Housing Strategies for Newcomers to Canada

Whether you plan to rent or buy, researching and creating a housing strategy before you arrive in Canada as a newcomer or international student is a smart move in finding your first rental home.

Following the Canadian housing market trends about where you first plan to settle and work can help smooth your future life in Canada.

Immigrants must keep current on rental housing trends in Canada. The market is highly competitive, and vacancy rates in the country's major and mid-sized cities are at historic lows (1.5 percent).

A recent Rentals.ca survey showed that 34 percent of people renting had been looking for a place for at least two months, with 15 percent searching for more than six months.

In March, asking rents for all residential property types in Canada averaged $2,181. That's an 8.8 percent hike from a year ago.

New data from Statistics Canada shows that year over year, Canada’s population grew by 1,031,200 people. That's a lot of competition for an apartment, so researching can give you a competitive edge.

Don't miss our Monthly Housing Newsletter for Newcomers and International Students

Our monthly Housing Newsletter for Newcomers and International Students keeps you updated on housing news in Canada and gives you great tips about finding your first home.

Click here to read our latest housing newsletter.

Action Plan for Newcomers:

Here are some other Rentals for Newcomers articles that can help you with your research:

Why Newcomers Need to Watch This Rental Webinar

Why Newcomers Need Tenant Insurance

What Newcomers Need to Know About Renting in Canada

Why Settling in the Right City is Your Best Job Strategy

How Newcomers Can Spot and Avoid Rental Scams

How Immigrants Can Register for Rentals for Newcomers for Free

If you have a question, please email us at rentals@prepareforcanada.com

Steve Tustin is the Editor for Rentals for Newcomers and a contributing editor for Prepare for Canada. He is also the former managing editor of Storeys.com and a former senior editor at the Globe and Mail and the Toronto Star.

*Rentals for Newcomers used no AI-generated content in the writing of this story, and all sources are cited and credited where possible.