There is no question that immigration is a huge decision affecting every aspect of your life and the lives of your loved ones, whether they accompany you on your journey or remain behind.  Once you have settled the issue of wanting or needing to leave your home country, the most pressing issue becomes choosing your new home.  For an increasing number of people over the past few years, that choice has been Canada.  So why is Canada such a hot immigration destination?  Here are a few reasons why Canada is such a hot location for immigrants in 2018:

The Economy

According to HR specialists, Randstad, “Manufacturing is booming” in Canada.  In fact, Canada’s economy in general is the strongest it has been in a good, long while. Unemployment rates are currently at their lowest in 41 years, as reported by Statistics Canada.  A total of 423,000 new jobs were created in 2017 alone. Economic forecasters predict Canada’s economy will continue to grow at a healthy rate due primarily to the strong performance of its manufacturing sector.

Healthy Average Minimum Wage

The official hourly minimum wage in Canada varies from province to province but currently ranges from $10.85 in Nova Scotia, to $14.00 in Ontario.  Select provinces have committed to seeing this hourly rate rise to a minimum of $15.00 by the year 2021.

When it comes to the actual minimum wage, however, things look even better. The average hourly wage earned in Canada is now up to $26.68 and forecasters predict it will continue to rise for the foreseeable future.

Entrepreneurs Welcome

According to the Business Development Bank of Canada, the country’s economy is “on solid footing.”  All signs continue to point to Canada being a great place to set up a new business venture.   Federal and provincial incentives and tax breaks make this a great time to be an entrepreneur in Canada.

Combine this with world-renowned healthcare, great educational opportunities, a proven public safety record and Canada’s reputation for welcoming newcomers and anyone wanting to start over in a new environment really should be asking themselves ‘what am I waiting for?’

Canada is calling!

If you are interested in immigration and think that Canada might be a good fit for you, here is a list of the 15 most in-demand occupations for Canada in 2018 and their average annual wage:

General Labourer                                                   $30,500-35,300

Junior Sales Rep                                                      $52,000-64,000

Accountant                                                              $63,000-75,000

Engineering Project Manager                             $74,000-92,000

Business Analyst                                                     $73,000-87,000

Cust. Service Rep                                                    $37,000-43,000

IT Project Mger                                                       $92,000-114,000

Account Manager                                                  $75,000-92,000

Software Engineer                                                 $83,000-99,000

Forklift Operator                                                    $31,800-37,300

Recruiter                                                                   $59,000-71,000

Admin. Assistant                                                     $44,000-52,000

Assembler                                                                $33,800-39,600

Machinist                                                                  $42,900-51,400

Receptionist                                                             $35,000-41,000