Expats struggle to thrive in ‘totally unaffordable’ Canada

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The InterNations Expat Insider survey asked expats around the globe to rank their home based on several important factors. Although expats found a lot of positives to life in Canada, there were a few things they struggled with.

Vancouver is a leading expat destination in Canada with many people attracted by its gorgeous scenery and easygoing lifestyle.

Prince Harry and the Duchess of Sussex even stayed in a luxurious waterfront home on Vancouver Island for a while.

However, the city landed in the bottom 10 out of the 50 cities surveyed. Around three in 10 expats described the local residents in Vancouver as unfriendly.

An expat from New Zealand said: “It can be hard to enter a social circle which is already established.”

Almost 40 percent of expats in the Canadian city were unhappy with their social life while just over 30 percent said they didn’t have a personal support network.

Expats also struggled with financial issues in the city with over 30 percent saying they were paid unfairly.

Almost 20 percent said they didn’t see a purpose in their work, over twice the global average of nine percent.

Half of expats in Vancouver said they were extremely unsatisfied with the general cost of living.

It was a similar situation in Toronto, where over a quarter of expats were unhappy with their finances.

An expat said: “Toronto has become totally unaffordable for a lot of people” and 40 percent of expats said their disposable household income wasn’t enough to lead a comfortable life.

More than three quarters of expats living in Toronto found the city’s housing to be completely unaffordable.

The capital city of Ontario province, Toronto has many green spaces and skyscrapers and sits on the shore of Lake Ontario.

Despite the high costs, expats in Toronto were generally happy with their career, unlike in Vancouver.

Over 65 percent of expats were particularly satisfied with their job security and over 60 percent with their personal career opportunities.

Expats also felt welcome in Toronto and nearly 70 percent said it was easy to get used to the local culture.

Almost three quarters of expats thought that the local residents in Toronto were generally friendly towards expats.

Although Vancouver was near the bottom of the global table, it did perform well when it came to quality of life.

Every expat surveyed appreciated the city’s natural environment and nearly 90 percent enjoyed the air quality.

Vancouver has over 200 parks, including Stanley Park which is surrounded by water and has mountain views.

Expats are also well placed to take trips to the beach and mountains at the weekend if they live in Vancouver.

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