Moving from Canada to Finland
Forget Tim Hortons, now you will be drinking Juhla - one of the most popular Finnish coffee brands. Although nothing can replace the taste of french vanilla and iced capp, you have to start looking for options before moving from Canada to Finland.
In order to move to Finland from Canada, you have to apply for a residence permit which corresponds to the reason for your move. But prior to going through all the immigration and packing processes, have a look at the major aspects of both countries to compare and decide whether moving from Canada to Finland is what you need.
Hercules Moving Company will happily assist you with moving to Finland once you realise it is time for a change.
Canada vs. Finland
Ethnicity, Religion and Language
Canada takes over 40 percent of the North American continent, which is almost 10 million square kilometres. The U.S. and Canada border is the longest land border between the two countries ( 8,891 km). Canada is washed by 3 oceans: the Arctic, Atlantic, and Pacific, and divided into three territories and ten provinces. The capital city is Ottawa.
The climate in Canada mainly depends on the location. The north of Canada has a subarctic climate, characterised by harsh and long winters. Most of the population lives along the U.S. - Canadian border, where the climate is humid continental.
Canada is home to more than 38 million people representing over 250 nations from across the world. Such a variety of ethnic groups and ancestry makes Canada one of the most diverse countries on earth. Only about 12.16 million identify as Canadians with the rest claiming foreign ancestry.
The main practicing religion is Christianity with followers of the Catholic and Protestant churches. The second biggest religion is Islam with over 1.4 million followers, then Hinduism, Sikhism, Buddism, and others. The 2 official languages are English and French.
The Canadian lifestyle is rather fast-paced, most are rushing to build their careers and work over 40 hours per week. Even with such a busy work schedule, Canadians always tend to find time for a countryside trip or fly off to another province. Thanks to cultural diversity, hundreds of festivals are happening all year round!
Stereotypes don’t lie, Canadians are indeed a polite and hospitable nation. Most here know what it is like to be a newcomer and will help a peer with what they can. However, do not be deluded by excessive kindness; there is still much competition wherever you go.
The Canadian school curriculum is regulated and established by provincial governments, thus, can slightly differ from one another. Primary to high school education is compulsory and free for Canadians and PR holders in public establishments. The grading system is calculated in GPA - grade point average (ranges from one province to another)
Canada has one of the best undergraduate and post-graduate programs. 3 of the Canadian universities are in the top 50 best universities in the world: the University of Toronto, McGill University, and the University of British Columbia. Higher education is not free in Canada, both Domestic and international students pay tuition fees.
The cost of Living in Canada is about 8% higher than in Finland in overall estimates. Monthly living expenses in Canada as a family of 3 would be about $5,520 CAD in Toronto, $4,550 CAD in Vancouver, and $4,420 in Calgary. Prices are lower in smaller cities. A single person would average $ 900 - $1,200 CAD per month without rent.
The average salary earned in Canada, depending on the province, ranges from $45,000 - $58,000 CAD per year before taxes. Housing is the biggest expense; a 1-bedroom apartment costs from $1,200 - $1,900 CAD and a 3-bedroom apartment from 2,000 - 3,100 CAD per month.
The Canadian immigration system was built to bring skilled and professional individuals that would contribute to Canada’s economy. Canada is the first country to launch a points-based immigration system. It rates the individual based on language skills, education, work experience, a valid job offer or qualifications for a nomination from a province/territory.
If you get enough points, you can receive temporary or permanent residency right from your home country. After that, you must apply for a corresponding visa type to legally enter Canada. You will be eligible to receive a Canadian passport within 3 - 5 years after PR.
Ethnicity, Religion and Language
Finland is a Nordic country located in Northern Europe. The total territory is over 338,455 square kilometres. Finland borders Russia to the east, Sweden to the west, and Norway to the northwest. The territory is washed by the waters of the Gulf of Finland to the south and the Gulf of Bothnia to the west.
Finland's climate is temperate, moving from maritime on the coast to continental inland and in the north. Due to the influence of the North Atlantic Current, the country has a balance of cold winters and warm summers. The average temperature in Helsinki during the winter is -5°C and +21°C during the summer.
As of August 2022, the total population of Finland is over 5,5 million. Finland is an ethnically homogeneous country, Finnish represents over 87% of the population. Other minor groups are descendants of Sweden, Russia, Estonia, and Iraq.
The majority of the population are followers of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland. Other minor religious groups are the Orthodox Church of Finland (1.1%), other Christians (1.1%), and unbelievers about 15%. The two official languages in Finland are Finnish and Swedish. Other commonly spoken languages are Russian, Estonian, and Sami languages.
A regular Finnish workday starts between 8-9 am and finishes at 5 pm. When Finnish people are not working, they prefer to spend their free evenings in the sauna, drinking coffee in a local cafe, or out in their cottage during the summer. Moving to Finland from Canada will give you a great travel advantage, it is cheap and fast.
Finns have a reputation as staunch introverts. Even among other Scandinavian peoples, they are considered harsh and closed-minded. But when you get to know Finns better, it turns out that they are very funny and warm people. The restraint is more about respecting personal boundaries and not prying into people's matters with unsolicited advice.
The Finnish school system is ranked one of the top best in the world. The remarkable characteristics are the absence of standardized testing, free education, and meals for students, the least school days (190 per year), and the focus on cooperation rather than competition.
One of the reasons many choose to move to Finland from Canada is the high-quality free education in public universities. The University of Helsinki, the University of Turku, Aalto University, and the University of Oulu are among the top 300 best world universities. Only a few master’s programs require some tuition fee for non-EU/EEA citizens.
The cost of living in Finland is considered to be higher than in other European countries. A family of 4 moving from Canada to Finland would spend on average about €2,985 ($3,910 CAD) per month without rent. A single person living in Finland can spend on average €820 ($1,075 CAD) per month without rent.
The average wage in Finland in mid-2021 was € 3,692 per month before tax. There is no minimum wage, but there is a living wage of €1200 per person. A bedroom apartment cost ranges from €670 to €850. On average, a three-bedroom apartment would cost €950 - € €1,200 per month.
If you are planning to move to Finland from Canada permanently, you will need a residence permit. A residence permit can be obtained for work in Finland, receiving Finnish education, for family reunion/marriage, or as a refugee/asylum seeker.
In order to get a residence permit, you can apply on paper at migri.fi or online at enterfinland.fi. After 4 years of uninterrupted living in Finland with a continuous residence permit A type, you can qualify for a Finish permanent residency. Finnish citizenship can be obtained within 2 - 5 years if all the requirements are fulfilled.
Immigration to Finland as a Canadian Citizen
When moving to Finland from Canada as a Canadian citizen, consider the following:
- Canadian citizens can stay in Finland without a visa for up to 90 days in a 180 days period. An excellent chance to visit Finland before the move or find a job in Finland.
- Apply for a Finnish residence permit at the embassy in Ottawa.
- Starting from November 2023, Canadians travelling to Finland would be required to register for an ETIAS - an electronic visa waiver program.
- Research the health care system in Finland and get health insurance before arrival
- Read All You Need to Know Before Moving to Finland and Moving to Finland to learn more
Moving from Finland to Canada
The largest Finnish populated place outside of Finland is Thunder Bay, Canada. There are about 15,000 Finns that have been settling for generations since the 1870s and 80s. And that is not all, over 130,000 people identifying with Finnish descendants live in Canada today. Finns moving to Canada will not feel alone.
Moving to Canada from Finland is rather easy considering the quality of education that Finland provides. Once you have chosen a suitable province and city, you can start looking for in-demand jobs that will allow you to gain a work permit faster. After working in Canada, within the next 1-2 years, you will be able to qualify to obtain permanent residency and later on citizenship.
