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Offers & Career Moves

“Why Do You Want to Move to Canada?” How to Answer, With Sample Answers

How to answer “Why do you want to move to Canada?” in a job interview or on an application form: what employers are really asking, a three-part structure, sample answers for different situations, and the work-permit follow-ups.

By Amine Boukioud Updated 6 min read
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The short answer: when a Canadian employer asks why you want to move to Canada, they’re checking three things: that you’ll actually come, that you’ll stay, and that the move makes sense for this job. Answer in three parts: a career reason tied to this role, a specific reason for this place, and your practical plan, including whether you can legally work in Canada and when. Keep it to about a minute in an interview, or 100 to 200 words on an application form.

What the employer is really asking

The question sounds personal, but it’s practical. Hiring someone from abroad costs time and money, and sometimes paperwork. The interviewer wants to know:

  • Will you come? A vague wish to “see the world” sounds like a plan that could change.
  • Will you stay? Replacing someone who leaves after six months is expensive.
  • Does it fit the job? “I love Canada” doesn’t explain why you want this role.
  • Can you legally work here, and when? This is often the real question behind the question.

A three-part answer

  1. Career: why this job, at this company, moves your career forward. This should be the longest part.
  2. Place: why this city or region, specifically, not only “Canada”. A sector that’s strong there, family, a community you know, the kind of life you want.
  3. Plan: your status and timeline. “I hold an open work permit and can start in March” or “I’d need an employer-specific work permit, and I’m ready to start the process as soon as I have an offer.”

Keep the order: career first. Lead with the job, and the move follows from it.

Sample answers

These illustrate the structure; they aren’t quotes from real candidates. Use your own reasons, and describe your status exactly as it is.

You’re already in Canada, or a permanent resident

“I’m a permanent resident and I moved to Calgary last year, so there’s no relocation involved. What I’m looking for now is the next step in my career: I’ve spent four years in energy project accounting in Mexico, and your team’s work on renewable projects is exactly where I want to take that experience.”

You have an open work permit (for example, International Experience Canada)

“I have an open work permit through International Experience Canada, valid for two years, so I can start without any sponsorship. I chose Vancouver because I want to work in game development, and several studios I admire are here. Your studio’s work on mobile titles matches the three years I’ve spent in QA for mobile games, and I’d like to grow into a lead role.”

You need an employer-sponsored work permit

“I’m applying from Nairobi. I’ve spent six years as a registered nurse in intensive care, and I’m applying because your hospital is recruiting internationally for critical care, which is my specialty. I’ve started the process of having my credentials assessed, and I understand the job would need an employer-specific work permit. I’m prepared to follow each step with your team, and my family and I plan to settle in Halifax long term.”

You studied in Canada

“I finished my master’s in data science at the University of Waterloo in April and I’m applying for a post-graduation work permit. I want to stay in the Waterloo region because of its tech sector, and your team’s work on logistics data is exactly what my thesis was about.”

On an application form

Some applications ask it in writing: “Please explain why you want to relocate to Canada.” Use the same three parts, in 100 to 200 words:

“I’m applying for this role because it builds directly on my six years in supply chain analytics, and your company’s expansion of its Montreal distribution network is the kind of project I want to lead. I’ve chosen Montreal because I’m fluent in French and English and my partner’s family lives there, so we plan to settle long term. I’m eligible for an open work permit through my partner’s status and can start within eight weeks of an offer.”

Be exact about your status

This is where answers go wrong. Canada has two types of work permit: open work permits, which don’t need a job offer, and employer-specific work permits, which do. For an employer-specific permit, your employer may need a labour market impact assessment (LMIA), a document that proves there’s a need to hire a foreign worker for the job; the government says most jobs need one. Some routes, such as International Experience Canada or a post-graduation work permit, have their own rules.

Two things follow:

  • Know which situation you’re in before the interview, and say it plainly. Employers can plan around an honest “I’ll need sponsorship”; they can’t plan around a vague answer.
  • Don’t say you’re eligible when you’re not. The government is explicit: if you need a work permit and don’t have one yet, you can’t write on a job application that you’re legally allowed to work in Canada.

Immigration rules change, so check the current requirements on the Government of Canada’s site, or with a licensed immigration consultant or lawyer, rather than relying on any article (this one included). For the job interview itself, see our Canada job interview guide and how to explain your immigration status.

What not to say

  • Only the benefits of Canada (healthcare, safety, quality of life) with nothing about the job. True, but they make the job sound like a visa.
  • Criticism of your home country. It sounds negative, and it’s not what they asked.
  • “I’d go anywhere.” It suggests you’ll keep moving.
  • Vague status. “I think I can get a visa” worries an employer more than a clear “I’ll need a sponsored permit.”
  • Salary as the main reason. If pay matters, talk about it at the offer stage, not here. Our guide to relocation and salary abroad covers how.

Follow-up questions to prepare for

  • Are you legally eligible to work in Canada? Will you need sponsorship?
  • When could you start?
  • Have you been to Canada, or to this city?
  • Is your family moving with you?
  • What would make you want to stay long term?
  • How would you handle a gap between the offer and your permit?

Answer the first two with facts, not hopes.

If English isn’t your first language, see our guide to job interviews in English for the other common questions, with simple sample answers and useful phrases.

Frequently asked questions

How do I answer “Why do you want to move to Canada?” in a job interview?
Give a career reason tied to this job, a specific reason for this city or region, and your practical plan: whether you can legally work in Canada and when you can start. Keep it to about a minute and lead with the career reason.
How do I answer “Please explain why you want to relocate to Canada” on an application?
Use the same three parts in 100 to 200 words: why this role fits your career, why this place, and your status and start date. Be exact about whether you already have a work permit or would need sponsorship.
Should I say I need sponsorship?
Yes, if you do. Employers can plan around an honest answer. Canada's government is explicit that if you need a work permit and don't have one, you can't write on a job application that you're legally allowed to work in Canada.
What is an LMIA?
A labour market impact assessment is a document a Canadian employer may need to prove there's a need to hire a foreign worker for a job. It's needed for most employer-specific work permits; open work permits don't need a job offer or an LMIA.
What should I avoid saying?
Don't make the answer only about Canada's benefits, don't criticize your home country, don't say you'd go anywhere, don't be vague about your status, and don't make salary your main reason.

Sources

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Amine Boukioud

Amine Boukioud is a co-founder of Beatview, Inc., the company behind Huru, and Head of Growth at Huru. He writes and reviews Huru’s interview guides; each one starts from primary sources such as employers’ own careers pages, official data and research, and follows Huru’s editorial policy.

Published · Updated

How this article was made: researched and drafted with AI assistance, then written, fact-checked and signed by Amine Boukioud on October 2, 2026. Sources are linked where they are used. How we work: editorial policy.

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