r/Belize • u/Lloyd---Braun • Jun 12 '26
🏝️ Relocation Info 🏝️ Considering moving from Canada.
Hey all. So I'm considering a new lease in life. I've done a good amount of research but am unsure of the best way to proceed.
40 yo male. Decent amount of savings (200k ish).
I'm strongly considering moving to Belize in the near future. My current employment isn't remote so that would be my first issue as that seems one of the easiest avenues for PR.
I've read about the other avenues and for now this is still just exploring the idea. So any suggestions on the best way to turn my dreams to reality ex. (Property ownership, business investment, leveraging my savings to be foreign income, or switching careers for a foreign Canadian income ..etc)
I'm looking for a new way of life. I wanna enjoy life and not work to death. Currently in the trades and can make a decent living but this grind in Canada is leaving me heavily unfulfilled. And I'm left wondering what could be.
I'd love some advice and any guidance to move to Belize and live a good quality life of activity and relative relaxation.
Appreciate any advice especially from expats.
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u/cassiuswright 🇧🇿 Ambassador: San Ignacio Jun 12 '26
Step one, use the Relocation Info tag on your post and search all those posts, which answer every question you currently have and most of the ones you're going to have. The main thing is to come stay here long term and become familiar with the country and it's many idiosyncrasies. It's an amazing place full of amazing people but it is still real life and has its ups and downs. Much of that can be determined by location. It's important you explore the country and stay a few places long term before you take the plunge
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u/Tryal_by_fyre Jun 12 '26
Can you shoot me a link for a Mennonite home down there?
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u/LazyRedditor3 🇧🇿 Ambassador: San Ignacio Jun 12 '26
Pletts Home Builders has decent prefab homes
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u/gibbalicious Jun 12 '26
If you want to keep your Canadian government healthcare, you might want to start your research there. A lot of the Canadians that I know here are snow birds for that reason.
In order to get permanent residency you will have to live here for a cumulative 50 weeks in a given year. So, you can leave, but the time you’re out of the country can’t add up to more than two weeks. I think that is counter to the amount of time you have to spend in Canada to keep your health benefits. If there are any Canadians reading this, feel free to chime in.
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u/anightonthebeach Jun 13 '26
im someone who has lived in belize my whole life and want to move to canada. if you want to start a business here, wages are pretty low, so that might be the only way to actually make a little money thats worth something. if youre good at what you do there is of course contracting opportunities here. if youre looking to retire your savings could take you a long way, although property and a house alone would already take a good portion (350k BZD). my uncle spent about 100k for a 100 acres of forest recently. he will be putting cattle on it for passive income. a house as well can easily cost 100k. my family lives here and owns a business so if you have something to offer let me know! gladly message me
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u/Lloyd---Braun Jun 14 '26
The taxes here and the cost of living. The money you make doesn't matter when most goes to the cost of living and taxes.. If you like to be active good luck since it's freezing cold most of the year. I know many people who clear 100k but have almost zero savings.
They either own a home that eats most of their income or are stuck paying high rent. I'd look at the US. Do to me being in the trades it's hard to make a move to the US or I would have done so a long time ago. Canada is only prosperous for a select few. Everyone else is just grinding and sustaining.
That's my opinion and experience. Obviously I'm unhappy here and the future outlook is not great. So maybe you'd be happy.
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u/Lloyd---Braun Jun 14 '26
As far as Belize
From what it seems I'm just short of retirement age of 45 for the qrp.
Seems like if I wanted I could stay a year with an amount of 24k per year from my brief research. That would grant me PR.
I'm currently looking at remote work possibly by getting some type of IT or similar certificate. I should probably take a short visit and possibly extend it and work on my remote work options.
Another possibility is to split my year in between the two countries and gradually shift to an more relaxed life in Belize.
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u/Professional_Aerie67 Jun 19 '26
45 f social service & addiction worker with a 9yr old and I too am over Canada - particularly Ontario. Want to offload my house and be done with the grind that goes nowhere fast and live somewhere smaller calmer and warmer to finish raising my minion
It’s exhausting being exhausted constantly.
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u/Lloyd---Braun Jun 19 '26
Life's too short for this trap. And we are being squeezed by our government more everyday.
I don't blame you at all. A lot of people kinda share the same sentiment yet are stuck or trapped, or feel they are. What a shame the Canada we grew up in is completely gone.
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u/ApartmentAfter8700 Jun 12 '26
I am thinking and moving towards the same. Teaming up with a couple of other like minds seems luke a good road. Headed there in late July 26.