Moving from Canada to Spain
Canadians planning to move overseas often base their decision on many factors, one of which is the climate. Spain has both the familiar European culture and the Mediterranean breeze coveted by many, making it the ideal place for those who want to trade six months of winter for palm trees and the seaside.
Moving from Canada to Spain can be justified for many reasons. Whether you are searching for a job opportunity or simply desire to purchase a house for your retirement, you must fully understand the benefits of the relocation.
Hercules Moving Company compared some of the major aspects to consider when moving from Canada to Spain so it is easier for you to decide.
Canada vs. Spain
Indeed there seem to be no similarities between the two. Canada in size is equivalent to 864 Spains put together, but GDP per capita in Spain is 40% higher than in Canada. We have put Canada and Spain side by side in 6 major topics to help you identify which country fits your future plans best and whether you need to move from Canada to Spain.
Ethnicity, Religion and Language
With over 9.98 million square meters, Canada takes honourable second place after Russia in the world’s top largest countries chart. The state is divided into 10 provinces and 3 territories located in the north. The only land-bordering country is the United States. The capital city is Ottawa.
Most of Canada is temperate, fairly mild, and subarctic in the north. Average temperatures in January range from -35 C in the north of the country to +4 C in the south of the Pacific coast. Average temperatures in July are about +21 C in the south of the country and from -4 C to +4 C on the islands of the Canadian Arctic Archipelago.
Not surprisingly, Canada has an extremely diverse population consisting of nationalities from all over the world. Currently, the population of Canada is 38.4 million and only about 32% identify themselves as Canadians and about 4.9% are indigenous people. Most acknowledge multiple ancestries, however, the other largest self-reported origins are English, Scottish, French, Irish, German, Chinese, Italian, Indian, and Ukrainian.
Most Canadians are Christian: about 54% are Catholics, 42% are Protestants, and 3% are Orthodox. There are also many people of other faiths such as Muslims, Hindus, Buddhists, Sikhism, etc. The two official languages used are English and French.
In Canada, you can choose to live a peaceful lifestyle outside of the busy city centers or live in the midst of concrete jungles like downtown Toronto. A regular day of a Canadian would start with a cup of a Tim Horton’s coffee followed by some pancakes topped with maple syrup.
Canadians, generally, are an exceptionally polite, easy-going, and accommodating nation. Canada is an extremely multicultural country allowing all the newcomers to find their special spot. The enormous size of the country allows residents to travel and explore the most majestic natural heritage of the state making Canadians outdoorsy and nature friendly.
The Canadian education system is among the best in the world. It is known for its well-structured elementary to post-secondary education that is accessible to all Canadian citizens and PR holders. Public education up to a high school is mandatory and free of cost for domestic students.
Canada has some of the best universities in the world like the University of Toronto, the University of British Colombia, McGill University, McMaster University, and many more. Both domestic and International students must pay tuition fees, however, the price difference is quite noticeable.
Although Canadian salary is considered to be relatively high, the living cost is also above the world’s average due to high rent prices in large cities. A single person living in Canada would spend about 1,200 CAD dollars per month (excluding rent). A family of 4 would spend on average 4,400 CAD dollars per month (excluding rent).
Rent in Canada is one of the biggest expenses when living in large cities like Toronto, Vancouver, Montreal, or Ottawa. The average monthly rental price for a one-bed apartment is 1,400 - 1,600 CAD dollars, while a three-bedroom apartment would cost around 2,300 - 2,700 CAD dollars.
Canada has a very finely structured immigration system. It is quite simple to immigrate to Canada if you are a skilled professional, a business owner or one of your family members already holds a Canadian PR card or Canadian Passport.
Before applying you need to choose one of the immigration programs that would fit your needs best and either apply yourself or hire an agent who will assist you in filling up all the required documents. Once you collect enough points and receive your PR card, you must stay in Canada for the next 3 years and pass the citizenship test to gain a Canadian passport.
Ethnicity, Religion and Language
Spain is the largest country in the European Union, with an area of 505,992 km2. The territory is divided into 17 autonomous regions, which are divided into 50 provinces. It borders France and Andorra to the north, Portugal to the west, and Gibraltar to the south. The capital city is Madrid.
Northern areas are in rather peculiar conditions - the winter is mild +8°C to +14°C and quite wet, and summer is moderately warm +21°C to +26°C. In the central part of Spain, winter is dry and rather cool -4 ° C to +8 ° C, and summer is hot and dry (up to +30°C). The east coast of the country is in the subtropical Mediterranean climate. It has dry, hot summers and mild winters.
The current population of Spain is about 47.35 million people. The biggest ethnic groups are Spanish: Castilians, Catalans, Basques, Galicians, and Valencians, together making up about 87%. Other minor groups living in Spain are Romanians, Moroccans, Ecuadorians, Colombians, British, Germans, and others.
About 80% of Spain's population is Catholic, although, only about 40% of locals attend services regularly. However, the church does have an enormous influence on all areas of Spanish society, and the priests enjoy unquestionable authority. The state language is Spanish.
Life in Spain is unusually tranquil and peaceful as the locals do not rush anywhere. It is also quite social: here they value warm human relations, pleasant light conversations, and friendly get-togethers more than career successes. According to some visitors, Spaniards communicate with everyone equally, regardless of social status or the time spent in Spain.
Spaniards are a friendly, hard-working, and optimistic nation. Smiling, helping, or just calling you a 'queen' or a 'ray of sunshine' are standards of behaviour for them. You will feel most welcome in their company and always well-fed.
Getting an education in Spain will be especially pleasant when you can combine it with great getaway trips during holidays. Education in Spain is supported by the national government and regional authorities providing free primary and secondary education for citizens’ children.
Higher education in Spain is free for domestic students in public universities. International students are required to pay fees that range from 700 to 4,000 euros per year, which is still relatively affordable. The most popular programs in Spain are architecture, art, finance, business, and tourism. The University of Barcelona is the first university in Spain and 182nd in the worldwide rank.
When moving from Canada to Spain, consumer expenses including rent would drop by about 28% if comparing cities like Toronto and Barcelona. A single person living in Barcelona would spend an average of 750 euros per month (excluding rent). A family of 4 moving from Canada to Spain would spend around 2,650 euros per month (excluding rent).
If you wish to rent an apartment in a large city like Madrid or Barcelona, get ready to pay 800 to 1,100 euros for a one-bedroom apartment and 1,300 to 1,800 for a three-bedroom apartment per month. Depending on the apartment/house size and season, utilities would range from 70 to 250 euros per month.
When moving to Spain from Canada, you must think through the right legal way to immigrate to the country. Similarly to other European states, if you are a non-EU citizen, you would require to apply for a residence card, Spanish visa, or work permit to legally enter the country.
Any Canadian planning to move from Canada to Spain for longer than 90 days must apply for an appropriate visa type through a Spanish embassy. Some of the most popular visas are the Spanish golden visa, study visa, work visa, and non-lucrative residence visa. Unless you marry a Spanish citizen, the process of receiving a Spanish passport could take a minimum of 8 to 10 years.
Immigration to Spain as a Canadian Citizen
Moving to Spain from Canada is easy, considering you are a Canadian citizen. If you are planning to move to Spain permanently, here is a checklist to follow:
- Choose the best program for your needs, opportunities, risks, and plans.
- Choose a specific city or region, internships, private children's schools, courses, and housing.
- Get NIE (foreigner identification number), register a residence permit, and register a bank account.
- Hire a moving company before moving from Canada to Spain for permanent residence to make the moving process stress free.
- Visit Moving to Spain to learn about custom regulations in Spain.
- Read All You Need to Know Before Moving to Spain to learn about custom regulations in Spain.
Moving from Spain to Canada
Although we beauty of Spanish resorts and the kindness of locals are attractive bonuses that you get by living in Spain, thousands of Spaniards choose to move to Canada for multiple reasons.
Canada is filled with learning resources and work opportunities. Due to low market competition, it is relatively easy for anyone with a good business idea to succeed. Life in Canada is expensive, however, it is compensated by high salaries and standards of living across the country.
Moving to Canada from Spain is a way for you to either start from scratch or continue your legacy by first passing through a moderately simple immigration system. Once you have picked a suitable immigration path and collected all the necessary documents, apply for a Canadian visa or a PR card (accessible for skilled workers and industry professionals).
