Want to live and work in Ontario?

In Toronto and the Greater Toronto Area (GTA), housing costs are the biggest obstacle for immigrants. Renting a one-bedroom apartment downtown can represent a significant portion of the average local salary, and buying property is out of reach for those just starting out. Sharing accommodation in the first months is common practice among newcomers.

Food, public transportation, and services in general are priced higher than in the province's interior. The Presto card simplifies the use of the TTC (Toronto's subway and bus) and regional train and bus systems, but monthly passes carry a considerable cost for those on a tight budget.

Cities like London, Kitchener, Barrie, and Windsor offer significantly more affordable housing, an active job market, and access to the same healthcare and educational services. For immigrants with geographic flexibility, these cities have been an advantageous point of entry before a possible move to the GTA.

Toronto is Canada's largest financial center and one of the most important in North America, with the headquarters of banks like RBC, TD, Scotiabank, BMO, and CIBC. The technology sector has grown strongly in the past decade, with companies like Shopify, Thomson Reuters, and countless startups attracting IT professionals from around the world. The Toronto-Waterloo innovation corridor is compared to Silicon Valley by investors and specialized media.

The healthcare field employs a significant number of qualified immigrants, but requires credential recognition and provincial certifications. The same applies to engineering, law, and accounting. Skilled trades such as electricians, plumbers, and carpenters are in high demand, with more agile recognition processes through provincial unions and trade boards.

The logistics and distribution sector has grown significantly with e-commerce, generating warehouse and transportation positions across the Peel Region and eastern GTA. For those in their first months who have not yet regularized credentials, these positions offer an entry into the job market with potential for internal advancement.

The Ontario Health Insurance Plan (OHIP) covers medical consultations, hospital stays, and surgical procedures at no direct cost to the patient. For newly arrived immigrants, there is a three-month waiting period before OHIP activation, during which temporary private insurance is recommended. After activation, family doctors and specialists are accessible without a co-payment.

Finding a family doctor is the greatest challenge in the system. Demand exceeds supply throughout the province, especially outside Toronto. Many residents turn to walk-in clinics for routine care while waiting on a list for a permanent physician. The Government of Ontario maintains a portal to search for doctors accepting new patients.

Toronto has reference hospitals such as Toronto General, SickKids, and Sunnybrook, which handle complex cases from across Canada. Medications, vision exams, and dental care are not covered by public OHIP, which means most formal workers rely on supplementary plans offered by employers.

Toronto's TTC system operates subway, streetcars, and buses with reasonable city coverage, but faces criticism for overcrowding and frequent delays. GO Transit connects Toronto with GTA cities and surrounding areas such as Hamilton, Barrie, Kitchener, and Niagara Falls by train and express bus. The Presto card unifies payment across all these systems.

For those living in the GTA but outside Toronto, a car is almost indispensable. Peel Region (Mississauga and Brampton), York Region, and Durham have local bus networks, but frequency and coverage are lower than in Toronto. Many residents in these areas drive to the nearest GO Transit station and then take the train to Toronto.

Outside the GTA, a car is absolutely necessary. Cities like London, Windsor, and Kingston have local public transportation, but it is limited. Ontario's road network is well maintained, and provincial highways (400-series) allow for fast travel. In winter, it is essential to have snow tires and to be prepared for reduced visibility conditions.

Toronto hosts TIFF (Toronto International Film Festival), one of the world's most important film festivals, as well as events like Caribana, Pride Toronto, and Nuit Blanche. The Royal Ontario Museum, the Art Gallery of Ontario, and the CN Tower are cultural landmarks of the city. The restaurant scene reflects the population's diversity: from ramen to Ethiopian, from Persian to poutine.

Iconic local dishes include poutine (fries with cheese curds and gravy), the peameal bacon sandwich at St. Lawrence Market, and an endless variety of world cuisines. Newcomers from various backgrounds can usually find familiar foods at specialized grocery stores and ethnic markets throughout the GTA.

Outside Toronto, Stratford has an internationally recognized Shakespearean theatre festival, Niagara-on-the-Lake hosts the Shaw Festival, and Ottawa celebrates Winterlude in winter with activities on the frozen Rideau Canal. Ontario's nature, with parks like Algonquin, draws residents during the summer months for camping, hiking, and canoeing.

Ontario is home to roughly 4.4 million immigrants, around 29% of the population, the largest absolute concentration in Canada. Toronto and its metro area drive almost everything, and the city is considered one of the most diverse on earth, with more than half of residents born outside the country. The Chinese community spreads across Markham and Scarborough, with supermarkets, hospitals, and schools in Mandarin and Cantonese. Brampton and Mississauga hold the largest Sikh community in Canada, with Brampton reaching about half of its population of South Asian origin. Filipinos form another huge block in Mississauga and central Toronto, tied to healthcare and care work. Italians consolidated Woodbridge and Vaughan, and the Caribbean community (Jamaican, Haitian, Trinidadian) marks Toronto. Africans, especially Nigerians, Somalis, and Ethiopians, grow in Toronto and Ottawa.

The support network is the densest in the country. COSTI Immigrant Services, the Toronto Region Immigrant Employment Council, the Canadian Council for Refugees, and the FCJ Refugee Centre dominate the settlement sector, with English classes, employment mentoring, legal support, transitional housing, and credential recognition. Toronto hosts practically every foreign consulate, including the Consulate-General of India in Toronto, the Consulate-General of China in Toronto, the Consulate-General of the Philippines in Toronto, the Consulate-General of Italy in Toronto, the Consulate-General of Portugal in Toronto, the Consulate-General of Brazil in Toronto, the Consulate-General of Mexico in Toronto, and the Consulate-General of the United States in Toronto. Gurdwaras in Brampton, mosques in Mississauga, Hindu temples in Scarborough, and Filipino, Italian, and Portuguese churches anchor community life.