Canada is the most popular relocation destination in the world, an Australian study of English-language Google search terms reveals. “Taking the top spot is Canada,
Canada is the most popular relocation destination in the world, an Australian study of English-language Google search terms reveals.
“Taking the top spot is Canada, with the North American nation being the most desired destination in 50 other countries around the world,” notes Compare the Market, an Australian website that offers information about home loans, in its report.
“Canada is a very welcoming country for ex-pats, which has led to it becoming a very diverse and multicultural country. It also regularly ranks highly for things such as government transparency, civil liberties, quality of life, economic freedom, and education.”
The second most popular relocation designation was deemed by the study to be Japan Spain the third, followed by China and France in spots four and five.
The study’s results were generated by checking out the annual volume of English-language, Google search terms for each of the following terms for each country in the world:
- Houses in [country]
- [Country] property
- Moving to [country]
- Relocating to [country]
The total number of searches for each country gave it its score and allowed Compare the Market to list the countries by popularity as relocation designations.
The results of that study echo those of other reports issued by other international organizations which routinely place Canada near the top of the heap as a favourite destination.
Earlier this year, World Education Services (WES), a non-profit that provides credential evaluations for international students and immigrants, reported foreign nationals were so confident in Ottawa’s ability to manage the COVID-19 pandemic and care for the sick during the global emergency as to be a driver for immigration to Canada.
Ottawa’s COVID-19 Response Reassured Prospective Immigrants
“A positive perception of the ability of the government and healthcare system in Canada to manage the pandemic is having a positive impact on interest in immigrating,” noted WES.
In a report entitled One Year Later: Canada’s Enduring Appeal to Prospective Immigrants in the Face of COVID-19, Comparative Analysis, August 2020 – August 2021, the organization revealed Canada’s response to the pandemic kept interested in immigrating here high.
“Fifty-eight percent of respondents indicated that they were more interested in immigrating to Canada because of the ability of the Canadian government and healthcare system to manage the pandemic and care for COVID-19 patients,” stated the report.
Canada’s economic rebound during the pandemic also led prospective immigrants to have confidence they would be able to land jobs once they get here.
“The proportion of respondents who expected that the pandemic would negatively impact job availability in Canada decreased from 45 per cent to 33 per cent year over year, while those who expected a positive impact rose from 27 per cent in 2020 to 35 per cent in 2021,” the report stated.
Canada is in desperate need of workers to fill jobs going begging due to a massive labour shortage. The country’s unemployment rate is at a record low of 4.9 per cent.
And another study completed last year further showed Ottawa’s successful COVID-19 vaccination program had also then buoyed the confidence of international students who had previously planned to defer their studies for a year but changed their minds and decided to instead come to Canada, as planned, as soon as possible.
International Students Gave Canada’s COVID-19 Response Top Marks
“Canada’s successful vaccination rollout will hold the country in good stead to take the lead on a less restrictive international travel environment though universities will still need to carefully consider how they manage their international recruitment strategies for the rest of the year and what measures they can implement to safeguard against any future setbacks,” wrote Kym Nguyen, vice president of client development with QS Enrolment Solutions, last year.
In its Canadian International Student Survey, entitled Supporting Recovery and Driving Growth in Global Higher Education, QS World revealed last year that international students who had planned to defer their studies in Canada changed their minds due to Canada’s pandemic response.
Many of those students, who followed Canada’s efforts to curb the COVID-19 pandemic with a national COVID-19 vaccination program, felt last year the country was once again safe enough to attend university and college in Canada.
Among the attractions of Canada for these international students is the opportunity to find jobs both while studying and afterwards, something made possible by the country’s Study Permits and Post-Graduation Work Permits.
That work experience can then count towards upping their Comprehensive Ranking System points and improve their chances of immigrating to Canada and becoming permanent residents.
“The ability to upskill is an important consideration for many prospective students when thinking about their preferred course and how that can influence their future careers,” noted that report.
“Those same students also have ambitions to go on to establish their careers in multinational organizations or government sector roles. Sixty-eight per cent of prospective students interested in studying in Canada intend to stay temporarily upon graduating in order to work and live, and 29 per cent plan to stay permanently.
There are several ways foreign nationals can immigrate to Canada.
Express Entry System Allows Foreign Nationals To Create Profiles For Immigration Online
Under the Express Entry system, Canada receives immigration applications online. Applicants who meet eligibility criteria submit an online profile known as an Expression of interest (EOI), under one of three federal immigration programs or a participating provincial immigration program, to the Express Entry Pool.
Candidates’ profiles then are ranked against each other according to a points-based system called the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS). The highest-ranked candidates will be considered for an ITA for permanent residence. Those receiving an ITA must quickly submit a full application and pay processing fees, within a delay of 90-days.
Under a shared jurisdiction between Ottawa and the provinces, Canada operates a two-tiered immigration system, offering programs for skilled workers, at both federal and provincial levels.
Through a network of Provincial Nominee Programs (PNP), almost all of Canada’s ten provinces and three territories can nominate skilled worker candidates for admission to Canada with the specific skills required by their local economies. Successful candidates who receive a provincial or territorial nomination can then apply for Canadian permanent residence through federal immigration authorities.
Immigrant investors can also come to Canada under the Start-Up Visa program which can grant them Canadian permanent residence.
The program aims to recruit innovative entrepreneurs to Canada and link them with Canadian private sector businesses, such as angel investor groups, venture capital funds or business incubators, and facilitate the establishment of their start-up business in Canada.
A designated venture capital fund must confirm that it is investing at least $200,000 into the qualifying business. Candidates can also qualify with two or more commitments from designated venture capital funds totalling $200,000. A designated angel investor group must invest at least $75,000 into the qualifying business.
International students can also eventually get their permanent residence in Canada by first coming under a study permit, then applying for a PGWP, and finally seeking their permanent residents by applying through the Express Entry system.
Under the CRS system used by Express Entry system programs, applicants for immigration are assigned points based on:
- Skills;
- Work experience;
- Language ability;
- Language ability and education of the applicant’s spouse or common-law partner;
- Possession of a job offer supported by a positive Labour Market Impact Assessment;
- Possession of a provincial government nomination for permanent residence, and;
- Certain combinations of language skills, education and work experience result in a higher chance of the applicant becoming employed (skill transferability).
