Moving to Canada from Cuba
What to Expect
Considering a move from Cuba to Canada? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.
If you moved from Cuba to Canada, and you’d need to navigate life in English and French. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Ottawa averages 52°F vs 84°F in Havana, making it significantly cooler.
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Who Else Is Making This Move?
What the data shows about people moving from Cuba to Canada.
Who's moving to Canada?
Top countries of origin for Canada's foreign-born residents.
- 720,083
- 699,190
- 633,547
- 537,504
- 273,226
- 254,831
- · · ·
-
69.19,221
Cuba
Key Indicator Comparison
The numbers behind daily life in Canada compared to Cuba.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
Canada performs significantly better than Cuba across all safety metrics.
How's the healthcare?
annual government + private spending per person
affects wait times and access to care
WHO index from 0–100 measuring essential service access
share of adults with obesity
per 100,000 people — a proxy for mental health support
Cuba generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Canada leads in health coverage index.
What about the environment?
deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people
tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year
Cuba generally does better on environment, though Canada leads in air pollution deaths.
Will I have good infrastructure?
fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work
higher means greater strain on freshwater supply
annual consumption — reflects grid capacity
share of households with internet
Canada performs significantly better than Cuba across all infrastructure metrics.
What are the job prospects?
percentage of the labour force without work
a broad measure of economic output per person
Cuba generally does better on employment & economy, though Canada leads in gdp per capita.
Is it good for families?
average years of life at birth
deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better
government spending on education as % of GDP
Cuba generally does better on family life, though Canada leads in life expectancy.
Data: The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank
What's the Climate Like?
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Havana | Ottawa |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 80°/66°F (26°/19°C) | 27°/10°F (-3°/-12°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 85°/72°F (30°/22°C) | 64°/45°F (18°/7°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 88°/75°F (31°/24°C) | 75°/55°F (24°/13°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 82°/70°F (28°/21°C) | 41°/25°F (5°/-4°C) |
View all months
| Month | Havana | Ottawa |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 78°/65°F (25.8°/18.6°C) | 21°/4°F (-6.1°/-15.3°C) |
| Feb | 79°/65°F (26.1°/18.6°C) | 25°/8°F (-4.1°/-13.3°C) |
| Mar | 82°/67°F (27.6°/19.7°C) | 36°/19°F (2.2°/-7.1°C) |
| Apr | 83°/70°F (28.6°/20.9°C) | 51°/33°F (10.8°/0.6°C) |
| May | 86°/72°F (29.8°/22.4°C) | 66°/46°F (19.1°/7.7°C) |
| Jun | 87°/74°F (30.5°/23.4°C) | 75°/55°F (23.8°/12.7°C) |
| Jul | 88°/75°F (31.3°/23.8°C) | 80°/60°F (26.5°/15.4°C) |
| Aug | 89°/75°F (31.6°/24.1°C) | 77°/57°F (24.9°/14.1°C) |
| Sep | 88°/75°F (31.0°/23.8°C) | 67°/48°F (19.5°/9.1°C) |
| Oct | 85°/73°F (29.2°/23.0°C) | 54°/37°F (12.5°/3.0°C) |
| Nov | 82°/70°F (27.7°/21.3°C) | 41°/27°F (4.8°/-2.8°C) |
| Dec | 80°/67°F (26.5°/19.5°C) | 27°/12°F (-3.0°/-11.1°C) |
Data:
Instituto de Meteorología,
Meteorological Service of Canada
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Cuba and Canada. To live, work, or study long-term in Canada, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check Canada's immigration authority.
Cuba passport holder visiting Canada
Visa Required
Canada passport holder visiting Cuba
Visa Online (e-Visa)Data: Henley Passport Index. Check with the destination country's embassy for the most current requirements.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I work remotely from Canada?
Connectivity is usually fine (Canada: 42.6 fixed broadband per 100). What actually decides it is legal: does Canada offer a digital nomad visa, will your employer permit overseas work, and where are you tax-resident?
Is Canada safe for expats?
Canada performs significantly better than Cuba across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Canada is 2.3 per 100,000 people, compared to 4.4 in Cuba.
How is healthcare in Canada compared to Cuba?
Cuba generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Canada leads in health coverage index. There are 25.0 doctors per 10,000 people in Canada, compared to 94.3 in Cuba. Canada scores 91 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Cuba: 83).
What's the weather like in Canada compared to Cuba?
The average high temperature in Ottawa is 52°F, compared to 84°F in Havana. Ottawa receives around 37.1 in of rainfall per year, while Havana gets 46.8 in.
What language do they speak in Canada?
The official languages in Canada are English and French. In Cuba, the official language is Spanish.
