Land of maple syrup, ice hockey and out-of-the-world natural scenery – you guessed it – we are talking about Canada.
It is not surprising that moving to the “Great White North” is a dream come true for many. From a thriving economy and open-minded people to an exceptional schooling system and praiseworthy healthcare system. Not to mention Canadians’ politeness and extreme multiculturality. Everything seems to work at a high level of efficiency.
Indeed, many expats searching for a developed and well-organized place to live decide to relocate to Canada. While it is easy to get excited to live in such a progressive country, the process of moving there is quite complex. The amount of paperwork and legal conditions you need to meet to move to Canada might lower your hype, but do not get discouraged. In this article, I am bringing you an overview of all the essential things you need to know before starting your relocation, plus some fun facts at the end to bring a smile to your face. So stay with me until the end. It will be worth it.
How to move there? (i.e. visa options)
Moving to Canada is a long process and requires a lot of paperwork beforehand. There are few options for a residency you might want to consider depending on your purpose for coming.
If you want to stay only for a short time, you need to fill an online (Check out visa application here) application for a temporary resident visa (TRV). You need to meet few requirements to get TRV, including the proof that you will leave the country after your visit, that you have enough means to finance yourself and that you do not intend to work or study during your stay. The cost for this visa is 100 CAD or 75 USD and 85 CAD or 65 USD for biometrics if required.
Along with the temporary stay, you can also get a permanent residence, which has numerous benefits. The only thing you can’t do is vote. You can apply online for permanent residency (guidelines can be found here) either from or outside of Canada. The fees vary depending on whether you fall into the business, family or economy category.
Bear in mind an essential rule if you don’t want to lose your permanent residency: you need to live in Canada for at least two years within every five years.
There are also educational programs that help you with the immigration process depending on how you want to immigrate, here are some examples;
Working in Canada
With the productive economy that Canada has, the job offer is indeed extensive. Moreover, skilled workers of all kinds are needed now more than ever due to the economic losses that the COVID-19 pandemic caused. Canada even gave a public call for 400.000 foreign workers to help the Canadian economy. Just like in the rest of the world, in Canada, the trend of remote jobs accompanied by emerging tech advances is witnessing an expansion.
Here I give you some of the most in-demand jobs in Canada in 2021 with the approximate annual salary:
- Administrative Assistant (45,927 CAD)
- Web Developer (69,305 CAD)
- Human Resources (HR) Managers (89,003 CAD)
- Customer service representative (34,125 CAD)
- Veterinarians (95,804 CAD)
- Driver (44, 234 CAD)
- Registered nurse (80, 126 CAD)
- Project manager (90, 675 CAD)
- Welder (73,504 CAD)
Disclaimer: Information on the salary is given only as a general outline. The provided amounts vary significantly and depend on several factors, so I advise you to do in-depth research for each job you are interested in.
Almost every job in Canada requires a work permit and employment visa. Two main categories of work permits include:
- open work permit – work for any employer
- specific work permit – work only for one particular employer
There are three types of working visas: a temporary worker visa, a business visa, and a visa for permanent workers. You can see all the options for the work permits and apply online (guidelines can be found here). The work visa along with the work permit will cost you approximately 155 CAD or 120 USD.
Canadians or “Canuks”
When it comes to Canadians (also called “Canuks”) and their culture, it is safe to say that there is a fine blend between British, French and American influence. It is as if Canadians took the best out of each culture. They are known to be very polite, politically correct, honest and sensitive towards elders and disabled people.
Canada welcomes foreigners with open arms. The fact that more than 20% of Canadians are not initially from Canada proves its high multicultural climate. With such a sincere welcome, you will surely start feeling at home soon after moving there.
Another thing to have in mind is that Canadians are very punctual. They consider it very rude if you are late. If you are coming from a Latin country or SE Asia, this might be a culture shock for you, but as they say, when in Rome…
Housing (rent and buying)
Short-term and long-term rental options are available in Canada. If you prefer first getting to know the area, I recommend choosing a short-term option, so you have time to decide whether you like the place and want to stay there for longer. Many short-term options are available. You can choose between Airbnbs, B&Bs, discounted hotels and motels, student accommodations during the summer months, and even Christian establishments.
As far as long-term rent is concerned, they require some more paperwork, but nothing too complicated. A long-term apartment usually comes with a one-year contract, but you can also find shorter options. Among other documents, some landlords might ask for a bank statement proving you have enough funds to cover the rent in the next few months.
Overall, finding an apartment for a more extended period is sometimes more affordable than buying a property.
Bear in mind that most of the apartments for long-term come unfurnished, and if you are coming with your furry friend, the rent might be slightly higher.
Canada is an expensive country, so affordable rent is hard to find. However, the cheapest rent is in St. John, where you can find a one-bedroom apartment for 810 CAD or 609 USD. Regina, Quebec, Edmonton and Winnipeg likewise fall into the category of cities with cheaper rent.
On the contrary, Toronto and Vancouver are the most expensive to live in. The rent in Vancouver is approximately 1,940 CAD, and in Toronto, around 1,740 CAD. Burnaby has the third most costly rent with 1,650 CAD.
If, after some time, you decide to buy a property in Canada as a foreigner, the good news is that there are no restrictions. The process of buying a house might last somewhere between 30 to 90 days. There are two essential requirements. First, to own property and live there for more than six months, you need to get immigration status. Second, you need home insurance to get the mortgage for the house.
The house prices vary depending on the province and the city. For example, Vancouver has the highest price of 1,092,000 CAD or 821,555 USD, and Fredericton the lowest of 173,000 CAD or 130,132 USD.
Schools and kindergartens
Canada is famous for a highly developed and progressive education system. They put a lot of attention into giving their children a holistic and high-quality education.
In Canada, obligatory school starts at six or seven years old. Before that, parents decide whether they send their child to a kindergarten (pre-elementary) or not, which happens at four or five years old. Only in some provinces is pre-elementary school mandatory.
Elementary school lasts until eleven or twelve years old. Then the children continue to secondary school until the age of 18. The secondary school is divided into two levels; junior high school and high school.
Public elementary schools and kindergartens are free for Canadian citizens, unline the pre-school and daycare which are private. Childcare can cost you between 40 CAD (30 USD) and 57 CAD (42 USD) per child, depending on the province. If you decide to send your child to a pre-school, prepare to pay between 450 CAD (335 USD) to 1,300 CAD (968 USD) per month.
Despite the high expenses in Canada, the university fees are pretty affordable. Between 20,000 CAD and 30,000 CAD should be enough to cover each year of study.
Healthcare system
I am sure you are least worried about hospitals and their services when thinking about each step of relocating to Canada. Yet, I assure you, this is a valid point to think about. Having your health insurance covered might spare you unnecessary fuss in case of emergency.
As a Canadian national or a permanent resident, you can opt for public healthcare that is funded through taxes. If you choose this, you have considerable healthcare expenses included. Nonetheless, each province has its own insurance plan that covers different areas. So make sure you know in advance which services you can use with your public health insurance.
Fun facts about Canada
I know, paperwork, rents, finances and healthcare filled your head and made you almost quit reading halfway. But now that the difficult part is behind us, you deserved to sit back and enjoy. So, as I promised, here are some funny things about Canada to brighten your day.
- Canadians’ most favorite saying, “eh”, is listed in the Canadian Oxford Dictionary as a legitimate word.
- Canada got its flag 100 years after it became a country and, believed it or not, through a public flag design competition!
- If you write a letter in any language and address it to the North Pole, H0H 0H0, Canada, you will receive a letter from Santa.
- A man from Ontario (not Hawaii!) invented Hawaiian pizza.
- The lowest temperature ever recorded was in Snag, Yukon Territory, at -63C. As a comparison, this is the temperature of the surface on Mars!
- Pekwachnamaykoskwaskwaypinwanik is the name of the lake in Canada in the native Cree language. It means “where the wild trout are caught by fishing with hooks”.
- 77% of the world’s maple syrup is produced in Quebec.
- Canadians are crazy about poutine – french fries with brown gravy and half-melted curd cheese.
- You will get your milk in a bag in Canada, not in a bottle or a carton.
- The Hudson Bay region has a place with less gravity than the rest of the planet.
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