Canada is the fourth-largest country in the world considering our enormous landscape. We are a unique nation with many great things to offer in terms of employment opportunity, cultural diversity, and natural phenomenon.
Canadian Immigration programs hold mutual beneficiaries specifically to foreign workers playing a substantial key role in our economic developments. The high number of immigrants entering the Canadian workforce, or immigrants accompanying a foreign worker, all contribute to making Canada one of the world’s most multicultural nations. As immigration and employment specialists, it is critical to be wary of what the most sought-after provinces are and what attracts foreign workers coming to Canada.
In Canada, there are 10 provinces and 3 territories to choose from. Deciding where you want to reside is a significant life decision. For this reason, it is critical to conduct research in relation to each provinces environment/lifestyle/population and costs of living to ensure your values and resources align. While each province has its distinct advantages and disadvantages in terms of opportunities for employment, in this blog we at Sultan Lawyers break down the numbers and examine the reasons behind Canadas most sought-after provinces to settle in.
Statistics Canada has revealed that Canada is increasingly reliant on temporary foreign workers (TFWs) to fill labour shortage gaps, with there being 777,000 total temporary work permit holders in 2021.
Considering these numbers, when foreign workers are entering Canada, typically their choice of location may be limited to that of where their employer is based in Canada.
The multiculturalism in Canada brings a major sense of pride to the nation, and those who have the opportunity to experience the wide level of diversity. Further, the country is frequently praised for its affordability, access to education and health, political stability, individual freedom and environmental protection. To permanent and temporary residents, those may feel a certain level of safety and comfortability residing in Canada.
Temporary Residents Coming to Canada
Temporary residents coming to Canada must receive either a temporary resident visa (TRV) or an electronic travel authorization (eTA) from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) before departure to Canada, with few exceptions. They include visitors, students and temporary foreign workers.
Which Province is Most Sought-After?
- Ontario
Population of approximately 15 million
Ontario is considered to be the economic powerhouse in Canada. Ontario is the home of the largest, most populated city in Canada. Toronto, Ontario for various reasons is the most desirable place to reside for permanent residents and temporary foreign workers residing in Ontario, even though Toronto, Ontario is also associated with generally higher costs of living. Not only are there ample employment opportunities in Toronto, but the city is also known for its multiculturalism, easy transportation, entertainment, financial and liberty districts, in addition the local and historic attractions.
The second most favourable city to reside in is Ottawa, also the nations capital city. Ottawa is considered one of the safest cities in Canada providing high quality of life and lower living costs.
- British Columbia
Population of approximately 5.3 million
The second most popular province for immigration in Canada was noted as British Columbia with 69,270 or almost 17.1 per cent of all new permanent residents to Canada in 2021.
British Columbia, which is located on the west coast of Canada, is notable for its magnificent natural scenery. Immigrants eager for outdoor experiences and differing climate typically choose British Columbia as their residence. Victoria, the second most visited city in BC is also the provinces capital city, specifically situated on Vancouver Island’s southern point. British Columbia is known for its casual pace of living and a distinctive geographical diversity. While the coastal cities typically have milder winters, the interior of the province is similar to that of Alberta.
Lastly, agriculture, construction, film and television, forestry, fisheries and aquaculture, high technology, manufacturing, mining, and tourism are some of the other major businesses of British Columbia.
- Quebec
Population of Approximately 8.7 million
The third most popular province, Quebec welcomed 30,340 new temporary foreign workers in 2021. In Canada, Quebec is the greatest province for those who appreciate cultural events and value the French language.
Quebec, Canada’s largest province geographically, is known for its rich cultural heritage, and French language. Quebec’s provincial government offers some rights and services to its English-speaking citizens even though French is the official language of Quebec. Even while it is feasible to navigate Quebec without knowing the French language, the province offers free French classes to newcomers.
Montreal specifically is the largest city in Quebec and also the second largest city in Canada following Toronto. There are several recognized music, comedy, and film festivals held in Montreal year-round, making it one of North America’s most cultural cities.
It’s no surprise that Quebec City is a popular choice for immigrants moving to the province.
- Alberta
Population of Approximately 4.5 million
According to Statista, between July 1, 2021 and June 30, 2022, there were 52,573 new immigrants to Alberta. The slowdown in Alberta’s population increase was a result of COVID-19 travel restrictions as well as difficulties getting permits limited international movement and slowed international migration.
In 2021, Alberta was ranked as the fourth most preferred destination for newcomers with Calgary being the top-rated city in Alberta, followed by Edmonton. Known for some of Canada’s most cherished natural phenomenons, the Canadian Rockies, the dominant economic sources in Alberta are the oil and gas industry followed by agriculture, forestry, education, tourism, finance, manufacturing, and banking. New residents, temporary and permanent looking to be more cost effective will appreciate that Alberta has lower provincial taxes in comparison to other provinces in Canada.
CONTACT US
If you are an employee navigating immigrating to Canada for temporary work, or to apply to become a permanent resident or if you are an employer wanting to sponsor a temporary foreign worker we encourage you to contact your Toronto Employment Lawyers, at Sultan Lawyers for a flat rate consultation. Please call our office at 416-214-5111 or here.