Canada. Land of the maple leaf and beauty. There are so many reasons to love the North American country, but would you consider relocating to Canada?
If you’re interested in getting a foot on the Canadian property ladder or are considering relocating there with your family, you’ve come to the right place!
In this article, we share seven reasons to move to Canada in 2024.
Someone holding up a maple leaf, a symbol of Canada that appears on the nation’s flag
1. High quality of life
The best place to start is at the very beginning – hey, isn’t there a song about that? Anyway, quality of life is a key measure of the general satisfaction of the habitants of a country. According to the 2023 OECD Better Life Index, “Canada outperforms the average in a number of metrics including life satisfaction. While this is subject to a number of influences, Canada scored 7.1/10 on the Life Satisfaction index, compared to 6.4 in the UK and 6.1 in France.
The country is economically stable (more on that below), it’s affordable to live there and it has good public systems in place.
On the environmental front ,72% of urban land in Canada is classified as “green”, meaning the air is clean and unpolluted. London could sure learn a thing or two from this country’s efforts to be more environmentally friendly.
2. Great job opportunities
Canada is known for its lower-than-average unemployment rate. It is currently slightly higher than it has been in the past 12 months, but remains stable at 5.5% which is fairly low compared to other large countries. There are a range of opportunities available in Canada, especially in healthcare, education, construction and agriculture.
For more information on job availability for those interested in moving to Canada, visit the government website or if you have a specific skill, check the most-in-demand job list.
Children in Canada wave flags
3. Excellent education system
The education system in Canada is second-to-none – great news for anyone moving to Canada with kids. It’s classed as the most educated country in the world, by the World Population Review, as over 56% of adults have some form of tertiary education.
The state education system in Canada is similar to that in the United States. Schooling is free for children aged five to eighteen and the system is of high quality. There’s also an option for children to attend a Francophone public school, which may interest any French expats. In some provinces, there’s also an option to attend a public Catholic school.
Higher education is a little more expensive than it is in Europe, but Canada is home to leading universities and study programs. Some of these are eligible for lower tuition fees.
4. Low crime rate
Lots of expats in Canada chose to move there to find a safe environment for their children and families. In 2023, Canada was named the eleventh-safest country in the world, significantly higher than the USA (137th) and the UK (37th).
On a regional level, North America saw an amelioration in peacefulness in 2023, with improvements across all three GPI domains. Canada alone recorded a 2.9% increase in peacefulness owing to “improvements on the Ongoing Conflict and Safety and Security domains.”
Source: Global Peace Index (2023)
You can expect an excellent level of care in Canada.
5. Public-funded healthcare system
Canada has a public-funded healthcare system which is governed at the province or territory level. Each territory or province offers citizens and permanent resident a publicly-funded healthcare plan. However, most Canadians have private insurance as this does not cover for non-essential or cosmetic procedures.
In the OECD Better Life Index (2023), Canada’s healthcare scored the highest out of all countries surveyed. There have been improvements in living conditions, public health interventions and progress in medical care in recent years.
When asked ‘How is your health in general?’ almost 89% of people in Canada reported to be in good health, compared the OECD average of 68%.
6. Growing economy
Canada’s economy is the world’s ninth largest and the country has a nominal GDP of approximately $2.089 trillion (USD). The country has a globalized economy and it is a known trader of goods and services, with each sector doing well.
The foundations of economic freedom in Canada are strong and the economy has emerged from global crisis a few years ago relatively unscathed.
Scarborough Bluffs, Scarborough, Toronto.
7. Idyllic landscapes, active lifestyle opportunities
Canada is home to 37 National Parks and is home to a number of natural wonders. From the Rocky Mountains to the Great Lakes, Niagara Falls, and the fjords, there’s so much to see and do in Canada. It can be a real change of pace from those used to city living but take comfort in the fact that you’ll never be too far from forested areas and scenic walking trails – perfect for clearing your head or getting back to nature.
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