Blue Bird Blog

Canada ranked as #1 destination for job seekers

A new study has named Canada as the top destination that people are looking to move to for work.

According to job search platform, Jobseeker, Canada was the most frequently searched for destination for relocation among all the countries reviewed.

It was especially popular among those looking for work and relocation from Costa Rica, Germany, India, Japan, Mexico, South Africa, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE.

Australia was the next most frequently searched for country to relocate to, followed by Switzerland and the United States, which tied for third place.

Jobseeker analyzed the social trends of job seekers globally between September 19 to 25 to find this data. Using the template “jobs in [country name]”, it charted residents’ search trends across 30 countries. The tracked 30 countries were chosen for having a strong job market and high GDP, as per the U.S. News & World Report.

Here’s a list of the top countries to relocate to work for, according to the study. The number next to it corresponds to the number of times it was featured as a top country by overseas job seekers from the 30 countries analyzed.

- Canada (8)

- Australia (7)

- Switzerland (6)

- United States (6)

- Singapore (2)

- Denmark (2)

- Saudi Arabia (2)

- United Kingdom (2)

- Germany (1)

- Qatar (1)

- Spain (1)

- Japan (1)

- Netherlands (1)

- New Zealand (1)

According to the same study, most people in Canada searched for job opportunities in the US.

Why Canada?

The survey listed Express Entry, the management system for Canada’s flagship federal immigration programs, as a key reason for Canada’s appeal.

Express Entry is designed to facilitate the immigration of skilled workers by extending invitations to apply for permanent residency to top-ranking eligible candidates.

Canada’s economic immigration programs rank candidates based on objective criteria, including factors such as work experience, education, and language skills.

A relatively high employment rate in Canada among landed immigrants seemed to be another factor that made the country a dream destination for job seekers. According to StatsCan data, the employment rates among working-age immigrants in 2023 was as follows:

- Immigrants who landed 5 or fewer years earlier: 77.8%.

- Immigrants who landed between 5 to 10 years earlier: 81.9%.

- Immigrants who landed over 10 years earlier: 84.5%.

Other key factors noted by the study were Canada’s strong economy, publicly-funded healthcare system, and diverse culture.

In September, Canada ranked 4th best country in the world in the updated U.S. News country rankings for 2024, with an overall indexed score of 94.1.

Its high performance in factors such as quality of life, entrepreneurship, social purpose, and agility is what helped it attain this position.

Source: cicnews.com

Canada

International students in Canada can work 24 hours a week off-campus

International students in Canada can now work up to 24 hours per week off-campus while their classes are in session.

Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) Marc Miller confirmed that the new regulations have taken effect as of November 15.

Visitors no longer allowed to apply for work permits from within Canada

As of August 28, temporary residents in Canada on a visitor visa are no longer permitted to apply for a job-supported work permit from within Canada.
The temporary policy allowing visitors to apply for these work permits was introduced in August 2020 to assist some visitors in Canada who were unable to return home because of border closures related to the COVID-19 pandemic—with the further aim of aiding employers to fill key labour gaps, by allowing some visitors who met certain conditions to apply for an job-supported work permit from inside Canada.

Is it worth applying for Express Entry after you turn 35?

Prospective Canadian immigrants are sometimes discouraged from applying for Express Entry after they turn 35 years of age.
This is largely due to points lost on their Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score.
The Express Entry application management system uses the CRS to rank and order eligible Express Entry candidates based on their human capital factors before they can receive an Invitation to Apply (ITA) for Canadian permanent residence from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC).

The average cost of buying a home in Canada’s largest cities

Housing has become a key issue for Canadians in 2024, with much attention given to the impact that changing interest rates, population increases, natural emigration patterns, and other factors have had on housing costs.
After compiling a guide on rental costs across Canada in 2024, CIC News has prepared the following guide on the costs of buying a home in Canada, considering the largest cities and population centers in each of the country’s provinces.

Quebec announces suspension of LMIA processing for some low-wage temporary foreign workers

Starting September 3rd, the processing of Labour Market Impact Assessments (LMIAs) to applicants in Montréal will be suspended for job offers with hourly wages below $27.47 CAD (the Quebec median hourly wage). This measure is expected to be in place for the next six months and has been approved by the federal government of Canada.

Canada implements policies to increase affordability of housing and groceries

A new Leger poll conducted for OMNI news, illustrated the effect of an increasing cost of living on newcomers in Canada. According to the study, 83% of the 1522 newcomers surveyed felt that affordability issues were making settling in Canada more difficult.

Simultaneously, a recent study by Statistics Canada found that more than a third of newcomers who recently arrived in the country were in renting situations where they needed to spend more than a third of their pre-tax income on rent.

On February 6th the federal government announced new policies to help increase affordability for Canadians, and those living in Canada. Similar affordability policies were instituted by the government last year.