Brit with Canadian husband want to return to UK. How?

[Lnm29]

I'm British. 29. Married to a Canadian since 2013. He's 30. Together since 2010. We currently live in Alberta, Canada. I'm pregnant. Both have university level education. Neither of us have a police record. We have a good work history and both typically make a good salary. We want to live in England. But can't.
My husband has previously held a temporary work permit for the UK which expired in 2012. I have lived in Canada under the IEC visa for two years since 2012 and am now here on a Visitor Record. (Fortunately Alberta is the only province that will give me health care while I await residency which is a good thing as I'm pregnant.) We would much rather be living together in the UK.
My husband typically makes double the money I do. He's a skilled surveyor working on new constructions of high rise buildings, train stations and arenas. And because I'm pregnant (early days, just 7 weeks at this point) it makes more sense for many reasons for him to be the bead winner for now.
From what I've read online it's impossible for us to come back to the UK. We love Canada and have large, supportive families and friends here and in England, but would love to be back in Britain. We are going ahead with my Canadian residency application for now as we need to live somewhere and my own country are making it extremely difficult for that to be back with British family and friends.
I understand I would need to be working, earning a certain amount, and living in the UK for three months without my husband before I could apply to sponsor him? This is not realistic. Where are the "common sense police"? I also understand it could take five years for him to get residency.
Is there a quicker, better way for my husband to apply for UK residency? What are typical wait times?
Thanks for any information. Much appreciated.
Lucy

[Wanderer]

Spouse visa is quickest and cheapest. You'd need to be earning £18,600 a year for six months before your husband can apply for the visa - or if you have savings of £62,500 you can do this right away.

The amounts required are realistic, UK is not cheap and I'm sure you don't want to be living off handouts or benefits, not that you could claim benefits nowadays after being away so long...

[Lnm29]

Thanks for the reply although it seemed somewhat condescending. I didn't know about the 62,500 - that would be a better way for us to go seeing as my job presently is writing a book (don't think that would be acceptable under their rules of needing to be employed for 6 months and making a set amount.) My husband currently takes care of our regular income. Approx $110,000 per year. He's supporting me while I'm pregnant and writing. Looks like the usual way in won't work for us, unless we can save up that cash before we go. How would that work at a border crossing? If we have 62,500 do we submit paper work before leaving Canada and can my husband enter the country at the same time as I? And how long typically does the application process take? How long until he could work there legally?

Thanks for stating that you're sure we don't want to be on benefits or handouts. Had you not said that I expect that's exactly what we'd aspire to...

[Casa]

Before submitting the spouse visa application, if you're relying on savings these should have been held in an accessible account for at least 6 months. If the application is approved and your husband is granted the visa he can enter the UK with you. He will be permitted to work on entry. Applications submitted in Canada are generally processed with a 2-3 weeks or so if everything is in order.

[Wanderer]

Thanks for the reply although it seemed somewhat condescending. I didn't know about the 62,500 - that would be a better way for us to go seeing as my job presently is writing a book (don't think that would be acceptable under their rules of needing to be employed for 6 months and making a set amount.) My husband currently takes care of our regular income. Approx $110,000 per year. He's supporting me while I'm pregnant and writing. Looks like the usual way in won't work for us, unless we can save up that cash before we go. How would that work at a border crossing? If we have 62,500 do we submit paper work before leaving Canada and can my husband enter the country at the same time as I? And how long typically does the application process take? How long until he could work there legally?

Thanks for stating that you're sure we don't want to be on benefits or handouts. Had you not said that I expect that's exactly what we'd aspire to...

Sorry wasn't meant to appear condescending, just I write the same thing so many times on here I just try and rephrase things a bit differently sometimes to avoid going mad! I'll not use this template again lol!

[Lnm29]

Before submitting the spouse visa application, if you're relying on savings these should have been held in an accessible account for at least 6 months. If the application is approved and your husband is granted the visa he can enter the UK with you. He will be permitted to work on entry. Applications submitted in Canada are generally processed with a 2-3 weeks or so if everything is in order.

Thank you so much casa, this is great to know and is the route we will use. It seems very straight forward if you have the money. I think the rules and regs around UK immigration don't make much sense and desperately need revising but for now I'm not complaining if we've got this option. That's awesome.