Situated to the north of the United States of America, Canada is a developed nation that ranks 11th in the world in terms of GDP. The country is largely made up of forest and tundra, but four-fifths of the country’s 35million population is urbanised. The country consistently ranks highly in terms of quality of life and happiness in world rankings. Major cities include Toronto, Montreal, and Vancouver. English and French are the official languages of Canada and are used by 60% and 20% of the population respectively.

Canadian culture is somewhat less well-known than that of the US or UK, however, Canada has produced cultural icons such as Celine Dion. The country is renowned for maple syrup, ice hockey, and its population’s perceived politeness.

Canada is a stable and developed nation with a strong economy. The Toronto Stock Exchange is the seventh largest stock exchange in the world with a combined market capitalization of over US$2 trillion. This means that the country has a range of experienced financial services workers able to complete a variety of remote and international work.

Approximately ¾ of the population is employed in the services industry, and this means that the country has a large number of freelancers looking for remote work positions. Statistics suggest that there are approximately 2.7 million self-employed workers across Canada. This represents 15% of the Canadian workforce, and an increase of 700,000 in the last decade. Government officials suggest that this figure will continue to increase in the future as the younger population looks to secure more independence and flexibility in their lives.

Top Skills

According to the OECD, Canada is the most educated country in the world. 51% of the country’s population have achieved an undergraduate college or university degree. The country invests heavily in education and as a result, its population is highly skilled and educated. Canadian students perform well above average in math, science, and reading.

Like in other developed nations with strong education systems, Canadian freelancers offer a range of in-demand skills. Canadian freelancers are strong in technical and software development, copywriting and translation work, and design services.

Due to 60% of the population recognising English as their first language, there is no shortage of English-speaking freelancers able to complete complex projects. Many Canadians are also bilingual and can offer services in French, although French Canadian does differ slightly from its root language.

Income Range

• Average $49,000 per year
  • Approximately US$37,000
• The average salary for a software developer is $61,000 per year
  • Approximately US$46,000

Currency

• Canadian Dollar
• Approximately 1 USD = 1.32 CAD

Currency Transfer

• PayPal
• Transferwise

Like other developed nations, Canada has advanced banking infrastructure so international payments can be made with ease.