Canada ranked as #1 destination for job seekers

A new study has named Canada as the top destination that people are looking to move to for work.

According to job search platform, Jobseeker, Canada was the most frequently searched for destination for relocation among all the countries reviewed.

Discover if You Are Eligible for Canadian Immigration

It was especially popular among those looking for work and relocation from Costa Rica, Germany, India, Japan, Mexico, South Africa, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE.

Australia was the next most frequently searched for country to relocate to, followed by Switzerland and the United States, which tied for third place.

Jobseeker analyzed the social trends of job seekers globally between September 19 to 25 to find this data. Using the template “jobs in [country name]”, it charted residents’ search trends across 30 countries. The tracked 30 countries were chosen for having a strong job market and high GDP, as per the U.S. News & World Report.

Here’s a list of the top countries to relocate to work for, according to the study. The number next to it corresponds to the number of times it was featured as a top country by overseas job seekers from the 30 countries analyzed.

• Canada (8)
• Australia (7)
• Switzerland (6)
• United States (6)
• Singapore (2)
• Denmark (2)
• Saudi Arabia (2)
• United Kingdom (2)
• Germany (1)
• Qatar (1)
• Spain (1)
• Japan (1)
• Netherlands (1)
• New Zealand (1)

According to the same study, most people in Canada searched for job opportunities in the US.

Why Canada?

The survey listed Express Entry, the management system for Canada’s flagship federal immigration programs, as a key reason for Canada’s appeal.

Express Entry is designed to facilitate the immigration of skilled workers by extending invitations to apply for permanent residency to top-ranking eligible candidates.

Canada’s economic immigration programs rank candidates based on objective criteria, including factors such as work experience, education, and language skills.

A relatively high employment rate in Canada among landed immigrants seemed to be another factor that made the country a dream destination for job seekers. According to StatsCan data, the employment rates among working-age immigrants in 2023 was as follows:

• Immigrants who landed 5 or fewer years earlier: 77.8%.
• Immigrants who landed between 5 to 10 years earlier: 81.9%.
• Immigrants who landed over 10 years earlier: 84.5%.

Other key factors noted by the study were Canada’s strong economy, publicly-funded healthcare system, and diverse culture.

In September, Canada ranked 4th best country in the world in the updated U.S. News country rankings for 2024, with an overall indexed score of 94.1.

Its high performance in factors such as quality of life, entrepreneurship, social purpose, and agility is what helped it attain this position.

Discover if You Are Eligible for Canadian Immigration