Canada has always been a country for adventurers and still is. Those pioneers who settled the second largest country in the world bred self-sufficient, resourceful people who enjoy the great outdoors and make the most of cold, long winters. And, yes, they invented the modern sport of ice hockey, the national passion.

Wide open spaces, healthy lifestyles and some of the friendliest and most easy going people in the world are just a few of the things that make Canada a great place to live. Life is lived at a bit slower pace in Canada, which suits Canadians just fine.

A vast country, Canada is second only to Russia in geographic size, nearly 4 million square miles of mountains in the west, plains in the center and lowlands in the southeast. You will pass through six time zones traveling through the country’s ten provinces and three territories.

Like the United States, Canada is a nation of immigrants. Nearly 20 percent of the country’s over 34 million people are foreign born, which may help explain Canada’s well-known tolerance of different cultures and ideals. Both English and French are official languages in Canada, reflecting its settlement history. Over half the population of Canada is either of English or French heritage.

With a low and declining crime rate, top-rated education system, first-rate national healthcare program and a strong, growing economy led by energy development, Canada has its welcome door open for expats who have the skills they are looking for to help grow the economy. Canada’s immigration policies attract educated and experienced immigrants. Sixty-two percent of Permanent Resident visas are based on skills and the balance is for family unification.

Canada is a big place with nice people who have a spirit of adventure. It is a country where things work and equality is not just a word, it is a way of life.