Canada is the second-largest country in the world and is packed with so much natural and cultural diversity that you'd need a lifetime to see and do everything it has to offer. Canada is one of the crown jewels of the Americas.
The Canadian Rockies provide the backdrop for world-class skiing and hiking, while the vast prairies of Alberta and Saskatchewan make for unforgettable road trips. Head to Niagara Falls in Ontario to see the brute force of nature and visit Pacific Rim National Park to experience the rugged beauty of British Columbia's coastline. The Bay of Fundy, on the Atlantic side, is great for whale-watching, while on Vancouver Island, you can spot wild bears.
Among the vast wilderness are the many vibrant cities, which are beacons for a completely different experience. Toronto is one of the festival capitals of the world, Vancouver is a mecca for art buffs, and the parks of Montreal make the city worth visiting in their own right. From Banff to Baffin Island, from Tofino to Toronto, Canada is a remarkable country. Whether you're a hard-core adrenaline junkie looking for a backcountry adventure, an explorer heading out on a big road trip, a city-lover hunting for cutting-edge culture and fine cuisine or a combination of all the above, Canada ticks all the boxes.
Stretching 5,500km (3,400 miles) from the Atlantic to the Yukon-Alaska border, the world's second-largest country boasts an astonishing diversity of landscapes: rugged, unspoilt coastline abuts immense forests and emerald lakes containing a startling array of wildlife; vast, seemingly endless prairies become jaw-droppingly beautiful mountain ranges; laid-back, cosmopolitan cities are complemented by remote, quirky outposts.
Canada's people, too, are enormously varied, from the indigenous Inuit in the Arctic to First Nations communities, 1960s and 70s British expats, fiercely proud Francophone peoples and a burgeoning Asian population. Their genuine friendliness and warmth are immediately apparent to visitors.
Canadian cities are progressive, vibrant and regularly feature on 'best places to live' lists – Vancouver, Ottawa and Montreal have all at some point featured on Mercer's Quality of Life Survey, usually scoring in the top 30. Toronto, a veritable patchwork of diverse neighbourhoods, sits in an enviable location on the shore of Lake Ontario, whilst Canada's capital city, Ottawa, contains a clutch of great museums and the pretty Rideau Canal for ice skating in winter.
Montreal's skyscrapers belie its French heritage, but look closer and you'll stumble upon historic, cobbled streets and centuries-old customs. A stone's throw from the Canadian Rockies, booming Calgary oozes oil wealth and flaunts its cowboy traditions; chilled-out Vancouver, meanwhile, seems to have it all: mountains, beaches, an incredible downtown park and terrific food.
Whilst you're out and about enjoying the cities, don't forget about the experiences Canada delivers. You can ski steep chutes in British Columbia, kayak secluded bays in Nova Scotia or learn to lasso at an Alberta ranch. You can capture grizzlies on camera in the Yukon, watch open-mouthed as mammoth icebergs drift past the Newfoundland coast or listen in awe to the deafening roar of Niagara Falls. You can tour vineyards, dig for clams or slice through a succulent steak.
Canada is a nation of immigrants and thus truly cosmopolitan – around 20% of the population is foreign-born (rising to 45% in Toronto).
While other countries have eschewed immigration, Canada has recognised its importance to economic and social development, and continues to welcome vast numbers of young, skilled and highly educated workers from overseas each year. Indeed, in 2010, over 280,000 new permanent residents came to Canada, the largest number in more than 50 years. And contrary to the waves of migration from Europe in the first half of the 20th century, the majority of recent immigrants come from Asia. Thanks to its cautious fiscal policies, Canada's economy has remained reasonably buoyant during the global financial crisis, and it remains one of the world's wealthiest nations and a highly desirable place to work and do business.
At OSS World Wide Movers our network of FIDI / FAIM accredited partners cover the whole of Canada.
Our partners in the Canada are well versed in all aspects of the requirements for importation of personal and household goods.
This guarantees you a seamless, tailor made move to the Canada, right through to your new home not only your personal effects and vehicles, but also for your much loved pets as well.
Contact Passport Canada free of charge for help with any questions you have about your passport application: https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/canadian-passports.html
Find out what you need to visit Canada as a tourist or business person, how to extend your stay in Canada, and what documents you need to carry with you to travel through Canada: https://www.canada.ca/en/services/immigration-citizenship.html
A guide to immigration: https://www.canada.ca/en/services/immigration-citizenship.html
A guide to citizenship: https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/canadian-citizenship/become-canadian-citizen/eligibility.html
Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/CanadaDownUnder
Twitter Page: https://twitter.com/CanHCAustralia
Contact the High Commission of Canada in Canberra by visiting Commonwealth Avenue, Canberra, ACT 2600, Australia. Phone +612 6270 4000 Fax +612 6270 4081 Email cnbra@international.gc.ca or follow this link to the High Commission website: https://www.international.gc.ca/country-pays/australia-australie/canberra.aspx?lang=enghttp://www.canadainternational.gc.ca/australia-australie/index.aspx?lang=eng
Multiple visa options exist for current Australian residents. If you're moving to Canada for short-term work reasons, you can apply for a working holiday visa. These are available for professionals aged 35 and over and can last up to two years. If you're looking to stay longer than two years or are making the move to Canada for reasons besides work, you'll need to apply to be a permanent resident. In some situations, an individual can also gain residency if they are nominated by the province where they are living.
As of March 31, 2014, the Consulate General of Canada in Sydney will accept visa applications submitted online or through one of the visa application centres: https://uiscanada.com
When moving your household goods to Canada by sea freight, this will typically take 6-10 weeks for an FCL service. For services such as LCL and shared container services (i.e. groupage), these will take longer to reach your destination as your goods will need to be consolidated with other consignments heading to the same destination. Please discuss these options & shipping times with your removal consultant, as shipping times will vary greatly for each destination when using this type of service over an FCL service.
If you are sending items that have been packed by yourself, "owner packed," then they will attract more stringent inspection by Customs on arrival in Canada. Providing a detailed carton-by-carton inventory will assist Customs in inspecting your effects and may avoid unnecessary delays.
It is advisable to have your goods packed by OSS if you are looking at sending larger consignments, to ensure the clearance process can be conducted with a minimum of fuss.
Importing a motor vehicle into Canada is extremely difficult but might be possible provided certain strict Customs criteria are met. Generally used or second hand vehicles are prohibited for importation into Canada but if you are on a work visa the rules for importation might be relaxed. The law in Canada is that most vehicles sold in countries other than the United States (U.S.) and Mexico cannot be imported into Canada.
If you are considering importing a vehicle you bought in a country other than the U.S. or Mexico, you need to know that:
Transport Canada
Motor Vehicle Safety
Telephone: 1-800-333-0371 (toll-free), 613-998-8616 (Ottawa region)
Email: mvs-sa@tc.gc.ca
If OSS is able to ship your vehicle then this service would usually be a depot to depot service, meaning the motor vehicle will need to be collected by you from our partner's depot in Canada following customs clearance and note this could be some distance from your residence so please ensure you are clear where pick up is from or we could arrange delivery at an additional cost.
You cannot import a vehicle built and certified to meet the vehicle standards of a foreign country because the Motor Vehicle Safety Act doesn't allow you to modify such a vehicle to meet Canada Motor Vehicle Safety Standards.
The following circumstances allow people to import a vehicle from a country other than the United States and Mexico:
Find out more about importing a vehicle by reading:
Your pet can be moved with you to Canada. That said, moving overseas with your pets presents a unique set of logistical challenges. When moving with your beloved pet, e.g. cat or a dog, this process will be managed with a specialist 'OSS-approved' pet moving provider who understands the special needs of both the pets and their owners.
When travelling with your pet or planning to import your animal into Canada, you will need to ensure the right paperwork is completed to meet Canada's strict import requirements. If you don't, you risk experiencing delays at the border, and your animal may not be allowed into Canada.
Canada has specific import requirements in place to avoid the introduction of animal diseases to protect its people, plants and animals. This is where our specialist partners will take care of all the requirements and paperwork to ensure a smooth hassle-free move to Canada.
If you are considering a move to Canada then it's very important that you understand the tax differences between the two nations.
Canadian federal income taxes, both personal and corporate are levied under the provisions of the Income Tax Act, where tax rates are determined by the 'bracket' your income falls under. Provincial and territorial income taxes are levied under various provincial statutes. The Canadian income tax system is a self-assessment regime. Taxpayers assess their tax liability by filing a return with the CRA by the required filing deadline. CRA will then assess the return based on the return filed and on information it has obtained from employers and financial companies, correcting it for obvious errors. A taxpayer who disagrees with CRA's assessment of a particular return may appeal the assessment.
Refer here to visit the Government of Canada's website to understand more about taxation in Canada.
It is vital that you understand and obtain specific accounting and taxation advice suitable to your individual circumstances prior to your arrival.
Moving a boat to Canada has similar requirements to moving a car to Canada when it comes to registration requirements and process.
Customs and Quarantine in Canada will have a special interest in the boat due to its exposure to marine life, however as Australia has a fairly clean marine environment, your boat should pass customs and quarantine without any problem.
OSS offers a full range of moving insurance options depending on your needs.
Although your shipment to Canada will be packed to export standards (designed to withstand the longest journey), the small cost of insurance gives you complete peace of mind with regard to the exposure and rigours that are always inherent when moving from one side of the world to the other.
Ask us about MoveCover, our Marine Transit Insurance product.
When looking to relocate to Canada, you will need to consider the list of restricted & prohibited goods. The following is a sample from the list from FIDI, you can see this via the PDF: Moving to Canada – FIDI Guide
If you are looking at bringing any of these types of items or others, it's important that you contact the Canadian Government directly and obtain the relevant permits if available.
The standard voltage in Canada is 120v (60Hz). In Canada the power plugs and sockets are of type A and B.
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