irish people have nothing against Americans due to our special connections. People in Ireland live miserable lives due to the celtic tiger having created a culture of capitalist greed and the associated social consequences. The Irish public sector is corrupt and overpaid and this has also spilled over into a class warfare between different sections of society. It's really to do with an old system that favors elitism and cronyism. Socially, Ireland is broke. The European problem has also fueled people's reservations against Europeans, Asian, African and South American immigrants living in Ireland.

My experience has been quite different, perhaps due to where I live in Ireland. Many are very anti-American and generally xenophobic. They like to see the tourists come (and go)but don't want the yanks (even those of us who are dual nationals) sticking around, especially getting work.

And the whole public sector is not corrupt. I am a low-level (and low paid)public servant, yes lucky to have a job, but I work hard and don't get all the perks and allowances they go on about in the media.

What I  wouldn't do to go back to the USA! I'm on the wrong side of 40, no college degree, so I'm stuck here, so far employed, for which I am extremely grateful

This is really funny because I am Irish living in the US and the US is a massive rip off and I can't wait to get back to Cork, yet the US citizens are saying the opposite. Cork is a great city and similar to a smaller US city like Madison or something. In Ireland you pay little to no property taxes (3k + per year in most US states for a small house), rental accommodation is furnished (not furnished in the US) and college education is affordable in Ireland (25k+ per year in the US for anything close to a decent education). Health insurance for a family in the US is $1,200 + per month and there are no public hospitals. And yes, in Ireland you can also get private insurance and great private service or mediocre public service for free.

All the US whiners on here, are nothing more than in love with their country which is fine. But I would give anything, as an Irish person stuck in the US, to get a decent paying job and get back to Ireland. Some of the things the ex pats are saying are just not true or bizarre. $5 for a mascara at Walmart huh? Yeah sure. Stores aren't open in Ireland? In Cork? Really? Not even the 24 hour tesco that is identical to a Walmart!! People come here for advice so keep your biased lies to yourself.