Quote:
Originally Posted by Bcasey25raptor
Labour laws, social services, safety net, healthcare, etc are all garbage compared with northern and western europe, and we as a country should be ashamed for it.
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It's not garbage. Canada's offerings are similar to those of Northern Europe. They're a bit rougher, in my experience, but not hugely so.
There are a few things Canada could do. First, and this is a barrier for me in terms of coming home... vacation days! 25 minimum around here, and most industries' unions have agreed on 30. I have 35 and I love it so much.
Second, EI. In Sweden and Denmark, EI takes the form of "A-kasse/A-kassa". These are subsidized providers that you join for coverage; in Denmark, they are public-private entities in a competitive market, while in Sweden you join the one associated with your industry. Generally speaking, you can get two years' coverage at a fairly basic payout (I think it maxes out at like $130/day before tax) for about $50-75/month. In Denmark, I paid around $2,000 year for two years coverage at 100% of my salary; in Sweden, this is subsidized by my industry's union and is about $40/month.
I should note that actually trying to get your two years out of an A-kasse is really hard! I know people... they'll bring you in for morning meetings, start pushing training courses at you, push interviews your way. But you definitely feel safe about losing your job.
Third, healthcare. Here., Denmark is the star, and it comes down to one thing: the family doctor. When you get your SIN card, which is linked to your address, you are given a choice of several doctors' offices in your area. If you are in central Copenhagen, the definition of 'your area' can necessitate transit... but you always have a doctor. Not access to a doctor, not a clinic... a doctor that you know. They will handle all referrals to specialists and hospitals, all lab results are available online, it's great. Sweden is similar but doesn't guarantee a family doctor, so your first point of contact is often an emergency room (there is an app called "MinDoktor" that sucks and is dystopian). I use my private insurance to get sent straight to clinics when I want to get blood work done or do some "weird spot on my arm"-type checking. In Denmark I just called Jens.
So... vacation is way better, EI can be cushier if you sign up and pay for it to be, and healthcare seems about the same but with fewer shortages.
If we don't start talking about trains, we don't need to use words like "garbage" at all. Canada would be pretty normal-seeming to a Swedish immigrant..