Living In Canada

Why Are People Leaving Canada?

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We spent the past few months interacting with folks who left Canada for other countries and you will be marveled at the numerous reasons they shared.

Canada reportedly is one of the best countries in the world to live in, so it’s very uncommon to see people leave Canada for other countries but per analysis, their reasons are genuine.

Clara (an Australian lawyer) had this to say:

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“Why I left Canada is because I was tired of the extremely cold winters, high cost of living, and high tax rate. I’m originally from Australia, and the winters in Canada were just too much for me.

I’m also tired of the high cost of housing in Canada. I don’t think that the government is spending my tax dollars wisely.

Lastly, I’m just ready for a change. I’m ready to experience something new.”

For most, this is just it, but for others, there is more to just the cost of living and weather.

Why are people leaving Canada?

People are leaving Canada because of the high cost of living, high tax rate, high cost of housing, the extreme cold weather condition in Canada, inability to adapt to the Canadian environment, the unstable nature of the Canadian job market, fear of starting all over, health challenges and finally, some were never ready to stay in Canada.

Disclaimer:

This is not to discourage anyone who is considering traveling to Canada.

Our goal is to help you make the right decisions by listing what others faced that made them give up on their Canadian dream.

Hoping it will assist get you prepared for the possible challenges ahead of you.

See Also: Does Canada give citizenship by birth

There are several reasons why people are leaving Canada. Some of the most common reasons include:

  • The extreme weather conditions in Canada
picture from pexels.com

The Weather in Canada is one of the reasons people are leaving Canada.

Canada is a large country with a vast range of climates, from the very cold winters in the north to the comparatively milder winters in the south.

However, the winters are long and many people like myself find them difficult to cope with.

The winters in Canada can be extremely chilly. Wintertime temperatures typically hover between -5 and -15 degrees Celsius and are below or around 0 degrees Celsius.

Although it doesn’t often, it can get below -20 or -30 degrees Celsius. It frequently snows heavily in November and December as well.

The weather can be very extreme from severe storms and floods to icy conditions and heavy snow, there are a variety of weather conditions that can make it difficult for people to live in Canada.

See also: How late can I enter Canada with a student visa

Many people come from areas with mild weather conditions, not hot, and not cold either, they never experienced very cold conditions like they come to meet in Canada.

It makes it really difficult to cope when you arrive from a country with different weather conditions.

As a result, many people are choosing to leave the country in search of more stable conditions.

While extreme weather is just one of the many reasons why people are leaving Canada, it is noteworthy because it can have a significant impact on people’s lives.

See also: Which countries allow dual citizenship with Canada

If you are considering coming to Canada, it is important to be aware of the weather conditions and make sure you are prepared for any extreme weather that you may have here.

Because for sure, it gets very cold down here.

  • They couldn’t cope with the cost of living

The cost of living in Canada is rising faster than wages, and this is one of the main reasons why people are leaving the country.

In recent years, the cost of food, housing, and other necessities has increased significantly, while wages have remained relatively stagnant.

This has made it difficult for many people to make ends meet, and has forced them to move to cheaper countries where they can live more comfortably.

A friend worked in a food cafe while he waited for a better job which took time to come by but with his café job, he could barely afford anything.

See Also: My Father was born in Canada can I get dual citizenship

From clothing (which you must get because of the extreme weather) to food, it was a tug of war to get them and have enough remaining from his earnings.

In addition, the cost of child care and education has also gone up, making it even more difficult for families to make ends meet.

If the cost of living continues to increase at its current rate, even more people will likely leave Canada (especially young people) in search of a better standard of living.

This could hurt the country’s economy and workforce.

  • High tax rate

The tax rate in Canada is quite high, the top marginal tax rate is 53.53%, which is one of the highest in the world.

This high tax rate is making it difficult for people to make ends meet, and many are choosing to leave the country in search of greener pastures.

Oniva (Our German colleague) had this to say about the tax rate in Canada

“It’s been almost a year since I decided to leave Canada, and I’ve never looked back.

It was the best decision I’ve ever made, and I’m not just saying that because I’m now living in paradise.

See also: How to Get Canadian citizenship through a grandparent

I’m saying it because I’m finally happy and I’m finally free from spending almost all my earnings on tax”

There is no denying that the tax rate in Canada is high and one of the highest in the world, and sure, good things don’t come easily.

A country needs the citizens’ tax to build herself and Canada oozes beauty that justifies where tax payer’s money is going into.

But, what happens with the struggling families who also pay this huge rate of tax?

The tax rate can be adjusted, to lower the overall tax rate in Canada.

Read also: Can you get an abortion in Canada without parental consent

This would make Canada more attractive to businesses and individuals and could help to stem the tide of people leaving the country.

  • High cost of housing

Another huge player in this field is the cost of housing. The cost of housing in Canada has been on the rise, and this is one of the main reasons why people are leaving Canada.

According to a recent study, the cost of rent in Canada has increased by 10% since 2015, and the average price of a home has increased by 25%.

This has made it very difficult for people to afford a place to live not just immigrants, this applies to Canadians too.

Many with no choice are forced to leave the country in search of more affordable housing.

Most of my friends live in rented apartments, and this is their only option.

While the typical home in the US costs CA$315,303 (US$234,200), the average benchmark home in Canada costs CA$474,000 (US$352,076).

For the typical home nationwide, that is a 50% increase in cost. Urban comparisons show that trend to be substantially worse.

In places like Vancouver, Toronto, and BC, it can get to over a million dollars for an average home.

The high cost of housing is also hurting the economy.

Businesses are struggling to find workers because they can’t afford to pay them enough to cover their housing costs.

  • Fear of starting all over again

Starting anew is rarely a pleasant experience so, many opt to leave (rather than start afresh) when they come and find out that it’s not all rosy.

If you had worked as a Manager, Director, or are a VIP in your country before coming to Canada, it doesn’t matter to anyone.

No matter who you were, or where you are coming from, your status, has no bearing on this situation.

Your prior experience doesn’t matter much in this country which is unlike what many expect.

Some people who move to Canada expect to find everything they need right away.

But that’s not the case.

You are most likely going to start afresh, for many, this is not an easy cup of coffee to take.

But you don’t have to give up, do you?

Please try not to give up when things are challenging, especially at first.

Of course, you may need to struggle under pressure, which can be depressing but what needs to be done has to be done.

Here is what Manni (A French we spoke to had to say)

“I struggled during my first few months but because I had a clear picture of what I wanted, it became easier with time”.

  • Health challenges

Might seem surprising to many because Canada constantly ranks among the best in the world in terms of health care.

See Also: How to get dual citizenship in Canada

There is a basic free health care system but far from it, the pattern of the health care system has a lot of lapses that can be addressed.

In recent years, Canada has been facing several challenges when it comes to health care, from long wait times to a shortage of doctors and nurses.

This has led many people to seek health care outside of the country, whether it be in the United States or another country with a better health care system.

While the healthcare system in Canada is still one of the best in the world, these challenges affect the quality of care.

There was a time, a friend was sick and needed to see a doctor but he had to go through a nurse.

This makes sense though but not for my friend because before he was allowed access to a doctor.

It was almost late.

In addition, while there is free health care in Canada, you pay for drugs and other necessities, and as you may guess.

They are very expensive.

Again before you get to see a doctor, you must be very sick and the nurse unable to solve your issue.

It’s a situation that lacks preventive structure, there is less concern about preventing than there is about curing.

You will only get to undergo proper text when your condition is already bad.

A fire-brigade approach isn’t for me; the best option.

If these challenges are not addressed, more and more people will likely continue to leave Canada in search of better options.

  • Lack of planning

Many who come to Canada have the wrong orientation about how things work in Canada.

Some think it will be easy to make it in Canada but it didn’t happen.

They expected to find work quickly and be able to support themselves and their families, but they often ended up struggling to find work and ended up in poverty.

Many of these people return to their home countries, where they feel they have more opportunities to succeed.

What they expected isn’t what they saw.

Lila (A South African we spoke to) shared this:

“For so long, I felt like I was just going through the motions.

I was working a job I didn’t care about to pay bills I didn’t want to pay.

I was surrounded by people who were just like me: unhappy and unfulfilled.

I knew there was more to life than this, but I didn’t know how to find it so I had to take to bold step”.

See Also: Which countries allow triple citizenship

Lila is back home now and working in her home country, which she described as an amazing feeling for her.

  • Some were never ready to stay in Canada

Another reason people are leaving Canada is that some were never ready to stay in Canada.

As mentioned in a previous article, many people come to Canada with the intention to leave once they make some money.

Some tend to leave once they become Canadian residents or even citizens.

This is often because they wanted to get dual citizenship or they just wanted to enjoy to an extent the privileges of being in Canada or because they miss their families back home.

See Also: Financial benefits of Canadian citizenship

While there are many other reasons why people choose to leave Canada, the fact that some were never ready to stay in the first place is an important contributing factor.

A bunch of other reasons exist but the reasons listed above top the list.

Summary of why I left Canada

Canada is a big country with a lot of opportunities, but it can also be a difficult place to adjust to.

For some people, the climate is too cold, the winters are too long, and the pace of life is too slow.

Whatever the reason, some people simply are not happy living in Canada and have decided to leave.

Now you have gotten an insight into the reasons why people are leaving Canada.

Don’t forget that this does not take away the greatness of Canada.

Canada is one of the best places to live, a stunning nation, and a fantastic place to raise your family, find employment and achieve success.

But you must be willing to adapt, willing to emulate and accept other people’s cultures and lifestyles.

You must be open-minded and ready to work with just anyone that comes your way.

Do not confine yourself to one community; instead, go out and make new acquaintances in Canada.

Being a part of Canadian society as a whole is crucial.

Get used to the environment and mingle with others around you and you will enjoy Canada.

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