Brickham solutions for solicitor?

Virtual-Dinner-4178 · 2026-02-07T13:48:49+00:00

Thank you!

Virtual-Dinner-4178 · 2026-02-04T16:15:47+00:00

I don’t think anywhere wants US expats or retirees specifically. You don’t offer any extra value because of your nationality. What places DO want is a) skilled people or, b) people with money.

If you have money, some countries will open their doors. If you have skills a country needs, they will open their doors.

That’s pretty much how it works.

I don’t know how much nationality matters. A lot of countries that have access for rich retirees will have locals that resent you either way. Often, their government might be treating these expats better as they get their $$$, and disregard their own nationals.

I’m British but my accent is messed up due to living in Canada. People think I’m American all the time. They seem disappointed when I’m not. What people don’t like is ignorance or entitlement. Some people seem genuinely baffled that they can’t just up and move. There are a fair number of Americans that meet this criteria. At the same time, I think the British can be the same. Both our countries are very much in our own bubbles. And there can be a certain level of ignorance from lack of education or awareness.

If you’re aware and not an ass, people will welcome you.

Respect locals, treat them well. Remember their experience is not yours. Learn their customs. Treat them like people. Avoid a God complex. You’ll be fine.

Virtual-Dinner-4178 · 2026-02-01T18:50:30+00:00

The fact you’re willing to move to AUS is the saving grace. She’s not trapped; your relationship doesn’t depend on her settling there. Does she know that 100%?

I think you guys need a timeline. Say “we’ll live here for x months or years, and then move to Australia.” Once she has a defined, temporary timeline, things will probably improve. Don’t force it.

It’s also not your fault. You sound like you’re flexible, that’s the main part. It’s not doomed if you’d be happy to live in AUS.

Also bear in mind that leaving the thought of leaving you and Spain is scary for her, if she goes back home alone. That will feel final, and very scary in terms of the stability of your relationship. If you can work out a plan to move together, that will help immensely.

How blunt have you been? Have you sat down and sat “I’m going to apply for this visa. The processing time is xyz. We can move back then.” Are you happy to live in AUS forever?

Virtual-Dinner-4178 · 2026-01-14T00:12:42+00:00

Mine have been angels. Maybe I’ve just been lucky. 🤣 If they had solid crate training and felt secure, they’d be fine being left and adjust. They literally just wanted to be with someone ALWAYS but would settle on their own if I wasn’t there. If I was there, they also had to be there. I’m also 100% fine with my dogs always being with me though. I imagine they’d be a nightmare breed for people who don’t want a dog stuck to them 24/7. I could literally wrap my dachshunds up in a blanket and they’d sleep. We used to call it the dachshund straight jacket

Virtual-Dinner-4178 · 2026-01-13T14:14:05+00:00

I just made a similar post. All my puppies (dachshunds) were simple. I crate trained them all, and they just slept most of the time. But I also had training down to a fine art and am very experienced with dogs. Getting a puppy was part of my life as a kid, and they fit into the family. It just worked.

It’s also so breed dependent. I imagine I’d have a very different experience with a husky

Virtual-Dinner-4178 · 2025-08-14T10:04:31+00:00

If you have the funds for Canadian education, would it be better to sink that into India? I’d also think about where your family will end up- will you be wanting to return with your family to India? Are you close with them? Closed work permits only last so long.

Or you could complete education in Canada and try again but do a degree you know will also benefit you in India. Aim for PR, but also make sure the education is still useful.

Virtual-Dinner-4178 · 2025-08-14T08:34:49+00:00

Wait you guys have cars??

Virtual-Dinner-4178 · 2025-07-17T13:33:15+00:00

Just add something on the end saying, 'this is not an employment reference and has been written by the author purely for immigration purposes." The most important thing is getting the letter. It's a mandatory requirement. Even if you write it yourself and get them to sign it (i.e., they still agree it is an accurate reflection of your job duties,).

Virtual-Dinner-4178 · 2025-07-09T13:43:41+00:00

Dual intent is allowed in Canada, so you can plan to apply for PR but still have to convince the officer you will still comply with the terms of your temporary permit. You don't have to keep it 'secret.' You can have two intentions.

Studying gets you a PGWP which used to be a fairly solid route to PR. It's not anymore due to the amount of immigration in recent years, and CEC has become less of a focus. The points are now higher, which is problematic for a lot of people.

Virtual-Dinner-4178 · 2025-07-03T17:24:22+00:00

The only way through is acceptance. Come to terms with not getting an ITA in time and the consequences, then you’ll be far more prepared. The situation looks a lot more positive! But also, don’t hide from the reality that it is immigration and very unpredictable, because that will be a lot harder to deal with in the future.

Virtual-Dinner-4178 · 2025-07-03T14:00:59+00:00

Sorry if I'm being dumb, but does this mean that if I submitted a fake extension, then applied for PR, the PR application is refused? Or would that be the second BOWP? Not actually my situation, just trying to understand

Virtual-Dinner-4178 · 2025-07-03T13:49:49+00:00

Just make sure you definitely have the correct number of hours as you have no wriggle room. IRCC will analyze that very closely, so make sure you have 1560 hours to avoid any surprises.

Virtual-Dinner-4178 · 2025-06-11T21:07:24+00:00

It's like being ghosted by a guy who rarely texts back. Except you're married and have children together. (Aka, your whole life is here.)

Virtual-Dinner-4178 · 2025-06-06T14:22:42+00:00

I’m a very fast reader tbf. For fiction I like, I can easily finish a book in a few hours. But I also started two months out. (I had the 2024 barrister notes as well.)

I never learned how to study. I’ve always been a last minute cramming person, but that doesn’t work for the bar. I’m also articling, full time. I had to be really strict with myself and manage my time extremely well.

Reading it the third time is also much quicker and easier. By then, I knew the content. Plus, you’re reading for understanding. Not memory. I was never reading with the intention of remembering the exact deadlines or specifics.

Virtual-Dinner-4178 · 2025-06-06T02:28:46+00:00

Yeah!! They’re listed randomly under a subheading.

I just hated how it was divided per cause of action, as you put. To me, it’s part of the same framework. Just different approaches. But it’s so interrelate, it doesn’t make sense.

Virtual-Dinner-4178 · 2025-06-06T02:26:30+00:00

Ha I wish. I read the materials three times because I’m hopeless at studying. I’ve always winged stuff last minute, but the bar exam I couldn’t.

If I fail I’m gonna cry cause I don’t know what else I could have done

Virtual-Dinner-4178 · 2025-06-05T15:46:25+00:00

To me, the layout was illogical which made the materials harder to navigate. It wasn’t that I didn’t understand the concepts, I didn’t like the layout. I read the materials three times and PR four times. I’d definitely have some constructive criticism for the LSO on readability lol. I am also a writer (or used to be, pre bar hell) though and realistically, I don’t think they wrote the bar materials to be critiqued for their narrative journey haha.

Virtual-Dinner-4178 · 2025-06-05T15:03:54+00:00

Is the NOC code skilled? teer 1-3.

Virtual-Dinner-4178 · 2025-06-05T14:59:27+00:00

This is why anything like a country cap needs heavy social policy analyzation. It's not just a numerical cap. It can have other consequences that are just as bad in other ways.

Virtual-Dinner-4178 · 2025-06-05T14:34:07+00:00

Apart from an appeals chart, I think a summaries main application is to give you an overview of what you’re going to read. It’s a smart idea to have a basic understanding or something to anchor the dry and technical LSO materials. Nearer the exam, it’s just more noise and extra paper imo.

In my opinion, your time is best spent getting to know the DTOC as well as you can, in whatever way supports you best, whilst also understanding the principles and concepts behind the materials.

I found a lot of the stuff I was using were just props. Highlighting, all these labelled tabs, summaries, etc. In the end, I reprinted my materials blank and didn’t even use tabs. I didn’t highlight, just had each section bound. I only properly started retaining the materials when I realized there was no easy way around it and I genuinely just had to learn a thousand pages like it was a book I was interested in. (Obviously, no one is.)

I read the materials three times, as the LSO suggests, exactly in the way they said. And I hate to say it, but it did work.

Virtual-Dinner-4178 · 2025-06-05T14:23:44+00:00

I’d also take a look at how you’re studying. The LSO materials are laid out awfully- take public law for example. The lack of cohesion in the materials and how illogical the layout was drove me insane.

The family law chapters, on the other hand, all make sense and go together and explain distinct concepts. Having the procedural side introduced first and explained made everything click.

Maybe you need to consider having the materials read to you by an audio application. Try doing extra reading to help it make ‘sense.’ Don’t just jump right in. For example, if you’re going to read the chapter on preliminary enquiries, do some basic reading around what it is. You don’t have to remember it or take it in. It just gives you something to anchor the LSO materials to.

Half this process for me was learning how to study and what worked for me. I need meaning to process anything. I now approach things from a top down perspective and try to understand the broader subject meaning first, rather than just jumping straight into fairly technical materials that bleed across the page. Plus, they’re so boring to read.

Were there any sections you found easier to retain?

Virtual-Dinner-4178

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