Every year hundreds of thousands of people uproot themselves from their home country and settle in Canada. Each one of them have their own reason for moving and you’ll have your own as well. Maybe you are done with crime and corruption in your country. Or you want to move out from a polluted environment. Maybe it’s too hot where you live. Or you just had a messy break-up and want to move as far as possible from your ex. Yup, we actually know someone who moved from Australia to Canada for that reason, no kidding!
Whatever your reason may be, you will find Canada an appealing destination to start a new life. Let’s see what people find attractive about the land of maple.
1. Quality of life
There is one thing for sure about migrating to another country. Whichever country you decide to move to, you would want your quality of life to go up when you move instead of going down. This is one thing that won’t go wrong if you move to Canada. That’s because Canada usually ranks amongst the topmost in quality of life.
For example, US News and World Report has ranked Canada #1 in quality of life for many successive years. Vancouver, Toronto and Calgary are frequently ranked among the top 10 most livable cities in the world by the Economist Intelligence Unit. The rankings may vary from publisher to publisher but you are sure to see Canada amongst the top.
2. Multicultural society
Canada is one of the most multicultural societies in the world. More than half of the population in cities like Toronto and Vancouver is foreign born. You cannot walk in the big cities here and not see people from different races and backgrounds.
It’s not just about the large numbers of immigrants but also about where they come from. Unlike some countries where most of the immigrants come from a select few countries, Canada is home to people from over a hundred countries. Some of the bigger countries and cultures naturally have a higher representation, but no single country represents a big fraction of the immigrants. Living here, we have met immigrants from countries we could not even place on the world map (and we have a good knowledge of world geography). Here, we have met people from large countries such as China, India, United States, and Brazil and also from smaller countries like Mauritius, Armenia, Croatia and Uruguay.
So, how does that benefit you? Good that you asked. This means that Canadians – new or native – are already accustomed to people from all cultures and it will be easy for you to fit in here. You will have friends from different continents and cultures and still feel at home. You will see people of colour in the Parliament or as CEOs of big corporations or as uniformed officers.
Lastly, who doesn’t like good food? Having people from all over the world means you can enjoy all those world cuisines that you didn’t even know about. Ever tried Ful medames from Egyptian cuisine or Toshikoshi soba from Japanese cuisine? You’ll get it all here.
3. Safety
Many countries and cities have serious crime issues and that can be a deterrent for tourists and locals alike. However, this is something you won’t have to worry about when you move to Canada. This country is ranked as one of the safest in the world and its cities are not known for violent crimes unlike many other big cities around the world, even in some developed countries (I am looking at you, Chicago). In many homes, it is normal for people to not lock their doors when they go to bed.
Canada was ranked 6th on Global Peace Index and that includes safety, security, internal and international conflict. As we see safety and peace in this world deteriorating in front of our eyes, it would be a good bet to spend the rest of your life in a safer and more peaceful country.
4. Liberal and tolerant society
Canada is usually amongst the first countries in accepting social change for a better society. Whether it is legalizing same sex marriage or abolishing capital punishment, Canada has been a leader in making the world a better place. Former US President, Barack Obama, once said “The world needs more Canada”.
Racism is one of the major concerns for potential immigrants. Whether they will be treated equally is something that comes across everyone’s mind. Being a tolerant society and having a large population base of immigrants, racism is almost non-existent here. Canada is not immune to racism and it does happen here sometimes (we do have our fair share of idiots) but you will be very unlikely to face it.
In some European countries, immigrants are welcome but it is very hard for them to become friends with locals. Native born usually keep to themselves and don’t always include new immigrants in their social circles. You may feel like an outsider in some of these countries. In Canada, however, it is much easier to integrate as a new immigrant, for example making new friends. Here, we have friends who came from different continents. From Asia to South America and from Europe to Australia. As new immigrants we always felt at home here from the day we landed. Yes, there were many processes and customs which we had no idea about but we were helped by locals at every step.
5. Universal healthcare
Just like almost every other developed country, Canada has universal healthcare which means the government will bear almost all the healthcare expenses, from a routine physical exam to a complicated heart surgery. Unlike some other countries, you won’t go bankrupt saving your loved ones from critical illness. Whatever it costs, it’s the government’s headache, not yours.
In many other countries, people may have medical insurance but there could be limitations, such as exclusion of pre-existing conditions or the coverage amount may be very limited. If you get involved in an accident and you could be transported to the nearest hospital that may not be under your insurance provider’s network. You won’t have to worry about any of these issues here. Every single person, from a billionaire to a homeless person will have the exact same access to healthcare.
6. Natural beauty
Many people who haven’t been to Canada don’t know about the immense natural beauty of this country. It is easily one of the most beautiful countries in the world. Search “Canada” in Google Images and see for yourself! From towering mountains to mighty oceans to thundering waterfalls, there is something for everyone.
Some of the tourist places are world renowned – Niagara Falls or the Rockies to name a few. It’s no wonder Canada ranks amongst the top 20 in international tourist arrivals despite having a slightly isolated location. As a resident of Canada, you’ll get to enjoy all of that without needing to grab your passport.
Also, be aware that Canada is a huge country (2nd largest in the world) and some domestic flights here are as long as typical international flights. The east coast of Canada is closer to mainland Europe than it is to the west coast of Canada. A direct flight from Vancouver to Halifax is an eye popping 6 hours 30 minutes long but an international flight across the Atlantic from Halifax to the United Kingdom is under 6 hours. Sounds crazy, right? But that also means there is so much to see in between if you decide to take a road trip!
7. Friendly and polite people
Canada is known for having one of the most polite people in the world and it comes as a culture shock for newcomers. Thank you, please and sorry are the most common words you will hear on the street. Saying “Thank you” to the bus driver, before you get off the bus is a commonplace occurrence. You will often see Canadians saying sorry to you even if you are the one who bumped into them. Speaking from first hand experience here.
It is normal for Canadians to hold the doors open for people walking behind them. During our first week in Canada, we were climbing a set of steps and a girl was walking 30 steps ahead of us. She opened the door and continued walking. Just then she realized that we were walking behind her (although we were well behind her) and she came back to hold the door open for us. We were still 10 seconds away from reaching that door which she was holding open and it felt like an eternity to us. We actually felt a little embarrassed that she had to come back and hold the door for us. Not everyone has typical Canadian genes of politeness, especially in big cities but the majority of them can stun you with their politeness.
8. Jobs and economy
If you have come this far in the list, you are probably keen to move here. But moving alone won’t be the end of the story. What about jobs and salaries? Naturally this will be an important factor if you have a good job in your home country and are well settled there.
Canada is a trillion dollar economy and a G7 country with a very high per capita income. As the 9th largest economy of the world with stable growth, you can find a lot of great career opportunities here. Cities like Toronto, Montreal, Vancouver and Calgary are home to many Fortune 500 companies. Unemployment rate is also low in Canada in general so you won’t have to worry too much about finding a job in your own profession.
Some of the Canadian companies are globally known. You might have heard of or even used Canadian brands like Aldo, Blackberry, Bombardier, Brookfield, Four Seasons, IMAX, Lululemon, Manulife, McCain, Sunlife and Thomson Reuters.
Canada is also a global leader in the fight against climate change and sustainable living. Most of the electricity produced in Canada comes from renewable sources such as hydroelectricity, nuclear, wind and solar despite having one of the world’s largest oil reserves. This helps in making Canadian economy more resilient to climate change.
9. Sponsoring family members
Let’s say you have moved to Canada and you are living a happy life. But what about your parents or grandparents back home? Do you wish they could live with you forever? Or maybe you don’t even want to move outside of your country so that you can be close to your family?
There is a solution for that too! As a permanent resident (PR) of Canada, you can sponsor your parents or grandparents to become permanent residents. You don’t even have to wait to get your citizenship first. We know many people who would like to move to some other country but feel morally responsible for their parents and don’t want to leave them alone. But hearing about family sponsorship does make them feel motivated to move.
The family sponsorship happens through a lottery system. Every year there are tens of thousands of available spots which fill up pretty quickly because of the program’s popularity. Once your parents get PR, they can live in Canada for the rest of their lives. At that age, healthcare would be the biggest expense for your parents and that’s something you don’t have to worry about once they get PR. They will receive free healthcare like any other Canadian.
While your family waits to get their sponsorship PR processed, they can still visit and live with you for up to 2 years at a stretch by getting a super visa. Even a regular tourist visa allows a continuous stay of 6 months.
10. Path to citizenship
After you settle in Canada as a permanent resident, you can apply for citizenship in as early as 3 years. You just need to spend 3 years in Canada out of the previous 5 years to be able to apply for citizenship. Unlike PR application, citizenship application is a lot simpler and is almost guaranteed if you haven’t committed any major crime. With a Canadian passport, you will be able to travel most of the countries in this world visa-free.
11. Education
This concerns you less and more about your children because you would have already completed your schooling by the time you move here. On second thoughts, this concerns you as well. Your children will get a high quality education and you won’t have to pay for it. More money in your pockets! Most children here study in public schools that are free. Only a few (usually wealthy) children study in private schools which are not necessarily better than public schools.
If you plan to go for higher studies in Canada, that won’t be a bad choice either. Many Canadian universities rank in the top 50 in the world and they aren’t as crazy expensive as some of the other popular universities around the world. And if you are a Permanent Resident, you will pay a lower tuition fee than an international student studying in Canada.
12. The land of free
This is an interesting one. You might have seen the United States referred to as the land of free in Hollywood movies. What if I told you that Canada ranks quite ahead of the US in freedom? Canada ranked 4th in Human Freedom Index in 2019, while the US was ranked 15th. This freedom includes personal, civil and economic liberties. Canada also ranks highly in Democracy Index, ranking 6th in the world in 2019 while the world’s oldest democracy – United States – ranked 25th.
Related Topics
Why should you not move to Canada
Weather in Canada
How long does it take to migrate to Canada
Process of PR application