Canada is the most attractive country outside of Europe for European expats to take residence, according to the latest report from global mobility experts, ECA International (ECA).
Fit for royalty with its clean air, free healthcare, low crime and political stability, Canada has retained its high position in ECA’s liveability analysis in its annual Location Ratings Report. It is the fifth year running it has topped the list/
ECA’s liveability survey of over 490 cities around the world looks at factors including availability of health services; housing and utilities; isolation; access to a social network and leisure facilities; infrastructure; climate; personal safety; political tensions and air quality.
Canada has long been an attractive country for expats to live, boasting one of the world’s strongest economies, booming industry, and a strong focus on entrepreneurship opportunities.
An additional important factor for mainland Europeans looking to relocate is that Canada is officially bilingual, with many Canadians speaking English as well as French, the third most widely spoken language in Europe.
UK nationals make up the third largest foreign-born group in Canada –after India and China – which has attracted a large foreign-born population of approx. 6,775,800 people – a total of 20.6 per cent of the population – the highest proportion among the G8 countries.
“Canadian cities have always provided a high quality of life for European expats, with consistently high scores putting Canadian cities above many European counterparts,” said Neil Ashman, Senior Location Ratings Analyst at ECA International. “Harry and Meghan follow in the footsteps of millions of European expats to Canadian cities, namely Toronto and Vancouver, which are relatively easy for European expats to adapt to. Choosing Canada to bring up their new family means they will experience lower crime levels, good public facilities, and better air quality.”
Toronto, Canada’s largest city, fared the best of all the Canadian cities reviewed in ECA’s report. Despite extreme weather challenges that face residents and businesses in Toronto the government is making historic new investments in infrastructure to maintain its position as a world class city.
Since 2016, the Canadian government has committed CDN$14.4 billion on modernising public transport, green and social infrastructure, trade and transportation, making it a consistently attractive city for European’s living abroad.
Article published 17th February 2020