Making the Move to Canada: The Complete Guide for First Time Home Owners

Deciding to move to Canada is a big deal, from sorting out your Candian visa application, to tying up loose ends in your home country and finally settling down and purchasing your first home abroad. It's a lot to take in to say the least.

In this article, we take a look at everything you need to know about buying your first home in Canada as well as some of the most popular paths that most newcomers have taken to make their dream to live and work in Canada a reality.

Many newcomers have come face to face with the same uncertainty that comes with immigrating to Canada - to rent or buy. But before we answer this question, let's take a look at some of the questions you should answer before taking the plunge.

Top 3 Questions Every Newcomer Should Ask Themselves Before Moving to Canada

1. Where Do I Want to Live in Canada?

Canada is one of largest countries in the world, with 13 provinces and territories to choose from, but knowing which place will be the best option for you can be quite daunting, especially if you haven’t set foot on Canadian soil yet.

There are various factors to take into account, such as weather, small city vs big city life, job availability, schools and healthcare as well as affordability.

Perhaps the best place to start is to look at which province or territory has the most opportunities for your specific occupation. Each province has its own occupation in demand list to meet the labour shortage needs. For example, nurses are in high demand in provinces like Nova Scotia where as tech professionals are more likely to find job opportunities in British Columbia or Ontario. Choosing the right province for your profession will also have a huge impact on your visa application process and could ultimately be a deciding factor on whether or not you will be able to live and work in Canada.

If you are planning to raise a family in Canada you may want to take a look at our top 5 cities to raise a family in Canada in 2020.

The next step is to take a look at which cities have a relatively low cost of living and will suit your financial needs. Most of the cheapest cities to live in can be found in Ontario< New Brunswick, Quebec and Prince Edward Island, averaging anywhere between $1,962 and $2,462 as a single person to $4,140 and $4,653 as a family of four per month.

Take a look at some of the < ahref=https://canadianvisa.org/blog/life-and-culture/just-how-affordable-is-it-to-live-in-canada-in-2020>affordable places to live in Canada in 2020 to help you choose the best place for you to relocate to.

2. What Type of Home Do I Want to Buy in Canada?

Canada has various kinds of accommodation options,including Condos (Condominiums), Single/Semi detached houses, Townhouses as well as Semi detached houses.

• Condo - unit in a larger building;
• Single/Detached houses - a house on it’s own land that doesn't share walls with surrounding properties;
• Semi detached houses - a home on it’s own land that shares a wall with another property;
• Townhouse - a house attached to other properties on either side; or
• Semi detached houses - one building that has been separated into more than one unit.

Whichever type of property you decide on will depend on whether you will be immigrating to Canada alone, with your partner or as a family.

3. How Much Do I Want to Spend on My First Home in Canada?

The average price to buy a home in Canada in 2020, according to Statista.com, is around $531,000, but this of course depends on the province and city you are choosing to move to in Canada.

Some of the most affordable properties can be found in smaller cities in Canada. For example, the average price for a one bedroom apartment in Thunder Bay, Ontario could cost around $139,450 compared to a 4 bedroom home which could cost about $354,450. In comparison, a one bedroom apartment in Toronto, Ontario could cost around $346,000 compared to a 4 bedroom home which could cost about $821,950. To put things into perspective, you could buy a beautiful 4 bedroom home in Thunder Bay, which is well below the national average, or a one bedroom apartment in Toronto, where the cost of living is also exceptionally higher.

A common misconception that often deters foreigners from relocating to smaller cities is that they will struggle to find employment opportunities, making it difficult to immigrate to Canada, which is simply not true. In fact, the Canadian government has created various immigration programs such as the Rural and Northern Immigration Pilot and the Atlantic Immigration Pilot which allows skilled newcomers with valid job offers the opportunity to live and work in Canada.

How Do I Immigrate to Canada?

As mentioned previously, there are various options available which depends on factors such as your age, qualifications, whether or not you have a valid job offer in Canada, your language abilities as well as your ability to settle in a Canadian community.

Express Entry

The Express Entry system is designed to help highly skilled Workers immigrate to Canada in as little as 6 months. Once you have created an online profile, you will be ranked according to some of the factors mentioned above and will receive PR(Permanent Residency) or CRS (Comprehensive Ranking System) points. Your profile will then be entered into draws that take place every 2 weeks, where the highest scoring applicants will receive an ITA (Invitation to Apply) for permanent residence in Canada.