Did you know Canada is subject to one of the highest emigration rates among first world countries? Around 9% of Canadians live outside of Canada; this compared to 1.7% of Americans, 2.6% of Chinese citizens, 3.3% of French citizens and 4.3% of Australians is staggering. British citizens see similar emigration numbers (9%) to Canada and both fall far behind New Zealand (21.9%).
Where do the 9% of Canadians who emigrate tend to go? We decided to take a look and list the Top 5 Countries Canadians Move To.
5. Australia – 27,289 Canadians
There are a couple reasons Canadians tend to migrate down under. One, the climate is outstanding relative to Canada. If you’re a sucker for beaches, and outdoor activities, then it makes perfect sense to move there. The other reason, Australia offers many different visa’s which allow for Canadians to emigrate for extended stays quite easily.
4. Lebanon – 45,000 Canadians
During the 1980’s many Lebanese citizens were displaced due to the Lebanese Civil War. Many fled to Canada to take up residence. After seeing Lebanon relatively settled, it has been very popular for Lebanese Canadians to return back to Lebanon, either for summer vacations or permanent residence.
3. United Kingdom – 73,000 Canadians
As an old British colony, it only makes sense that many Canadians are living in the United Kingdom. It is easier for Canadians to receive a British visa because of the old Commonwealth. Also, many Canadians have relatives still living in the UK, making the emigration logical.
2. Hong Kong – 300,000 Canadians
With over 300,000 Canadians living in Hong Kong (More than Regina and Saskatoon) it is no wonder they made the list. Many of the 300,000 are former Hong Kong residents who immigrated to Canada before Hong Kong was transferred to China from the United Kingdom.
1. United States – 1,062,640 Canadians
No surprise here. The United States is the biggest trading partner with Canada and many companies are transnational. This makes moving to the US much easier if you’re from Canada. There are also a large amount of Canadians who spend half of their time living in the south to escape Canadian winters. Also, Canada and the US share many cultural similarities, this also making the migration south easier.
