How do I choose the right province for Canadian immigration? How to select province for Canada immigration? Should I choose the province first and then search for a job in Canada? Or, do I just immigrate to the province where I get a job?

Canada immigration programs are so transparent and merit-centric that identifying the right province and finding a job there can be the toughest aspect of immigrating to Canada.

We have seen how even trucking data indicating the number of people moving into and out of various Canadian cities can help you identify provinces and cities popular with immigrants.

Real Estate Data— Costliest vs Cheapest Provinces

A home purchase may not be a top priority after you immigrate to Canada. Yet, home sales data and real estate data points can give you very useful pointers about the popularity and suitability of different provinces.

Ontario, British Columbia, and Quebec have always been the preferred provinces for Canadian immigrants.

But, the biggest cities in these provinces are also the costliest in terms of housing and general cost of living. The 2021 Demographia International Housing Affordability report ranks two Canadian cities among the top-five cities in North America with the costliest housing.

What’s the point of a high-paying job if you still cannot afford quality housing for your family? Unaffordable housing has been a very big problem in cities like Toronto, Vancouver, and Montreal. Data indicates an increase in number of residents moving out of these provinces.

And where are they going? This too can be assessed based on home sales data. The Atlantic provinces have historically had very low real estate prices compared to the national average. Since the pandemic, there has been a steady increase in number as well as average ticket price of home sales in the region.

Also Read

• Where to Settle in Canada—Go Beyond Top-3 Lists with this Useful 4-Point Strategy
• Why Canada Needs Immigrants? The Answer lies in Demographics and Economics
• 4 Reasons Why Canada is a More Student-Friendly Destination Than The US

Population Trends—Preferred Choice of Skilled Workers

Try to find linkages between home sales data and changes in population of different Canadian provinces and cities. There is a clear and established link between immigration, population growth, and economic growth.

Increase in net population i.e. more people moving in combined with increase in home prices and more economic growth is a clear indication that the city/province is attracting more skilled worker immigrants.

This approach can help you weed out cities or provinces that don’t rank high among other immigrants.

Wage Trends—Useful Indicator of Skilled Worker Demand

A city that’s attracting skilled workers as well as foreign entrepreneurs will see creation of jobs, increase in average wages paid to employees, and overall jump in standard of living among its residents.

Keep track of wage trends on job search sites and note the cities and provinces where people are qualifying for jobs at above-average wage rates. Finding real-time data about wages and population growth isn’t necessary because you are just relying on all these factors to take an informed and data-based decision.

Right Province for You and Your Family—your Top Priority

Remember, you don’t really need the best province for immigrants in Canada. What really matters is finding the right immigration destination for you and your family. For a tech worker, Ontario may be the best choice even if skilled workers of other professionals are moving to the North Atlantic.

For an oil professional, Alberta is the obvious destination in Canada even if it is not very popular among other immigrants.

So, use various data points and parameters to find the right choice for ‘you’. And this is where professional immigration advice can be very beneficial.