Key Methods for Identifying the Best Provinces and Cities for Immigration to Canada
What is Canada’s best province for qualified workers? This may appear to be a simple question, but it is perhaps the most difficult component of moving to Canada. Choosing the correct province in Canada might make life much easier for you and your family.
Choosing the incorrect province, on the other hand, can have a severe impact on your personal and professional life.
Examining what other immigrants are doing is a smart method to choose the right province. If a big number of immigrants are settling in a province or city, it’s worth thinking about why that province or city is so popular with skilled immigrants.
According to a recent survey of immigrants who arrived in Canada in 2014, Vancouver, Toronto, and Edmonton had the best immigrant retention rates in the country. More than 80% of all immigrants who arrived in the three cities in 2014 are still living and working here.
Choosing a city where you can work and live for the next five years is obviously superior to being compelled to relocate after a year or two. Let’s take a look at some of the inferences that may be drawn from different cities’ and provinces’ immigrant retention rates.
High Retention of Immigrants = Increase In population = Economic Recovery
Industrialised economies have a strong and direct link between population expansion and economic growth. Because Canada’s population is predominantly fueled by immigration, immigrant retention is critical for any province or city to maintain population growth.
This means that comparing immigration retention rates among cities will give you a decent estimate of economic growth strength. As a result, you’ll be able to assess your long-term job prospects.
Low immigrant retention can occur for a variety of reasons, thus rejecting a city or province simply on the basis of this indicator may not be a wise choice. A high rate, on the other hand, indicates that the province is doing a good job of attracting and retaining qualified people.
Why Is There Such a Low Retention Rate?
While high retention is generally a good thing, low retention isn’t always a bad thing. Instead, concentrate on the reasons for a province’s poor immigrant retention rate.
Is it because immigrants have a hard time finding well-paying jobs? Or do professionals with young children have insufficient educational and childcare options? Is it a lack of decent healthcare and other social amenities, or is it something else?
If there aren’t enough jobs, you should consider moving to the province for very good reasons. You may have terrific work now, but a lack of job possibilities can stifle your professional advancement in the long run.
Your family may find it difficult to reside in the city due to good work but insufficient housing or healthcare. This means that, despite like your job and career possibilities, you may be compelled to relocate to a different city.
Is There a Way to Improve Immigrant Retention?
Historically, the provinces of Ontario, Quebec, and British Columbia have attracted the majority of skilled professionals. As a result, provinces like Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island are likely to have low retention rates.
Rather than focusing just on this figure, look into the corrective actions done by the provincial government to recruit more immigrants. The Atlantic Pilot Initiative, which is now permanent, has improved retention rates in the Atlantic provinces significantly.
Nova Scotia’s population just surpassed one million, owing to advances in the province’s capacity to retain skilled immigrants. While low retention is a drawback, you should make your decision only after weighing the pros and cons of remedial solutions.
Finding the best province for you should never be a one-size-fits-all activity. High retention rates may lead to issues such as high housing costs and congested cities. Cities with low retention may offer advantages such as very inexpensive housing costs and a higher standard of living.
Before making a decision, consider this metric in conjunction with other variables such as job prospects for your profession, family-friendly amenities, and the scope of new steps introduced to recruit qualified workers and overseas students.
Of course, when weighing your alternatives, you’ll need to look into the many PNP streams available in the province. With so many elements to consider, working with an immigration attorney from the start of your immigration process would be a wise decision.