And it has some official backing.

The latest annual ranking[1] by the Economist Intelligence Unit claims Vancouver is the most liveable city in the world.

The survey scores locations according to five factors: stability, health care, culture and environment, education and infrastructure. Vancouver topped the poll with 98 out of a maximum 100, as it has done for the past two years. Toronto came fourth, with Calgary fifth.

Mercer’s annual Quality of Living Survey[2] holds Vancouver in similarly high regard – it placed fourth in the 2010 rankings, behind Vienna, Zurich and Geneva.

Meanwhile, this year’s Mercer survey also compiled a list of cities with the best eco-ranking, basing scores on water availability and potability, waste removal, quality of sewage systems, air pollution and traffic congestion. Calgary came out top, with Ottawa in joint third, behind Honolulu.

Canada scores

Indeed, Canada as a whole usually fares well in the various international surveys and rankings.

I may not have been to Vancouver, but I have visited Canada. OK, so a holiday is hardly the same thing as living there (especially as I never experienced the harshness of a Canadian winter). Still, it wasn’t hard to see why the country consistently ranks so highly: huge space … stunning and varied landscapes … diverse recreational activities … reasonable living costs (at least compared to the UK and parts of the United States) … a vibrant economy.

Expat choice

It seems many expats have come to the same conclusion. Canada is the second most popular destination in terms of total number of expatriates from the United States. Among Brits, it ranks fourth.

Expats in Canada seem pretty happy with their lot as well.

HSBC’s 2010 Expat Experience survey[3] asked expats from around the world how they found:

a)      Setting up in their new country of residence.

b)      Integrating into local society.

c)      Their quality of life compared to where they used to live.

Having topped the league in 2009, Canada slipped to second place in the 2010 report. But as HSBC noted, the country “still ranks high for expat lifestyle.”

Not that it is all great, of course. For one, there are those long, cold winters to get through.

The sheer scale has its downsides too – just getting anywhere can take an awfully long time.

(I remember going for a beer one evening during my trip – there wasn’t much to do in the small town where we were staying, so we were driven 90 minutes across the border to a bar in the States!)

And while Canada boasts a host of attractive cities, they can’t boast the same cultural riches as those in Europe and Asia.

Still, nowhere is perfect.

Related posts:

1. Swiss Watch
2. Your Moving Abroad Location Checklist
3. Looking for Quality of Life?

Is it finding or settling in to a new job? Making your retirement savings stretch far enough to provide a decent quality of life? Having a healthcare system that is up to scratch? Getting your children into good schools?

According to Expat Experience[1], the latest report in HSBC’s Expat Explorer series, the top concerns keeping expats awake at night prior to relocating are:

• Being able to re-establish a social life (41%)
• Feeling lonely, and missing friends and family (34%)

The survey also found these worries affected female expats significantly more than men.

Meanwhile, missing family and friends is a particularly big concern for expats based in Australia (49%) and Canada (46%) – not surprising, since the majority were from the UK originally, and so the distances involved make regular face-to-face contact difficult.

Overcoming concerns

Such emotive issues have an obvious link – if you are worried about establishing a social life in your new destination then you are more likely to miss the existing network of family and friends you have back home.

On the flip side, if you can form strong friendships and develop a bustling (and satisfying) social life once you move abroad then you are less likely to be lonely and dwell on what you have left behind.

In short, once you land in your new location you have to make a concerted effort to get out, meet people, make friends and take advantage of whatever exciting lifestyle opportunities the country has to offer.

It’s not always easy to do. Sometimes you may have to force yourself to step out of your comfort zones. But the success of your expat venture depends on it.

Related posts:

1. Your Moving Abroad Location Checklist
2. Canadian Charm
3. Agassi’s Open Secrets to Living Abroad

Canada values immigrants who come to their country to help contribute to their economy. Nevertheless, there are a few restrictions you should know about when applying for a work visa.

In the case of immigrating to Canada for business purposes, it is important to understand the specific visa requirements and the points system.

Some key points to know:

• Education: This section offers a maximum of 25 points based on the amount of school completed. It starts at secondary education and below, which offers 0 points. PhD or Master’s degree holders receive 25 points, on condition they have completed at least 17 years of full-time study.

• Language: Canada’s two official languages are English and French, and you can receive a maximum of 24 points for fluency in both. Fluency in one yields 16 points, provided you have mastered reading, writing, listening and speaking proficiency.

• Work Experience: Points are only rewarded when you have had at least a year of full-time experience in a managerial, professional, or highly skilled occupation. One year earns 15 points, and four or more years earns the maximum 21 points.

• Proof of Funds: 10 points are awarded to people who have an offer of employment approved by the Human Resources Development Canada (HRDC). Otherwise, you will need proof you have either a set amount of funds in a bank account, or have secured work in Canada.

The eligibility requirement is based on the number of household members. As of May 2010, single applicants were required to have at least CAD $11,086, whereas a six-member household needed CAD $26,350.

Securing work in Canada exempts immigrants from this requirement. However, failure to meet any requirements results in ineligibility.

• Age: Because most people in the workforce are aged 21-49, the highest number of points is awarded to this age bracket. Applicants under 16 and over 54 do not receive points in this section. Other age brackets are awarded in two-point increments up to eight.

There are a number of Canada Immigration Services that can help you get started if you plan to immigrate from the UK to Canada in search of work. Whether you plan to move to Canada for business or hope to move there permanently, knowing the basics in the immigration process can help you become acclimated more quickly and avoid any procedural snags along the way.

This article was provided by Global Visas, the leading immigration experts for private and corporate clients locally and worldwide. 

Related posts:

1. Immigrating to America: What You Need to Know
2. UK Opens Arms to the Wealthy
3. Immigration and the UK’s Population Growth

According to the research, this year an incredible 75% of Britons have considered moving abroad. The main reason for wanting to go was the economy (cited by 31% of respondents), followed by 23% who pointed to poor job prospects at home.

Most popular target destinations were found to be Australia, then Canada, the United States, New Zealand, Spain, France and Thailand.

The last such survey conducted by Currency UK was in 2005. That one reported a much more moderate 25% of respondents were considering leaving Britain.

Sounds terrible doesn’t it, as if the country has really gone to the dogs in the last five years, and a mass exodus is imminent. Maybe. But I have a couple of cautionary observations:

1)      Survey results are fallible. The outcome depends on the question asked, and so it is easy to skew the response according to how the query is phrased. So 75% is probably an over-inflation of the number of people seriously considering emigration.

2)      What the survey does highlight is a link between expatriation and current fears about the UK’s economy. In other words, things seem bad at home, so let’s move abroad. But this is to overlook the fact that similar – if not worse – problems are happening elsewhere.

Moving abroad is too-often seen as a panacea – offering an escape from all the woes of life at home, and the prospect of sun-filled, carefree days ahead. But it’s essential to be realistic. Recognize there are both pros and cons to living overseas, and make an informed decision on that basis.

The chances of finding happiness – whether at home or abroad – then become a lot higher.

Related posts:

1. British Summer
2. Expats Top Concerns When Moving Abroad
3. European Quality of Life Advantages Called Into Question

Mike Harling - author of Postcards From Across the Pond

I started this tour just as summer was beginning, so it seems fitting to end it just as summer draws to a close and autumn takes over.  It’s been fun and I’ve met a lot of great people, but touring is tiring, even in the virtual world, so I’m taking advantage of that magic we call the Internet to round up the Kindness of Strangers Tour by relying on the kindness of several strangers at once.  In a way, making my final tour stop to ten locations simultaneously seems the perfect ending for it – one big autumnal burst before quietly fading away.

This tour began as a means of promoting my book, but it soon became an end in itself and took on a life of its own.  Very often, I found myself having such a good time “visiting” people around the globe that I forgot to mention the book.  To date, my trip has taken me from Britain to Canada, Australia, Tenerife and even back to my own hometown, ending up here in sunny Spain with Paul.

It’s a fitting final stop, as this is where the book started out, sort of.  My publisher lives in Spain and she was one of the first stops on the tour.  Additionally, Paul has the same publisher, so after I finish this post we’re going to load up the car with Coronas on ice and head over to her place.  I’m sure Lean Marketing Press won’t mind two of their authors showing up just to say, “Hi!”

I have to say, of all the adventures I might have imagined for my life as a young boy, touring the blogsphere on other people’s blogs was not a contender.  But then the idea of leaving my quiet, rural life, moving to England, marrying a foreigner and writing a book about it never occurred to me, either.  I’m glad and grateful for having done both, however, and although the tour is coming to an end, the adventure continues.

May yours continue as well.

Thanks and Good-bye from
The 2009 KINDNESS of STRANGERS TOUR
Visit the Tour Page for the latest Tour updates.

Michael Harling is the author of Postcards From Across the Pond - dispatches from an accidental expat.

“Laugh out loud funny regardless of which side of the pond you call home.  Bill Bryson move over, there’s a new American expat in town with a keen sense of humor.” — Jeff Yeager, author of The Ultimate Cheapskate.

Buy the Book: http://www.lindenwald.com/booksale.htm
Follow the Tour: http://www.lindenwald.com/thetour.htm
Visit the Home Page: http://postcardsfromacrossthepond.blogspot.com/

Related posts:

1. Expat Book: The Long and Winding Road
2. Book Publishing: The Future … Part I
3. Your Moving Abroad Location Checklist