Melanie MoralesDid you know that Edmonton is fairly popular with immigrants? And for good reason!
Edmonton is one of the top welcoming destinations for immigrants in Canada due to its affordable living costs, numerous career opportunities, and low tax rates.
Interested? Well, if you want to move to our city for good, there are a few considerations you should check first to see if they match the quality of life you require. We’ll take you through them!
Why does Edmonton’s cost of living attract immigrants?
Edmonton’s cost of living attracts immigrants because the average living cost of a single person is 20.66% cheaper than the national average. Meanwhile, the living cost of a family of four is 11.58% cheaper than the national average.
Here’s a quick comparison based on Expatistan’s data.
Moreover, our city has low taxes because it’s part of Alberta. Alberta is the only province in Canada that doesn’t impose provincial taxes.
Edmonton only imposes a 5% total tax rate, so it’s significantly lower compared to cities in other provinces, such as Manitoba, British Columbia, Quebec, and Nova Scotia, with total tax rates ranging from 12% to 15%.
Is Edmonton’s economic and employment sector good for immigrants?
The economic and employment hub in Edmonton is ideal for immigrants because it offers a wide range of job opportunities and open positions.
According to CREA’s Edmonton Employment Trends, for instance, there were 6,600 full-time jobs and 500 part-time positions available in the city as of March 2023.
Most of the full-time jobs available were from the following sectors, and these are usually the same sectors with the most open positions each year:
- Agriculture
- Utilities
- Manufacturing
- Trade Services
- Transportation and Warehousing
- Education
- Healthcare
- Accommodation and Food Services
- Public Administration
Currently, the average annual salary in Edmonton is $58,829, or around $30.17 per hour. Note that the average annual salary for entry-level positions starts at $40,801, while experienced workers can earn around $100,080.
However, there are still struggles in landing a job, especially now that the unemployment rate in the city is at 5.4%. Nonetheless, with Edmonton’s urban setting and employment agencies, job seekers can still fare quite well in the city.
Is Edmonton’s real estate market ideal for immigrants?
Edmonton’s real estate market is immigrant-friendly because it has considerably lower property prices compared to other major cities in Canada, including Montreal, Ottawa, Toronto, and Vancouver.
To compare the property prices of some of the major cities in Canada, we gathered stats from The Canadian Magazine of Immigration. The table below shows the average house prices in Edmonton, Montreal, Ottawa, Toronto, and Vancouver at the end of 2020, 2021, and 2022.
As you can see, for the last three years, property prices in Edmonton have been consistently lower than in other metropolitan cities in the country.
This year, the housing market in Edmonton is expected to continue offering affordable properties due to the ample house supply.
For you to get an overview of how much you need to invest for your home sweet home in our city, here are the average sold prices of properties in Edmonton based on WOWA.ca’s Edmonton Housing Market Report.
Is renting a good option for immigrants in Edmonton?
Rental rates in Edmonton are generally affordable, so renting is also a good option for immigrants who are still saving to buy a house in Edmonton.
According to Zumper, the average rent in Edmonton for a 1-bedroom apartment is $1,108, while rent for a 2-bedroom apartment is $1,399. On the other hand, a person living with his/her family can rent a 3-bedroom unit for $1,599 and a 4-bedroom unit for 2,100.
Meanwhile, based on the Global News report, the average rent rate in Canada for a 1-bedroom unit is $1,681, while a 2-bedroom unit is $2,044, so it’s evident that rent rates in Edmonton are far more affordable than the national average.
Is Edmonton’s educational system good for international students?
The education system in Edmonton is diverse, so it can cater to new immigrants and international students. Elementary and high school students have the choice to go to public, private, Catholic, or Francophone schools.
Of course, international students are required to pay the annual tuition fees and other extracurricular fees at the elementary or high school they are attending.
Nonetheless, once you gain permanent residence in Edmonton, you and your children will have the right to free education in Canada’s public school system. Besides that, the tuition fee for attending a university will also be significantly reduced compared to international student rates.
Do immigrants in Edmonton get free healthcare?
Legal immigrants in Edmonton, including foreign workers and students, are entitled to receive free public Alberta Health Care Insurance Plan (AHCIP) coverage. However, all immigrants must apply to be considered eligible.
Within the first three months of residency, an immigrant must register for health insurance with AHCIP. This is done by filling out the application form and submitting it together with the supporting documents either in person or through the mail.
What are the diversity and immigration trends in Edmonton?
Edmonton’s current population is 1.54 million, and sourced data from the Government of Canada states that 24% or almost 370,000 of Edmonton’s overall population are immigrants. Based on the current immigration trend, we can say that it’s a diverse city that welcomes immigrants with open arms.
Moreover, according to Edmonton Global, the city welcomed almost 22,000 immigrants in 2022.
Another factor that makes Edmonton a multicultural city is its racial demographics. Around 40.3% of Edmonton’s general population identifies as part of the visible minority. That’s why you can observe fairly large Asian and Middle Eastern communities in our city.
With such diverse origins and communities, we Edmontonians are welcoming and hospitable by nature. Making new acquaintances and friends is a breeze, given how friendly Edmontonians are!
What are the community support programs for immigrants in Edmonton?
Edmonton has an umbrella organization for immigrants, and it’s the Edmonton Immigrant Services Association (EISA). It provides immigrants, refugees, and first-generation Canadians with information and resources they might need.
The organization offers settlement services and job-related information through dozens of community schools and libraries in the city. Here are some of the services and programs that EISA offers.
- Support Services for New Immigrants and Refugees
- Settlement Services for New Immigrant Students
- New Neighbors Program for All Newcomers to the City of Edmonton
- ESL Class for New Immigrants and Naturalized Canadian Citizens
- Supporting Newcomer Integration for Refugee Claimants and Naturalized Canadian Citizens
