Moving from Canada to Italy
No wonder why many Canadians move from Canada to Italy - it has some of the most beautiful and diverse landscapes in Europe. Italy is the world's largest treasure trove of history, culture, and art, with a favourable warm climate and delicious authentic cuisine.
If you are guessing about how to move to Italy from Canada, we reassure you that it is easier than you thought. Prior to getting into all the immigration details, you need to understand that the experience of moving to Italy to live and work there differs a lot from being there for a vacation.
Canada vs. Italy
Canada and Italy are two complete opposites with only a few things in common. Canadians visiting Italy fall in love with the country for its exuberant temperament, reckless disposition, pleasant weather, delicious food, and unique architecture. After leaving, all that remains are warm memories and a desire to return.
However, Italy is not as perfect as it looks. Its historic cities and antiquities suffer from modern development, the infrastructure is working at its peak, and there are multiple economic and social problems. Take a look at the following 6 major aspects comparing two countries to identify whether moving to Italy from Canada is what you need.
Ethnicity, Religion and Language
Canada is famous for its large size and diversity of landscapes. More than 40% of the North American continent is covered by Canadian territory which is about 9.98 million km2. Canada is divided by 10 provinces and 3 large territories. Ottawa is the capital city of Canada located in the province of Ontario.
The climate in Canada is extremely diverse. The average temperature ranges between provinces from +18°C to +30°C during the summer with high humidity along the coast. During the winter, the average temperature ranges from -15°C to - 40°C during the winter, so the farther north you go, the colder it gets.
Canada is a country of immigrants. Here you can meet people from a variety of cultures and learn about their traditions. Only about 32% of the population identify as Canadian and about 4,9% are indigenous. The next minor ethnic groups are from England ( 18%), Scotland (14%), France ( 13.6%), Ireland ( 13.4%), Germany ( 9.6%), and China ( 5.1%).
About 63.2% identify themselves as Christians, 3,7% are Muslims, 1.7% are Hindu and about 23.9% are irreligious. In Canada, you have the right to practice any religion as long as it does not harm anyone. The official languages of Canada are English and French.
Individuals immigrating to Canada are looking for new beginnings and opportunities. The overall market competition is low, thus, many have a chance to succeed with a new business idea. Average Canadians do not strive to live a luxurious lifestyle, but they do take 2-3 vacations a year to Europe or Caribbean.
In Canada, the most popular word you will hear is 'sorry'. Although it might seem like another stereotype, it is quite true that Canadians are generally polite. Here it is customary to apologise for the slightest inconvenience caused to another person. And you will be helped by strangers on the street and do it with a smile.
All Canadian citizens and PR holders are eligible for free primary and secondary education. Unfortunately, the only option for ex-pats to educate kids in Canada is through private schools.
Canadian higher education is known to be one of the best in the world. Some of the most famous universities are the University of Toronto, McGill University, and the University of British Columbia.
The average annual tuition fee for domestic students in Canada is about $3,800 CAD for a diploma, $6,500 CAD for a bachelor’s degree, and about $9,500 CAD for a Master’s degree. International students should expect to pay on average $14,000 CAD, $38,000 CAD and $45,000 CAD.
The cost of living in Canada is at a higher rate than the average living expenses in the rest of the world. The 4 of the most expensive cities to reside in Canada are Toronto, Vancouver, Ottawa, and Calgary, mainly due to the high real estate prices and density of the population. On average, expect to pay about 1,200 - 1,600 for a 1-bedroom apartment and 2,300 - 3,000 for a 3-bedroom apartment in Canada.
A single person living in Canada would need a minimum of $800 - $900 CAD per month ( without rent) for public transportation, utilities, phone bill, groceries, and entertainment. For a family of 4 estimated monthly costs would range from $3,500 - $4,300 CAD (without rent). The minimum wage in Canada, depending on the province, ranges from $11.95 - $16 CAD per hour, and the average annual salary is about $55,000 CAD.
Canada is the first country to launch a points-based immigration system that allows the state to segregate and process applications faster. This change allowed Canada to shift from country and race preference selection to prioritize skilled professional workers from all other the world.
You can obtain Canadian permanent residency directly from your home country if you qualify for one of the immigration programs. Another way, done by many, is by completing a minimum of a 2-year program in an accredited Canadian institution and working for a year in a managerial position through a work permit.
Ethnicity, Religion and Language
Italy is located on the Apennine Peninsula, surrounded on three sides by water. The mainland, in the shape of a boot, points west, toward the islands of Sicily and Sardinia. The Italian Republic is divided into 20 regions and 5 autonomous regions. The total area of the country, including the islands of Sardinia and Sicily, covers 301,500 km2.
The climate in Italy can be very different from the Mediterranean in some regions. Most summers are hot and dry, and July is the hottest month.
Autumn is usually rainy. Winters are cool and humid (hence frequent fog) in the north and milder in the south. In the provinces, which are located in the foothills of the Alps, the climate is mountainous.
Today the predominant ethnic group is native Italians, according to censuses, about 94% of the inhabitants consider themselves Italians. The rest 6% are immigrants, small groups of Germans, French and Slovenes in the north, Albanians and Greeks in the south.
About 96% of the population in Italy are Catholics. Traditionally in Italy, all believers are divided into Catholics and non-Catholics, including Orthodox Christians, Muslims, Protestants, and Jews. But under the Constitution, they all have equal rights and can perform their religious rites according to the traditions and canons of their religion.
The official language is Italian. German is also spoken in Bolzano and South Tyrol, Slovenian in Trieste, and French in Aosta.
Cultural life in Italy is what a lot of migrants go for. Stunning architecture, rich museums, theatrical performances, festivals, events, numerous urban beauties, and more: in Italy, you will always find something to occupy yourself. A lot of interesting people live here, there's always something going on, you won't get bored.
Italians themselves are open, friendly, very temperamental, and emotional. There is a distinct difference between the northern and southern Italians. In Northern Italy, people are more closed, punctual, and pragmatic, while in the South it's just the opposite.
Italians are very traditional and proud of their country and their cuisine. The rhythm of life here is quite different from what you can observe in the CIS countries.
The education system in Italy is state-controlled and directly dependent on the Ministry of Education, which financially maintains schools at all levels and monitors education in private institutions. Both citizens and immigrants living in Italy have rights and are obliged to receive free public education till high school.
Some of the most famous Italian Universities are the University of Bologna, the University of Padua, the Sapienza University of Rome, and the University of Milan. The average price in public universities for domestic students/citizens of the EU and EEA depends on family income. The cost varies from €500 to €4,000 per year in public and €6,000 to 20,000 in private. International students do not qualify for domestic student rates.
Living costs in Italy are about 25% lower than in Canada. Rent is the biggest expense in Italy, on average the majority who rent accommodation in Italy spend about 40-56% of their salary on rent. A single person living in Milan would need about €800 - €915 per month without rent, and a family of 4 would spend a minimum of €2,900 - €3,000 per month without rent. Divide this number by 1,5 - 2 for the cost of living in smaller Italian cities.
On average, a couple living in Italy would spend a minimum of €320 - €380 per month on groceries, about €180 - €250 on utilities, and up to €50 ( per one) for a monthly public transportation pass. The average salary ranges from €22,000 - €28,000 per year.
Immigration to Italy for non-EU and EEA citizens has become more challenging over the past few years, however, still easier than in other European countries. Individuals willing to move to Italy must obtain one of the visas provided by the National Immigration Law. Moving to Italy permanently is easy if you have a reasonable motive to do so.
In order to obtain permanent residence in Italy 'Permesso di soggiorno UE per soggiornanti di lungo periodo', you must comply with the requirements. The prescribed amount of time of the stay will depend on your reason for immigration: employment, family reunion, business, investment, etc. After gaining permanent residency, after 5 years you will be eligible to apply for Italian citizenship.
Immigration to Italy as a Canadian Citizen
When moving to Italy from Canada, there are a couple of useful details to know:
- Canada and Italy have signed a Youth Mobility agreement that allows citizens from both countries from 18 to 35 years old to work and travel for 12 months between two countries.
- Canadians can travel to Italy for up to 90 days without a visa.
- Canadians can use their driver’s license in Italy for up to a year.
Moving from Italy to Canada
Many Italian citizens choose to move from Italy to Canada for a better life. More than 1,5 million people in Canada claim Italian ancestry and thousands of Italians immigrate to Canada yearly. Although Canada is not famous for original meals or unique architecture, the one thing that this country is not deprived of is opportunities.
Moving to Canada from Italy is easy due to the simply structured Canadian Immigration system allowing young and skilled individuals to live and work in Canada. After 2 to 3 years of working in Canada, Italian citizens are eligible to apply for a Canadian permanent residency allowing them to freely enter the country for the next 5 years. Within the next 3 -5 years you could apply for Canadian citizenship.
