Retirement in Canada

What it's like to retire to Canada and why Canada tops the polls in terms of quality of life for immigrants

A recent comprehensive survey into the reasons why people move abroad and also the nations they favour as well as those that offer expatriates the best quality of life has Canada coming out in the top spot of overseas destinations favoured by Britons moving abroad.

The survey was conducted by NatWest in associate with the Centre for Future Studies to try and determine what it is that makes Brits especially keen on going to live abroad in retirement.  Surprisingly, the survey which rated destinations chosen by Brits, had Canada outranking the likes of Spain in terms of the quality of life it affords those who emigrate.  So, if you’re looking for an overseas location for your retirement years, retirement in Canada could be right for you.

The survey, which was called “The NatWest International Personal Banking Quality of Life Report” also revealed that by 2025 1.8 million Britons could have retired or moved abroad with this figure rising to an incredible 3.3 million by 2050.  The report highlights that it is not just factors such as the cost of living, the poor weather and rising crime in the UK pushing people to retire abroad – whilst these so-called ‘push factors’ do have a lot to do with half the respondents reasons for living abroad, the other 50% were affected by ‘pull factors’ or the lure of a potentially better quality of life abroad.

This is certainly the case when it comes to considering retirement in Canada because not only is the cost of living – including the cost of property in Canada – that much cheaper than in the UK, but the quality of life achievable is better as well apparently.  There is a greater emphasis on outdoor living in the summertime and in the winter everyone gets involved in winter sports.  Communities have events that bring all nationalities, ages and creeds together.  Employment opportunities abound in certain parts of Canada, healthcare is of exceptionally high quality and free in many cases and very affordable in all others and there are so many expats dotted across the nation that anyone who emigrates to retire in Canada will find friends easily.

Naturally enough one cannot just up sticks and move to live in Canada – one has to get a residency visa to live or retire there.  Those of working age can apply for many types of visa whilst those specifically retiring to Canada will need to apply under the family sponsorship category if they have relatives already in Canada, or they can sometimes apply if they have sufficient funds to invest in Canada for example.  The best method of approach is to contact your nearest Canadian embassy if you want to emigrate to live in Canada and find out which types of visa you are eligible to apply for residency under.  Once you have decided that Canada is right for you in retirement begin the immigration process and meanwhile spend time in Canada touring and getting to know which parts of the country suit you best.  If possible rent a property for short periods of time in locations you favour so that you can ensure the particular destination suits you.  Once you get your permission to move you can then be living in Canada in the ‘right’ location for you right from the start.