Top-Rated Quality of Life

Canada is a country of enviable qualities. It boasts a life expectancy of 79.1 years, and an adult literacy rate of 99%. For the past 6 years, the United Nations has placed Canada 1st in the world on the Human Development Index. Canadian cities themselves also receive praise. In Swiss studies rating 120 cities worldwide for their quality of life, Vancouver, Toronto, Montreal and Calgary ranked 1st, 4th, 7th and 12th in the world respectively. The results were based on a combination of indicators measuring the social and ecological environment.

Diverse Geographic & Climatic Options

As the 2nd largest country in the world, Canada has a climate as diverse as its people and geography. Most of the urban centers situated in the south of the country are in fact quite moderate in temperature. Montreal, Ottawa, Calgary and Toronto have four definite seasons with hot summers and colder winters. For example, Toronto's average temperature in January (the coldest month of the year) is -5°C. Meanwhile, Vancouver's climate is very moderate throughout the year, about +2.5° C in January.

Economic Wealth & Prosperity

Canada maintains one of the world's highest per capita GDP's, about US $ 22,000 per person. The World Bank has also ranked Canadians as the 2nd wealthiest people in the world in terms of the country's natural, financial, human and social resources. Based on Canada's total wealth, each Canadian is worth nearly $750,000. Canada has the lowest inflation rate among the Group of Seven (G-7) countries, and one of the highest rates of economic growth. Besides this, Canada's unemployment rate has been steadily declining for the past few years, reflecting the increased demand for skilled individuals. In fact, it has dropped to a mere 7% nationally in 1999. In some provinces, it is as low as 5.5%.

Superior Health Care & Education Systems

Canada offers a universal health care system accessible to all Canadian citizens and permanent residents. Basic health care coverage is free of charge in most provinces.

The education system of Canada is regarded as among the best in the world. Canada has the record as the nation with the highest net enrollment in public and private post-secondary education for the 18-21 year old age group among all member countries of O.E.C.D.

The public education from the elementary level up to the secondary level is free of charge to all students in Canada. At the post-secondary level, students are expected to pay a small tuition. Tuition at Canadian universities is affordable for citizens and residents (immigrants); tuition costs range from C $2500-$4000 annually in Canada. In contrast, international students pay tuition rates that are 3-6 times higher. The average international student should expect to pay annually only for tuition C$ 8000-$10000 in Canada. Thus, it is far more advantageous to study in Canada as a permanent resident because you can save thousands of dollars in tuition. In addition, there are many scholarships, grants, and bursaries offered exclusively to permanent residents and citizens.

Abundant Employment & Business Opportunities

In Canada, good employment opportunities exist in many sectors of the economy. Financially speaking, new immigrants earn on average of $30,000-$75,000 annually. It is worth noting that Canada is acclaimed globally for its admirable record of promoting employment equity in the workplace for women and visible minorities.

An Investment Worth Making

An immigration application can be seen as an investment in the life and future of your family and loved ones. Let's assume that you, your spouse and sponsored relatives find good work opportunities in Canada, each earning about $36,000 annually (engineers who have recently completed a university Bachelor degree, with no experience, typically earn annually $36000 - $42000 in Canada).
Collectively, you will have the chance to earn hundreds of thousands of dollars yearly. You can achieve all this by simply taking the first step toward gaining an immigration visa. The small fee you pay an immigration expert to handle your case is probably the best investment you'll ever make. When you delay the decision to immigrate, you are actually losing money.

Reasonable Cost of Living

By world standards, Canada is still a relatively inexpensive place to live. In Toronto and Vancouver, the most costly spots in the country, a studio rents monthly for C$500-$700, a one-bedroom apartment for C$600-$850, a 2-bedroom apt. For C$700-$1000, a 3-bedroom apt. or a house for C$800-$1250. A 3-bedroom condominium (apartment) is sold for C$225,000 -$350,000 on average. (C$ 1= US$ 0.67)
 

Benefits to Family Members & Relatives

Once you are settled in Canada, you may be able to sponsor your relatives. In most cases, you can apply to sponsor your spouse (husband/wife), fiancé(e), dependent son/daughter, father/mother, grandfather/grandmother, and (if they are under 19 and orphaned) your brother, sister, nephew, niece, grandson or granddaughter. When  you sponsor your parents, they can bring with them any siblings (brothers and sisters) who are still dependent on your parents. Your relatives are then issued permanent residence visas, and the privileges and benefits of living in Canada will be offered to them. And in turn, once they have landed in the country, they may be eligible to apply to sponsor other relatives. There are many examples of immigrants in either country who came as single individuals and now have hundreds of relatives in their new country due mainly to family sponsorship.