Why so many people are immigrating to Canada?
Canada has been welcoming people from all over the world since 1608. Today, you can find at least one person from every country in the world in Canada.
In 2018 alone, over 310,000 people moved to Canada. If you follow Canada immigration news, you may notice that the number of immigrants is continuing to grow by the day. So, the question now is why?
Here are 5 reasons why many people are moving to Canada
There are several job opportunities for immigrants in Canada
When people are immigrating to another country, one of the most important questions they ask is if they can get a job in the new country. In Canada, the answer is almost always yes.
Though the pandemic affected jobs in Canada like it did everywhere globally, the chances of getting a job for immigrants in Canada are still relatively higher than others.
In a May 5, 2020 webinar, the Canadian minister of immigration, Marco Mendicino, confirmed that Canada’s open immigration policies wouldn’t be changing as the country will continue to welcome new permanent residents, foreign workers and families. “Immigration will be key to our success and economic recovery going forward,” said Mendicino.
By the way, some visa and immigration programs require immigrants to get job offers in Canada before they can work in the country. Though this may be a bit more challenging due to the pandemic, it’s not impossible if you go about it the right way.
Before you start researching immigration programs or job offers, you may check if you are at all eligible to immigrate to Canada with CRS score calculator.
Canada offers free healthcare without any hidden charges
Canada has a public healthcare system that is an exemplary model of what an ideal healthcare system should look like. Even US State Senator, Bernie Sanders, affirmed this after visiting Canada and said, “Canada is the future of healthcare”.
“It was kind of mind-blowing to realize that (in Canada) – people could go to the doctor whenever they wanted and not have to take out their wallet,” Senator Bernie Sanders added on Canada’s Healthcare System.
Canadians place so much importance on exceptional and equal healthcare for everyone, including citizens and permanent residents. Each territory and province has its unique healthcare system called Medicare that takes care of all primary healthcare at no cost.
However, there are some exceptions, such as dental health, mental health, prescription drugs, and optometry, unless considered medically necessary. For instance, in certain provinces such as Ontario, prescription drugs are handled by the provincial government for people younger than 25.
It’s a peaceful and safe place to live
Canada has been named one of the top ten safest and most peaceful countries in the world, according to the World Population Review. Currently, Quebec City is the safest city to live in Canada.
Most of the people who move to Canada do so to avoid the political instability, internal conflicts, and high rates of violence that may be plaguing their countries.
A 2018 Gallup survey revealed that 84% of Canadians said they felt safe in the country.
Moving to Canada is relatively cheaper
Findings by Moovguide show that a family of four may spend as much as $16,300 to move abroad in 2020. This includes the cost of various tests and verifications such as English language testing, verification of foreign qualifications, criminal background checks, medical examinations, and employment verification.
In addition to the above, governments of different countries charge fees for immigration applications. And finally, you will need the services of a visa agency or consultant, which is also not free.
Focusing on four of the most popular immigration destinations – Canada, Australia, the UK and New Zealand – Moovguide did estimates of what it would cost to move a family of four to these first-world countries.
Estimated costs for visas to top 4 immigration destinations (in Canadian Dollar)
Australia – CAD 16,813
New Zealand – CAD 14,520
The UK – CAD 13,758
Canada – CAD 6,115
As a result, moving to Canada is cheaper than the rest of the countries on the list.
Free Public Schooling
Irrespective of where you live in Canada as a resident, your kids are entitled to free education from their fifth birthday till they are about 19, depending on the territory or province.
When you get to Canada as a newcomer, you will get help to enroll your children for free public education in your locality. The country is so welcoming that these services will also extend to helping you open a new bank account, finding accommodation and getting a tax number.
RCIC and How they can help you move to Canada
There are different visa options and procedures to choose from when moving to Canada. Similarly, some policies and laws guide Canadian immigration. These can make the whole process confusing and overwhelming, hence the need to use an RCIC.
Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultants (RCIC) are registered organizations or individuals that help with Canadian immigration. Their activities are regulated by the Immigration Consultants of Canada Regulatory Council (ICCRC).
When you are ready to commence your application, find a trusted RCIC who would help look through experience, credentials, and other information. These would then inform the visa options recommended for you and the procedure to go through.
Be careful, there are some Canada immigration frauds that are misleading and could cause lots of troubles. Before signing in with any consultant, check if the RCIC you are dealing with is registered.
