Hold onto your toques, folks, because we’re diving headfirst into a phenomenon that’s got international talent giving the Great White North a polite thumbs-down. It’s the curious case of the educated immigrant exodus, a trend that’s leaving maple syrup farms short on interns and Tim Hortons with a sudden shortage of witty baristas.
The allure of Canada once beckoned the brightest minds from across the globe. But lately, the country seems to be losing its oomph.
Canada’s allure for skilled workers is fading as soaring costs of living and a brutal rental market trigger a wave of reverse migration, undermining the policies of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s government.
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According to official figures, around 42,000 individuals left Canada in the first six months of 2023, in addition to the 93,818 people who flew out in 2022 and 85,927 exits in 2021.
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The highest was in 2019 when it hit the two-decade high, a recent report from the Institute for Canadian Citizenship (ICC), an immigration advocacy group, stated.
Well folks, reverse immigration isn’t the sole concern in Canada; there’s also a significant increase in emigration.
Read More: Housing Crisis is coming for Canada and it will likely end the country
While that is a fraction of the 263,000 who came to the country over the same period, a steady rise in emigration is making some observers wary, reports Reuters news agency.
Once a beacon for global migrants, Canada now leads in a surprising reversal of immigration trends, marking a shift towards emigration. What’s triggered this turnaround? Why the sudden switch? Let’s see what’s bubbling beneath the surface.
People who spoke to the Reuters news agency said that the high cost of living is making it difficult for them to sustain in Canada, which has an ageing population and is dependent on migrants to boost the economy.
“I never realised that living in a Western country, you can only afford to rent a room in the basement,” said Cara (name changed), 25, who came to Canada in 2022 as a refugee from Hong Kong.
She pays 650 ($474) Canadian dollars in rent for a single-room basement apartment in Scarborough in eastern Toronto, which is about 30 per cent of her monthly take-home salary. Cara, who goes to an adult learning school, says she has to work three part-time jobs in order to make a minimum wage of C$16.55 per hour.
“I almost use every single penny,” she said, while in Hong Kong she was able to save about a third of her monthly salary.
Adding to their misery is sky-high housing costs, which is driving many away from taking permanent residency in Canada,
On average in Canada about 60% of household income would be needed to cover home ownership costs, a figure that rises to about 98 per cent for Vancouver and 80 per cent for Toronto, RBC said in a September report.
Moreover, here are outlined explanations for why educated immigrants are steering clear of Canada, while astute Canadians are choosing to depart.
- The Talent Trap
Picture this: You scale mountains of education, degree in hand, ready to contribute. But Canada’s visa maze traps you, paperwork piled high like a snowdrift. The message is clear: Canada wants your brainpower, but only if it arrives pre-packaged with a PhD in bureaucracy.
2. The Salary Siesta
Sure, the healthcare system is a national treasure, but let’s face it, Canadians aren’t exactly known for throwing loonies around like confetti. Skilled immigrants often find their talents undervalued, their degrees collecting dust bunnies on HR desks while their bank accounts sing a sad loonie ballad. The equation is simple: high cost of living + stagnant salaries = a one-way ticket out of the Great White North.
- The Innovation Icicles
Remember that spark of creativity that made you want to change the world? Yeah, it gets a little chilly in the Canadian corporate landscape. Red tape, risk aversion, and a penchant for “the way it’s always been done” can stifle even the most innovative flame. So, the world’s brightest minds are heading to pastures where their ideas can bloom, not get buried under a blizzard of regulations.
While several factors contribute to Canada’s rising emigration rate, two stand out for their potential to disillusion and push individuals towards seeking opportunities elsewhere: the downfall in the economy and the deterioration of the healthcare system.
Read More: As immigrants flood Canada, Canadians have started leaving en masse
Rising costs of living, especially housing, haven’t been met with a corresponding increase in wages. This erodes purchasing power and leaves individuals feeling financially insecure.
Specific sectors face stagnant growth, offering few opportunities for career progression and professional fulfillment. This frustrates skilled workers seeking to build meaningful careers.
Recent economic fluctuations and global uncertainties cast a shadow on long-term job security in Canada, prompting some individuals to seek stability in other countries with more resilient economies.
Healthcare System Decline:
Access to specialists and essential procedures is plagued by lengthy wait times, causing frustration and anxiety for patients facing critical health needs.
The healthcare system struggles understaffing and resource constraints, leading to compromised quality of care and reduced confidence in its ability to deliver.
Rising costs, healthcare woes, and economic uncertainty have cast a shadow on the Canadian dream, prompting a wave of departures from both newcomers and seasoned citizens. Is this the end of the Canadian dream, or can a new captain steer the ship to calmer waters?
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