Life More Expensive Than Expected for Most Immigrants: Poll

This is unwelcome news for Canadian newcomers as the new poll finds life is “more expensive” than they anticipated. The majority of immigrants who have arrived to Canada in the last decade have to face a financial strain with the increasing prices of products and services.

Amidst rising costs and employment related obstacles, more than 80 percent of the newcomers have established that Canada is too expensive to live in, according to a new survey.

Canada relies on immigrants to boost its economy and with the growing population, the housing crisis has also increased and a clarity is needed on how Canada plans to accommodate hundreds and thousands of newcomers every year.

It takes an average of about 20 months for newcomers to become self-sufficient and able to cover their living expenses such as housing, food, health care and transportation without external support, the survey said.

“A core aim for Canada’s immigration strategy is to bolster the labor force, and therefore we draw in immigrants in search of economic opportunity,” Shanze Khan, a senior research director with Leger. “However, many newcomers encounter significant barriers in the job market, especially with credential recognition, contributing to economic pressures felt across the board.”

“There’s no question that newcomers are at a degree of financial risk that is greater than the financial risk of established Canadians,” said Ian Large, Leger’s executive vice-president of consumer insights. “But they are still managing to establish themselves personally, professionally and financially.”

Navneet Kaur