Canada vs Germany - Which is the Best Country to Get PR?

In this article comparing Canada vs. Germany, you will learn good information concerning the Permanent Residence of both countries. Therefore, you will be equipped to make the right and informed move about your dream of immigrating.

If you have ever imagined relocating to a new country, maybe to work, study, or begin a new life altogether to advance your standard of living.

There is no doubt that Canada and Germany are among the countries that come to mind because these two countries are some of the best for prospective immigrants, offering great careers, academic options, and an excellent standard of living.

Advantages of choosing Canada over Germany?

For several very valid reasons as listed below, you should prefer Canada over Germany

Great education
Vast cultural diversities
Many permanent residence programs to apply
High wages
Lower taxes
PGWP (Work permit after studies)
Friendly welcoming people
Easier to buy property
International students can work part-time and full-time
English or French as the main languages

It is obvious that Canada is way too welcoming to foreigners ad therefore tolerant of other cultures because of its vast diversity. In addition, it offers excellent quality education. The two most famous languages in the world “Are English and French” as their primary languages.

Reasons for preferring Germany Over Canada

Nevertheless, Germany has some advantages over Canada, as listed below:

Jobseeker visa
4th largest economy in the world
a lot more job opportunities
cheaper well-developed education
Lower cost of living; low rents
Better location for traveling to other European countries
Climate is not as harsh

There is a job seeker visa in Germany; this allows you to fly to Germany in search of a job, unlike in Canada, where you must get a work permit.

Also, Germany has the fourth-largest economy in the world. Thus, Germany has many more job opportunities compared to Canada.

Comparing Canada vs. Germany

Currently, Germany and Canada, as far as immigration is concerned, are the two biggest nations for aspiring immigrants.

Canada has announced its intention to welcome fewer than 400,000 immigrants every year for the next three years.
On the other hand, Germany offers almost similar immigration levels, between 300,000 to 400,000 immigration applications, which are accepted annually.

Canada and Germany are both developed countries, boasting a high living standard, great job and investment opportunities, stable economies, and world-class infrastructure facilities.

Cost Of Living

This is a good factor that will determine whether you can live in any country you immigrate to.

With regards to Canada and Germany, the cost of living is undoubtedly lower in Germany compared to Canada. Rent, foodstuffs, clothes, transportation, etc., are cheaper in Germany.

numbeo.com compares the cost of living in Canada vs. Germany as follows:

Germany has a 2.31% lower rate of consumer prices than Canada (excluding rent)
Consumer Prices, Rent inclusive is 5.68% lower in Germany than in Canada
The cost of Rent in Germany is 13.65% lower than in Canada
German restaurant prices are 5.87% less than in Canada
Prices of groceries in Germany are 21.00% off than in Canada
The Purchasing Power in Germany is 16.05% higher than in Canada

Nevertheless, this also depends on which city you choose to settle in, including your standard of life.

Location

Regarding location, Germany is better located compared to Canada for travel reasons. The only place that appears close to Canada is the USA. Thus, traveling to any other country often feels like you are on never-ending flights, which are also really costly.

Germany, on the other side, is at the center of Europe. It is well located if you intend to travel to other European countries. Various European countries are so close that you can drive to different European countries.

Therefore, Germany is a much better choice if your goal is to also travel to different countries.

Employment

Concerning employment, let me first start with vacation time.

In Germany, the work holiday period is five weeks a year. In Canada, it is two weeks per year.
- And this is mostly Christmas and new year holidays.
Also, in Germany, salary is paid monthly. In Canada, it is paid every two weeks.
- Thus, the chances of spending your hard-earned salary are higher in Canada.
Regarding work-life balance, it is not common to do overtime in Germany on most days. Thus, you don’t feel drained at the end of the day’s work.
However, in Canada, the overtime competition is high. It is widespread to do overtime in Canada.
Recent unemployment statistics place Canada at a 7.5% high. Whereas, for Germany, it is just 4.5%.

Higher Wages

While wages are higher in Canada, so is the cost of living. You earn more in Canada; nevertheless, you spend much more unless you can buy your place.

Rent will be your most expensive in Canada. However, you will still have more cash because of the lower tax rate than in Germany.

Tax Rates

Taxes will directly impact the amounts you can save each month, therefore should form an essential part of your immigration decision. According to statistics, Germany has higher taxes compared to Canada.

Germany’s average salary before taxes is about 40,000 euros, with a tax of 35 to 45 percent of the earnings. Without being told, this amount is huge.

Meanwhile, Canada’s average salary is about 52,000, and the tax is around 22%. Thus, you will still have more money after tax compared to Germany.

However, it is essential to note that you’d still have to pay extra for health insurance in Canada. At the same time, this is already included in Germany’s tax. Nonetheless, you will still save up more money in Canada.

Job Seeker Visa

The job seeker visa in Germany offers you a lot more job opportunities.
- This allows you to enter Germany for the sole reason of looking for a job in Germany. Usually valid for six months, you must find a job within six months. This step is easy if you possess the right qualifications and work experience.
On the other hand, Canada does not grant a job seeker visa. Therefore, you can’t just fly to Canada in search of a job without first obtaining a work permit or a permanent residency visa.

Residential Permit

A residence permit is essential when you’re moving to another country; this legalizes and ultimately regulates how long you can live, study or work in a country.

A residence permit is only one step away from obtaining a country’s citizenship. Canada is a more awesome country in this regard. This means it is much easier to obtain residency permits in Canada.

There are over 80 different immigration programs in Canada that you can choose from for your immigration.
On the other hand, Germany has only two main pathways; the European Union blue card and an employment visa program.
Obtaining a Canada PR is also much faster than a German PR.

In as little as six months, you can obtain your permanent residency in Canada through the Canada Express Entry Program

Nonetheless, the fastest you can attain your permanent residence status in Germany is after 21 months after you must have obtained your EU blue card or temporary resident permit. In addition, you also need to know German well.

Not to mention that obtaining a German temporary resident permit is difficult, only possible after securing a job offer from an employer in Germany.

Education

As regards education, both Canada and Germany operate free education till the 12th grade or high school.
Germany goes as far as offering free education even after high school levels, also for international students.

However, this will require you to pay a stipend of around 150 to 300 euros per semester to cover administrative costs.

You are liable to pay for your education after high school.

Fees for universities and academic institutions are very high in Canada. Moreso, if you are an international student, the fee is three times more expensive than it is for domestic students.

Nevertheless, the quality of education in Canada is far better than in Germany. This is probably why nothing less than 600,000 international students come to Canada annually. While Germany only sees about 350,000 students each year.

Getting citizenship

Last but not least is concerning citizenship. This is how it works:

You could quickly obtain citizenship if you have spent at least three years in Canada. Meanwhile, in Germany, to get a red passport, you will have to spend more time as a permanent resident, making it slightly more challenging.
Overall, about the power of passports.
- According to Passport Index, the passport power of the German passport is the most powerful.

However, these two passports are very powerful when traveling around the world.

Also Read: Best 3 Canadian Temporary Resident Permits – How To Apply

Canada vs Germany – Which is the Best Country to Get PR?

Advantages of choosing Canada over Germany?