Canada is number 6

When asked why I'm passionate about teaching inter-cultural relations, particularly abroad, this is pretty much what I tell them.

The thing is, I wouldn't say Canada has a perfect record by any stretch. But there are things Canada has tried and there are things Canada seems to be doing well. To all those countries whose leaders say multiculturalism doesn't work, I say 'What can we learn from the Canadian experience?'

The reality of today's world means multiculturalism is not really something you can unsubscribe to. People will continue to move, migrate, explore and flee as they always have. With all our information technology and global education, ignorance is no longer an option. And as long as any society believes in human rights, then marginalization, systemic exclusion, ghettos and walls, forced assimilation and ethnic cleansing cannot be tolerated as solutions.

HSBC's annual pole highlights Canada's ability to integrate expats into the local community. Making local friends isn't too hard either. And not to be ignored, newcomers sense their children will have a future by being here.

I've talked to many immigrants who lived in other 'progressive' nations before coming to Canada. They moved on from these places because they didn't feel like they were allowed to consider it home. The longer they stayed, the more they felt looked on with contempt. And even their children, born in these adoptive countries, were placed in the same outsider categories as their parents.

Of course, this doesn't describe the experience of all expats. Not all immigrants wander the world until they find paradise in Canada. I'm sure there are immigrants to Canada who have their own horror stories. But at least 75% of respondees to the HSBC poll would tell you integration into Canadian community is not the problem.

Vancouver, theotherpress

6. Canada 

Canada is a great destination for expats who want to be integrated into their new culture. More than half of expats report that it is easy to make local friends, and 75% note the ease of integrating into the local community. 

Housing, quality of life, and career progression all rank highly.

Expats are fairly sour about work-life balance and disposable income, but they can rest easy knowing their kids are doing well. Canada is in the top 10 for family destinations, with access to high-quality education, healthcare, and a low crime rate. “I love Canada and its people! I felt welcomed from the very beginning,” one expat told HSBC.