Aaaah Canada! Thirty-eight million inhabitants, two official languages, second largest country in the world and breathtaking landscapes. We've all dreamed of going there to discover all that this country has to offer. Maybe you've even thought about living in Canada permanently, but are still hesitating. If you are looking for more arguments to make up your mind, you are at the right place!
Who better than expatriates to answer the question "What are the pros and cons of living in Canada? We asked our community, so here is a short but not exhaustive list of the main advantages and disadvantages of living in Canada.
Pros and cons of living in Canada: the minuses! 👎
Before listing the good reasons to live in this beautiful country (and there are many), we asked our community of developers what they thought were the main drawbacks of living in Canada. And the first one won't surprise you.
Canadian winter ❄️
You were expecting it, right? We won't say otherwise: winter is cold. Cold and long. As Europeans, you are probably used to get out the barbecue as soon as the first sun rays appear. Here, don't expect to be drinking coffee on the terrace in March. In Montreal, it is not uncommon to see temperatures below 10 degrees on the thermometer, and this, during six months of the year. However, all you need to do is to get equipped! With a thick coat, a good pair of mittens and a woolen hat, we promise you that winter is not so hard to face. Here are some tips on how to survive winter in Quebec.
And if you're lucky enough to join theMaplr team, you'll even get your toque. 👇
Out of sight, out of mind ❤️
The distance from family and friends is the second most complained about disadvantage of living in Canada by our Maplrs. If you are a European with close ties to family and friends, the few thousand kilometers that separate you can be difficult to live with. Luckily, the 21st century does the best in terms of communication, and aside from the time difference, there's nothing stopping you from spending your time FaceTime with your mom. 💖
Less paid vacations 🌴
Whether you work in France, Belgium or Luxembourg, you are probably used to four weeks (minimum) of paid vacation per year. This allows you to enjoy a good break during the Christmas period, to have many long weekends and to have a month of August in the sun. One of the disadvantages of living and working in Canada is that the average number of days off is only 10 days in the first year. This leaves little time to explore the country. Fortunately, telecommuting has become much more common in recent years. Many companies now allow their employees to work from anywhere. And at Maplr, our community gets four weeks of paid vacation!
Majority English speaking country 💬
One of the potential disadvantages of living in Canada when you come from a French-speaking country is the language barrier. While Quebec is a region where French is spoken by 77% of the population, it is the only one. In fact, more than 75% of Canadians speak English. This can quickly become a problem when it comes to getting a job, ordering in a restaurant or making friends. But once again, nothing is impossible, you just have to practice!
With evening English courses, by exchanging with English speakers or even with some language learning applications, it is rather easy to progress quickly.
You will be fluent in just a few months!
Pros and cons of living in Canada: the pluses! 👍
Now that we have listed the few disadvantages, let's talk about the advantages of living in Canada! And they are numerous!
Quality of life at its best! 👌
One of the main advantages of living in Canada is its quality of life. Montreal and Toronto are two Canadian cities that are often listed as the best cities to live in the world. Canada is one of the safest countries in the world and has one of the best health care and and education systems in the world. It is also one of the cleanest countries in the world. In short, Canada is a great place to live!
An ultra-dynamic labor market 🚀
We talked to you in this article about the reasons to to move to Canada as a developer Job opportunities in the IT sector are numerous, especially in Montreal and Toronto. These are the two Canadian cities that recruit the most developer profiles. In addition to being assured of finding a job quickly, Canadian salaries are generally more advantageous than European salaries. Working conditions are also much more flexible. Work-life balance is very important in Canada (and at Maplr)!
Landscapes worthy of Bob Ross' paintings 🏔️
The first argument that certainly appears in the top 3 advantages of living in Canada is for its unique landscapes and its abundant nature like nowhere else. Between mountains, large lakes and forests as far as the eye can see, nature lovers will be served by these breathtaking landscapes that offer many outdoor activities. Living in Canada is like living in a Bob Ross painting!
Its many activities 🚵
Speaking of outdoor activities, sports enthusiasts will also be served! Summer or winter, living in Canada means never being bored: hiking, kayaking, wildlife watching, star gazing in the summer, or trying your hand at cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, or enjoying the many ice rinks in the winter. Canada is a huge playground for all outdoor activity lovers!
The legendary sympathy of Quebecers 🤗
And no, it's not a myth, Canadians are REALLY friendly. In fact, in addition to the much more common use of first names, it's not uncommon to be asked how you are. For example, when you walk into a café or a store, even if you don't know the person in front of you at all. And beyond their obvious friendliness, Canadians have a reputation for being very open-minded and tolerant.
The mentality of the people is incredible. Everyone is friendly, no matter where you go: to the restaurant, to the bar, to your colleagues... it's really different from the mentality in Europe!
So, convinced? 😍
Between the pros and cons of living in Canada, the list of arguments for and against is long. But one thing is for sure: this magnificent country offers an extraordinary quality of life, and the only way to know if you will feel good is to try it out! Luck favors the bold and life is short, so go for it. 💫
