Planning to Move to Canada? 5 things you must know | GetSetHappy (2024)

Travel

Posted on September 8, 2021

Canada – I was always fascinated by the scenic beauty, landscape and northern lights, and quality of life in Canada. So, I recently made my first move towards moving to this beautiful country, by researching about the place. However, moving to a new country isn’t a child’s play. There are so many things to know before you travel.

Here are few things that I found about moving to Canada.

1. The climate of Canada

Most commonly we know, Canada has eight months of winter and only four months of moderate temperature (which isn’t hot actually, but less chilling). But the reality is, the Canadian climate is quite assorted and one can enjoy the four different seasons there – hot summer, chilling winter, and pleasant spring and fall. Temperatures can vary from 35°C during the summer and up to -25°C in the winter. On the other hand, non-coastal areas have snow for about half a year. People often need best snow blowers to keep the snow off from their surroundings. Though usually, more or less Climate wise Canada is fantastic.

2. Cost of living

If you compare the cost of living of Canada with countries like the United Kingdom, Australia, or even European countries, it is much lower. But it is certainly higher than the Asian countries. However, there is a substantial difference in incomes between the different cities and provinces in Canada. If you look for houses for sale in Toronto, it may cost about $87,0000 whereas the house with the same covered area in Regina, Sask may cost $254,000.

If you need to travel between the city, you can choose the mode of transport, keeping budget in your mind. For example: Bus from Ottawa to Toronto would cost $115.9, whereas the train trip would only be for $38. Thus, in general there is a huge variation in the cost of living in different areas in the same country.

3. Health care system in Canada

The Canadian government takes responsibility for essential medical services. That means if you move to Canada as a permanent resident, seeing a doctor will not cost you a single penny. The medical care of the residents of Canada is fully supported by their health care system. Although, permanent residents, foreign workers on work permits, and international students can ask for public health insurance from their jurisdiction.

If you are planning to move to Canada, you should apply for a Medicare health insurance card in your region, beforehand. This can be granted once your visa is approved by the authorities. The Free Canadian Medicare does not cover:

• Prescription medicine
• Dental care
• Ambulance services (except in the Yukon Territory)
• Eyecare
• Physiotherapy
• Hearing aids
• Limb prostheses
• Psychologist
• Chiropractic Treatment

So, the bottom line is that it’s better to plan for the cover before moving to Canada.

4. Job opportunities in Canada

Canada is a pool of job opportunities for both skilled and unskilled workers in diverse industries.

The first choice of the employers is always the university graduates who have studied there and would like to work and live there.

Canada offers maximum jobs in the field of mining and gas/oil drilling industry, electricity, IT, and telecommunications. On the other hand, food, arts, and entertainment are the lowest paid industries in the country.

In order to move to Canada, you don’t need to have a job in hand. There are various options available for you to apply for a Canadian Permanent Residency.

5. Tax System in Canada

There are different income tax rates for different provincial and territorial regions. It may also vary with the terms of employment. Based on that you may be eligible for a tax refund at the end of the financial year. Similarly, the sales taxes also vary in different regions, for instance, sales tax in Alberta is 5%, whereas in Quebec it can go up to 15% (Information source).

Closing Words on Moving to Canada

If you are planning to move to Canada, make sure, that you have a substantial amount of money in your account to bear the initial expenses and maintain yourself and your family in the new country. While it is a big dream to relocate to Canada for many, the entire process takes considerable effort and carefulness. Make sure to gather all important documents before you apply for the visa. Because, if the visa is rejected for some reason, you may have to go through, whole long process all over again.

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