Officially one of the best places to live!

Canada boasts some of the most picturesque landscapes in the world! No, it’s not just chilling snow like you may have heard –seasons do indeed exist, with some areas never seeing snow and where temperatures can climb above 30 degrees. Canada has several major, modern cities. But you should take the time to travel across the country to explore the various provinces too and really see the different geography Canada has to offer. Along the way you’ll discover national parks & reserves, wildlife and views of hilltops and coastlines, all of which will make you go ‘wow!’, like Niagara Falls, Banff National Park and the Rocky Mountains to name just a couple.

In fact the United Nations have named Canada as one the best places in the entire world to live consistently for 20 years. While the scenery has something to do with it, there are a number of other factors too. Healthcare is free in Canada unlike in America, which is a popular criticism of the country, especially amongst conscientious international students. Canada is also considered one of the safest and most peaceful study destinations, especially compared to their American cousins; this is something which reassures many parents about sending their kids there to study.

High quality of education

Canada offers a high standard of higher education with qualifications which are recognised around the world by employers and considered on the same level as degrees from America, the UK and other top study destinations. Four of Canada’s institutions made the Top 100 universities in the 2014-2015 edition of the Times Higher Education World University Rankings: University of Toronto, University of British Columbia, McGill University and McMaster University. Toronto, McGill and British Columbia also made the Top 100 in QS’ World University Rankings 2014-15 alongside Universite de Montreal and University of Alberta. In fact Toronto cracked the Top 20 in both league tables.

All academic courses are regularly reviewed by their institution to maintain high standards. Government bodies like the Association of Universities and Colleges of Canada (AUCC) are also in place to ensure that universities are offering the best possible education.

Multicultural nation

Some people are surprised by just how multicultural Canada is. Canada is a nation of immigrants, welcoming over 15 million in the last century and a half. Did you know that the country was the first in the world to introduce a policy of multiculturalism in the 70s, highlighting the value of different races and ethnicities? While the term ‘multiculturalism’ is common today, this was not always the case but Canada was at the forefront of promoting it. One third of Canadians have an ethnic background of some kind with a recent census showing that a fifth of Canadians speak neither of the country’s two official languages, English and French (Note that most of the country’s French speakers reside in Quebec but you’ll find French speakers throughout the country). Some of the largest groups of ethnicities you can expect to encounter in Canada include Scottish, Irish, German, Italian and Chinese. With all these nationalities represented, you can expect to find numerous cultural activities which are tied to these.

Low costs

For a major western country boasting several large cities, the cost of living in Canada is much cheaper than in the UK or America. While Toronto is considered the most expensive city to live in, in the country, on average it is still considerably less than if you were to live in London, New York or Sydney. This means your money can stretch further and you can still relish living in a modern city like Toronto, Montreal or Vancouver.

Plus because Canadian universities receive public funding, tuition fees are less than you would expect at an American university. Scholarships are also available courtesy of the country’s government as well as the Canadian Scholarship Programme.

Post-study plans

An important question for most international students when deciding where they want to study abroad is: ‘Can I remain in the country to work once I graduate?’ Some students want to completely change their lives rather than return home. However you need to make sure you’re allowed to remain in the country legally. In Canada, international students who graduate from a university or college can work in Canada for one year after receiving their qualification. There is also some freedom for international students to work while studying.

Plus, 90% of graduates from Canadian institutions find a job within 6 months. Improving one’s job prospects is one of the key motivations behind most students’ decision to study abroad so this should come as great news.