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Canada's surging cost of living fuels reverse immigration

6 Comments
By Wa Lone

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JboneInTheZone

He didn't say it's "impossible". He stated that it's getting "tougher". The problem I have with this is (1) is it actually "tougher" today than it was decades prior and (2) have you considered moving out of the metropolises like Toronto/Montreal/Ottawa/etc. and move to a city that actually has reasonable living standards?

5 ( +5 / -0 )

I'm a Canadian and would never encourage anyone to emigrate there, unless they've already got a decent job lined up in a city before moving .

Canadian employers don't recognize overseas certifications, education and job experience. The job market is extremely tight, regardless of what the government or corporate world say. Huge line ups quickly form when minimum-wage jobs are listed.

A typical case is that middle class people from Asia or Eastern Europe go there, can't find anything related to their expertise and end up shoveling snow or washing dishes for a living for minimum wage. Food is from food banks, which have seen a tripling of demand over the last four years. Healthcare services are extremely hard to access nowadays. 17,000 people died while waiting for surgery or treatment last year. That's right, living in Canada can be deadly.

It's also a large, empty and extremely cold country, which engenders a deep sense of loneliness and desolation. This is a big reason why in Japan, Bangkok, London, Dubai, HK, etc. you'll meet a disproportionately high number of Canadian residents. It's a very tough place to live. And it's getting tougher with no hope in sight.

1 ( +5 / -4 )

Cara from Hong Kong says she feels trapped and wants to go. "Whenever I get a chance to leave, I will take the chance."

Be careful what you wish for. Canada may be experiencing inflation and a housing crisis, but these things are cyclical and worldwide. The economy will ultimately pick up. If this HK native thinks pastures will be much greener elsewhere, good luck. The cost of packing up and starting elsewhere would be massive - if she can even find a furst-world nation to emigrate to that does not have the same problems.

Plus - at least one won't be imprisoned in Canada for simply criticising the government, as opposed to horrible Hong Kong.

1 ( +2 / -1 )

JeffLee

Correct me if I'm wrong, but haven't people been living in Canada for the past few centuries and managed to survive...somehow?

-1 ( +3 / -4 )

Correct me if I'm wrong, but haven't people been living in Canada for the past few centuries and managed to survive...somehow?

Where did he say that surviving in Canada is impossible?

-1 ( +2 / -3 )

So, clearly economic migrants!

NOT refugees!

Why should they have the right to come and stay if they are just oming and looking for benefits.

Doesn't that make them no better than parasites?!

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

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