What do I need to know in order to move to Canada? Preferably Ottawa, Ontario.?

I currently live in Portland Oregon, am a 20 year old student and I want to get out, and on my own. I heard that Ottawa was the best city in terms of the price in homes and size of city.

Moving to Canada and expecting to work will require getting a work visa, just as if a Canadian were to move to the United States.

Ottawa is one of the larger cities in Canada (there aren't that many) with a population of around 800,000. There are two universities (both near to downtown) which will give you competition for the economy priced apartment living. There are apartments around that the students don't go for, in nice areas, that are a little more priced ($500 - $800).

If you are looking to buy something, be warned that the prices have gone up lately. Although not as expensive as Vancouver or Toronto, an entry level townhouse will still run you around $150,000 (in a realtively decent area).

Should you wish to work while here, note that most retail jobs have a requirement that you be bilingual (English/French). There are unilingual jobs in the office environment however.

It does get a might chilly, but the weather has been changing over the years. The city is experiencing more of the freezing rain than snow, but still does get snow from about December til March (although last Christmas I believe was a green one).

The city is pretty easy to get around and has a half decent bus system if you live near the transitway (the major bus route). The local buses don't always follow their schedule.

If you are looking to attend school, you might want to check into the entry requirements of the universities (Carleton or U of Ottawa) or Algonquin College.

The major young person's nightlife is in the downtown (Byward Market) area and is quite compact and not far from the transitway. There are other trendy areas to enjoy as well (e.g., Westboro).

Good luck!

Hey there! Welcome to Canada!

I'm not sure if you are planning to come here short-term to study? or are you planning to stay and become a citizen?

There are a lot of things about Canada that I can share but not that much that you NEED to know.

Here are some things to keep in mind:

- It gets cold here in winter, especially in Ottawa. I am from Toronto and it's not too bad there, but I go to Ottawa once in a while and their winters are usually much colder.

- Remember the sales tax here is higher than the US.

- Remember the gas prices here are much higher than the US. We don't know why. We think it's a big conspiracy.

- Ottawa may be the best in terms of home pricing, but in terms of the most active and vibrant, I think most Canadians would rate Toronto, or Vancouver above Ottawa.

Anyway, feel free to leave me a msg if you have any more questions. Again, welcome!

i want to move to vancouver so badly.

I grew up in Ottawa, but live in Calgary now. Ottawa is a nice city, a little smaller then Portland, it's officially billingual but there's is a lot more English spoken then French. Home prices are decent compared to Toronto, Vancouver or Calgary. There are all kinds of Museums because it's the Capital city, lots of festivals, 2 Universities. The only thing is it gets a lot colder then Oregon in the winter!!!