According to the 2023 Best Countries ranking by U.S. News, Canada is the second-best in the world overall this year, behind Switzerland.
Sweden, Australia, and the United States rounded out the top five overall countries.
The move up to second is an improvement from 2022, when Canada was ranked third overall by U.S. News.
To formulate these rankings, U.S. News looked at 10 different sub-categories (where they ranked the top 20 countries in each) and then ranked 87 countries in their overall rankings.
Discover if You Are Eligible for Canadian Immigration
Through a survey of over 17,000 people from 36 countries – including business leaders, middle-class or higher college-educated individuals and “nationally representative” citizens of each country – the following 10 sub-categories were analyzed by U.S. News before these countries were ranked:
- Entrepreneurship
- Quality of Life
- Social Purpose
- Cultural Influence
- Open for Business
- Adventure
- Power
- Heritage
- Agility
- Movers
Now, let’s dive a little deeper into this year’s U.S. News Best Countries rankings.
Where Canada ranked for 2023 – 10 Sub-Categories
Canada was ranked by U.S. News among the top five countries in four of the 10 sub-categories.
- For Entrepreneurship, Canada ranked 5th behind the United States (US), Germany, Japan and the United Kingdom (UK)
- For Quality of Life, Canada was ranked 3rd behind Sweden and Norway
- In the Social Purpose* sub-category, Canada ranked 4th behind Sweden, Norway and Finland
- Canada ranked 2nd for Agility** behind the US
*U.S. News’ Social Purpose ranking is based on “the ability of a country’s citizens to rally around certain causes they feel strongly about. These countries are seen as being the most progressive, inclusive and committed to social justice.”
**U.S. News’ Agility ranking is based on how well a country adapts and responds to obstacles. “These countries are seen as the most adaptable to change.”
Where Canada ranked for 2023 – “Best For” Countries
Additionally, the 2023 Best Countries list ranks the top 20 countries that are considered to be the “Best For” different attributes and qualities. Among the 15 different attributes assessed by U.S. News, Canada was ranked in the top seven countries on nine different occasions.
Specifically, Canada was chosen as the:
- 2nd best country to start a career
- 4th best country for education
- 7th best country for studying abroad
- 7th best country for raising kids
- 2nd best country for racial equality
- 6th best country for women
- 6th best country for comfortable retirement
- 6th most transparent country
- 2nd best country to headquarter a corporation
Making Sense of Canada’s Global Ranking
Canada’s rankings – both in the U.S. News’ 10 sub-categories and their “Best For” countries list – showcase that, in many of the areas that newcomers to Canada find most vital, Canada ranks among the top countries across the world.
Immigrants who come to this country do so to build a better life for themselves and their families. Accordingly, Canada’s top-seven ranking in many of the above categories is noteworthy.
Particularly true of their ranking with respect to the best countries to start a career and get an education, both prospective and recent newcomers to this country can feel comfortable knowing that Canada is a premier global destination for skilled workers and international students alike.
Note: Canada’s education ranking also coincides with the nation being ranked seventh for studying abroad.
Looking to the future, immigrants, who come to Canada from many different countries, should also take note that this country ranks seventh and second respectively among the best countries for raising kids and racial equality.
This means that immigrant parents can feel comfortable that their kids are likely to grow up in an inclusive and accepting environment, a reality that should be greatly beneficial to their future.
Finally, Canada’s position as the sixth-best country in the world for comfortable retirement means that this nation is considered one of the best places to be when living post-career life. In other words, for Canadian-born residents of this country and immigrants alike, Canada is a place where residents can expect to be comfortable as they move beyond their working-age years and enjoy the life they created for themselves through the hard work they put in during the previous stage of their lives.
Conclusion
Taken together, Canada’s rankings by U.S. News as the world’s second-best country in 2023 signals that this country remains a top immigrant destination on a global scale.
From getting an education to establishing a career, then onwards to starting a family and experiencing a comfortable retirement in your later years, Canada has solidified itself as one of the top countries in the world for immigrants from all corners of the globe.
Discover if You Are Eligible for Canadian Immigration