Want to move to the US or is it its immediate northern neighbor, Canada, which is on your radar? Perhaps, you are somewhat confused and have not made up your mind yet, right? Maybe, you are wondering which of these economic powerhouses and highly international global economies would be better for migration and settling.
Well, the US and Canada both of them are top immigration hotspots and renowned the world over their rich cosmopolitan culture and thriving economies. Both have a very high living standard and excellent social support is offered by the government of the respective nations to their people and those who decide to become a resident there in. Both boast of superlative infrastructure and first-rate healthcare and educational facilities.
And, so, no wonder, the decision regarding movement becomes very difficult. Still, here an effort is being made to share the USPs of these nations and also their minus points to help and guide you take a rather mature and well-informed decision.
Take the plunge and satiate your thirst for information and some cold but useful facts on the subject US or Canada? Here we go!
Usual Wages
Let’s start with the average earnings! Average salaries of the workers are more or less the same in both these two nations. The Canadians though have a minor edge over their counterparts in the US. Post the deduction of every tax, a native of the Maple Leaf Country takes home nearly 3,000 Canadian Dollars per month when a US citizen grosses just 2,942 Canadian Dollars.
Cost of Living
Though the people of Canada, as discussed above, are paid more, vis-à-vis their American counterparts, in terms of expenditure, Canada is decisively ahead of the US. For instance, in case one talks about the house rents of the nations, the monthly rent charged for a condo in the Maple Leaf Country is roughly 907 Canadian Dollars though it costs just 878 Canadian Dollars in the US. The difference may not be very BIG. However, in case one views it in the bigger picture, in the time-frame of just 1 year, the difference balloons to 350 Canadian Dollars even as it’s just on accommodation. Expenditure on other essential things, such as clothing and food, for example, all are comparatively costlier in the Maple Leaf Country.
Healthcare
Both Canada and the US offer several good and useful healthcare schemes for their people. As per a 2016 National Health Expenditure data by the OECD, the US is placed at the Number 1 spot in the world for spending the most on healthcare. It spends 10,348 US Dollars per capita. On the other hand, Canada finds itself at the 8 position for spending 4752 US Dollars per capita. The contribution of the US is 17% of their GDP towards healthcare. Canada on the other hand spends just 11% of its GDP on the healthcare.
However, for the past couple of years, the American administration has not been doing very well on the front of proffering healthcare to the needy and those who cannot afford costly treatment. The US government’s health policy is not too humane unlike the one seen in the case of Canada where all men are truly treated equally. This is another matter that the US claims so in its Declaration of Independence. But saying and practicing are two different things, right?
Landscape & Size
Overall, the Maple Leaf Country is an extremely lovely nation. The density of population here is far less than that of the US. Hence, in case you love vast open space, Canada’s the right place for you. The nation’s natural wonders are rather amazing, particularly the mountains in the pacific- northwest by Vancouver.
However, in terms of population, the US is far bigger. The population of the US is, in fact, nearly 10 times that of Canada’s. The US isn’t as big as Canada in terms of geographical size though. But it does cover a lot of space. Right from the stunningly beautiful deserts in the Southwest to the mesmerizing Atlantic coast renowned the world over for its rocky shorelines and sumptuous seafood, you will find lots of open and inviting space in the US.
The biggest attraction of the US is that you may reside wherever you wish. Every single geographic area in the US boasts of some type of key city, in case not over one. If you wish to stay in, say, the desert, you have the choice of shifting to Phoenix. If you wish to stay in the Pacific Northwest, you have the choice of residing in Seattle. Actually, the whole of the US is suitable for human habitation, unlike Canada, whose key cities are all inside just 100 miles of the US border, and large areas of the nation are either barren deserts or jungles and not fit for the human habitation.
Infrastructure
On this front Canada decisively scores over the US. It takes much better care of its infrastructure than the US. Just by walking through the airports one will see a clear difference between the mammoth, archaic US airports and comparatively more organized and cleaner Canadian airports. Rest of the important infrastructure such as road, rail network, etc. are equally better in Canada than what one gets to see in the case of the US.
Cost of Education
It is still another factor to mull which nation is better for the object of migration. It may be overlooked though in case the quality of the education and jobs, post finishing the study-course, is guaranteed. Several students are left in debt when it comes down to paying back the loan they may have taken for education.
The US is costlier than Canada. Despite all scholarships and funding pursuing studies in the US is extremely costly. Pursing a Bachelor’s Degree in a public college of the US would cost you nearly 40,000 Dollars. In case you wish to have education in colleges like Harvard then you have to spend even more for the purpose.
In Canada on the other hand the average fees of a Bachelor’s Degree could be anywhere between 8000 and 26,000 Canadian Dollars. As one can see, these costs are nowhere near the cost of pursuing education at the US universities.
Safety & Security
Canada is decisively a safer and better place to live and raise a family without any fear or terror. Violent crime rate in the US is much higher, vis-à-vis in the Maple Leaf Country. Non-violent crime rates though are more or less the same in these two nations. Violent wrongdoings such as killings are more expected to take place in Detroit than, say, in Toronto.
In the context of racial and ethnic tensions and ignorance also Canada is far better. Unlike the US, it is not beleaguered by these. Perhaps, it has something to do with the inept handling of the situation by the respective governments of the two nations and also the attitude of the local people towards the migrants. Whatever could be the reason the Maple Leaf Country is a far better and safer place for all, including the migrants and those from different cultures and backgrounds.
Summing-up, in case you wish to reside in a cleaner, welcoming, and less-racist place, then the Maple Leaf Country would be the place you must move to. However, in case you are interested to reside in a larger, more fast-paced world where you have comparatively more opportunities, then the US would be the right destination for you.
