How to migrate to Canada from Malaysia: Everything you need to know

Up in North America, Canada is a beautiful country that offers benefits like great city infrastructure, excellent education systems and a high quality of life. If you’re looking to migrate to Canada from Malaysia, you’ll be able to enjoy the local culture as well as fun activities like skiing at Whistler or visiting Niagara Falls.

In this guide, we’ll cover what you need to know on how to migrate to Canada from Malaysia, including essential information like cost of living, types of Canada job visas, and more. We’ll also touch on the Wise account as a fantastic option for Malaysians looking to make the move, thanks to the low, transparent fees, and the mid-market exchange rate¹ when sending and receiving international payments.

How to migrate to Canada from Malaysia

There are plenty of options when it comes to choosing a city in Canada to live in, with big cities like Toronto, Vancouver, Calgary and Ottawa offering great experiences. These cities boast large numbers of English speakers, so communication shouldn’t be an issue, and there are plenty of job opportunities available as well.

If you’re looking to brush up on your French, cities like Montreal and Quebec City might be a great spot too. There are also other nice cities like Victoria, Halifax, London and Edmonton that might offer a slightly lower cost of living while still being a fantastic place to live and enjoy what Canada has to offer.

Facts about Canada

Here are some useful facts about Canada if you have your sights set on it.

*Information correct as of 11 September 2024

Visa requirements to migrate to Canada from Malaysia

Canada has plenty of visa types available for Malaysians who are trying to migrate to Canada from Malaysia, and one of the easiest ways to figure out which one is right for you and your personal situation is through Canada’s visa checker tool.

Student Visa⁵:

• When to apply: Apply once you have been offered a place at an approved institution
• Costs and fees: 150 CAD application fee
• Validity period: Length of your course + 90 days in most cases
• Any other things to note? You may be able to apply to stay in Canada after graduation, to give time to find work

Employer Specific Work Permit:

• When to apply: Once you have a job with an approved employer
• Costs and fees: Variable application fee depending on the situation
• Validity period: Based on your employment details, occupation and situation
• Any other things to note? Check the Canada work permitrequirements, based on your specific situation here⁶

Open Work Permit:

• When to apply: Apply without needing a job agreed in advance
• Costs and fees: Variable application fee depending on the situation
• Validity period: Based on your points score and personal situation
• Any other things to note? Check the Canada work permitrequirements, based on your specific situation here

What are some jobs in Canada for Malaysians?

There are plenty of jobs in Canada for foreigners, but you will want to look for a company that is willing to sponsor your work visa. If you’re already on a lookout for a job, here are some online platforms that you’ll be able to use to search for jobs across Canada:

• LinkedIn - Hugely popular employment networking site
• Indeed - Umbrella website with jobs all over the globe
• Jobbank - Government-issued resource, not all jobs are suited to foreign applicants, but it’s a good place to get advice and ideas
• Jobboom - Search for local positions in Canada and get advice on the job market
• Eluta.ca - Platform for job seekers looking for a position with one of the top 100 employers in Canada

Getting residency in Canada for Malaysians

If you enjoy Canada so much that you want to reside there permanently, the next step would be to get permanent residency before you consider citizenship in the future.

Citizenship is reserved for people who already have PR status, and who have lived in Canada for at least 3 of the past 5 years. You’ll need to prove your English or French language ability, pass a citizenship test and interview, and take an oath of citizenship. Malaysia does not permit dual citizenship, so if you’re thinking of becoming a Canadian citizen, you’ll have to give up your Malaysian citizenship.

Here are some options for permanent residency in Canada that might be more applicable for Malaysians:

What else do I need to know before I migrate to Canada from Malaysia?

Moving internationally is a big life event, and you’ll want to be as prepared as possible before actually making the jump. Here are some other things that you’ll want to include in your list of considerations before deciding if you want to migrate to Canada from Malaysia.

Cost of living in Canada

The cost of living in Canada can vary between cities, with Toronto, Montreal and Vancouver being popular choices for people looking to migrate to Canada. There are plenty of job and schooling opportunities there, although you will have to prepare for higher cost of living across the board in Canada, particularly in the bigger cities.

• Excluding rent, Toronto is around 89.5% more expensive than in Kuala Lumpur⁷
• Including rent in Toronto, life is a 127.7% more expensive than in Kuala Lumpur, on average
• Excluding rent, Vancouver is 94.6% more expensive than Kuala Lumpur⁸
• Including rent in Vancouver, the cost of living is 142.4% more expensive than in Kuala Lumpur on average

And here’s a bit more detail on the sort of average prices you may expect⁹:

*Price information correct at time of research 11 September 2024.

Housing in Canada

Clearly, rent isn’t cheap in Canada, whether you’re looking to move to Toronto or Vancouver. What can help a little is to compare prices across different rental listings to ensure that you’re getting the best deal you can while not compromising on your living environment. There is also the risk of rental scams, so you’ll want to make sure that you pay extra attention to avoid any bait-and-switch or deposit fraud scams.

Here are some platforms that you can consider browsing through for rental options:

• Liv.rent - describes itself as Canada’s safest rental platform
• Rentcafe - international site with good listings for major Canadian cities
• Craigslist - classified site, including apartment options and house shares
• Kijiji - classified site that includes room rentals

Manage your money after moving to Canada from Malaysia with Wise

You’ll want to open a bank account soon after moving to Canada from Malaysia, but it might take a while to settle before you have time to head to the bank.

Before that, a Wise account is a great choice to manage your CAD conversions and spending. You can hold over 40+ currencies including MYR and CAD in the account, convert between currencies at the mid-market rate as needed and make payments with low, transparent fees.

You’ll also get account details for 8+ currencies including CAD, so you can send and receive money even before you land in Canada. If you order a linked Wise card, you’ll be able to pay for expenses in Canada and 150+ other countries without having to worry about the extra conversion fees.

For convenience that begins before making your move

🚀 Get started with Wise

Sources:

1. Pricing/fees: Please see Terms of Use for your region or visit Wise Fees & Pricing for the most up to date pricing and fee information
2. Statista - Canada population
3. Statistics Canada - average income
4. Canada government - income tax
5. Canada study permit (visa)
6. Canada work permit tool
7. Numbeo - Toronto v Kuala Lumpur
8. Numbeo - Vancouver v Kuala Lumpur
9. Numbeo - Vancouver v Toronto