Is Canada right for you?
Canada shares a language, a monarch, a legal tradition and plenty of habits with the UK, so it can feel familiar quickly. But it is a huge country with real winters, big differences between provinces, and a visa system you need to plan around.
In 30 seconds
- It suits people who like the outdoors, can cope with a proper winter and have skills Canadian employers want
- The UK is 3.5 to 8 hours ahead, depending on where you live. A non-stop flight to Toronto takes about 8 hours
- About 464,000 people born in the UK lived in Canada at the 2021 census. There is no retirement visa
Who it tends to suit
| Often works well for | Often finds it harder |
|---|---|
| People with a job offer, or skills that score well in Express Entry or a Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) | People without a clear route to a work permit or permanent residence (PR) |
| Families who want space, nature and a sporty outdoor life | People who hate the cold, or who rely on public transport outside the big city centres |
| People happy to drive, and to plan around snow for part of the year | Households on one income in Toronto or Vancouver, where housing is expensive |
| People who enjoy lakes, skiing, hiking and camping | People who want to pop home for weekends: the UK is a long-haul flight away |
Start with the visa. Read Which Canadian visa or permit do I need? before anything else. If you are thinking of retiring, note that Canada has no retirement visa. Parents and grandparents of Canadian citizens and permanent residents can visit for long stays on the super visa, and some are sponsored for PR, but there is no route just for retirees.
Climate by city
Canada’s cities differ hugely. These are rounded average daily highs for the coldest and warmest months, from Environment and Climate Change Canada’s 1991–2020 normals where available (Ottawa and Halifax are estimates from long-run weather records):
| City | January high | July high | Feels like |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vancouver | About 7°C | About 22°C | Mild, wet winters with little snow. The closest to a British climate |
| Toronto | About −1°C | About 27°C | Cold, snowy winters and hot, humid summers |
| Ottawa | About −6°C | About 26°C | Long, very cold winters |
| Montreal | About −5°C | About 27°C | Cold, snowy winters and warm summers |
| Calgary | About −1°C to −2°C | About 23°C | Dry and sunny, with very cold snaps eased by warm chinook winds |
| Halifax | About −1°C | About 23°C | Milder, but wet, windy and changeable |
Averages hide the extremes. In Ottawa, Montreal and the Prairies, nights below −20°C are normal in a cold spell, and wind chill makes it feel colder. Summers in Ontario and Quebec are hotter and more humid than in the UK. See How do we get through a Canadian winter? and making the most of summer.
Time difference
Canada has six time zones. Most provinces put their clocks forward on the second Sunday in March and back on the first Sunday in November, a few weeks apart from the UK. Saskatchewan and Yukon don’t change their clocks.
| Where | Behind the UK, most of the year |
|---|---|
| Newfoundland (St John’s) | 3.5 hours |
| Atlantic (Halifax, New Brunswick, PEI) | 4 hours |
| Eastern (Toronto, Ottawa, Montreal) | 5 hours |
| Central (Winnipeg) | 6 hours |
| Mountain (Calgary, Edmonton) | 7 hours |
| Pacific (Vancouver, Victoria) | 8 hours |
For about a week in autumn (the UK changes on 25 October 2026, Canada on 1 November) and about three weeks in spring, the gap is an hour shorter. Calling home is easiest in your morning, which is the UK afternoon or evening. From Vancouver, a 9am call reaches the UK at 5pm.
Distance and flights
Eastern Canada is closer than many people expect. A non-stop flight from Heathrow takes about 7 hours to Halifax and about 8 hours to Toronto. Coming home is quicker, thanks to the jet stream: Toronto to London is about 7.5 hours. Vancouver and Calgary are about 9 to 10 hours non-stop. Flying within Canada is expensive and the distances are vast: Toronto to Vancouver is about a 5-hour flight. Check current schedules with the airlines
Brits in Canada
The 2021 census counted 464,135 people born in the UK living in Canada, down from 499,120 in 2016. Just over half live in Ontario (239,485). Most arrived decades ago: only 22,755 came in the five years to 2021, so the UK is now the tenth largest source of new arrivals. You will find British shops, pubs, football supporters’ clubs and parkruns in most big cities, but you won’t be living in a British bubble.
Questions to ask yourselves
- Do we have a realistic route to a work permit and then PR?
- Can we cope with four or five months of snow and cold, and the cost of heating and winter tyres?
- Can we afford to rent where the jobs are? See Cost of living and Choosing a city
- How often do we want to fly home, and what will that cost for the whole family?
- Will our qualifications let us work in our field? See Will my UK qualifications be recognised?
- If it doesn’t work out, what is our plan to come back?
What to do next
- Check your visa and PR options first
- Compare cities on climate, rent and jobs
- Spend a winter week in your chosen city if you can
Keep going
- Statistics Canada: Focus on Geography Series, 2021 Census, Canada (immigration)
- Statistics Canada: Focus on Geography Series, 2021 Census, Ontario (immigration)
- Environment and Climate Change Canada: Canadian Climate Normals 1991–2020
- Environment and Climate Change Canada: 1991–2020 Climate Normals, Toronto Pearson (Airport)
- Environment and Climate Change Canada: 1991–2020 Climate Normals, Vancouver International (Airport)
- Weather Spark: Average weather at Ottawa Macdonald-Cartier International Airport (estimate)
- Weather Spark: Average weather at Halifax Stanfield International Airport (estimate)
- National Research Council Canada: Time zones and daylight saving time
- GOV.UK: When do the clocks change?
- FlightsFrom: Non-stop flights from London Heathrow to Toronto
- FlightsFrom: Non-stop flights from London Heathrow to Halifax
- IRCC: Parent and grandparent super visa