Expat Experiences in Canada

When considering a move to a new city, there is nothing more valuable than hearing real-life stories and experiences from other expats who live or have lived there. We'd love to hear about your expat experiences. Please contact us if you have lived in Canada and would like to share your story.

Moving to Canada from Israel – Read interviews with Israeli expats living in Canada

Micha is an expat who relocated to Marystown, Newfoundland from Israel in 2022. As an R&D project leader and water treatment system designer, Micha’s journey began with several visits to Newfoundland, where he became familiar with the local community and ultimately decided to move. Read his interview to learn more about his experiences and insights on living in Newfoundland.

Moving to Canada from England – Read interviews with English expats living in Canada

Shannon is a 30-year-old expat from North Yorkshire, England, currently living in Victoria, Canada. She moved to Canada in 2016 after visiting the country as a student and falling in love with Vancouver Island. She enjoys the access to the great outdoors and the excellent work-life balance in the city. Read more about her expat experience in Victoria.
Natalie is a British expat who moved to Ontario with her husband and two children for better opportunities. Although she misses her family and friends back home, she is enjoying small-town life and feels safer than she did in London. Read about her expat experience in Canada.
Claire is a British expat settled on the outskirts of Vancouver. She still misses some things about Britain but enjoys her day-to-day life in Canada. Read more about her move to Vancouver.

Moving to Canada from South Africa – Read interviews with South African expats living in Canada

Figo is a South African expat who moved to Toronto with his wife (a Canadian native) in 2021 during the COVID-19 pandemic. He says moving to Toronto has been fantastic, though he misses the climate and diversity of Cape Town. Read his interview to learn about his expat experience in Toronto.
Catherine is a South African expat who moved to Calgary in 2019 with her husband and two children. She says it has been a wonderful adventure and enjoys sharing her experiences on her blog, Cape Town to Calgary. Read her interview about the ups and downs of her expat experience in Calgary.
Tim and Kamila are expats from South Africa and Slovakia who moved to Canada in 2019. With plenty of international travel experience, they now help advise others in their move. Read about their life in Canmore, Canada.
Karen is a South African expat who moved to Canada in 1993 with her husband and children. In search of a better future for their family, they settled in Toronto, and after 25 years are now proud Canadian citizens. Read more about her expat experiences in Toronto.
Geraldine is an ex-South African living in Vancouver. She runs her own copywriting and editing company, teaches at the British Columbia Institute of Technology, and is also a published poet and blogger. Read about her expat life in Vancouver here.

Moving to Canada from the United States – Read interviews with American expats living in Canada

Cyrus is an American expat who spent 10 years in Asia before relocating to Vancouver in April 2017. He is a golf professional and sports marketing executive who enjoys international travel, language learning, and blogging about his journeys. Read his experience as an expat in Vancouver.
Melissa and her partner moved to Canada to pursue opportunities they couldn't find in the United States. Now settled in the Canadian countryside, Melissa reflects on the trials and tribulations of expat life in New Brunswick.

Moving to Canada from France – Read interviews with French expats living in Canada

Juliette is a French expat living in Ottawa. She moved alone, started teaching French as a second language, and has now made a name for herself in freelance work. She still can’t stand the winters, though. Read more about her expat life in Ottawa.
Emmanuelle is a French expat entrepreneur living in Vancouver. She was captivated by the city during a summer vacation in 1999 and has stayed ever since, offering business tips and career advice to new expats. Read about her expat experience.
Francois is a French expat now living in Vancouver. Having lived in Australia and the US before settling in Canada, he now advises other expats on moving to Vancouver. Read his take on expat life in the city.

Moving to Canada from Ireland – Read interviews with Irish expats living in Canada

Aisha is an Irish expat living in Whitby, near Toronto. She and her husband have embraced the many adventures and challenges of life in Canada, loving the outdoor lifestyle, proximity to a world-class city, and general safety. Get her detailed take on life in Canada here.

Moving to Canada from Italy – Read interviews with Italian expats living in Canada

Michele is an Italian expat who moved to Vancouver with his wife and young child in 1995, seeking a better quality of life. Although he misses good Italian food, he enjoys life in Vancouver and runs his own business consulting firm. Read more about his expat life in Canada.