Moving to Canada from Australia

Pursuing a life in Canada, whether as a gap year between educational pursuits or for a longer stint due to work or other reasons, represents an exciting opportunity.

Canada’s cosmopolitan cities are on par with Australia in terms of friendliness, cleanliness and multiculturalism with the added benefit of expansive natural beauty almost everywhere you look.

From bright blue lakes surrounded by snow capped mountains to deep forests and pristine beaches, it provides an ideal place to explore the outdoors and is especially appealing to winter sports enthusiasts.

For anyone keen to make Canada their new home, this guide covers all the essentials such as visa types, healthcare, cost of living, finding employment and more.

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Canada key facts

While there's a lot to cover if you’re thinking of moving to Canada from Australia — let’s start with a quick look at some key facts.

Capital	Ottawa
Official Languages	French/English
Population	38.93 million
Currency	Canadian Dollar (CAD)
Biggest cities	Toronto, Ontario, Montréal, Québec Vancouver, British Columbia, Ottawa
Weather	Cold winters and brief, cool summers in the northern regions. Cold winters and hot summers with minimal rain in the central to southern regions.
Government type	Constitutional monarchy, Parliamentary democracy
Average yearly salary (2022-2023)	Between CAD$55,000 to CAD$60,000 per year

As seen on 3 May 2024

Life in Canada

Canada frequently outperforms other nations in terms of standards of living. This includes areas such as income, jobs, education, health, environmental quality, social connections and overall life satisfaction.¹

It is known to be a friendly and welcoming country with a reputation for also being incredibly polite. Unemployment is low and access to high-level healthcare, education and related services is readily available.

Regularly voted as one of the most naturally beautiful landscapes in the world, it is an ideal place for those who love the outdoors. From surfing to hiking, skiing, snowboarding and more there is plenty to do in every season.

Day to day, finding your favourite foods and essentials is easy thanks to plentiful restaurants, grocery stores and retail shopping outlets. Within major cities, there is a variety of nightlife to enjoy, but expect it to be a little quieter in regional areas or smaller towns.

Moving to Canada – pros and cons

Below is a brief rundown of the pros and cons of moving to and living in Canada.

Pros	Cons
Inclusive, multicultural society Low unemployment Excellent healthcare & education Housing standards on par with Australia Safe. Crime rates are generally low. Stunning and diverse natural environment to explore and enjoy	Harsh, long and cold winters followed by short summers Taxes are higher than in Australia² Housing can be expensive depending on where you live As a bi-lingual nation, you may struggle to communicate in some regions Vast distances to travel between major cities due to large size CAD not as strong as USD, GBP, EUR making overseas travel pricier

Canada entry requirements for Australian citizens

Before moving to Canada to live, it is worth noting that specific criteria must be met. These include³:

• Being in possession of a valid travel document with at least 6 months validity – in this case your Australian passport
• Holding a valid visa type relevant to your purpose of stay
• Not having a criminal record or conviction⁴
• Not being in poor health as this may create excessive demand for public medical services⁴

Canadian visa types and requirements

Break down into further subsections. Focus on a couple of popular visa types for those who intend to reside in the country permanently/long-term.

Each type should have a short blurb about them. We will link to the full articles from this section, so be brief.

Canada offers several different visa types with differing requirements for permanent and long-term stays. The three most common of these are⁵:

Express Entry

This is one of the fastest pathways to permanent residency and being able to live and work in Canada long-term. It is designed to increase the migration of skilled workers to Canada and strict eligibility criteria must be met.⁵

Start-Up Visa

This visa targets immigrant entrepreneurs with the skills and potential to build businesses in Canada.

You must prove that your business will bring significant financial benefit to Canada’s economy and that you have enough funds to settle and support yourself in Canada while growing your business.⁵

Quebec Selected Skilled-Worker Visa

This visa is specifically for skilled workers who want to become permanent residents of Canada and live in Quebec.⁵

Quebec has a special agreement on immigration with the Government of Canada with its own rules for how they choose immigrants. Proficiency in spoken French is necessary for anyone applying for this visa.

International Experience Canada Visa (IEC)

Only offered to countries with specific bi-lateral agreements with other nations, of which Australia is one, this visa allows those ages between 18 to 35 to live and work in Canada under one of three categories⁶:

• Working holiday
• Young professionals
• International Co-op (Internship)

While this visa is typically only valid for between 12 to 24 months, a secondary visa or pursuit towards residency can be made following this through one of Canada’s other visa offerings if application criteria is met.

Canadian residency and permits

It should be noted that there are different work permits associated with different visas and not all visas offer an immediate path to permanent residency.

Additionally, some visa classes may not immediately allow you to work in Canada without also applying for a linked work permit first.

We recommend speaking with Canada’s government immigration agency or a licensed immigration expert as needed for more detailed advice.

Is Canada safe for Australians?

Yes, Canada is considered a safe place to live for Australians. While the country as a whole is largely considered very safe, data collected by the Canada Crime Severity Index shows the top five safest cities as being⁷:

1. Barrie, Ontario
2. Sherbrooke, Quebec
3. Saguenay, Quebec
4. Toronto, Ontario
5. Ottawa-Gatineau, Ontario

You shouldn't feel compelled to limit yourself to these cities, however, as overall crime is low in most areas.

By adhering to regular safety precautions such as remaining aware of your surroundings and keeping your doors locked, you’re unlikely to experience this first-hand.

Level of English spoken and learning the local language

Canada has two official languages, French and English. While English is primarily spoken nationwide, in the province of Quebec, French is the sole official language and spoken by the majority of people living there.

If you intend to live in Quebec, it is strongly recommended to learn French and a language component may make up part of your visa application if moving to this province or hoping to work there.

Learning French is something that can be done before you move or while living in Canada. You’ll likely find that the accent and idioms used in Quebec French do differ from European French so you may like to find a local tutor to help with this as needed.

Healthcare in Canada

Canada has excellent healthcare facilities that are similar to what you’d expect in Australia. There is comprehensive medical care available through hospitals in cities and towns, and smaller doctors' clinics and medical centres in more regional areas.

Depending on the province or territory you settle in and your visa or work permit type you may have access to Canada’s public healthcare system.⁸ The exception to this is the IEC visa which dictates that you must have medical insurance.⁶

Regardless of your visa or permit type, it is still recommended to take out your own private health insurance when moving to ensure you can access any services you need quickly and without incurring unexpected costs.

Cost of living in Canada

Canada is often reported as having a high cost of living, however, this is usually when judged against European nations or the USA.

However, compared to Australia, the cost of living may be lower, particularly rental costs, though this does depend on where you choose to settle.

The following table outlines monthly average living expenses for a couple living in some of the most popular cities.⁹

All prices quoted in Canadian Dollars.

	Toronto	Vancouver	Quebec City	Ottawa	Calgary
Rent	$1527	$1543	$864	$1347	$1222
Utilities (electricity, phone, internet)	$330	$296	$247	$320	$389
Groceries	$890	$908	$842	$890	$968
Transport (car)	$720	$799	$670	$720	$681

As seen on 3 May 2024

Finding a job in Canada

Finding employment in Canada is fairly straightforward and follows a similar process to Australia.

You can look for work:

Online

There are many websites you can use to find current job listings in Canada.

Job Bank is a government employment platform specifically geared towards newcomers to Canada.

Other popular sites include:

• Workopolis
• CareerBuilder
• Eluta and
• HotJobs Canada

Don't forget to look out for more specific sites that list jobs within a particular region, for example, Toronto Jobs and BCjobs (for British Columbia).

Recruitment Agencies

Speaking with a recruitment agency, particularly one that specialises in your area of expertise can help you line up a new job more quickly. They may even have information on jobs not yet listed online.

Direct Contact

Researching companies you’d like to work for and contacting them directly regardless of whether they have any jobs listed is also worth trying. You never know when they might be on the lookout for new talent.

Networking

Putting yourself out there and making friends and new connections may provide job leads or make you aware of potential job openings in your area of expertise.

Attend any public industry events or job fairs too as these are great networking opportunities.

Banks and accounts in Canada

Moving to a new country usually means needing to open a local bank account, major banks in Canada where you may like to open an account include:

• Bank of Montreal (BMO)
• Scotiabank
• Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce (CIBC)
• Royal Bank of Canada (RBC)
• Toronto-Dominion Bank (TD)

Opening an account shouldn’t be too complex but while you may be able to provide key documentation such as identification, most require a residential address within Canada to process your application.

This may mean you need to wait to apply until you’ve already moved, check each bank's terms and conditions to find out more.

What to keep in mind about moving to Canada

Moving to Canada represents an incredible opportunity for any Australian, however, you should keep in mind:

• Its weather is vastly different than Australia with freezing, snowy winters and cooler summers than you’re used to
• Depending on where you settle, you may need to learn to speak French to communicate and feel part of the community
• Taxation is higher in Canada than in Australia and should be factored in when reviewing salary offers
• Public healthcare may not be immediately available to you as an expat, so you’ll need to arrange private insurance at an additional cost

Canadian embassy addresses and contacts in Australia

Should you need to speak with a Canadian embassy or expert contact about your proposed move, you can contact them as follows:

High Commission of Canada, Canberra

• Commonwealth Ave, Canberra ACT 2600, Australia
• 02 6270 4000

Consulate General of Canada, Sydney

• Level 6/111 Harrington St, The Rocks NSW 2000, Australia
• 02 9364 3000

In conclusion

Moving to Canada whether in the short or long term is a genuine possibility for many Australians with multiple visa pathways to consider.

Offering a similar culture and shared values, Canada is well suited to anyone who loves the outdoors, doesn't mind the cold and who wants to settle in a safe country with good healthcare and education.

An enviable new life awaits!

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Sources:

1. OECD Better Life Index - Canada Stats
2. Fraser Institute - Taxation, Canada vs Australia
3. CBSA - Entry Requirements
4. Canada.ca - Exclusions
5. Canada.ca - Immigrate to Canada
6. Canada.ca - IEC Visa
7. Statista - Crime Stats Canada
8. Canada.ca - Healthcare
9. WOWA - Cost of living Canada

Sources checked on: 03 May 2024