One advantage of immigrating to Canada is that the country was rated 4th out of 182 countries in 2009 on the Human Development Index (HDI), compiled by the United Nations. The HDI is based around three themes; living a long and healthy life, being educated and literate, and having a decent standard of living. This indicates a higher standard of living within the country and leading to more opportunities of education and employment for residents. This factors make the country a desirable location to start a career or raise a family.
Prospective immigrants all have the chance to become Canadian citizens after immigrating. Canadian citizenship is relatively easy to obtain, usually requiring individuals to live in the country for 3 years and have a permanent residence status, along with a basic grasp of either the English or French language. This process is much easier to complete than some of the requirements that European countries outline to become citizens. Canada permits individuals to be citizens of another country, providing them the status of dual citizenship.Individuals are not required to forfeit the citizenship of their home country to become a Canadian citizens.
One of the identifying features of Canadian society is access to free health care provided by the government. As a citizen of the country, all residents have access to health care and free health check-ups or care in hospitals during emergencies. Many other countries do not provide free, accessible health care for their residents. Costs for health care or emergency services are expensive and when combined with other administration costs associated with immigration, often overwhelm personal accounts of new citizens. It is an advantage to know that should an unforeseen medical emergency occur, the government will cover almost all of the costs, ensuring that you or loved ones are properly cared for.
