Canada or USA: Where to immigrate?

Canada and the United States are so close in geography.  This can make it easy to assume that Canada and the US are the same but they are not. Between politics, immigration, currency, and food, there are lots of differences between the two countries. 

For those who are looking to live in another country, the question always arises: Canada or the USA, which is the best country to immigrate?

Education:

Higher Education in Canada is cheaper than in US

In Canada, tuition costs are generally much lower. On average, a Canadian student at a Canadian university pays CAD $ 6,500 tuition and fees for one year. In comparison, an American citizen at a private American university pays more than $ 30,000 a year!

International students who study in Canada pay slightly more, on average, their tuition in Canada totals between CAD$12,000 and CAD $25,000/ yearly, for an undergraduate diploma from a public college.

In the US tuition varies from state to state  but the average tuition for an international study in a private university in the US is about $41,468. 

So it is cheaper to study in Canada as an international student with the benefit of having more options to work and immigrate having graduated in the country, unlike the USA, where there is no such difference.

Healthcare

Canada offers universal access to health for its citizens, permanent residents and even temporary residents. Each province offers its health service and access to it may vary in each location, according to the person's status in Canada, however, in general, health services, such as medical appointments, hospitalizations and surgeries, are paid for through taxes. In Canada, healthcare services are not paid "out of pocket" - they are already covered by public health insurance.

In the U.S., healthcare is generally purchased through private companies or sometimes provided through workplaces. If a person doesn’t have healthcare insurance, they must pay for medical visits and procedures themselves which is  really expensive.

Immigration 

It is much easier to immigrate to Canada than to the USA. Canada has more than 80 imigration programs. 

Canada has a very small population that is aging and having fewer children. This means that the workforce is not being replaced at the rate it should be, to maintain a thriving economy. This is one of the most important reasons why Canada has announced that it will receive over 1 million immigrants by 2023: they are fundamental to economic growth!

In general, immigration to the USA is based on a job offer, which means that the most affordable way to immigrate to the USA is through a work permit, which may not be as "easy" as it seems an extremely bureaucratic and expensive process.

Canada's government system differs from America's.

While America is led by a president, Canada is a Commonwealth country led by a prime minister. 

In America, there are two major political parties: Democrat and Republican, while Canada has five major parties: Liberal, Conservative, NDP, Bloc Québecois, and the Green Party. The power distribution of each type of government is quite different.

Canada has two official languages.

In the US, English is considered the official language. 

In Canada, there are two official languages: French and English - and knowing both is just one of the differentiators to increase your score and immigrate to the country!

Want to know how you can immigrate to Canada?

Book a consultation with us, we can help you to make Canada your home.