Canada (CA)

Canada is the world's second-largest country by land area and one of the most immigration-friendly nations on earth.

Capital: Ottawa

Region: Americas

Language: English

Currency: CAD (CA$)

Cost of living: Expensive (index 72)

Emergency: 911

Education & Schools

Schools, universities, and language courses in Canada.

👶 Childcare & Kindergarten

Licensed Infant and Toddler Daycare $800–$2,500/month without subsidy in Ontario and BC; $11.85/day in Quebec CPE (Centre de la petite enfance); moving toward an average $10/day under Canada-Wide Early Learning and Child Care (CWELCC) federal-provincial agreements rolling out through 2025–2026

Age: 0–18 months (infants) / 18 months–3 years (toddlers)

Subsidy available

The Canada-Wide Early Learning and Child Care (CWELCC) federal agreement with all provinces (except Ontario, which has a separate deal) is reducing licensed daycare fees to an average of $10/day by 2026. Quebec already has the most developed system: regulated $11.85/day CPE (Centre de la petite enfance) spots. Ontario is implementing fee reductions under a separate bilateral agreement. Income-based childcare subsidies are available through provincial social assistance programs for eligible lower-income families.

Contact licensed childcare centres directly or use your municipality's central childcare registry if available. Required documents typically: child's birth certificate, immunization records, provincial health card, and proof of income for subsidy assessment. Quebec: apply through the CPE system or a registered garderie; some regions have centralised application portals for CPE spaces. Ontario: families can access subsidies through their local municipality's Early ON Child and Family Centre.

⏱️ Licensed daycares in Toronto, Vancouver, Ottawa, Calgary, and Edmonton have waiting lists of 12–24 months or longer. Apply to multiple centres simultaneously as soon as your immigration or arrival date is confirmed. Some cities (Toronto, Vancouver) have central childcare portal databases to manage waitlists more efficiently.

Junior Kindergarten and Kindergarten (JK/SK) $0 — full-day Kindergarten is free in the public system in Ontario, BC, Quebec, Alberta, and most provinces

Age: 4–5 years (JK age 4; SK age 5 — Ontario); 5 years (most other provinces)

Subsidy available

Full-Day Kindergarten (FDK) has been free in Ontario public schools since 2014. It is part of the standard publicly funded school system. Extended-day programs (before and after school care) may have fees. In most provinces, the afternoon session of Kindergarten is publicly funded and free.

Register at your local public school or through the school board's online enrollment portal. Required: child's birth certificate, proof of address, provincial immunization records. Children must meet the age cutoff (typically turning 4 by December 31 for JK in Ontario; age 5 by September 1 for Kindergarten in BC). Immunization records are required by provincial public health regulations — a catch-up schedule is available for newcomer children.

⏱️ No waitlist for public school Kindergarten — enrollment is based on catchment area (which school serves your home address). Contact your local school board by February–April to confirm your child's enrollment for the following September start.

🏫 Schools

Primary Free

Elementary School / École primaire

Ages: 5–10/11 years (Kindergarten through Grade 5 or 6, depending on province) · Language: English (majority of provinces and school boards); French in Quebec and French-language school boards across Canada; French Immersion programs available in most English-language school boards (very popular — early immersion starts at Kindergarten)

Contact your local school board or use the school's online enrollment portal. Required: birth certificate, proof of address (lease or utility bill), immunization records, and previous school records if applicable. Children are assigned to their catchment school based on home address. Alternative programs (French Immersion, arts focus, Montessori, Gifted) require separate applications to the school board and may have limited spaces.

Canada's public school system is free and secular in most provinces. Exception: Catholic schools receive public funding in Ontario, Alberta, and Saskatchewan — open to baptized Catholics. French-language school boards serve Francophone communities in all provinces and territories under s.23 of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. French Immersion programs are extremely popular — early immersion waiting lists at top schools form before children are born. After elementary, academic performance and parental choice determine secondary school enrollment.

Secondary Free

High School / Secondary School / École secondaire

Ages: 11/12–17/18 years (Grades 7/8 through Grade 12, varying by province) · Language: English or French; French Immersion programs available; International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma programs at select schools; Advanced Placement (AP) courses widely offered

Typically automatic enrollment from elementary school within the catchment area. New arrivals contact the school board's International Student and Newcomer Welcome Centre. Required: previous school records and transcripts (translated if necessary), proof of address, immunization records, passport and immigration documents. Ontario: students must complete the Ontario Secondary School Diploma (OSSD) — 30 credits + 40 hours of community service + Ontario Secondary School Literacy Test (OSSLT). Mature students (18+) have pathways through continuing education.

Ontario Grade 12 is the university entrance year (students typically age 17–18). Quebec has a unique two-tier structure: Secondary school ends at Sec 5 (age 16–17), followed by a 2-year pre-university CÉGEP program (free or very low cost) before university — making Quebec university entry 1 year later than other provinces. BC issues the Dogwood Diploma after Grade 12. Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba: Grade 12 graduation diploma. Gifted and enrichment programs vary significantly by school board.

International Schools

Canada's public school system is of high quality and widely used by expat families — many families find no need for an international school. International and private school options include: Upper Canada College (Toronto — co-ed, prestigious, $38,000+/year), Ridley College (St. Catharines, boarding), Appleby College (Oakville, boarding), Glenlyon Norfolk School (Victoria, BC), Strathcona-Tweedsmuir School (Calgary). International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma programs are offered at select public and private schools in all major cities. Annual private school fees: $20,000–$55,000 CAD. Many public school boards offer strong IB and AP programs at no extra cost — research your local board before paying private school fees.

University

Tuition fee

Domestic undergraduate tuition: $6,000–$15,000 CAD/year (arts and humanities lower; engineering, business, nursing, and computer science programs higher). International student tuition: $25,000–$65,000 CAD/year depending on program and university. University of Toronto, UBC, and McGill in high-demand fields can charge international students $40,000–$65,000/year for programs like engineering, business, and computer science. Graduate and MBA programs: $20,000–$80,000+/year for international students. OSAP (Ontario), StudentAid BC, and equivalent provincial loan programs are available for eligible domestic students. Federal Canada Student Grants do not require repayment.

Semester fee

Canada has no equivalent to Germany's Semesterticket. Students purchase transit passes independently at student discount rates (e.g., Presto card in Ontario with 37% TTC discount; U-Pass programs at some universities in BC and other provinces provide unlimited transit bundled into student fees for ~$150–200/semester). Annual student union and association fees: $500–$1,500/year, included in total tuition fees; cover gym/recreation access, student services, student government, health plan administration, and sometimes a base transit pass.

Student visa

Non-Canadian, non-PR students need a Study Permit from IRCC. Apply online at canada.ca well before your program start date — processing takes 8–16 weeks or more. Required: acceptance letter from a Designated Learning Institution (DLI), proof of sufficient funds ($10,000 CAD/year for living costs + tuition), valid passport. Study permits allow on-campus work (up to 20 hours/week during semesters; full-time during scheduled breaks). The Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP) — valid for up to 3 years after completing a 2+ year program at a DLI — is a key pathway to Express Entry permanent residency.

Health insurance

International students and those not yet covered by provincial health insurance must purchase the university's mandatory student health plan. Cost: $800–$2,200 CAD/year depending on university and plan scope. Coverage typically includes: doctor and specialist visits, basic dental, prescription drugs, vision, and counselling sessions. Domestic students (PR, citizens, work permit holders) are eligible for provincial health insurance after the provincial waiting period (0–3 months depending on province; Ontario requires 3 months). Student health plans can often be opted out of once provincial health insurance is active.

Application process

Apply directly to each university through their own online portal. Ontario has the Ontario Universities' Application Centre (OUAC at ouac.on.ca) as a central hub for Ontario university applications — one application covers up to 3 program choices. No single national clearing house like the UK's UCAS exists. Application deadlines: typically January 15 – February 1 for September entry in competitive programs; March–May for less competitive programs. Required: official transcripts, English/French language test scores (IELTS 6.5–7.0+ or TOEFL 90+, CELPIP, or TEF for international students), reference letters, personal statement/supplemental application for some programs. Medicine (MCAT), Law (LSAT), and MBA (GMAT/GRE) use separate professional school processes.

🗣️ Language Courses

LINC (Language Instruction for Newcomers to Canada)

Provider: Federally funded through Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC); delivered by settlement agencies, school boards, and language schools across Canada · Duration: Ongoing; typically 3–12+ months of instruction with continuous intake · Levels: CLB 1 to CLB 8 (Canadian Language Benchmarks — English)

Free for eligible participants

Available to permanent residents, protected persons, and Convention Refugees. Not available to temporary residents (work permit, study permit, or visitor visa holders). Childcare support is available at many LINC locations — an important access feature for parents of young children. Waitlists: 3–6 months in high-demand cities like Toronto and Vancouver. Apply through your local settlement agency (ACCES Employment, COSTI, YMCA Newcomer Services, Centre for Immigrant and Community Services) or search at settlement.org (Ontario) or IRCC's settlement services finder.

CLIC (Cours de langue pour les immigrants au Canada)

Provider: Federally funded; delivered in French by settlement agencies and language providers in Quebec and Francophone communities · Duration: 3–12+ months · Levels: Niveaux A1 to B2 (aligned with CECR/CEFR)

Free for eligible participants (same eligibility criteria as LINC)

French-language equivalent of LINC. Quebec separately operates Francisation Québec — free French-language instruction for all newcomers in Quebec regardless of immigration status, including temporary workers. Francisation Québec offers both in-person intensive and part-time courses as well as online options. Improving French proficiency increases Express Entry CRS points significantly under the Francophone and bilingual streams.

ESL at Community Colleges and School Boards (Continuing Education)

Provider: Ontario colleges (George Brown, Humber, Seneca, Centennial, Fanshawe), BC colleges (BCIT, Douglas, Kwantlen), and school board Continuing Education departments across Canada · Duration: 1 term (14–16 weeks) to 2 full years · Levels: Beginner (A1) to advanced academic (C1)

$0 (school board evening ESL) to $5,000/year (college full-time EAP programs)

Many Ontario school board Continuing Education departments offer free ESL evening classes to local residents — an excellent option for those who do not qualify for LINC. Humber College and George Brown College (Toronto) offer full-time English for Academic Purposes (EAP) programs that prepare students for university admission. Eligible newcomers may access Employment Insurance (EI)-funded skills training to pay for college language upgrading. Seneca College (Toronto), Douglas College (BC), and Dawson College (Montreal) are popular options.

Alliance Française (French language courses)

Provider: Alliance Française Canada — offices in Toronto, Vancouver, Calgary, Halifax, Ottawa, Montreal, Edmonton, and other cities · Duration: 10–20 week sessions; intensive options (4 weeks) available in summer · Levels: A1 to C2; DELF and DALF certification exams available

$350–$1,500 per course depending on intensity, duration, and city

Excellent for improving French for employment, immigration (Express Entry CRS points for French proficiency), or citizenship (both English and French are accepted for the CLB 4 language requirement). DELF/DALF certificates are internationally recognised. Particularly valuable for families planning French Immersion school enrollment or moving to Quebec. Canadian Express Entry awards significant CRS points for bilingualism — CLB 7+ in French can add 24–50 extra CRS points.

IELTS / CELPIP / TEF Canada exam preparation

Provider: IDP Education, British Council (IELTS); Paragon Testing Enterprises (CELPIP); French Test (TEF Canada — by Centre de langue française) · Duration: Self-study 4–12 weeks; structured prep course 8–16 weeks · Levels: Targets CLB 7–10 (Express Entry requirement: CLB 7 minimum); citizenship: CLB 4

$300–$350 CAD per exam sitting; prep courses $200–$800

Both IELTS (General Training) and CELPIP (General) are accepted for Canadian immigration (Express Entry, PNP, spousal sponsorship). CELPIP is Canadian-context and computer-delivered — some candidates find it more accessible. TEF Canada (French) is accepted for immigration and Canadian citizenship. Scoring CLB 9+ in both English and French under Express Entry's Bilingualism bonus can add up to 50 additional CRS points, often the difference between receiving an Invitation to Apply (ITA) or not.

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