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Which Canadian city is better for immigrants- Calgary or Edmonton?

Which Canadian city is better for immigrants- Calgary or Edmonton?

This is one question that a lot of aspiring immigrants ask themselves while thinking about moving to Alberta, Canada on a permanent basis. They are confused where they should settle down in Alberta, either in Calgary or Edmonton?

In this article, we'll try to help you in taking a decision by comparing Calgary and Edmonton on key parameters.

Cost of Living

An average cost of living is quite similar; however, Calgary is bit more expensive in comparison to Edmonton. The overall renting, housing and other costs are slightly affordable in Edmonton.

Job sector

Both the cities have huge demand for different job profiles. But the overall job environment is more stable in Edmonton than in Calgary. Reason being the nature of more white-collar jobs. Also, Edmonton has more industrial process in comparison to Calgary's office jobs.

Education

Edmonton is a home to Canada's world-renowned university, i.e. University of Alberta, while Calgary has a world-class business school named Hayskane school of business. Both the cities have better opportunities and an excellent education system.

Weather

When in Calgary, you may have to face extreme cold weather but, not as much as Edmonton. Generally, you will see snow for more than 88 days in Edmonton in a year, whereas you can experience 65 days of snow beds in Calgary.

To put it simple, Calgary has a more prairie-steppe climate and residents enjoy some rainfall and sunny and windy climate more often. While, Edmonton has more cool feel in summers, resulting in more dry climate with little humid.

Public Transit

Both the cities provide affordable, well serviced transit. Edmonton has a light rail system providing an extension to bus services, while Calgary's CTrain is well connected with almost every neighborhood.

But, before you jump onto any conclusion, what matters the most is whether you qualify for Canada immigration at first place or not. To find out, you may opt for a free profile assessment and choose a right Canada PR pathway.

Alberta has its own provincial nominee program, i.e. AAIP (Alberta Advantage Immigration Program) which offer a permanent pathway to eligible skilled foreign workers under Alberta's Express Entry Stream. To qualify under this stream, you need to have an active Express Entry profile, state an interest in immigrating permanently to Alberta and a minimum CRS score of 300.

This stream allows you to apply for provincial nomination for Canada PR even from outside of Canada and without any prior connection to Alberta. If the AAIP finds you eligible for nomination, you'll get a Notification of Interest (NOI) letter from Alberta which will qualify you to apply for nomination.

To conclude, we would like to say that both the cities have their set of pros and cons and the final decision is yours. Each individual has their own needs and preferences and must choose a city that fits them best.