Where Do Canadian Expats Live? The Biggest Canadian Communities in the UK, France & USA
Moving abroad can be an incredible experience. New cities, new cultures, new opportunities, and, of course, new ways to pronounce words like about.
But even when you love your new home, there are certain things from Canada that are hard to replace.
Sometimes it is a familiar chocolate bar. Sometimes it is a bag of All Dressed chips. Sometimes it is a Jos Louis, a Coffee Crisp or a box of Canadian Smarties that suddenly makes you feel like you are back home.
For Canadians living abroad, those little reminders of home can mean a lot.
So where do Canadian expats actually live? Let's take a look at three of the biggest destinations for Canadians abroad: the United States, the United Kingdom and France.
Canadian Expats in the United States
The United States is by far the largest destination for Canadians living abroad.
According to Statistics Canada, 793,897 Canadian-born people were living in the United States in 2020, representing approximately 61% of Canadian-born people living abroad in the countries covered by the data.
That makes the United States a huge part of the Canadian diaspora.
Top Canadian Expat City: New York City
New York City is one of the most prominent Canadian communities in the United States.
Current city-level estimates compiled from U.S. demographic data place New York at the top of the list of U.S. cities for Canadian residents, with almost 10,000 Canadian residents identified in the available city data.
It also makes sense geographically and economically. New York is a major destination for Canadian professionals working in finance, media, technology, entertainment, education and international business.
And with Canada only a relatively short trip away, it is easy for Canadian expats to maintain connections with friends and family back home.
Of course, Canadians are spread throughout the United States. Other cities with significant Canadian communities include Los Angeles, Seattle, Phoenix, San Diego and Chicago.
Whether you're living in Manhattan, California, Texas or somewhere in between, being away from Canada doesn't mean you have to completely give up your favourite Canadian snacks.
Canadian Expats in the United Kingdom
The United Kingdom has one of the longest-established Canadian communities outside Canada.
Statistics Canada's latest emigration profile identified 100,538 Canadian-born people living in the UK in 2020, making Britain the second-largest destination among the countries listed in the report.
The connection between Canada and the UK is also about more than geography. Canadians have been moving to Britain for generations for university, careers, travel, family and international opportunities.
Top Canadian Expat City: London
London is the major Canadian expat hub in the United Kingdom.
Canadian expat networks in London include professionals, students, families and Canadians who have moved temporarily or permanently. InterNations currently lists more than 2,000 Canadian members in its London community alone, illustrating the size of the city's active Canadian network.
London is also home to Canada's High Commission and a wide range of Canadian organizations, events and community groups.
And there is something particularly interesting about being Canadian in London: you can be surrounded by British food all day and still occasionally find yourself thinking, "I would really like a Coffee Crisp right now."
Canadian communities also exist throughout the UK, including Manchester, Glasgow, Cardiff and other cities.
So whether you're living in London or somewhere much farther north, there are plenty of Canadians who understand exactly what it is like to miss a little taste of home.
Canadian Expats in France
France is another important destination for Canadians living abroad, particularly for French-speaking Canadians and people from Quebec.
Statistics Canada estimated that 29,442 Canadian-born people were living in France in 2020.
France is particularly attractive to Canadians because of its language, culture, history, education opportunities, food and relatively easy cultural connections for French-speaking Canadians.
Top Canadian Expat City: Paris
Paris is the main Canadian expat hub in France.
The city has an established Canadian community, including students, professionals, entrepreneurs, families and Canadians working in international organizations.
InterNations currently lists more than 1,100 Canadian members in its Paris community, providing another indication of the city's active Canadian expat network.
Paris isn't the only place you'll find Canadians in France, however.
Canadian expat communities can also be found in cities including Lyon, Nice, Strasbourg, Marseille, Toulouse, Bordeaux and Lille.
For Canadians living in France, the experience can be especially interesting: you're surrounded by some of the world's most famous food and culinary traditions, yet every once in a while, nothing sounds better than a Canadian chocolate bar and a bag of ketchup chips.
Canadian Expats Around the World
The Canadian diaspora extends far beyond these three countries.
Statistics Canada's research has estimated that more than 1.29 million Canadian-born people were living abroad in 2020. The United States accounted for 61.4%, followed by the United Kingdom at 7.8%, Australia at 4.6% and France at 2.3%.
Canadian communities can be found across Europe, Asia, the Middle East, Australia and many other parts of the world.
And while every expat experience is different, there is one thing many Canadians abroad have in common:
You don't realize how much you miss Canadian snacks until you can't easily buy them anymore.
Suddenly, a regular grocery-store snack becomes a reminder of home.
Coffee Crisp tastes a little more Canadian.
All Dressed chips become a big deal.
Jos Louis becomes something you haven't thought about in years — until you see one again.
And Canadian Smarties? Somehow they just taste better when you're thousands of kilometres from home.
Send a Taste of Canada to Someone Living Abroad
That's where NordSnacks.com comes in.
If you have a Canadian friend, family member, student, coworker or expat living in the United States, United Kingdom, France or elsewhere, a Canadian snack box can be a fun way to send a little piece of home.
NordSnacks offers a selection of Canadian favourites including:
Whether it's a birthday, Christmas, care package, congratulations, thank-you gift or simply a "Hey, I know you miss Canada" package, Canadian snacks make a surprisingly personal gift.
And you don't have to wait for a special occasion.
Sometimes the best gift is simply opening the door and finding a box full of snacks you haven't seen since you left Canada.
A Canadian Gift for Canadians Abroad
Living overseas doesn't mean you have to completely leave Canada behind.
For Canadians in New York, London, Paris and beyond, a box of familiar Canadian snacks can be a simple reminder of home — even when home is thousands of kilometres away.
NordSnacks ships Canadian snacks to the United States, United Kingdom, France and other destinations, making it easy to send a taste of Canada to the Canadian expat in your life.
Because sometimes you don't need a plane ticket home.
You just need a Coffee Crisp.
Shop Canadian Snacks at NordSnacks
Send a taste of Canada to someone abroad — or treat yourself to the snacks you've been missing.
Shop Canadian snacks and gift boxes at NordSnacks.com.
