Why Canada?
For several years now, Canada has been accepting about quarter of a million new Permanent Residents each year.
For people with skills, work experience and a good standard of English or French, qualifying for residence is not a huge barrier.
Once accepted, you can take pleasure from the fact that you will be free to live permanently in a country consistently rated by the UN as the world's best country to live in.
Furthermore, Canada is the world's second biggest country, rich in natural resources including oil reserves second only to Saudi Arabia.
Despite the abundance of natural wealth, real estate in many Canadian locations is cheap compared with other developed countries - although a combination of a rising currency and rapidly rising prices in some cites means this is no longer the case in a number of locations.
If you are bringing children to Canada, it's likely their education will be important to you. The OECD compared the performance of school students in 65 countries in mathematics, reading and science. Canadian students performed better than students from any other English speaking country. "What Students Know and Can Do." (pdf)
Canada's health care is publicly (tax-payer) funded: payment is generally not required for medical treatment, although depending on the province you live in it's probable you'll pay for pharmaceuticals and dental care.
Canada's 34 million residents enjoy virtually unlimited recreational opportunites and you might be forgiven for thinking you have found paradise.
Unfortunately, for many migrants, Canada has been less than paradise. The Canadian government is aware that many migrants have struggled economically in Canada and it is now striving to improve migrant-outcomes.
So, although Canada is a fantastic choice for most people, it's not for everyone.
We do try reflect this fairly by presenting the cons as well as the pros.
For people with skills, work experience and a good standard of English or French, qualifying for residence is not a huge barrier.
Once accepted, you can take pleasure from the fact that you will be free to live permanently in a country consistently rated by the UN as the world's best country to live in.
Furthermore, Canada is the world's second biggest country, rich in natural resources including oil reserves second only to Saudi Arabia.
Despite the abundance of natural wealth, real estate in many Canadian locations is cheap compared with other developed countries - although a combination of a rising currency and rapidly rising prices in some cites means this is no longer the case in a number of locations.
If you are bringing children to Canada, it's likely their education will be important to you. The OECD compared the performance of school students in 65 countries in mathematics, reading and science. Canadian students performed better than students from any other English speaking country. "What Students Know and Can Do." (pdf)
Canada's health care is publicly (tax-payer) funded: payment is generally not required for medical treatment, although depending on the province you live in it's probable you'll pay for pharmaceuticals and dental care.
Canada's 34 million residents enjoy virtually unlimited recreational opportunites and you might be forgiven for thinking you have found paradise.
Unfortunately, for many migrants, Canada has been less than paradise. The Canadian government is aware that many migrants have struggled economically in Canada and it is now striving to improve migrant-outcomes.
So, although Canada is a fantastic choice for most people, it's not for everyone.
We do try reflect this fairly by presenting the cons as well as the pros.
In The Rockies
Canada Day, Ontario © Suzanne Paul
Downtown Toronto, from the CN Tower