Province guide
Compare immigration pathways, work, study, housing and daily life in Canada’s most populous province.
Toronto, Ontario
Choosing a destination
Ontario contains very different labour markets, housing conditions and ways of life. Choosing Toronto is not the same decision as choosing Ottawa, London, Thunder Bay or a smaller community.
This hub joins the immigration question—how can I obtain status?—with the settlement question—where can my household realistically thrive?
Ways to settle in Ontario
Ontario may be your intended destination through a federal program, provincial nomination, family sponsorship, study or temporary work.
Provincial nomination
Ontario operates streams connected to skilled workers, job offers, graduates and business or regional priorities. Availability, criteria and invitations can change.
Explore Ontario nomination streamsSettle in Ontario after qualifying and receiving permanent residence through a federal economic program.
Read the Express Entry guideJoin an eligible family member in Ontario through a federal sponsorship category.
Understand sponsorshipBuild Canadian experience while respecting permit conditions and planning what may come next.
Compare temporary pathwaysFind your Ontario
Employment, housing, transportation and community supports vary dramatically across the province.
Canada’s largest urban labour market
Broad employment options, extensive transit and newcomer communities—alongside high housing costs.Explore TorontoNational capital and technology centre
Government, technology and professional work in a bilingual region with a smaller-city rhythm.Explore OttawaIndustry, health and education
A growing regional centre with GO connections to Toronto and its own employment base.Explore HamiltonTechnology and post-secondary hub
Technology, manufacturing and education across a group of closely connected communities.Explore Kitchener–WaterlooRegional centre in Southwestern Ontario
Health care, education, finance and manufacturing with access to a wider regional economy.Explore LondonSmaller cities and regional opportunities
Distinct labour needs, lower population density and community-specific immigration pathways.Explore Northern Ontario
A large and varied province
Major cities, manufacturing communities, agricultural regions, lakefront towns and northern centres offer very different combinations of work, housing and lifestyle.
Compare daily lifeDaily life in Ontario
A successful move depends on more than legal eligibility. It also depends on work, housing, transportation, services and the needs of your household.
Research your occupation, licensing requirements, regional demand and the evidence employers expect.
Compare rent, commuting and neighbourhood services—not simply province-wide averages.
Understand provincial coverage, finding primary care, schools and post-secondary options.
Plan around local transit, driving needs and conditions that change significantly by season and region.
Your first weeks
Turn a complicated arrival into a sequence of manageable tasks.
Know your document expiry dates, conditions and next required action.
Address, identification, banking, tax and other government records may need attention.
Check current eligibility and waiting rules for health and other Ontario services.
Use settlement organizations, libraries, professional groups and community services.
When plans change
Provincial programs involve an intention to live in the nominating province. Work, family and life can change, but your representations and evidence must remain truthful.
Understand mobility, intention and legal risk