If You Had To Leave Canada Tomorrow, Where Would You Go?
Canadians apparently aren't desperate to leave home. In an Angus Reid survey, 72% said they'd choose Canada if they could live anywhere. But among those willing to pack their bags, some destinations stood out.
Statistics Canada estimates about 1.29 million Canadian-born people were already living abroad in 2020. So where might Canadians go if they traded snowbanks, double-doubles and hockey night for a new home? Let's count down the possibilities.
#28. Czechia
Czechia offers historic cities, European rail connections and a relatively central location for exploring the continent. It also ranked 8th for quality of life in InterNations' 2025 expat survey.
Prague instead of Toronto certainly changes the scenery—and weekend trips suddenly involve considerably fewer hours on Highway 401.
Jerzy Strzelecki, Wikimedia Commons
#27. Finland
Canada and Finland share forests, lakes and winters that require actual preparation. Finland also offers famous sauna culture and easy access to nature.
For Canadians determined to escape snow forever, this probably isn't Plan A. For those who simply want a different version of northern living, however, Finland makes considerably more sense.
Pekka Vyhtinen, Wikimedia Commons
#26. Sweden
Sweden combines sophisticated cities with enormous amounts of nature, making it potentially familiar territory for Canadians.
The climate isn't exactly an escape from winter, but at least Canadians arrive with transferable skills: walking carefully on ice, dressing in layers and owning considerably more jackets than one person should reasonably require.
Swedish National Heritage Board, Wikimedia Commons
#25. Denmark
Denmark offers compact cities, extensive cycling and the Scandinavian lifestyle that attracts expats from around the world.
A Canadian moving there might experience one particularly dramatic adjustment: discovering the bicycle in the garage can actually replace the car rather than simply being transported somewhere by the car.
Kristoffer Trolle from Copenhagen, Wikimedia Commons
#24. Norway
Norway almost sounds like someone redesigned Canada on a smaller scale. There are mountains, wilderness, skiing, dramatic coastlines and plenty of cold weather.
Canadians seeking tropical reinvention should probably keep scrolling. Canadians who want familiar scenery with Europe attached, however, may find Norway surprisingly appealing.
Svein Magne Tunli, Wikimedia Commons
#23. Singapore
Singapore represents a much bigger change. It's tropical, densely urban and a major international business centre where English is widely used.
For Canadians pursuing careers abroad, that's an interesting combination. The biggest adjustment might be realizing the expensive winter coat collection they've spent 20 years assembling has become completely useless.
Daniel Case, Wikimedia Commons
#22. Colombia
Colombia finished 2nd overall in InterNations' 2025 Expat Insider ranking. Housing performed particularly well, ranking 2nd for affordability and 5th for availability.
There is an important counterpoint: Colombia ranked only 39th for safety and security, making location and personal circumstances especially important considerations.
Bernard Gagnon, Wikimedia Commons
#21. Malaysia
Malaysia combines major cities, tropical weather and relatively favorable living costs.
It finished 10th overall in the 2025 Expat Insider survey and 9th for personal finances. For Canadians working remotely or retiring abroad, having Canadian income while living somewhere comparatively affordable could make the arithmetic particularly attractive.
Slawomir Gajowniczek, Wikimedia Commons
#20. United Arab Emirates
The UAE attracts international workers with modern cities, major employers and year-round sunshine.
It ranked 7th overall in InterNations' 2025 survey, 5th for working abroad and 2nd for quality of life. Of course, "escaping Canadian winter" and "experiencing a Dubai summer" are two very different temperature strategies.
Tim Reckmann from Hamm, Deutschland, Wikimedia Commons
#19. Thailand
Thailand has long attracted retirees, remote workers and expats with warm weather, food, beaches and relatively affordable living.
It finished 4th overall among 46 destinations in InterNations' 2025 survey. Canadians dreaming of permanently retiring the snow shovel could certainly do worse.
#18. Greece
Greece offers Mediterranean weather, thousands of islands, historic cities and a lifestyle that looks especially appealing during a Canadian February.
The country also provides easy access to the rest of Europe. Suddenly, spending Saturday beside the Aegean instead of shoveling the driveway starts sounding suspiciously reasonable.
#17. Panama
Panama has become a standout destination for international retirees. It ranked #1 overall for the second consecutive year in InterNations' 2025 Expat Insider survey.
At least one-quarter of expats in each of that survey's top three Latin American destinations were retirees, compared with 11% globally.
#16. Costa Rica
Costa Rica offers tropical beaches, rainforest and an outdoor-oriented lifestyle that has long attracted North Americans.
It's also already a popular Canadian travel destination. For anyone who's spent decades dealing with icy sidewalks, the prospect of replacing snow boots with sandals has a certain uncomplicated appeal.
#15. Austria
Austria might appeal to Canadians who love mountains but would prefer having Vienna nearby.
It ranked 4th among 46 countries for quality of life in InterNations' 2025 survey. Skiing remains available, but suddenly Italy, Germany, Switzerland and Czechia are all within remarkably easy reach.
Andrzej Otrebski, Wikimedia Commons
#14. Switzerland
Mountains? Check. Lakes? Check. Skiing? Definitely. Switzerland offers Canadians plenty of familiar scenery while placing them almost directly in the middle of Europe.
The lifestyle isn't inexpensive, but Canadians who value outdoor recreation and highly developed infrastructure may find plenty here that feels surprisingly recognizable.
#13. Japan
Japan offers a much more dramatic change: enormous cities, famous rail networks, distinctive food and an entirely different cultural environment.
It ranked 9th for quality of life in the 2025 Expat Insider survey, including 7th for healthcare and 10th for travel and transit.
#12. Netherlands
The Netherlands offers dense cities, famous cycling infrastructure and extremely convenient access to neighboring European countries.
Canadians accustomed to sprawling cities might need time to adjust. Your commute could involve a bicycle and train instead of sitting in traffic while quietly reconsidering every decision that brought you there.
Sumit Surai, Wikimedia Commons
#11. Germany
Germany combines a large economy, extensive infrastructure and an extremely convenient European location.
Canadians are already familiar with the country as travelers: roughly 334,000 Canadian visits were recorded during the 2023–24 fiscal year. Living there would simply make Oktoberfest considerably less of a logistical undertaking.
#10. Ireland
Ireland provides one enormous advantage for Canadians contemplating Europe: English is widely spoken.
Add dramatic scenery, historical connections with Canada and relatively easy access to the rest of Europe, and the appeal becomes obvious. The weather isn't exactly tropical—but Canadians have survived much worse things falling from the sky.
#9. Italy
Italy offers history, food, Mediterranean landscapes and a famously different pace of life.
Approximately 25,200 Canadian-born people were already living there in 2020, according to Statistics Canada. Canadians may also make an astonishing discovery: apparently lunch can be enjoyed without simultaneously checking work emails.
#8. Mexico
Mexico isn't an unfamiliar destination for Canadians. Canadians made roughly 2.08 million visits there in 2024–25.
In InterNations' 2025 survey, 88% of expats in Mexico said they felt welcome and 79% felt at home. Safety conditions vary significantly by location and remain an important consideration.
Timothy Neesam, Wikimedia Commons
#7. Spain
Spain makes a particularly convincing case for Canadians tired of long winters.
It ranked #1 for quality of life in InterNations' 2025 survey, while 84% of expats said they were happy with their lives. Spain also ranked first for weather, leisure options and healthcare in that survey.
Diego Delso, Wikimedia Commons
#6. Portugal
Portugal combines beaches, historic cities and comparatively mild weather with a lifestyle that has attracted increasing international attention.
Among expats surveyed in 2025, 89% liked Portugal's climate and weather, while an impressive 94% were satisfied with its natural environment. It ranked 10th for quality of life.
NorbertNagel, Wikimedia Commons
#5. France
France has an especially obvious connection for francophone Canadians.
In an Angus Reid survey, 14% of Canadians considering emigration selected France. Statistics Canada estimates approximately 29,400 Canadian-born people lived there in 2020. Language, culture and easy European travel all strengthen the case.
Eclipsingit, Wikimedia Commons
#4. New Zealand
New Zealand can look remarkably familiar to Canadians: mountains, lakes, outdoor recreation and English-speaking communities—just rearranged somewhere much farther south.
Angus Reid grouped New Zealand with Australia, and an impressive 32% of Canadians considering emigration chose the pair.
Pedro Szekely, Wikimedia Commons
#3. United Kingdom
The United Kingdom offers English-speaking familiarity, longstanding connections with Canada and easy access to Europe.
In the Angus Reid survey, 21% of Canadians considering emigration selected the U.K. Approximately 100,500 Canadian-born people were already living there in 2020, according to Statistics Canada.
#2. Australia
Australia might be Canada's sunny cousin. It has English-speaking cities, enormous wilderness, beaches and an outdoor-oriented culture—except winter generally requires considerably less negotiation.
Approximately 58,800 Canadian-born people lived in Australia in 2020, making it one of the largest destinations for Canadians living abroad.
Jordan Gellie jordan_gellie, Wikimedia Commons
#1. United States
No country has stronger evidence of Canadian interest than the neighbor next door.
Among Canadians who told Angus Reid they'd rather live outside Canada, 36% selected the United States, making it the leading individual destination. Statistics Canada estimates approximately 794,000 Canadian-born people lived there in 2020.
Proximity matters enormously. Canadians can pursue warmer weather, different career opportunities or a completely different lifestyle without necessarily moving an ocean away.
King of Hearts, Wikimedia Commons
Canadians Apparently Don't Want To Go Too Far
The top choices reveal something interesting. The United States, Australia, United Kingdom, New Zealand and France all offer Canadians some combination of a shared language, cultural familiarity, historical connections or an established Canadian population.
And yet, 72% of Canadians in that Angus Reid survey still chose Canada when asked where they'd live if they could pick anywhere.
Apparently the dream isn't always to escape Canada completely. Sometimes it's simply Canada with warmer winters, cheaper flights to Europe—or considerably fewer mornings spent wondering whether the car will start.
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