Hi everyone, my name is Tom. I’ve been living in Canada for a few years now and I wanted to share my thoughts on the benefits of living here. I moved to Canada in 2018 from the United States because I had heard a lot of good things about the country, but had never visited before.
In this post, I’ll go into detail on what I believe are the benefits of living in Canada, and how they might apply to you as well.
Canada’s Publicly Funded Healthcare System
One of the biggest benefits of living in Canada is its publicly funded healthcare system. This means that most healthcare services are covered for residents at no additional cost.
Keep in mind that coverage can vary depending on the province or territory you live in. Personally, I have used Canada’s ambulatory and emergency services multiple times and have never had to pay a penny. In other countries with private healthcare systems, these visits could have resulted in significant debt.
In some provinces, such as Quebec, there is even a Prescription Drug Insurance plan available for residents who don’t have insurance or employee benefits. This plan helps make prescription drugs more affordable.
IMPORTANT: Dental care is generally NOT covered under Canada’s publicly funded healthcare system. If you need to visit a dentist, make sure you have dental insurance or ask about the cost of services beforehand, as they can be expensive.
Low Crime Rates in Canadian Cities
Did you know that Canadian cities tend to have low crime rates compared to other North American countries like the United States or Mexico? In fact, Canadian cities often rank highly in terms of standard of living due in part to their lower crime rates, even if they may be outranked in other areas such as median salaries.
When I lived in downtown Toronto, I felt safe walking around at night and didn’t have any issues. While there have been occasional instances of shootings in the downtown area, they are relatively rare compared to other North American countries.
It’s worth noting that there is a significant homeless population in major Canadian cities like Toronto, Ottawa, and Vancouver. However, these individuals are generally harmless and it is very rare for someone to have serious issues with them.
Low Unemployment and Competitive Salaries in Canada
Canada has a lot of opportunities whether you are looking for IT, Healthcare or Finance! If you have good academic and professional experience then don’t be surprised if you end up with multiple offers!
Competition in the job market still exists especially if you have applied for a high paying job, but there is no lack of opportunities in Canada. You will definitely need to put time and effort before you end up with a job offer.
Canada is a large country and industries vary across cities so if you are planning to make a move make sure that you know which city would be the best fit for you. Also don’t be surprised if the company requires you to speak French, as Canada does have a significant French-speaking population and is also one of its official languages.
As far as salaries go, they can vary depending upon your industry and the city you are going to be based in. You can get a six-figure offer if you are a highly qualified professional however don’t expect to make the same as the folks in San Francisco or New York City.
Canada’s Top Tier Education System
If you’re a prospective student, Canada has a number of world-class institutes that can provide you with a solid foundation. The University of Toronto is ranked as one of the top 25 universities in the world (according to the QS Global Working Rankings). If you speak French, the Université de Montréal (a Francophone university) might be a better fit for you.
Other universities that make it into the top 300 rankings in the world include:
- University of British Columbia
- Université de Montréal
- University of Alberta
- McMaster University
- University of Waterloo
- Western University
- University of Ottawa (the largest bilingual university in the world)
- University of Calgary
- Queen’s University at Kingston
- Dalhousie University
- Simon Fraser University
Canada’s Easy Immigration System
Compared to other developed countries, Canada is much easier to move to and also has a faster pathway to Citizenship. The country requires permanent residents to have resided in the country for only 3 years (1095 days) before they can apply for citizenship provided they meet other requirements.
Compared to Canada, most European countries require you to have resided in the country for at least 5 years before you can apply for citizenship through naturalization.
Canada’s Fair Legal System
In Canada, citizens can expect court decisions to be made in a fair manner. While this doesn’t matter on a day-to-day basis, in case you run into any issues with the legal system OR you have been a victim, you would be treated fairly as well as the legal system would be there to protect you!
While criminal cases are usually resolved quicker, it might take longer for civil cases depending on the complexity of the case as well.
A Beautiful Country for Outdoor Lovers
If you love the outdoors, then you are going to absolutely love Canada! Whether you are in the urban area of the cities, or away from it, you will notice that there are a ton of parks, and activities to do throughout the year!
Whether you are in the West or the East, you are going to have a very scenic experience on your expeditions through the country.
These are just some reasons why I think Canada is a great country to live in and I am sure you will find more when you end up moving here! 🙂
Preparing to move to another country is not easy so if you are thinking about moving to Canada, you should ask yourself “Why should I live in Canada?” and see what answers you can come up with.