What is Canada like (for foreigners)?

Edvin Landahai

Good day, I was in Vancouver last 2006. It beatifull city.

JOSE

Hi Jose, I heard that Vancouver should be quite nice, too.
Does anyone know any further cool cities? ;)

Ed

Hi Amanda,
seems like Vancouver is a quite favoured city! Are many expats living there?

After living in three continents and visiting two thirds of the countries of the word, I can assure you that Canada is indeed a great place to live and raise your children.

Here are my comments on the accusations I read in an earlier post!

"Discriminatory and Dishonest Immigration System.

Immigration to Canada is based on a point system, obtained with your education, qualifications and job experience. Points are good enough for immigration, but in Canada, they are not good enough to get a job in your field. Amazing, how the credentials that qualify you to come to Canada are the same credentials that don't qualify you for your profession in Canada. The reason is, Canada only wants immigrants to do the labor jobs - pizza delivery, driving taxis, factory work etc."

The person, who wrote this, confuses immigration – the right to live in the country with finding a job in a particular community. The perception that if you are allowed to live in the country means also that the country has to find a job for you is ridiculous! In the job market, even if the competition is equal, the locals always have an inherent advantage. This is absolutely normal! Your options, apart from whining and blaming the immigration system, are either to get local qualification and experience in order to successfully compete or become an entrepreneur.

"Out Of Control Cost Of Living.
From rent, to utility bills, to shopping, to phone, internet and cable bills, to gas, to car insurance, to eating out, to basically anything you have to pay for or buy, the cost of living in Canada has become astronomical. Recent immigrants are astonished as to how expensive everything is. It is estimated that compared to most countries around the world, the cost of living in Canada is on average five times greater."

"Health Care Crisis.
Practicing physicians in Canada are in a shortage, 1 in 4 Canadians cannot get a family doctor. Canadian doctors are leaving to move permanently to the United States. Statistics Canada and the Canadian Medical Association both have identified that for every 1 American doctor that moves to Canada, 19 (nineteen) Canadian doctors move to the United States! Doctors in Canada are overworked and underpaid, and there is a cap on their salaries."

Here is the comparison between USA and Canada, according to the data available from World health Organization.
Physician density per 10,000 population: USA – 26, Canada – 19
In Canada the health care is free as oppose to being very expensive in US.

"Money Hungry Government.
Canadian Embassies around the world lie to foreigners, painting this picture that Canada is Utopia, because they want them to come to Canada. Why? Because foreigners bring money! So after being deceived, these foreigners come. They must bring with them at least $10,000. Canada has an immigration quota of 250,000 per year. So please do the math, 250,000 multiplied by $10,000 each equals a whopping 2.5 Billion dollars that Canada gains from immigrants every year."

A country with a GDP of 1.3 trillion $, 2.5 billion is not even a drop in the ocean. However, this amount helps offset part of the federal expenses in the field of immigration.

"No Culture.
Unlike almost every other country in the world, Canada has no culture. Actually American culture is what dominates Canada. When was the last time you had some 'Canadian' food? There are no Canadian traditions and there is no national identity. What does it even mean to call yourself a 'Canadian'. . .nothing really. People living in Canada, still identify themselves with the country they 'originally' came from."

There is indeed a problem of multiculturalism exists in Canada. As an immigrant nation Canada should be the melting pot of the best of the cultures that human race has produced. But, in reality, unfortunately, the immigrants not always bring the best of the cultures. A revision of the meaning of multiculturalism which will give a better clarity is long overdue.

As far as cuisine is concerned, Quebec has numerous authentic, albeit, French influenced mouthwatering dishes that you won’t be able to savor anywhere else.

By the way, hockey by itself is a great cultural phenomenon!

"Worst Weather.
Yes, Canada has the worst weather conditions of any country in the world. Freezing cold temperatures, snow, ice, hail, winds, storms etc. From the Prairie provinces to the Maritimes, from the Territories to southern Ontario, the weather is so horrific and disgusting that many Canadians leave Canada simply because of this reason alone."

If you like skiing or other winter activities, you will get used to the weather. In any case, it is much better than living all your life in hot and humid climate. Weather is always a matter of personal taste.

"No Jobs.
Yes, coast to coast, there are no jobs. Immigrants are highly qualified (MD's, PhD's, Lawyers, Engineers etc.) but they are driving taxi cabs, delivering pizza's or working in factories. Even people with bachelors degrees from Canadian Universities cannot find jobs after graduation. This is the tragedy associated with immigration to Canada. I feel sorry for those immigrants who are stuck in Canada for the rest of their lives. It is indeed a very sad and hopeless future."

http://www.jobbank.gc.ca/Intro_eng.aspx posts over 900,000 new jobs each year. Before coming to Canada, check out if your qualification is good enough to land a job in your respective field. With around 7 percent unemployment rate Canada is no worse than any European country as far as jobs are concerned.

Adapting to a new society is not an easy task! However, if you are optimistic, open-minded, hardworking and you have worked out a good game plan before landing, in a very short period you will feel absolutely at home in your new country.

"Out Of Control Cost Of Living.
From rent, to utility bills, to shopping, to phone, internet and cable bills, to gas, to car insurance, to eating out, to basically anything you have to pay for or buy, the cost of living in Canada has become astronomical. Recent immigrants are astonished as to how expensive everything is. It is estimated that compared to most countries around the world, the cost of living in Canada is on average five times greater."

According to Mercer’s latest list of the cities as per cost of living, Toronto is less expensive than Tel Aviv, Shanghai and Mumbai among others. The full list is here: http://www.mercer.com/costofliving

Hi Sheena,

I saw your reply today about Canada. It seems that you don´t like your country or don´t like the immigrants. Why don´t you come to Brazil? We have all those problems you have mentioned and much more because the poverty here is enourmous, but it´s still a marvelous country for everybody and we love to receive people from all over the world.

Bye,

Adelia

Hi Matt and Sheena!
Thanks a lot for your answers! Has got a lot of important facts in it. But first I have to read it all a second time to internalize it :D

Thanks again
Ede

Health care in Canada is NOT free!
It is financed by the astronomical taxes that Canadians
must pay whether or not they use the health care that may or may not be available to them depending where they live in Canada. Every Canadian I know has also purchased private insurance because they want better services than they can get through the government provided health care. So not only are Canadians paying huge taxes but they also are paying big bucks to buy private health insurance just like Americans do. (This is also happening in the UK where many Brits are also purchasing private coverage because the government health care can be inconsistent or they can have a long wait for the simplest care)
My friend Nina who lives in Montreal just had to wait 4 months to get an appt with a family Dr (she just had a baby in July) and has Crohn's disease and needs to see a specialist.
She was told she would have to wait A YEAR AND A HALF TO GET AN APPT.

The sales tax in Ontario with GST and PST hovers around 14%. While in the US it is at its highest less than half that. Then there is the income and property taxes. The cost of almost all goods and services in Canada is very high because
there is less competion which is a direct result of a small population. Just try getting a cell phone in Canada. The insane rules about contracts and long distance are enough to make any one scream.

I have never been a relieved to be an American as I have been since I moved to Canada. As soon as immigration paperwork is finalized my Canadian husband and I will be running to the border.

oye mamacita de verdad que estas amargadita heeeee!!! si deberas todo esta tan mal porque sigues ahí?

hi everyone i read all your posts.and each advice is quite helpful regardless of different oppinions.i live in dubai i have 1 year experiance in the banking sector. graduated from the America university of sharjah. with a duel concentration in accounting and MIS . i am 21 years of age and i am planning to immigrate to canada.please tell me about my chances in canada?,because all of you know better. and i want an advice.

as for my personality i am highly sociable i love and respect different cultures and i believe that we all must learn how to enjoy our life together regardless off our orign. that is one main reason i want to be a canadian. culturer diversity is a key experiance in life.

as for jobs. i am always optimistic because like everyone is complaining now about canada and its jobs.the entire world is the same regardless where you live. i live in dubai one of the richest gulf countries because of fuel.i graduated and only me from the batch of my friends found a job.and it has been a year. my point that unemployment is everywhere you just have to have the right mentallity keep on trying and eventually you all will get a job.

looking forward to hear from all of you
best wishes
Nader

hey, real thanks for all those informations that's are sooo usful!
i'm a young person from tunisia, and i just though if you could help me to know how can i have a work visa, in any speciality(drivinf taxi, restaurant, anything...)
i really wanna work in canada but i don't have any information of how to reach it!
i'll really really appreciate an answer from you dear miiss
thanks
PeaCe ;)

Canada is a good city in all aspects. I was also there sometimes before and it was wonderful experience about Canada. I have been rented one apartment to live and i stayed there for 2 months.Every thing as I feel was good enough.

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http://www.rentaloca.com/

the big problem we may face is language. is there anybody who is intrested in helping me in english?

I don't know what kind of cadillac health insurance policy your employer in the US was able to get for you, but I'll tell ya that in the United States of America you actually have to wait 4 or 5 months to get a doctors appointment in many cities! That's just a regular appointment! I personally had to wait for over one year to get into see an OBGYN! That leaves me going to emergency rooms for every day care AND I HAVE INSURANCE! This so-called rationing already happens in the US health care system. There is nothing to romanticize about it. Plus, the facts just don't support any delusion that the US has a superior health care system. We have higher infant mortality rates, lower death rates, higher rates of serious, life-threatening illness than most all other industrialized nations. So what if people buy supplemental private insurance policies in Canada. So do Medicare recipients here! Nothing is more disturbing to me than US citizens who irrationally believe we have a better health care system. I have Canadian friends too, and they are more than satisfied. You should really check your facts - sales taxes in Chicago and NYC are around 10%. The collective tax toll on US citizens is not really that much less than other industrialized countries - yet we get less for it! Get real.

Hi Edvin,

you can bet on it, it is very easy with wonderful people!!!
I am from Berlin, Germany, but I have been many times in Canada.
I intend to immigrate some day, first my son will go.
The east coast is good to start, land is cheap, the west coast is expensive, but very good too.People are very helpful and trustworthy.
Feel free to write and ask, if I can give you some advise, I will.

Have a nice day
Gabi