Canadian immigration and citizenship guides

Toronto skyline seen from the Lake Ontario shoreline at sunset

Province guide

Moving to Ontario

Compare immigration pathways, work, study, housing and daily life in Canada’s most populous province.

Major urban centresLarge, diverse economyFour-season climateEnglish-speaking province

Toronto, Ontario

Choosing a destination

Would Ontario suit the life you want to build?

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

Immigration pathways connected to the province

Ontario may be your intended destination through a federal program, provincial nomination, family sponsorship, study or temporary work.

Provincial nomination

Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program

Ontario operates streams connected to skilled workers, job offers, graduates and business or regional priorities. Availability, criteria and invitations can change.

Explore Ontario nomination streams
Family

Family sponsorship

Join an eligible family member in Ontario through a federal sponsorship category.

Understand sponsorship
Temporary status

Study or work first

Build Canadian experience while respecting permit conditions and planning what may come next.

Compare temporary pathways

Find your Ontario

Start by comparing cities and regions

Employment, housing, transportation and community supports vary dramatically across the province.

Ontario city guideToronto

Canada’s largest urban labour market

Broad employment options, extensive transit and newcomer communities—alongside high housing costs.Explore Toronto
Ontario city guideOttawa

National capital and technology centre

Government, technology and professional work in a bilingual region with a smaller-city rhythm.Explore Ottawa
Ontario city guideHamilton

Industry, health and education

A growing regional centre with GO connections to Toronto and its own employment base.Explore Hamilton
Ontario city guideKitchener–Waterloo

Technology and post-secondary hub

Technology, manufacturing and education across a group of closely connected communities.Explore Kitchener–Waterloo
Ontario city guideLondon

Regional centre in Southwestern Ontario

Health care, education, finance and manufacturing with access to a wider regional economy.Explore London
Ontario city guideNorthern Ontario

Smaller cities and regional opportunities

Distinct labour needs, lower population density and community-specific immigration pathways.Explore Northern Ontario
Water rushing over Niagara Falls in Ontario
Niagara Falls, Ontario

A large and varied province

Ontario is more than one metropolitan area.

Major cities, manufacturing communities, agricultural regions, lakefront towns and northern centres offer very different combinations of work, housing and lifestyle.

Compare daily life

Daily life in Ontario

The practical questions matter as much as the application.

A successful move depends on more than legal eligibility. It also depends on work, housing, transportation, services and the needs of your household.

01

Employment

Research your occupation, licensing requirements, regional demand and the evidence employers expect.

02

Housing

Compare rent, commuting and neighbourhood services—not simply province-wide averages.

03

Health and education

Understand provincial coverage, finding primary care, schools and post-secondary options.

04

Transportation and climate

Plan around local transit, driving needs and conditions that change significantly by season and region.

Your first weeks

An Ontario newcomer checklist

Turn a complicated arrival into a sequence of manageable tasks.

  1. 1
    Protect your immigration status

    Know your document expiry dates, conditions and next required action.

  2. 2
    Set up essential records

    Address, identification, banking, tax and other government records may need attention.

  3. 3
    Apply for provincial services

    Check current eligibility and waiting rules for health and other Ontario services.

  4. 4
    Build a local support network

    Use settlement organizations, libraries, professional groups and community services.