Moving from the UK to Canada: The Complete 2026 Guide

Canada is one of the most popular destinations for British people looking to live abroad. The appeal is obvious - a high quality of life, stunning natural landscapes, multicultural cities, and a familiar-but-different culture that feels just far enough from home. But making the move successfully means understanding the visa system, the real costs, how healthcare works (spoiler: it's not like the NHS), and what daily life actually looks like when you land.

This guide is written specifically for Brits - covering the things that are different from what you know, and the things no one warns you about.

Visa options for UK citizens

International Experience Canada (IEC) - Working Holiday

The most popular entry point for Brits under 35. The IEC Working Holiday stream gives you an open work permit - meaning you can work for any employer in Canada for up to two years. The UK has one of the largest IEC allocations of any country, with 9,330 Working Holiday places available in 2026.

Eligibility: UK citizens aged 18-35 with a valid British passport. You can only participate once per category.

How it works: Create an IRCC account (GCKey), enter the IEC pool, and wait for an Invitation to Apply (ITA). Rounds of invitations happen regularly throughout the year. Once invited, you have 10 days to accept and then 20 days to submit your full application.

The UK also has access to the Young Professionals stream (322 places, requires a job offer) and International Co-op stream (15 places, requires enrolment at a post-secondary institution).

Express Entry - Permanent Residency

For Brits looking to settle permanently, Express Entry is the main pathway. It covers three programmes: Federal Skilled Worker (FSW), Canadian Experience Class (CEC), and Federal Skilled Trades. You create a profile, receive a Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score based on age, education, language ability, and work experience, and wait for an invitation.

Important: Since April 2024, IRCC has only conducted category-based draws (healthcare, STEM, trades, transport, agriculture, French-language) rather than general all-programme draws. This means your occupation matters as much as your CRS score. The total application cost for permanent residency is CAD $1,590.

Provincial Nominee Programme (PNP)

Each Canadian province and territory runs its own immigration streams targeting specific skills and occupations. If a province nominates you, you receive 600 additional CRS points - effectively guaranteeing an invitation. This is particularly useful for Brits with skills in demand in specific regions: healthcare workers in Atlantic Canada, tech workers in British Columbia, or tradespeople in Alberta and Saskatchewan.

Employer-Sponsored Work Permits

If you have a Canadian job offer, your employer can apply for a Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) to sponsor your work permit. This is common in healthcare, construction, and skilled trades where Canadian employers struggle to fill positions domestically.

Cost of living: UK vs Canada

The cost of living comparison depends enormously on where in each country you're comparing. London to Toronto or Vancouver? Broadly similar. Manchester to Calgary or Ottawa? Canada is often cheaper for housing but more expensive for groceries and mobile plans.

Housing: Toronto and Vancouver are expensive by any measure - comparable to London. But Canadian cities like Calgary, Edmonton, Ottawa, and Halifax offer significantly better value than most of southern England. Rent is quoted monthly in Canada (unlike weekly in Australia), and you'll typically need first and last month's rent as a deposit.

Groceries: Generally more expensive than the UK, particularly dairy, meat, and fresh produce. Canadian grocery prices have risen sharply since 2022. You'll miss the value of Aldi and Lidl - there's no real equivalent in most Canadian cities.

Mobile phones: Notoriously expensive. Canadian mobile plans are among the priciest in the developed world. Expect to pay CAD $45-$75 per month for a plan with reasonable data, compared to £10-£25 in the UK.

Alcohol: More expensive than the UK in most provinces. Alcohol is sold through provincial liquor boards in many provinces (not in corner shops). Ontario has recently expanded sales to convenience stores, but prices remain higher than the UK.

Salaries: Generally higher than UK salaries in comparable roles, particularly in tech, engineering, healthcare, and trades. The gap is most noticeable outside London - a nurse or electrician in Canada typically earns more than their UK counterpart.

Healthcare: no reciprocal agreement

This catches many Brits off guard. Unlike the NHS, Canadian healthcare is run provincially - each province has its own system (OHIP in Ontario, MSP in British Columbia, RAMQ in Quebec). Once you establish residency, you can register for provincial coverage, but some provinces have waiting periods.

What you need to know:

• Buy comprehensive health insurance before you leave the UK. IEC Working Holiday participants are required to have insurance for the full duration of their stay
• Most provinces cover you from the day you register as a resident, but British Columbia still has a three-month waiting period during which you need private cover
• Provincial healthcare covers doctors and hospitals but typically does not cover prescriptions, dental, or vision - unlike the NHS. Most Canadians have supplementary coverage through their employer
• A visit to a walk-in clinic is free once you have provincial coverage. Emergency rooms are free. But prescription costs can be significant without employer benefits

Housing and renting

The rental market in Toronto and Vancouver is competitive - not unlike London. Elsewhere in Canada, finding a rental is generally easier and more affordable.

• Rent is quoted monthly. Expect to pay first and last month's rent upfront (no ongoing deposit like the UK system)
• Most rentals are unfurnished - Canadians typically own their furniture and move it between rentals
• Without Canadian credit history, landlords may ask for additional references or a larger deposit. A letter from your UK employer or bank statements showing savings helps
• Heating is included in rent in some older apartments (particularly in Quebec), but in most places you'll pay utilities separately. Winter heating bills can be significant
• Start your search on rentals.ca, realtor.ca, or Kijiji. Facebook Marketplace is also widely used for rentals

Weather - the real adjustment

British people think they know cold. They do not. Canadian winters are in a completely different league to anything in the UK. This is the single biggest lifestyle adjustment for most Brits.

• Toronto winters regularly hit -15°C to -25°C. That's colder than anywhere in mainland Britain has ever recorded
• Prairie cities (Winnipeg, Edmonton, Calgary, Regina) are colder still - temperatures of -30°C to -40°C with wind chill are normal in January and February
• Vancouver is the exception - mild and rainy, much more like the UK. If you genuinely can't handle cold, Vancouver or Victoria on Vancouver Island are your best options
• Canadian summers are genuinely hot - 30°C+ with humidity in Ontario and Quebec. The contrast between seasons is dramatic

Driving in Canada

Canada drives on the right - the opposite of the UK. The steering wheel is on the left side of the car. This takes a few days to adjust to, particularly at roundabouts and when turning at junctions.

• You can drive on your UK licence for a limited period (typically 60-90 days depending on the province), after which you must obtain a provincial licence
• Most provinces allow a direct exchange of a full UK driving licence without a test. Check with your specific province's licensing authority
• Winter driving in Canada requires winter tyres (mandatory in Quebec, strongly recommended everywhere else). Budget for a set of winter tyres if you're buying a car
• Distances in Canada are vast. A drive from Toronto to Montreal is five hours. Canada's scale takes getting used to

Things Brits love about Canada

• The outdoor lifestyle - skiing, hiking, lakes, national parks. Canada's natural environment is staggering
• The space. Cities are less cramped, apartments are bigger, and you're never far from wilderness
• Canadian friendliness - Canadians are genuinely welcoming to newcomers
• Higher salaries than the UK in many professions, particularly outside London-equivalent cities
• The multicultural food scene, especially in Toronto, Vancouver, and Montreal
• Proximity to the US for travel - weekend trips to New York, Seattle, or Montana are realistic

Things Brits find hard about Canada

• The winters. This cannot be overstated. Five months of cold, short days, and snow is a genuine mental health challenge for many Brits
• No NHS equivalent. Getting used to paying for prescriptions, dental, and managing private insurance takes adjustment
• Tipping culture. In Canada you tip at restaurants (15-20%), bars, hairdressers, taxis, and many services. This adds up significantly
• The cost of mobile phones, internet, and groceries is noticeably higher than the UK
• The distance from the UK. A flight home is 7-8 hours and time zones make calling family tricky (5-8 hours ahead of Canada depending on province)
• Tax is added at the till, not included in the displayed price. The sticker price is never what you actually pay

The bottom line

Canada is an outstanding place to live and the IEC programme makes it genuinely accessible for Brits under 35. The visa process is straightforward, the job market is strong for skilled workers, and the quality of life - especially if you embrace winter - is hard to beat. Get your health insurance sorted before you leave, prepare for the cold, and apply early in the IEC season to secure your place.

Move Between helps people navigate international relocation between the UK, Canada, Australia and New Zealand. Browse our guides, checklists and visa resources to plan your move with confidence.