Canada vs UK: Which Place is Better to Live

The countries in the Western world considered the best places to work and study are Canada and the United Kingdom. Both countries have specific traits, advantages, and disadvantaged. Immigration seekers consider the cost of living in Canada versus UK before starting the application process. The debate on Canada versus UK can be simplified by considering some key factors, which will be discussed further. Frequent questions like ‘is England better than Canada?’ will be understood after thoroughly understanding the factors that determine immigration.

Canada versus UK

Interested applicants seeking migration to Western countries think of factors like education, social services, healthcare, job and career prospects, the standard of living, safety and security, upward mobility, ease of living, and access to general services and resources, among others. Canada's multicultural society has been termed inclusive, warm, and compassionate, ensuring a quality life. The United Kingdom, on the other hand, also offers a quality of life, a standard of living, good chances of growth in study and work, healthcare, social benefits, a multicultural society, and so on.

Immigration seekers should clearly understand Canada and the UK, including immigration and naturalization laws, work opportunities, attitudes and behavior of residents towards immigrants and people from diverse backgrounds, etc.

Some of the important factors that decide the rhythm of daily life in a new country as well as decisions related to immigration to Canada or UK are mentioned below -

• Employment Opportunities: This factor is the focus of the Canada versus UK debate. Canada offers more work opportunities to foreign skilled workers and immigrants in different industries than the UK. Canada is making immigration rules simple for foreign professionals and immigrants. Trained professionals can easily get Canada work permit, which is not so easy in the UK. The average salary on a monthly basis is higher in Canada than in the UK. The average salary of a foreign skilled worker in Canada is around $3,217.43 CAD (or £1,864.10) per month. In the UK, the average salary is approximately $3,109.14 CAD (or £1,801.36.) per month. The unemployment rate in Canada is at 7.5%, the lowest level since February 2020. The UK has a lower unemployment rate (4.8%) compared to Canada. But many Tech and Information Technology industries are setting up in Canada. It means that Canada may offer better work opportunities and career growth avenues to immigrants in the coming years compared to the UK. Canada also has a low cost of living than the UK. The cost of living in Canada versus UK is a key factor for immigration seekers.
• Healthcare and Education Systems: Canada offers universal healthcare and medical services through public health insurance to its residents, citizens, and immigrants. The UK also provides public healthcare services to all people, but it is not a standard service compared to Canada. In the UK, the rising cost of private healthcare makes it compulsory for everyone to have decent health insurance. In Canada, people can select services from public, semi-private, and private health organizations per their needs. Similarly, the education system in Canada and the UK is the same. The state governments in both countries provide education free of cost to all children under the age of 18 years. People need to pay charges for higher education for their children in both countries. The amount of tuition fees in Canada and the UK are low compared to the USA.
• Business Prospects: Canada holds the tenth spot among the countries with global business capabilities. Canada offers good growth prospects to entrepreneurs, start-up enthusiasts, and people willing to establish new businesses. The federal government of Canada offers attractive company tax incentives to support start-ups and organizations to grow sustainably. Canada also has a decent infrastructure and system to support business propositions. The UK, on the other hand, lacks in this arena. The response to ‘Is England better than Canada?’ is negative for applicants seeking business prospects in the new country.
• Cost of Living: Immigrations seekers also make decisions based on the cost of living in Canada versus UK. According to some news reports, the cost of living in Canada is around 8.7% less compared to the UK. In Canada, immigrants can live a quality life even on tight budgets. On the other hand, the cost of living in England is quite high, and immigrants with limited budgets will face several issues for sustenance. In such cases, the savings of immigrants will be impacted in the long run. Many social and community services in Canada help new immigrants to cut their daily expenses. In the UK, the basic services affect the budget of new immigrants badly. For example, new immigrants in Canada have access to free of cost healthcare services, while in the UK, new immigrants need to invest in proper health insurance, or else they cannot go to a good hospital since the charges for treatment and other services are very high.
• Permanent Residence Status: The PR of Canada versus UK is a deciding factor in immigration. The Canadian PR offers services, facilities, and better work and living conditions, which is not the case with the UK PR. Applicants with previous Canadian work experience or study permit holders can easily secure direct Canada PR status. In the case of the UK, only an immigrant visa is granted instead of PR status. After completing the duration of stay of three years in Canada, applicants can apply for citizenship with a lower amount of taxes as compared to England. The UK citizenship criteria demands applicants to stay there for at least six years. It involves paying a large amount of taxes to the UK government before applying for citizenship. The communities in Canada embrace new immigrants from diverse backgrounds. The UK seems to be lagging in this aspect. The Canadians are friendly to new immigrants at different workplaces. Work stress is very less in Canada since working hours are strictly regulated. People in the UK are also friendly, but they would like to respect certain boundaries.
• Technological Advancements: Canada is becoming a preferred destination for IT and IT-enabled Services (ITeS) organizations, known for tech-savvy workspace, innovation, and creative ideas. To promote easy migration of tech professionals, provinces like Ontario and British Columbia have designated tech draws for foreign applicants. Applicants, who are data experts, are in high demand in Canada and can have a fast-track visa process through the Global Talent Stream. Industries like e-commerce, banking, retail, education, healthcare, and so on are hiring data developers and experts to be in sync with technological changes.
• Lower Crime Rate: Canada reports a 23% lower crime rate compared to the UK. In the Canada versus UK debate, Canada finds a place in the world's top ten safest nations. The UK reported 33% more robberies, 22% more assaults, 30% more homicides, and 28% more hate crimes than Canada. It shows that communities in Canada are warm and more welcoming to new immigrants. The UK strives to offer safe and secure surroundings to all people, while in Canada, safety and security are regular features in societies.
• Air Quality: The air quality in Canada is very good. Canada promotes sustainability and innovation in every aspect of life, including green energy to reduce carbon emissions. Canada has very good air quality, with an average score of 30. The UK also has good air quality, with an average score of 34. Of late, the air quality in the UK has been a concern since quality levels are regularly exceeded the prescribed limits. This is also a deciding factor in Canada versus UK debate.
• Natural and Scenic Places: The Canadian provinces, towns, and territories have many more natural and picturesque places for tourists and others. Besides having the longest coastline in the world, Canada is home to more than 48 national parks and around a million lakes and rivers. The UK is also home to natural bounties and tourist spots, including famous lakes, rivers, museums, palaces, theme-based recreation parks, rolling farmland, and so on. Canada has an advantageous position compared to the UK because of its magnificent Canadian Rockies and opportunities to have glimpses of the Northern Lights.

Canada versus UK debate hinges on -

• Taxes - The maximum tax rate in the UK is 45%, less than 33% in Canada.
• Living Costs: On average, a one-bedroom apartment's household expenses in Canada amount to $145.93 CAD compared to $250.75 CAD in the UK.
• Average food cost: Dining out in restaurants and food joints in the UK is expensive. The cost of eating out is around 17.7% higher in the UK compared to Canada.
• Cheaper fuel: The cost of gasoline per litre is almost half in Canada compared to the UK.

Despite having the best facilities and services, Canada stands out among developed nations and economies across the world. Canada surely dominates in the ‘Canada versus UK’ debate.

Immigration seekers should understand the dynamics of Canada and the UK through the able guidance of a trustworthy immigration consultant like Signature Visas. Immigration seekers must seek the correct perspective to identify the best country - Canada versus UK - as per their needs from such experts for hassle-free migration and settling down in a new country. With the help of apt guidance, the applicants can successfully migrate to Canada or the UK. Call us at +91-9911659888.